Noticias

A great hero is nothing without an equally compelling villain spurring them into action, and across the history of cinema, there have been some truly awesome antagonists. From sadistic superiors to murderous maniacs, movie villains come in all shapes and sizes, as the dark depravity and calculated motivations of the bad guys have brought movies to life and made for truly nail-biting viewing. With villains often representing a dark subversion of the hero’s personality, in some cases, the antagonist has endured far more than the protagonist in mainstream popular culture.

Many of the best movies ever made gained their acclaim because of the villains at the heart of their stories, whose unsettling and intriguing nature made audiences question their own morality and beliefs. From an actor’s perspective, playing a villain is often more interesting, as their depraved nature and underhanded tactics keep things exciting. While it’s true...

Terror is just beneath the surface in Orca, coming to 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on January 21 via Kino Lorber.

Also known as Orca: The Killer Whale, the 1977 creature feature has been newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision/Hdr.

Inspired by the success of Jaws, Dino De Laurentiis produced the film with Michael Anderson (Logan’s Run) directing from a script by Luciano Vincenzoni & Sergio Donati (Raw Deal).

Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, Will Sampson, Bo Derek (in her film debut), Keenan Wynn, and Robert Carradine star.

Disc 1 – 4K Uhd:

4K Restoration from the Original Camera Negative Dolby Vision/Hdr Presentation of the Film Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell, and Nathaniel Thompson (new) Audio Commentary by Film Historian Lee Gambin 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio

Disc 2 – Blu-ray:

4K Restoration from the Original Camera Negative Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell,...

The success of the original Poltergeist (1982), a masterful blend of suburban anxiety and supernatural terror, seemed to guarantee a rich future for the franchise. Directed by Tobe Hooper and famously guided by Steven Spielberg, the film remains a textbook case of how to balance heart-pounding scares with moments of familial tenderness. By contrast, Poltergeist II: The Other Side has always felt like a pale echo of its predecessor – a sequel that revisits familiar territory but struggles to carve out its own identity.

Set a year after the events of the original, Poltergeist II finds the Freeling family – Diane (JoBeth Williams), Steven (Craig T. Nelson), Robbie (Oliver Robins), and the ever-captivating Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke) – attempting to rebuild their lives. Now living with Diane’s mother, they’re haunted not just by the memories of their spectral ordeal but by literal ghosts who refuse to let go. Their suburban nightmare is far from over.

New month, new horror recommendations from Deep Cuts Rising. This installment features five selections reflecting the month of November 2024.

Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.

This month’s offerings include a horror western, a gory tale of bad science, and a supernatural slasher.

Craze (1974)

Image: Craze (1974)

Directed by Freddie Francis.

The choices for movies to watch on Occult Day (November 18) are endless, but what about the lesser known Craze? This adaptation of Henry Seymour‘s novel The Infernal Idol is a grisly delight. Jack Palance (Alone in the Dark) is the murderous antiques dealer whose killing spree is done in the name of an African idol.

Here Palance goes around butchering women as part of a series of sacrifices for the aforesaid idol. His plans to lure and slay his targets become...

Stars: Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, Will Sampson, Bo Derek, Keenan Wynn, Robert Carradine, Scott Walker, Peter Hooten | Written by Luciano Vincenzoni, Sergio Donati | Directed by Michael Anderson

Orca: The Killer Whale, directed by Michael Anderson and released in 1977, is a unique and polarizing entry in the animal horror genre. Riding the wave of killer animal thrillers that followed the massive success of Jaws (1975), Orca seeks to differentiate itself by focusing on one of the ocean’s most intelligent creatures, the killer whale. Despite its potential, the film never quite rises to the heights it aspires to, blending melodrama with ecological themes in ways that often clash.

The story revolves around Captain Nolan (Richard Harris), a fisherman who becomes obsessed with capturing a killer whale for profit. When his attempt to trap a male orca results in the death of its pregnant mate and unborn calf, the whale seeks revenge in...

Studiocanal have released a fantastic new 4K restoration of Orca, The Killer Whale, as part of the Cult Classics Collection. Terror is just below the surface in this ferocious action adventure of mythical proportions from legendary producer Dino De Laurentiis, starring screen legends Richard Harris (Oscar-nominated for This Sporting Life) and Charlotte Rampling (Oscar nominated for 45 Years). As well as a collectable 4K Uhd SteelBook, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.

From Academy Award nominated director Michael Anderson (Around The World In Eighty Days) and screenwriter Luciano Vincenzoni comes a gripping and terrifying tale of man versus beast. Described by Scream Magazine as ‘Jaws with heart’, Orca, The Killer Whale features a marvellous lead performance from Harris as a sea captain targeted by a vengeful killer whale, and also stars Will Sampson, famous for his performance as in Chief Bromden One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Bo Derek (“10”), and Robert Carradine...

The house from Poltergeist is up for sale. This is the actual house used in the movie, and it is loaded with plenty of urban legends. However, the realtor selling the house is playing off the legends from the horror movie and promises the house is “definitely not haunted.”

Here is what you need to know about the famous house that is up for sale.

Poltergeist House Up For Sale For First Time In 45 Years

An ad went up, and it appears that the house used in the movie Poltergeist is for sale. This is the first time the house has been on the market in 45 years. The movie is based on the supposedly haunted Herrmann House in Long Island. However, this house is located in Simi Valley, California.

The Poltergeist house from the movie

The Poltergeist house, located outside Los Angeles, was listed for $1.174 million. It has a 16,000-square-foot lot,...

StudioCanal have today announced a new 4K restoration of Orca, The Killer Whale – as part of the Cult Classics Collection – from legendary producer Dino Di Laurentiis, starring screen legends Richard Harris (Oscar-nominated for This Sporting Life) and Charlotte Rampling (Oscar-nominated for 45 Years). As well as a collectable 4K Uhd SteelBook, the film will be available on 4K Uhd, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.

Initially on the hunt for a great white shark, the obsessive Captain Nolan (Richard Harris) accidentally kills a pregnant orca. Seeking vengeance, her mate begins to terrorise the nearby fishing village in a rampage of death and destruction. Realising that only he can bring an end to the carnage, Nolan sets out on a deadly quest to face his enemy from the deep…

From Academy Award-nominated director Michael Anderson (Around The World In Eighty Days) and screenwriter Luciano Vincenzoni comes a gripping and terrifying tale of man versus beast.

Jackie Brown – Picture: Miramax Films

Happy New Year! It’s a great start to the New Year on Netflix, with some great new movies and television shows to binge on.

If you missed any new titles added to Netflix this past week, check out our New on Netflix section for the complete list.

Here are the best new movies and TV shows added to Netflix this week;

John Wick Movie Collection

Films: 3

Genre: Action, Thriller | Runtimes: 101 / 122 / 130 Minutes

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick

One of the most popular action franchises in recent memory, three of the four John Wick memories are now available to stream on Netflix.

John Wick, a former assassin, is grieving over the loss of his wife. To help him through his grief, she bought him a puppy before her death, but after a home invasion results in the death of the dog and...

A new episode of The Arrow in the Head Show has just been released, and in this one hosts John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance Vlcek are talking about Poltergeist – but not the Tobe Hooper / Steven Spielberg classic from 1982. The Poltergeist movie they’re focusing on in this episode is the 1986 sequel Poltergeist II: The Other Side (watch it Here), the one with the creepy reverend and the tequila worm. To find out what they had to say about it, check out the video embedded above!

Directed by Brian Gibson from a screenplay written by Michael Grais and Mark Victor, Poltergeist II has the following synopsis: The Freelings have escaped their haunted house, which is now being studied by paranormal investigators, including shaman Taylor. When Taylor realizes that the Beast, masquerading as the Reverend Kane, knows where young Carol Anne Freeling now lives, he goes to warn the family that...

From "Halloween" to "A Nightmare on Elm Street," there's no shortage of iconic horror movies from the '70s and '80s that launched long-running franchises. Still, "Poltergeist" stands out among the rest because of its cult following - and many of those fans believe the Poltergeist franchise is actually cursed.

A reboot of the classic 1982 horror film "Poltergeist" came out in 2015, but let's be honest: nothing could compare to the original. While no horrific accidents occurred on the set of the most recent movie, there are plenty of rumors of a curse on the original film trilogy's cast.

The movie revolves around a suburban family who moves into a new home and begins to notice strange things involving their 5-year-old daughter, Carol Ann. Turns out, menacing spirits are haunting the house, and while their interactions seem harmless at first, their true evil nature is soon revealed when Carol Ann goes missing,...

Sterlin Harjo, co-creator of FX’s Reservation Dogs, discusses a few of his favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Mekko (2015)

Boy (2010)

Cool Hand Luke (1967) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

Being There (1979) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

A Woman Under The Influence (1974)

Husbands (1970) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Stand By Me (1986)

Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1986)

This Is Spinal Tap (1984) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

The Princess Bride (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Friday (1995)

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary

Dead Man (1995)

Powwow Highway (1989)

Airplane! (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai (1999)

Stalker (1979) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review

Come And See (1985) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review

A Clockwork Orange...

Jack Nicholson is the driving force, but this rerelease reminds us how delicately he is supported by the rest of the cast

Think about Milos Forman’s multi-Oscar-winning 1975 adaptation of the Ken Kesey novel, and the first thing likely to come to mind is Jack Nicholson’s performance. It’s extraordinary, a completely uninhibited powerplay, which dominates the screen. But what’s remarkable, when you watch this BFI rerelease in honour of Nicholson’s 80th birthday, is the way Forman is able to balance this enormous, film-dominating turn, and draw our eyes to the supporting characters – to the scaly chill and stillness of Louise Fletcher’s glare as Nurse Ratched, to the immutable sadness of Will Sampson’s Chief. It’s not just Nicholson’s performance that makes this film a masterpiece; it’s the fact that Forman was able to prevent that performance from capsizing the whole enterprise.

Continue reading.

Author: Competitions

On 22 April, the incomparable Jack Nicholson will reach 80. In celebration of this milestone birthday, the BFI is bringing the magnificent 1975 tragicomedy in which he starred, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, back to big screens across the UK on 14 April 2017. We are giving three lucky winners a pair of tickets to a BFI Southbank screening of the film between 20 and 24 April 2017

Nicholson’s unforgettable performance as the ingenious, heroic free spirit Rp ‘Mac’ McMurphy, who leads an uprising in the men’s ward of a mental hospital run by callous Nurse Rached (Louise Fletcher), won him his first Best Actor Oscar®.

Adapted from Ken Kesey’s best-selling 1962 novel, directed by Miloš Forman (Amadeus, Man on the Moon) and produced by Saul Zaentz (Amadeus, The English Patient) and Michael Douglas (his first producer role), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was only the second film ever to...

For the first time in more than 40 years, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” has a new trailer. BFI is re-releasing the multiple Oscar winner to mark the occasion of Jack Nicholson’s 80th birthday, which the actor will celebrate on April 14. Watch the new trailer below.

Read More: Watch: 13 Minutes of Deleted Scenes From ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’

Miloš Forman’s adaptation of the best-selling novel by Ken Kesey belongs to an exclusive club: “Cuckoo’s Nest” is just one of three films to win the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay, the other two being “It Happened One Night” and “The Silence of the Lambs.” Made for $3 million, it grossed more than $100 million.

Read More: Watch: Exploring the Set-Ups in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’

Louise Fletcher, Will Sampson, William Redfield, Brad Dourif, Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito co-star in the film.

There was never really a need to sequelize 1982’s Poltergeist. It told a complete story. It vanquished the evil spirit haunting the house by film’s end. Heck, it even vanquished the house itself. But because the original movie was a hit and it was the ’80s, the Tobe Hooper/Steven Spielberg collaboration got not just one sequel but two, despite the fact that it does not lend itself to being a franchise. New villains and new mythology—and eventually even new family members—were introduced to keep the story going, albeit with mixed results. And while the sequels have their fans, they’re hardly among the most beloved horror films of the decade. Thanks to Scream Factory’s new Collector's Editions of both, horror fans now have the chance to reevaluate them in the best possible format.

Though released four years after the 1982 original, Poltergeist II: The Other Side...

For this final week of home entertainment releases in January, horror and sci-fi fans have a ton of cult classics to look forward to, including Poltergeist II and Poltergeist III from Scream Factory, and Lair of the White Worm and Parents from Lionsgate via their Vestron Video Collector’s Series.

Synapse Films is also keeping busy with a trio of releases this Tuesday—The Coffin Joe Trilogy Collection, At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, and This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse—and for those of you missed it in theaters, Boo! A Madea Halloween comes home to both Blu-ray and DVD on January 31st as well.

Lair of the White Worm: Vestron Video Collector’s Series (Lionsgate, Blu-ray)

Bram Stoker’s last novel is the basis for this wild tale of a horrific beast and the evil forces it unleashes on the beautiful English countryside.

Vestron Video...

If your home away from home in your formative years was the dentist’s office, then you know that braces can be hell. That teeth-centric fear was tapped into by the special effects team in Poltergeist II: The Other Side, and with the sequel coming out on a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on January 31st from Scream Factory, we’ve been provided with an exclusive bonus features clip just for Daily Dead readers that goes behind-the-scenes of the movie’s intense braces scene.

Check out our exclusive bonus features clip of actor Oliver Robins reminiscing about the braces scene below, and be sure to visit Scream Factory to learn more about their Collector’s Edition Blu-rays of both Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III:

https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/film-horror/poltergeist-ii-the-other-side-collector-s-edition https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/film-horror/poltergeist-iii-collector-s-edition

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray...

Beginning January 31st, sinister spirits return to haunt the Freeling family on Scream Factory’s Poltergeist II: The Other Side Collector’s Edition Blu-ray, and we’ve been provided with three copies to give away to Daily Dead readers.

————

Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Collector’s Edition Blu-ray copy of Poltergeist II: The Other Side.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email [email protected] with the subject “Poltergeist II Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on February 3rd. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

————

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray): “In this thrilling follow-up to the smash hit Poltergeist, the Freeling family (JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson,...

Scream Factory welcomes back the spirits that plagued the Freeling family with their respective Collector’s Edition Blu-rays of Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III, and to get you prepped for the January 31st releases, we have high-def clips and trailers from both films for you to enjoy.

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray): “In this thrilling follow-up to the smash hit Poltergeist, the Freeling family (JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O’Rourke, Oliver Robins) settles into a new home following the annihilation of their former residence by terrifying visitors from the netherworld. But the spirits of the dead are still hell-bent on luring the family’s clairvoyant daughter Carol Anne to “the other side.” This chilling sequel, directed by Brian Gibson (Breaking Glass) also stars Will Sampson (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Julian Beck (The Cotton Club) and Zelda Rubinstein (Anguish) returns as Tangina.

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, and Tom Stockman

Happy Birthday to one of We Are Movie Geeks favorite stars. Clint Eastwood was born on this day in 1930, making him 86 years old. The actor and two-time Oscar winning director hasn’t let his age slow him down a bit. Sully, his new movie as a director, opens in September.

We posted a list in 2011 of his ten best directorial efforts Here

Clint Eastwood has appeared in 68 films in his six (!) decades as an actor, and here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are his ten best:

Honorable Mention: Honkytonk Man

By the 1980s, Clint Eastwood was one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. With his own production company, directorial skills, and economic clout, Eastwood was able to make smaller, more personal films. A perfect example is the underrated Honkytonk Man, which also happens to be one of Eastwood’s finest performances.

Stars: Chuck Norris, Louis Gossett Jr., Melody Anderson, Will Sampson, Sonny Landham, John Rhys-Davies, Ian Abercrombie, Richard Lee-Sung | Written by Robert Gosnell | Directed by J. Lee Thompson

Looking back now – three decades later – it’s hard to believe that the idea of an archaeologist as The go-to film hero was, oftentimes, a guarantee to bring in the punters and create a big-money blockbuster movie! Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, King Solomon’s Mines, etc. all graced the big screen to varying degrees of success during the mid-80s; and yes, it was Spielberg’s film that reignited the genre but it took Cannon Films – the purveyors of low-budget, high-concept big screen bonanzas – to really put the fun into this now-buried treasure of a genre.

After hitting it big with King Solomon’s Mines, they milked the classic character for another big-budget (at least for Cannon) movie before the flash-in-the-pan adventurer genre faded.

On the surface, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’s 1975 release seems like an exercise in perfect timing. An incredible cast, expert direction and instant-classic source material make the film seem like the kind of project that nowadays goes from page to screen in a matter of months.

However, as the film celebrates its 40th anniversary, it remains a stunning combination of luck and endurance.

True, Jack Nicholson was the perfect candidate to play Randle McMurphy. His manic magnetism made him the perfect actor to overtake a mental hospital like a whirlwind. The same goes for Louise Fletcher, who – though inexperienced on the big screen – proved a revelation as the icy-blooded Nurse Ratched. Veteran Czech director Milos Forman had also made some of the finest European films of the 1960s and would use the film to help launch a long Hollywood career that eventually brought him around to films...

Any number of famous horror movies are supposed to have had a curse that plagued their cast and crew both during the shoot and subsequently. The Exorcist is one; Poltergeist is another. And the latter is now set to be the subject of a documentary. Producer and director Adam Ripp is putting together The Curse Of Poltergeist, taking the life and experiences of actor Oliver Robins as its starting point and main focus.What's the supposed curse? A number of deaths, basically. Actress Heather O'Rourke - the trilogy's cute Carol-Anne -  died suddenly at the tragically young age of 12, just before the release of Poltergeist 3. Dominique Dunne, who played Dana, was killed by her boyfriend in 1982, not long after the first film. Bit-part player Lou Perryman was the victim of an axe murder in 2009. Will Sampson died two years after appearing in Poltergeist II. And Julian Beck - Poltergeist II...

Director: Robert Altman Writers: Arthur Kopit (play Indians), Alan Rudolph (screenplay), Robert Altman (screenplay) Starring: Paul Newman, Joel Grey, Kevin McCarthy, Harvey Keitel, Allan F. Nicholls, Geraldine Chaplin, John Considine, Robert DoQui, Denver Pyle, Frank Kaquitts, Will Sampson, Pat McCormick, Shelley Duvall, Burt Lancaster Thanks to Kino Lorber Studio Classics, there’s now an excuse to revisit a film you […]...

Next year marks the 40th anniversary of Milos Forman’s fantastic and Oscar-winning “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” but it’s never too early to start celebrating a great film. To that end, some of the deleted scenes from the film have been posted online for your viewing pleasure. Starring Jack Nicholson, the Forman-directed film was only the second ever film (at the time)—after 1934’s “It All Happened One Night”—to sweep the five major Academy Award categories (Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor in Lead Role and Actress in Lead Role). The reel of deleted scenes runs about thirteen minutes long and look to have been uploaded from the film’s home video release several years ago. You get to see McMurphy’s initial meeting with Dr. Spivey as well as other scenes featuring the rest of the ensemble cast including a very uncomfortable shaving scene with Will Sampson’s Chief.

Books and films have been joined at the hip ever since the earliest days of cinema, and adaptations of novels have regularly provided audiences with the classier end of the film spectrum. Here, the Guardian and Observer's critics pick the 10 best

• Top 10 family movies

• Top 10 war movies

• Top 10 teen movies

• Top 10 superhero movies

• Top 10 westerns

• Top 10 documentaries

• More Guardian and Observer critics' top 10s

10. Planet of the Apes

Although the source novel, La Planète des Singes, was written by Frenchman Pierre Boule and originally reached its futureshock climax in Paris, this enduring sci-fi fantasy is profoundly American, putting Charlton Heston's steel-jawed patriotism to incredible use. It also holds up surprisingly well as a jarring allegory for the population's fears over escalating cold war tensions.

Beginning with a spaceship crash-landing on an unknown planet after years of cryogenic sleep, Franklin J Schaffner's film soon gets into gear as Heston's upstanding...

I think everyone remembers where they were August 31st, 2003 when they heard that Charles Bronson had died. I was visiting my brother in Atlanta when my nephew knocked on my door and informed me that CNN had announced his death. I collapsed into a sobbing heap. Bronson was my hero, my muse, my role model. Hollywood’s brightest star would shine no more. It’s hard to believe he’s been gone ten years.

Charles Bronson was the unlikeliest of movie stars. Of all the leading men in the history of Hollywood, Charles Bronson had the least range as an actor. He rarely emoted or even changed his expression, and when he did speak, his voice was a reedy whisper. But Charles Bronson could coast on presence, charisma, and silent brooding menace like no one’s business and he wound up the world’s most bankable movie star throughout most of the 1970’s.

Jack Nicholson's is not the only outstanding performance in the darkly comic movie. Director Milos Forman drew sensitive yet hilarious turns from a cast with a rich range of facial tics

Why we love … movie computers … the quarry in Breaking Away … the dribbly kiss in Little Women

"I'm not just talking about my wife, I'm talking about my life! I'm not just talking about one person, I'm talking about everybody. I'm talking about form, I'm talking about content, I'm talking about inter-relationships! I'm talking about God, the devil, hell, heaven! Do you understand? Finally?!"

The intellectual, neurotic Harding (William Redfield) lets off steam during one of five "group therapy" scenes in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. It sparks a fascinating set of reactions from other characters – the squealing Cheswick (Sydney Lassick), the taunting, swivelled-eyed Taber (Christopher Lloyd), the stuttering Billy Bibbit (Brad Dourif), the ghoulish Fredrickson (Vincent Schiavelli), the grinning,...

‘Cursed productions’ are not exclusive to horror pictures. But, it’s typically horror films that garner the most attention for tumultuous circumstances surrounding their filming. At one point, people seemed to like the idea of those involved with horror movies being condemned for their participation in the devil’s work. But, these days, many people would, attribute a cursed production to nothing more than bad luck, negligence, unfortunate circumstances, or a combination of the above factors. Films from The Wizard of Oz to Superman have spawned rumors of a curse associated with their production. But, a lot of people argue that there is a slightly less fantastical explanation for films that endured a particularly turbulent shoot.

Despite the fact that people try to tell us that there is no such thing as a ‘cursed production’, we thought it would be interesting to reminisce on some of the most notorious ‘cursed productions’. As a disclaimer,...

In 1976 Italian movie mogul Dino De Laurentiis unleashed his heavily promoted King Kong to eager audiences. Though a modest success, the remake was trashed by critics and, especially in light of Peter Jackson’s 2005 version, has aged horribly. The next year De Laurentiis released another monster movie, The White Buffalo which critics pounced on as well and this time, even though it starred box-office champ Charles Bronson, audiences stayed away. But the years have been much kinder to The White Buffalo, a weird, offbeat western/monster hybrid that uses real historical figures for a unique riff on Moby Dick. It’s an unusual movie, ripe for rediscovery. I had written about it a couple of years ago in my Not available on DVD column and it’s now available as part of the MGM Limited Edition Collection

In the 1870′s, aging gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok (Charles Bronson) is haunted by...

When J. Edgar was released last Fall, We Are Movie Geeks published our Top Ten Tuesday article on Clint Eastwood’s best films as director. With word that Eastwood has come out of acting retirement, it’s time for another Top Ten list, this time of movies that Clint has starred in. Trouble With The Curve is currently filming and stars Clint as an ailing baseball scout in his twilight years who takes his daughter (played by Amy Adams) on the road for one last recruiting trip. This will be Clint’s first acting role since Gran Torino in 2008.

Super-8 Clint Eastwood Movie Madness will be a great way to celebrate the life and films of this legendary American actor. It takes place February 7th at the Way Out Club in St. Louis (2525 Jefferson in South City). Condensed versions of these memorable Clint Eastwood films will be shown on a...

Rank the week of September 13th’s Blu-ray and DVD new releases against the best films of all-time: New Releases Thor

(Blu-ray & DVD | PG13 | 2011)

Flickchart Ranking: #227

Win Percentage: 58%

Times Ranked: 18033

Top-20 Rankings: 90

Directed By: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Chris Hemsworth • Natalie Portman • Anthony Hopkins • Jeremy Renner • Kat Dennings

Genres: Action • Adventure • Based-on-Comics • Comic-Book Superhero Film • Fantasy • Fantasy Adventure

Rank This Movie

Conan O’Brien Can’T Stop

(Blu-ray & DVD | Nr | 2011)

Flickchart Ranking: #5260

Win Percentage: 54%

Times Ranked: 719

Top-20 Rankings: 5

Directed By: Rodman Flender

Starring: Conan O’Brien

Genres: Comedy • Documentary

Rank This Movie

Incendies

(Blu-ray & DVD | Nr | 2010)

Flickchart Ranking: #4296

Win Percentage: 51%

Times Ranked: 947

Top-20 Rankings: 8

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Starring: Lubna Azabal • Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin • Maxim Gaudette • Rémy Girard • Abdelghafour Elaaziz

Genres: Drama • Foreign Language Film

Rank This Movie

The Tempest

(Blu-ray & DVD | PG13 | 2010)

Flickchart Ranking: #7784

Win Percentage: 37%

Times Ranked: 385

Top-20 Rankings: 2

Directed By: Julie Taymor

Starring: Helen Mirren • Djimon Hounsou • Alfred Molina...

Chicago – The Criterion Collection is one of the greatest gifts to pure cinema buffs ever perpetuated. Founded in 1984, their mission is to sell “important classic and contemporary films,” and they do just that with there latest Blu-ray releases, Nicolas Roeg’s “Insignificance” and Kon Ichikawa’s “The Makioka Sisters.”

It is an interesting pair of films indeed, made within two years of each other. Ichikawa was near the end of a long and fruitful career, the Sisters film represented a late career comeback. Roeg was on his sixth film with his outsider status intact, Insignificance has the happenstance of catching a couple of movie stars near their influential end (Tony Curtis, Will Sampson), and a couple near the beginning (Gary Busey, Theresa Russell).

”Insignificance” (1985)

As brilliant a metaphor as ever been made about American celebrity obsession, Insignificance capped an amazing period for director Nicolas Roeg that began with “Walkabout” (1971). Framed...

Rank the week of June 14th’s Blu-ray and DVD new releases against the best films of all-time:new Releasesbattle:los Angeles

(DVD and Blu-ray | PG13 | 2011)

Flickchart Ranking: #3294

Times Ranked: 3631

Win Percentage: 42%

Top-20 Rankings: 9

Directed By: Jonathan Liebesman

Starring: Aaron Eckhart • Ramon Rodriguez

Cory Hardrict • Gino Anthony Pesi • Ne-Yo

Genres: Action • Action Thriller • Alien Invasion Films • Apocalyptic Film • Science Fiction • Sci-Fi Action • Thriller

Rank This Movie

Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son

(DVD and Blu-ray | PG13 | 2011)

Flickchart Ranking: #19020

Times Ranked: 83

Win Percentage: 31%

Top-20 Rankings: 1

Directed By: John Whitesell

Starring: Martin Lawrence • Brandon T. Jackson

Jessica Lucas • Michelle Ang • Portia Doubleday

Genres: Comedy • Police Comedy

Rank This Movie

Hall Pass

(DVD and Blu-ray | R | 2011)

Flickchart Ranking: #5878

Times Ranked: 1164

Win Percentage: 40%

Top-20 Rankings: 4

Directed By: Bobby & Peter Farrelly

Starring: Owen Wilson • Jason Sudeikis • Jenna Fischer • Christina Applegate • Nicky Whelan

Genres: Comedy • Romantic Comedy

Rank This Movie

Kill The Irishman

(DVD and Blu-ray | R | 2011)

Flickchart...

Continuing in the honor of the upcoming Texas Frightmare Weekend, Tmp takes a look at some of the most notorious "curses" that have seemingly plagued Hollywood over the years.  Chronicling odd circumstances and strange occurrences, some of these instances are just plain creepy.

Curses and misfortune have persisted in the realm of artistic creation since the premiere of Shakespeare's Macbeth, quite possibly before that.  But the stories behind the curses that terrorize some productions would seek to prove that the supernatural can affect more than just the imagination.  The following stories are just a few of the more intriguing ones we've discovered haunting the hallowed history of Hollywood.

Calories Or Curses?

A Confederacy of Dunces

Widely regarded as one of the most cursed projects in Hollywood, A Confederacy of Dunces, based on the absolutely hilarious and bestselling book by John Kennedy Toole, has yet to even get off the ground.

‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’ Ultimate Collector’s Edition: Blu-ray

Directed by: Milos Forman

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd

Running Time: 2 hr 13 mins

Rating: R

Due Out: September 14, 2010

Own it on Blu-ray

Buy On Amazon: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: Collector’s [Blu-ray]

Official Site: www.warnerblu.com

Plot: A nice rest in a state mental hospital beats a stretch in the pen, right? Randle P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a free-spirited con with lightning in his veins and glib on his tongue, fakes insanity and moves in with what he calls the “nuts.” Immediately, his contagious sense of disorder runs up against numbing routine. No way should guys pickled on sedatives shuffle around in bathrobes when the World Series is on. This means war! On one side is McMurphy. On the other is soft-spoken Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), among the most coldly monstrous villains in film history.

DVD Links: DVD News | Release Dates | New Dvds | Reviews | RSS Feed

Breathless (Criterion Collection) Unfortunately my duties here in Toronto means I haven't yet had the chance to watch Criterion's Blu-ray edition of Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless, but you better believe it will be one of the first things I do when I get back to Seattle. If you ask me this is a must buy sight unseen. Blu-ray.com says this Blu-ray offers "a more balanced look" than previous DVD editions while DVD Beaver seems to suggest the Blu-ray is of higher quality, but the improvements are subtle.

What I'd say this boils down to is whether or not you already own the 2-Disc Criterion DVD edition. If you already own that then perhaps the new Blu-ray isn't necessary, but I firmly believe this is a film everyone must own and if you are yet to have it as...

Charles Bronson was the unlikeliest of movie stars. Of all the leading men in the history of Hollywood, Charles Bronson had the least range as an actor. He rarely emoted or even changed his expression, and when he did speak, his voice was a reedy whisper. But Charles Bronson could coast on presence, charisma, and silent brooding menace like no one.s business and he wound up the world’s most bankable movie star throughout most of the 1970’s. Bronson did not rise quickly in the Hollywood ranks. His film debut was in 1951 and he spent the next two decades as a solid character actor with a rugged face, muscular physique and everyman ethnicity that kept him busy in supporting roles as indians, convicts, cowboys, boxers, and gangsters. It wasn’t until he was in his late 40’s, after the international success of Once Upon A Time In The West...

Someone over at Netflix (and, more specifically Netflix's 'Watch Instantly' department) has been digging into my brain and pulling out some really strange and obscure movies that (as far as I know) aren't even available on DVD! The last time out, I was gushing over titles like Rolling Thunder, The Squeeze, and Planet of the Vampires -- but this time the Netflix VHS Stack is overflowing with wierd little flickers. Get a load of these ones:

The 1986 comedy Modern Girls, starring Cynthia Gibb, Daphne Zuniga, Virginia Madsen, and Clayton Rohner. I actually saw this one during its theatrical run. Some of the Animal House guys (Tim Matheson, Stephen Furst) team up with one of the Porky's guys (Dan Monahan) and the Esp hottie from Ghostbusters (Jennifer Runyon) to deliver one of the more fondly-remembered sex comedies of 1984: Up the Creek! Also features a cool Cheap Trick song and a great performance by a dog.