A terrific batch of Blu-rays this month- Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s wild last film; an exceptional Raoul Walsh Warner Brothers melodrama starring Ida Lupino; a fascinating new Woody Allen; a bonkers Lucio Fulci erotic thriller; a double-bill of hillbilly harlots; a crackpot giant alligator film by Sergio Martino; a Russian fantasy epic; a stylish “giallo” starring the stunning Edwige Fenech; Roman Polanski’s Chinatown and Don Siegel’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, both in 4K UHD.
Querelle (Criterion) Tragically, the last film by Rainer Werner Fassbinder was a wildly stylistic interpretation of the novel by French outlaw and author Jean Genet (Our Lady of the Flowers). It stars sexy Brad Davis as Querelle, a sailor (thief and murderer) on leave in Brest, a lawless, seedy port (the entire film is a fantastic set on a soundstage, with mammoth phallic towers guarding the town). It’s an arthouse erotic movie; a queer fantasia filled with Tom of Finland leather boys, handsome Franco Nero as Lieutenant Seblon, hopelessly in love with Querelle, florid gay sex scenes, expressionistic switchblade fight sequences and even Jeanne Moreau playing a chanteuse in a brothel who sings from Oscar Wilde’s The Ballad of Reading Gaol, “Yet each man kills the thing he loves…” Unfairly critically dismissed at the time of its release (the NY Times stupidly called it, “A mess,” and “A detour that leads to a dead end.”). It’s about time for audiences to rediscover the film’s perverse pleasures. The Blu-ray is a high-definition digital restoration approved by the film’s cinematographer Xaver Schwarzenberger. It also comes with a 1982 documentary: Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works by Wolf Gremm and an excellent essay by critic Nathan Lee. The Blu-ray box cover is a hoot.
The Devil’s Honey (Severin) Italian director Lucio Fulci was best known for a series of great gory shockers like The Beyond, House by the Cemetery and The New York Ripper. But by the late 80s, horror films were waning in Italy, and, after recovering from a serious illness, Fulci rebounded with this this bonkers erotic melodrama. Jessica (Blanca Marsillach) is the girlfriend and muse for jazz musician Johnny (Stefano Madia)- he even plays the saxophone between her legs as she writhes ecstatically. After a head accident, he is rushed to hospital and a distracted surgeon, Dr. Simpson (Brett Halsey) loses him on the operating table. Traumatized, Jessica kidnaps the doctor at gunpoint and takes him to a seaside villa where she chains him to the wall with a barking dog at his face and torments, tortures and debases him. It’s all pitched wildly over-the-top but it’s loony fun. Lucio Fulci has a cameo selling charm bracelets to the loving couple in Venice. This 4K UHD Blu-ray really brings out the flesh tones- it looks just amazingly sharp. Extras include an interview with Blanca Marsillach and Brett Halsey (who is candid and very funny). An interview with composer Claudio Natili. An excellent overview of the film by Stephen Thrower, author of “Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci,” and an audio essay by Troy Howarth.
The Coffee Table (Cinephobia) (DVD only) Truly one of the most macabre movies I have ever seen. I heard about this bizarre Spanish film when author Stephen King praised it online and I hunted it down. Directed by Caye Casas, the plot could not be simpler. A husband (David Pareja) and wife (Estefania de los Santos) have been blessed with a new baby. The wife is a bit of a control freak- deciding everything for their apartment- even the baby’s name. But she lets her husband pick out a coffee table. The salesman guarantees the table, “will change your life for the better,” but in fact, it’s pretty ugly. The wife rolls her eyes at her husband’s choice, and is secretly delighted when, as he is assembling it at home, he discovers there aren’t enough screws included in the box. Except for some offbeat interludes with a 13-year-old girl in the building who is unhealthily smitten with the husband and is out to make trouble, the film suddenly descends into unfathomable tragedy and it does so with diabolical gallows humor- almost defying you to laugh. I can’t remember cringing as much through a movie as this one- but I have to admit I was impressed with the film’s daring. Talk about a cruel comedy. This one takes the cake.
Coup de Chance (MPI) Woody Allen’s Claude Chabrol moment- an elegant, sinister tale set in Paris about the seemingly perfect couple. Fanny (lovely Lou de Laage) works for an auction house and is married to wealthy and handsome Jean (always fabulous Melvil Poupaud). Although no one is quite sure what he does to make his living. “I make rich people richer,” is his pat answer. Fanny runs into an old classmate- Alain (Niels Schneider), now a writer living in Paris, and they begin to spend lunches together which blossoms into a full-blown affair. But Jean suspects his wife is being unfaithful, and it might not be wise to cross him. Rumors have it, his old partner disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Vittorio Storaro’s gorgeous cinematography captures the sumptuous beauty of Paris while master trumpeter Nat Adderley’s jazz sets the mood for a sublime dark treat.
Common Law Wife & Jennie Wife/Child (Film Masters) Remastered double-bill of hilariously sordid exploitation films about a bunch of backwoods bastards and bitches. Common Law Wife (1961) is about rich old Shugfoot Rainey (George Edgley), itching to trade in the gal he’s been living with for five years- Linda (Annabelle Weenick), for his sexy little tramp niece- Jonelle aka “Baby Doll” (Lacey Kelly), who has been stripping down in New Orleans. But Linda has a legal card up her sleeve- she’s actually Shugfoot’s “common law wife,” and she’s not going anywhere. When “Baby Doll” shows up in town a little girl mockingly prances behind her mimicking her sexy waddle. Jonelle immediately seduces her sister’s sheriff husband and beds the local moonshiner before plotting to poison Shugfoot with cyanide-laced hootch. The dialogue crackles with mean-spiritedness- everyone is fabulously rotten. This began as a film by Larry Buchanan (Mars Need Women) called Swamp Rose, but then director Eric Sayers (New Orleans After Dark) reshot the same cast with a more salacious storyline- and a sleaze classic was born. Jennie Wife/Child (1968) is about a girl from the “river bottom”- Jennie (Beverly Lunsford) married to an old coot farmer and skinflint Albert Peckinpaw (Jack Lester). Fed up with fulfilling her “wifely duties” with Albert and getting no fun (or fancy new dresses) in return, she seduces the dim-witted, hunky farm hand Mario (Jim Reader). Albert catches them in the act and chains them in the basement as revenge. Directed by James Landis (The Sadist) with cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond this has a wild, eclectic score. The Blu-ray comes with audio commentaries and a fun new documentary “That’s Hicksploitation” and kick-ass liner notes by Something Weird Video’s Lisa Petrucci.
Mute Witness (Arrow) A mute make-up artist (Marina Zudina) is working on a horror movie shot in Moscow. She is there after hours and witnesses some shady characters arriving. They start shooting their own movie on the set- which spirals into a horrifying snuff film. She miraculously escapes after she is caught being there and chased through the building by the killers, but the police are skeptical of her story. Then the Russian mafia begin to hunt her down when they realize she is in possession of an incriminating diskette. Director Anthony Waller successfully blends humor with suspense in this cult favorite. Alec Guinness even makes a surprise cameo. A lackluster DVD was the only way you could see this for years, but this is a 4K UHD restoration is approved by the director. It also comes with copious extras including brand new audio commentary, a video essay on the film by critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, original location scouting footage and more.
Ruslan and Ludmila (Deaf Crocodile) Russian director Aleksandr Ptushko’s 1972 fantasy epic, about victorious Prince Ruslan (Valeri Kozinets), returning to the King’s castle after a successful battle for the hand of the beautiful Princess Ludmila (Natalya Petrova). But on their wedding night Ludmila is spirited away by an evil dwarf sorcerer who lives high in the mountains and has a long white beard that is carried by his green-faced goon soldiers. Wildly imaginative landscapes. Surreal goblins and demons. The art direction is extraordinary. Ruslan and other suitors ride off to battle the evil wizard, coming up against an evil witch and other bizarre challenges along the way. A massive snoring head; beguiling mermaid temptresses; a cave filled with musclebound stone titans, rattling their chains and begging for water. A mysterious sleeping spell befalls Ludmila and Ruslan is stabbed by a sword. It all ends happily, though, with the two lovers reunited and a huge feast “for one and all.” Based on a poem by Alexander Pushkin, there is rhyming grace to the dialogue. As the film concludes, this is “An honest tale of bygone days. A legend of heroic ways.” The director Ptushko’s final film is a magical masterpiece. This digital restoration is just glorious.
The Bat Whispers (VCI) The Bat, based on a book by Mary Roberts Rinehart, has been a staple in movies since 1926 with a silent movie by Roland West. But it’s The Bat Whispers (1939) (also directed by Roland West) that Bob Kane supposedly got the inspiration for his comic book- Batman. The movie is about a master criminal called the “Bat” and a spooky old mansion leased by a wealthy woman and her niece and annoying servant. Is the “Bat” lurking in the secret passageways searching for a hidden treasure and terrifying the occupants of the house? Well, duh…The camera movements get pretty expressionistic, but your patience is tested by the aggravating servant, screaming hysterically and fainting often.
The Great Alligator (Severin) What’s “great” is this 4K UHD upgrade of director Sergio Martino’s (Torso) wild 1979 film about the grand opening of a huge jungle resort called “Paradise House.” Mel Ferrer plays the ruthless developer who has flown in a professional photographer (Claudio Cassinelli) to publicize the resort. He even points out that the local jungle tribe is fine with it. (Well, that doesn’t last)! Sexy Barbara Bach plays the anthropologist/manager. But a fearsome God to the tribe- a giant alligator- rears its toothy head devouring everyone in sight. The last 25 minutes is really outrageous, gory and over-the-top. The 4K upgrade looks sensational. The flesh tones, not to mention blood, realistically pop on screen. I’d actually forgotten how much fun this was- it really delivers in a loony way. The extras include “Down by the River,” with director Sergio Martino. A fun interview with actress Silvia Collatina, who played the brattish little girl Minou in the film. (She also was a ghostly spirit in The House by the Cemetery). There are interviews with the production designer and camera operator and a “Video Essay” by Lee Gambin.
Wild Things (Arrow) John McNaughton’s (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer) wickedly sardonic tale is set in the sun-drenched wealthy world of south Florida. But, like the alligators in the Everglades, there are sharp teeth under the surface waiting to snap. When Kelly (Denise Richards), a pouty, Lolita-esque high school student from a rich family, accuses her guidance counselor (Matt Dillon) of rape, he hires a sleazy attorney (Bill Murray) to defend him. Even the detectives (Kevin Bacon and Daphne Rubin-Vega) are suspicious of the charges until another student- a punked-out doper (Neve Campbell) comes forth with similar accusations. But nothing is at it seems in Blue Bay, Florida. Dripping with venomous wit, wet T-shirts and wonderful bursts of unexpected humor, the sunny, sexy look of the film masks the nasty immorality of its players. This 4K UHD restoration includes the original theatrical version and the unrated version. It comes with audio commentary by John McNaughton, an exclusive interview with Denise Richards and a “making-of” documentary.
Chinatown (Paramount) Roman Polanski’s great 1974 neo-noir starring a wonderfully sardonic Jack Nicholson as private detective Jake Gittes in 1937 Los Angeles. A woman (Diane Ladd) claiming to be Evelyn Mulwray, the wife of the chief engineer of L.A. Water & Power, hires Jake to find if her husband is cheating on her. Some photos of him snapped with a much younger woman end up splashed across the newspapers and the real Evelyn Mulwray (exquisite Faye Dunaway) shows up threatening to sue Gittes. When her husband is found murdered it sends Jake down a dark rabbit hole, manipulated by the corrupt forces who are controlling the water rights to the city, especially Evelyn’s shady, scary, millionaire father (John Huston). Sexy, suspenseful, with a superb script by Robert Towne, and a sensational cast. It’s a perfect film in every way, from the lush cinematography by John A. Alonzo to that haunting score by Jerry Goldsmith. This is a 4K UHD Blu-ray and includes Jack Nicholson’s directorial sequel The Two Jakes (1990) starring Harvey Keitel and Meg Tilly.
The Man I Love (Warner Archive) Boy, have I been praying for a restoration of this great 1947 Raoul Walsh melodrama. Ida Lupino is absolutely unforgettable as torch singer Petey Brown, who travels from New York to the West Coast to be with her family. (Lupino’s singing was dubbed by Peg La Centra). She gets a gig at a nightclub run by hood Nicky Toresca (Robert Alda) and discovers, to her distress, he is coming on to her sweet married sister (Andrea King), who is also working at the club. Nicky has also ensnared Petey’s younger brother (Warren Douglas) in his illegal enterprises. Petey begins romancing a troubled, alcoholic jazz pianist (Bruce Bennett)- a man haunted by many inner demons. Martin Scorsese definitely riffed off this film for New York, New York. I don’t think it can exactly be called a film noir- but a lot of the moody trappings are there. Ida Lupino is glorious in the film, a complex mixture of tough and tender. As Petey, she tries to untangle and solve all the messy problems in her family. It’s the kind of movie that reminds you why one loves Warner Brothers films of this era. Nobody did it better.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Kino Lorber) A true paranoid sci-fi classic about spores from space that take root in Santa Mira, California, growing pod-like vegetation that takes over the body of its host. It gets you when you’re asleep. Soon the town is teaming with secretive, emotionless aliens, all acting under one control. Director Don Siegel’s great 1956 film heavily reflects the insidious McCarthy-era time in which the film was made. Kevin McCarthy is terrific as the caffeinated doctor trying to flee town with his girlfriend (divine Dana Wynter) and warn the world of the imminent invasion. Now available in this stunning 4K UHD transfer.
The Case of the Bloody Iris (Celluloid Dreams) This kinky, stylish 1972 Italian “giallo” thriller was originally titled, “What are Those Strange Drops of Blood on Jennifer’s Body?” which is right up there with “Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key.” Starring gorgeous (and always great) Edwige Fenech (The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh) as Jennifer, a model who moves into a fancy high-rise with her ditzy, jokey girlfriend Marilyn (Paola Quattrini) only to find that other women have been murdered in the building. Handsome George Hilton (The Sweet Body of Deborah) plays the building’s owner Andrea, romancing a terrified Jennifer who is being stalked by her ex Adam (Ben Carra) who once introduced her into a twisted sex cult. A masked, glove-wearing killer is also watching the two women. Director Giuliano Carnimeo had mostly done spaghetti westerns before this, and a stronger directorial hand like Sergio Martino might have elevated this material. But who cares? It’s great, sexy, murderous fun. This is the first release from new company Celluloid Dreams, and the gorgeous 4K UHD transfer was scanned in Rome from the film’s original Techniscope camera negative. It also comes with six reproductions of Italian lobby cards. The company’s next release will be the great 1971 “giallo” Black Belly of the Tarantula. I cannot wait!
