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The first-ever animated feature from StoryCorps celebrates the transformative power of listening. Listening Is an Act of Love: A StoryCorps Special presents six stories from 10 years of the innovative oral history project, where everyday people sit down together to ask life’s important questions and share stories from their lives.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“Listening is an Act of Love” is the first animated StoryCorps special that shows the importance of oral history. For those of you that are unfamiliar with StoryCorps, they are an organization that reaches millions with their NPR program. Spending most of the last decade collecting stories, they have now taken to exciting new formats to show America what unique tales are out there. This kind of material speaks to me, as I love listening to classic and modern Americana.

Six great stories and bonus shorts are presented in that Rauch Brothers style. They’re framed by Dave Isay and his nephew Benji discussing what makes them important. History is more than figures and facts in a book. The average person spends their life working within the constructs of a greater society in order to create a better living experience. I want to hear about how people connect and how they experience most of the major events of the last few decades. The human connection is the most important factor in deciphering history, even though most of these shorts tend to lean towards human interest. But, that’s just me and my tastes.

The DVD comes with interviews from StoryCorps officials as the only special features. The A/V Quality is strong with a supportive transfer and a Dolby audio track. The Dolby track doesn’t get much back channel action. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to fans of amazing documentaries.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!

RAISE THE TITANIC

Blu-ray reviews

TroyAnderson

February 2, 2014

FROM THE BACK OF THE BOX:

To obtain a supply of a rare mineral, a ship raising operation is conducted for the only known source, the Titanic.

FROM THE BACK OF MY BRAIN:

“Raise the Titanic” was a giant bomb way back in 1980. Basically, it’s an adventure tales about recovering a rare material that was in the cargo hold of the Titanic when it sank. The cast is amazing, but the direction and script almost jettison everything that worked about the original novel. That’s not to say that Cussler was ever an amazing writer, but the dude had a plot that would’ve worked unmolested onscreen. But, I guess the studio got antsy releasing this flick in the summer of “The Empire Strikes Back”.

Clive Cussler novels on film begin with “Raise the Titanic” and end with “Sahara”. It’s not exactly an exciting legacy of literature to film, but films share the same problems. Cussler plays with big scale ideas that involved the use of multiple locations and nationalities. By hampering and directing their focus to a shared objective, issues of cooperation and teamwork are Brundlefly’d into an incoherent mess. ITV knew what they were doing here, even if the execution came across bungled. That being said, I appreciate a time when films like this could exist in a bizarre action subgenre that allowed for the best character and classic actors to work together in something that would be considered beneath them in the modern era.

The Blu-Ray comes with an interview, DVD copy and a trailer. The 1080p transfer is a lot cleaner than I’ve ever seen this film look. The DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track is pretty overpowering for a film like this. While the channel is correct, I wish we could’ve heard something closer to the original mix. But, I’m just being picky. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to fans of classic schlock.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!

SHADOW, THE: COLLECTOR’S EDITION

Blu-ray reviews

TroyAnderson

February 1, 2014

FROM THE BACK OF THE BOX:

Alec Baldwin stars as the legendary crime-fighting superhero in The Shadow, ’a spellbinding runaway entertainment ride’ (NBC News). Donning his sweeping black cape and disguise, The Shadow takes on his most dangerous nemesis yet: the last descendant of the great Genghis Khan whose weapon of choice is an atomic bomb. With the fate of humanity hanging in the balance, they square off for a spectacular battle in a dazzling mixture of mind-blowing special effects, humor and a dose of the macabre that will hold you spellbound!

Featuring an all-star cast Penelope Ann Miller (Carlito’s Way), John Lone (The Last Emperor), Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and Ian McKellen (X-Men).

FROM THE BACK OF MY BRAIN:

“The Shadow” is the tale of Batman predecessor Lamont Cranston’s battle to use his wealth to wage a geo-political war against the enemies of good. For a film that is not fondly remembered, the lack of love is mind boggling. There are amazing sets, the script balances the period action well and there are so many excellent casting choices. I’ll go down to my grave saying that this is one of the best Jonathan Winters movies ever. Jerry Goldsmith’s score deserved an Oscar nomination, as it was the first comic book movie not to ape Danny Elfman’s Batman work for the next decade. But, let’s focus on what really sold the movie.

Alec Baldwin carries the picture on his back, as he shows the world that he could’ve and probably should’ve been Batman in a Burton less universe. David Goyer has talked about how he lifted certain elements from this film for the first act of “Batman Begins” and it shows. However, everything after that shifts around and plays with homages to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “The Lady from Shanghai”. Don’t get me started on a hall of mirrors being intellectual property of Bruce Lee, film nerds. You need to learn that film existed before 1973.

The Blu-Ray comes with new interviews, a trailer and still gallery. The 1080p transfer is so amazing that I can finally delete the HBO HD broadcast off my DVR. The DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track has been giving my home theater a workout for the last day. Maybe, it was because I was 13 and in love with period action movies at the time, but why didn’t this movie do better at the box office? In the end, I’d recommend a purchase and a blind buy to all fans new and old.

RELEASE DATE: 02/25/2014

BAD DREAMS / VISITING HOURS

Blu-ray reviews

TroyAnderson

February 1, 2014

FROM THE BACK OF THE BOX:

BAD DREAMS

In the mid-70s, the members of the love cult Unity Fields sought ‘the ultimate joining’ by dousing themselves with gasoline and committing mass suicide. A young girl blown clear of the fiery explosion was the only survivor. Thirteen years later, Cynthia (Jennifer Rubin, Screamers) awakens from a coma inside a psychiatric hospital with only buried memories of that horrific day. But now, her fellow patients are each being driven to their own violent suicides. Has the sect’s leader (Richard Lynch, Deathsport) returned to claim his final child? Bruce Abbott (Re-Animator) co-stars in this intense shocker from director Andrew Fleming (The Craft) and producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator, The Walking Dead).

VISITING HOURS

Academy Award® winner Lee Grant (1975: Best Supporting Actress, Shampoo) stars as outspoken TV journalist Deborah Ballin, whose crusade against domestic violence enrages a creepo loner (a truly disturbing performance by Michael Ironside, Scanners) in Visiting Hours. He brutally attacks the anchorwoman in her home, but Ballin survives and is hospitalized. Her assailant is further enraged: He is haunted by a horrific childhood trauma…and now he has hidden himself inside the hospital to finish what he started. Can anybody (including her concerned boss (William Shatner), a frantic nurse (Linda Purl, Homeland) or Deborah herself stop the psycho’s killing spree before it reaches sick new extremes? Time to find out!

FROM THE BACK OF MY BRAIN:

“Bad Dreams” was one of the first horror movies that I watched on repeat. I used to pick it up from a local Mom and Pop store and run that video to bits. The reason being is that I was led to believe that it was “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors”. There’s a group scene, a burned up guy is stalking a survivor and they had a previous relationship. Nevertheless, you can see why my eight year old self couldn’t pick up on such a carbon copy being the original recipe. The rest of the film is a horror action mix, but it works for what it is.

“Visiting Hours” always bordered more on a thriller for me. Michael Ironside keeps the film afloat, as he plays this slasher flick along the lines of an X rated sex fueled violence ramp. There a lot of things tying it to “Vice Squad” and “Act of Vengeance”. But, William Shatner and Lee Grant keep trying to make it a thriller that just happens to stick a toe into the grit. It’s schizo for a Canuxploitation flick, but it works. What’s really fun to do is watch this with “Halloween II” back-to-back.

The Blu-Ray comes with a commentary, featurettes, original ending and a trailer for “Bad Dreams”. “Visting Hours” gets an interviews and some radio/TV spots. The A/V Quality is pretty strong for two films of this age. The DTS-HD master audio mono tracks really propped up these releases, but shouldn’t “Bad Dreams” have been a 2.0 mix due to its late 80s release? The 1080p transfers are much more cleaned up than the Anchor Bay double feature DVD. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to fans.

RELEASE DATE: 02/18/2014

BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN, THE/NEANDERTHAL MAN, THE

Blu-ray reviews

TroyAnderson

February 1, 2014

FROM THE BACK OF THE BOX:

The Beast Of Hollow Mountain

Based on an idea by the legendary special effects wizard Willis O’Brien (King Kong, Son Of Kong, The Lost World), The Beast Of Hollow Mountain is a classic creature feature. An American rancher living in Mexico is staying near Hollow Mountain, an impenetrable swamp where, stories have it, dwells a living prehistoric Tyrannosaurus Rex!

The Neanderthal Man

A mad scientist uses his new serum on his housekeeper, turning her into an ape-woman. Like most crazed scientists, he then tries the serum on himself, creating…The Neanderthal Man! Robert Shayne (How To Make A Monster) and Beverly Garland (It Conquered The World, The Alligator People) star in this harrowing creature feature.

FROM THE BACK OF MY BRAIN:

“The Beast of Hollow Mountain” is a great dinosaur in another time flick from the legendary Willis O’Brien. If you like stop-motion mayhem without the pretense of “The Valley of Gwangi”, then this is the flick for you. Now, an American rancher has to drive a T. Rex back to the grave and out of the greater Hollow Mountain area. What kills me about this one is that I forgot it took an hour before we finally see the T. Rex in its glory. What kind of crap is that for a film that’s only eighty minutes long?

“The Neanderthal Man” is another quickie Mad Scientist movie from that period when they were getting cranked out on a weekly schedule. Basically, this scientist turns his maid into an ape and then turns it on himself. Naturally, he goes all prehistoric savage and begins a crazy rampage of murder. Most of the movie is hokey even for the era that it was released. That being said, it’s a goofy picture that shows its warts at all time. If anything, it’s meant to be seen as a piece of disposable cinema.

The Blu-Ray comes with no special features. However, you do get a DVD copy of both movies. The A/V Quality is a revelation with a cleaned up transfer for “The Beast of Hollow Mountain”. “The Neanderthal Man” has always looked pretty rough, so it’s not that big of a surprise to see that the HD bump didn’t do much. Both films also support period appropriate DTS-HD mono master audio tracks. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!

RAW TO READY

Blu-ray reviews

TroyAnderson

January 29, 2014

THE PLOT THUS FAR

Explore the science, innovation, and sheer genius it takes to transform the most basic ingredients into the world’s most awe-inspiring machines. Raw to Ready goes deep inside factories to uncover the hard work and craftsmanship it takes to build these incredible machines and reveals the hidden stories of human ingenuity that have transformed the earth’s most essential raw materials into monumental marvels of modern technology.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“Raw to Ready” is an in-depth look at factories and forges that build the best in transportation and engineering. We get to take a look at everything from the Komatsu Earth Mover to the Mack Truck to the Bentley and the Bombardier CRJ-1000. From there, the crew breaks down the elements that are necessary for the construction of these mechanical titans. I know that this might seem like a sleeping pill to a lot of readers, but you’ve got to be able to be fascinated by the outside world. Not everything is fantasy and Hugh Jackman acting straight.

The two discs present four hours of content. Human ingenuity is so fascinating, but I feel that the series tip-toes among the dynamics behind the creation. When we break down these creations to their Utilitarian purpose, then we dehumanize the product. That irks me, but I can see why they did it for the purposes of cohesive shooting. Still, that direction almost seems to make this series short-lived. That being said, I’ll enjoy what I can watch right now.

The DVD comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is strong with a supportive transfer and a Dolby audio track. The Dolby track doesn’t get much back channel action. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to fans of amazing mechanical finesse.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!

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