When cinephiles consider Josef von Sternberg, they usually think about beautiful, erotic images of Marlene Dietrich, set in exotic, far-off places but shot entirely on the Paramount lot. Yet before he met Dietrich or made a talkie, he created three stunning silent dramas that are among his best work. These three films, Underworld, The Last … Continue reading Three silent classics by Josef von Sternberg, now together on Criterion Blu-ray
Category: Home Theater
Keaton’s Our Hospitality on a new Blu-ray
Three years before he made The General, Buster Keaton mined the antebellum South for comic gold in this almost gentle comedy inspired by the Hatfield/McCoy feud. Our Hospitality places Buster in the home of a family sworn to kill him. What keeps him alive? The cordial Southern manners that forbid murdering a guest in your own home. … Continue reading Keaton’s Our Hospitality on a new Blu-ray
The Hitch-Hiker, now on Blu-ray, keeps you on edge for 71 minutes
Here's a little movie that ratchets up the suspense from beginning to end. Ida Lupino's The Hitch-Hiker grabs you by the gut. Two men on a fishing vacation (Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy) pick up a hitchhiker, who turns out to be a notorious, psychotic killer wanted by the police. Holding them at gunpoint, he … Continue reading The Hitch-Hiker, now on Blu-ray, keeps you on edge for 71 minutes
Support Your Local Sheriff: Little-known gem now on Blu-ray
I wrote an article a couple of years ago about Forgotten Laughs - comedies that are worth watching, but never attained classic status. I overlooked Support Your Local Sheriff from 1969, which is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber. Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers, Bob Hope, Mel Brooks, and … Continue reading Support Your Local Sheriff: Little-known gem now on Blu-ray
Great Movies are Better on the Big Screen
Who would shell out money and travel across town to see a movie they already own on Blu-ray? I would. Nothing you can do in your own home competes with the theatrical experience. Within the last 10 days, my wife and I bought tickets and crossed town to see two favorites on the big screen: … Continue reading Great Movies are Better on the Big Screen
Do the Right Thing in beautiful, new Criterion Blu-ray
Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing just may be the best film about race issues in America. Thirty years after its release, it's still as relevant as anything you're likely to see. The major difference is that now when police murder a black man, the event is recorded on smartphones and goes viral. Either way, … Continue reading Do the Right Thing in beautiful, new Criterion Blu-ray
Son of Filmstruck: The Criterion Channel is up and running (sometimes)
Last November, FilmStruck, the greatest cinephilic streaming service ever, was killed by its corporate overlords. As a combination of Criterion and Turner Classic Movies, it had the greatest collection of important films ever in one website. On Monday, Criterion opened The Criterion Channel, offering about half of what FilmStruck had, which still makes it an … Continue reading Son of Filmstruck: The Criterion Channel is up and running (sometimes)
