Category: Home Theater

Machismo faces the Holocaust: My Blu-ray review of Seven Beauties

~ Lincoln Spector

Lina Wertmüller's 1975 masterpiece, Seven Beauties, is a Holocaust film (with no recognizably Jewish characters), an examination of Italian machismo, and a witheringly sad and disturbing drama. And at times, it becomes a very funny slapstick comedy. Giancarlo Giannini stars as Pasqualino, a charming but somewhat dense egomaniac. He lives in Naples with his mother … Continue reading Machismo faces the Holocaust: My Blu-ray review of Seven Beauties

Barton Fink still strange and textured in new Blu-ray

~ Lincoln Spector

The Coen brother's fourth film, and their first financed by a major Hollywood studio, may just be their weirdest. It's outrageous, surreal, occasionally gross, and at times screamingly funny. Much of the story is never explained. It's one of their best. That Barton Fink is the Coen's first Hollywood film seems appropriate, because the movie … Continue reading Barton Fink still strange and textured in new Blu-ray

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly all look pretty good on new Blu-ray

~ Lincoln Spector

Sergio Leone's masterpiece - without doubt the greatest western shot entirely in Europe - gets a near Criterion treatment (without the Criterion price tag) in a two-disc Blu-ray set containing two versions of the film and a massive collection of extras. An Italian epic set during the American Civil War, The Good, the Bad, and … Continue reading The Good, the Bad and the Ugly all look pretty good on new Blu-ray

Filmstruck Revisited: Better, but still room for improvement

~ Lincoln Spector ~ 2 Comments

Back in November, I explained my disappointment with Filmstruck, the new classic movie streaming service created by Criterion and Turner Classic Movies. My biggest gripe - the limited devices available to easily send a movie to your television - has been partially fixed. You can now watch Filmstruck via Google's Chromecast. Since my TV has … Continue reading Filmstruck Revisited: Better, but still room for improvement

More Keaton on Blu-ray: Steamboat Bill Jr. & College

~ Lincoln Spector

Earlier this month, I told you about a two-disc Blu-ray set containing Buster Keaton's best and worst independent features, The General and Three Ages. Now I'll tell you about the other Keaton package that Kino Lorber will release February 21. Once again, it's a two-disc set containing one of Keaton's best movies (Steamboat Bill, Jr.) … Continue reading More Keaton on Blu-ray: Steamboat Bill Jr. & College

Keaton great and mediocre: My Blu-ray review of The General and The Three Ages

~ Lincoln Spector

Between 1920 and 1928 - the only years where he had complete control of his own films - Buster Keaton created one of the greatest bodies of work in silent movies. All his comedies from that period have been available on Blu-ray for quite some time, but that doesn't mean they can't be reissued with … Continue reading Keaton great and mediocre: My Blu-ray review of The General and The Three Ages

FilmStruck offers great films and poor tech

~ Lincoln Spector ~ 11 Comments

As soon as I heard about FilmStruck--the new movie-streaming collaboration from Turner Classic Movies and the Criterion Collection--I eagerly waited for it to open its virtual doors. When it went online November 1, I signed up right away. But as my two-week free trial came to an end, technical and web design issues forced me … Continue reading FilmStruck offers great films and poor tech

The Best of the Marx Brothers in one Blu-ray Box

~ Lincoln Spector

The Marx Brothers used comedy to deflate the pompous and tear down the establishment. They turned respectable, upper-class society into anarchy and surrealism. They also made us laugh. The brothers honed their comedy in vaudeville, jumped to Broadway, and made the leap to Hollywood at the height of the talkie revolution. They made their first … Continue reading The Best of the Marx Brothers in one Blu-ray Box