Garv’s Pick of the Week: The Raven (Kino Lorber)
For the release week of August 31st:
Garv’s Pick of the Week: The Raven [Blu-ray / Kino Lorber]: It’s Vincent Price Week, at least from the point of view of Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Kino is re-releasing several of the horror icon’s movies, which were previously released in Shout Factory! box sets, as individual stand-alone Blu-rays. The Raven (1963) is my favorite of the bunch. It is a wonderful witch’s brew of comedy and horror, with perhaps the greatest cast ever assembled for a single scary movie. In addition to Vincent Price, the movie features hilarious turns by Peter Lorre (who ad-libbed much of his dialogue), Boris Karloff, scream queen Hazel Court, and a pre-stardom Jack Nicholson (as Lorre’s son). Like Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, this is a great gateway horror film for kids. I watched it numerous times in my childhood, and I revisit it every couple of years.
Additional Titles of Interest —
The Comedy of Terrors [Blu-ray / Kino Lorber]: Jacques Tourneur directed this comedy horror film, which makes a great double-feature with The Raven, This one also has a great cast — Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Joyce Jameson, Beverly Powers, and Basil Rathbone.
Master of the World [Blu-ray/ Kino Lorber]: Charles Bronson joins Vincent Price in this one.
The Last Man on Earth [Blu-ray / Kino Lorber]: The first film version of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend is still the best. Vincent Price goes it alone for much of the running time, for obvious reasons.
Bugsy Malone [Blu-ray/ Paramount Presents]: Alan Parker directed this gangster musical, cast entirely with kids, led by Jodie Foster and Scott Baio. The guns shoot whipped cream!
Rancho Deluxe [Blu-ray/ Fun City Editions]: Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston are modern day cattle rustlers in this 1975 Frank Perry film.
The Gang /Three Men to Kill [Blu-ray/ Cohen Film Collection]: Two French crime thrillers by director Jacques Deray are paired in this release. Alain Delon stars in both.
Forgotten Gialli: Volume 2 [Blu-ray/ Vinegar Syndrome]: Three lesser-known gialli — French Sex Murders (1972), My Dear Killer (1972), and The Girl in Room 2A (1974) — are collected here. This set is sure to be lurid, but it will also likely be fun.
In the Heights [4K UHD/ Warner Brothers]: One of the best films of 2021 is getting a 4K UHD release (a standard Blu-ray is coming out as well). I think this is the only movie I’ve seen twice this year.
){kind=link}