Garv's Picks of the Year: 2022 - IT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM SHELF!

Garv’s Picks of the Year: 2022

Salutations, disc devotees,

Each year at this time, I look back over the past year and choose my favorite Blu-ray and DVD releases. The list that follows should not be considered a “best of” list. These are simply my favorite 20 discs from 2022. Keep in mind, these are the picks of one person, and consequently, they are extremely subjective. My taste won’t necessarily match yours, but hopefully you’ll find a few intriguing titles below.

Also, I don’t have time to watch everything, and I don’t receive review screeners for all Blu-ray releases. Consequently, some titles, such as Kino Lorber’s Cinema’s First Nasty Women and Arrow Video’s Shawscope Volume Two box sets did not make my list due to timing and budgeting concerns. That doesn’t mean those aren’t fantastic releases or that I’m not interested in them.

A few quick notes —

Although there are twenty slots, I cheated and peppered the disc descriptions with some honorable mentions that I didn’t want to leave off the list entirely.
Some (but not all of the titles that follow) received a full review on this website earlier in the year. In those cases, I provided the link to the longer review for the curious.
Finally, the photos of the Blu-ray and DVD covers below are not merely illustrative. They are also links to the titles on Amazon.com for ease of ordering or to read additional customer reviews.
Enough prologue already! Here’s the list:

Garv’s Picks of the Year: 2022

Jack and the Beanstalk – 70th Anniversary Limited Edition [Blu-ray / ClassicFlix]: Sometimes a restoration of a movie is so good that is leads you to reevaluate the film itself. The new Jack and the Beanstalk – 70th Anniversary Limited Edition Blu-ray from ClassicFlix is one of those cases. As a kid, I judged the film against other Abbott & Costello films that were more strongly rooted in burlesque. However, Lou Costello wanted this movie to appeal to children, like a live-action version of a Disney cartoon, and on that basis, it succeeds tremendously. While the film was produced on a tight budget, it was more ambitious than most previous Abbott & Costello films, and you can feel the enthusiasm that the boys brought to the project in every frame. As least you can now, thanks to the new restoration from the best-surviving 35mm SuperCinecolor elements, performed by Bob Furmanek, Jack Theakson, and the team at the 3D Film Archive. The restored image looks as good (or better) than new, with the original studio logos, sepia-toned opening and closing scenes, and vibrantly-colored fantasy sequences intact. Plus, the disc includes 2.5 hours of extra Abbott & Costello content, including an audio commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes, radio and television appearances, trailers, and more. There are lots of poor quality, public domain versions of this title on the market, including other Blu-rays, so accept no substitutes! The ClassicFlix limited edition Blu-ray is the one to get. You can find my full review of the disc HERE.
Buster Keaton Rides Again / Helicopter Canada [Blu-ray / Canadian International Pictures]: In 1965, Buster Keaton made a 25-minute short, The Railrodder, for the National Film Board of Canada. While that film was in production, a second film crew documented the making of the film, which resulted in the insightful 55-minute documentary, Buster Keaton Rides Again. These two precious films are presented on Blu-ray, along with Helicopter Canada, 1966 a travelogue film (presented in both 2.76:1 and Smilebox) and a handful of additional Canadian shorts, in this fantastic set from Canadian International Pictures.
Man on the Flying Trapeze [Blu-ray / Kino Lorber]: W.C. Fields is my favorite movie comedian, and Man on the Flying Trapeze is my favorite movie that was released on disc this year. The only reason this Blu-ray does not rank higher in this list is because the disc is fairly bare bones, only including a featurette which was offered on previous W.C. Fields Blu-rays. The movie itself is the most unfairly ignored picture in the career of the comedian. In terms of quality and laughs, Trapeze ranks just as high as his other domestic masterpieces, It’s a Gift (1934) and The Bank Dick (1940). However, it hasn’t received a fraction of the acclaim or the audience that those better-known films have attracted. Hopefully, with this Blu-ray release, Man on the Flying Trapeze will finally receive the recognition it so richly deserves. You can find my full review of the disc HERE.
The Beatles: Get Back [Blu-ray / Disney]: Peter Jackson’s 8-hour assemblage of the rough footage of the Let It Be sessions is a Beatles fan’s dream. We get a fly-on-the-wall view of the band improvising and creating classic tunes from the Let It Be and Abbey Road albums, while witnessing how the Beatles interacted near the end of their partnership. It is a truly exhilarating experience. My only complaint is I’m not a fan of the digital scrubbing they did on the image to take out the 16mm film grain. It removes much of the sharpness, and gives the band a waxy look at times. I’d personally prefer a sharper image with the original grain. The three-part documentary is presented on three Blu-ray discs.
Billy Bevan – Silent Comedian [Blu-ray /D&D Productions]: Dave Glass & Dave Wyatt, the team that produced the prior Lupino Lane: Silent Comedian Blu-ray, which made my “Picks of the Year” list for 2020, released a new Kickstarter project this year, featuring 19 films and fragments starring Mack Sennett utility player Billy Bevan. This 2-disc set also features many other familiar faces from Mack Sennett’s laugh factory, including Ben Turpin, Vernon Dent, Louise Fazenda, Andy Clyde, James Finlayson, Harry Gribbon, and more. These loony shorts were restored and reassembled using the best film prints available from the collections of the Eye Filmmuseum, Gosfilmofond, Library of Congress, Lobster Films, Jon Mirsalis, and Rick Scheckman. Unfortunately, the photo to the right is not clickable. This disc was only offered through a Kickstarter crowdfunding project, with no intention of selling the disc through other retail channels.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde [Blu-ray / Warner Archive]: Rouben Mamoulian’s 1931 horror, starring Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins, is my favorite adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It benefits from having been produced during the Pre-Code era, so it is more salacious than the Spencer Tracy version, and it has better lighting and makeup effects. The film received a much-needed restoration from a 4K scan of what is left of the original camera negative, combined with scans of the best surviving elements to fill in the missing pieces. The missing pieces have been blended back into the film near-seamlessly, providing a viewing experience similar to the original 1931 theatrical release.
I, the Jury [4K UHD + 3D Blu-ray + Blu-ray / ClassicFlix]: ClassicFlix enters the 4K UHD and 3D Blu-ray market with this special limited edition release of I, the Jury (1953), based on the Mickey Spillane novel of the same name. Personally, I hate Mickey Spillane’s writing, but this film adaptation makes a nice companion to 1957’s Kiss Me Deadly. The set contains a 4K UHD disc, a Blu-ray with the 3-D and 2-D presentation, along with a nice collection of extras (including a failed pilot for a Mike Hammer TV series, written by Blake Edwards and starring Brian Keith). You can find my full review of the disc HERE.
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm [Blu-ray / Warner Archive]: This is the type of release that makes Blu-ray truly special. There were only two narrative feature films made in the three-camera Cinerama process, this film and the previous How the West Was Won (1962). Neither are great films, but they are BIG films. Up until now, home video has been unable to capture the magic and bigness of these titles, but this is a miracle release for Brothers Grimm. Much needed restoration was performed on 6K scans of the original deteriorating negatives, the “join lines” between the three camera negatives have been virtually eliminated, and most importantly, the film is presented both in standard letterbox and curved Smilebox. I personally prefer the Smilebox version on the second disc, as it replicates the original curved screen Cinerama presentation.
The Little Rascals – The Complete Collection Centennial Edition [Blu-ray / ClassicFlix]: This year, the boutique video label ClassicFlix completed its ambitious six-volume project to scan and restore all of the sound-era Our Gang comedies produced at Hal Roach Studios between 1929 and 1938. I reviewed each of the separate releases (Review links: Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4, Volume 5, Volume 6); and now ClassicFlix has repackaged their previous Blu-rays into a single 6-Disc collection. The shorts themselves are now presented over five Blu-rays, with an additional sixth Blu-ray of extras (including the restoration of three silent Our Gang shorts). If you don’t have the previous six discs, you can save a little money and shelf space by purchasing this collection. ClassicFlix is also offering the bonus disc for purchase on its own HERE, if you already own the prior Blu-rays.
The Great Moment [Blu-ray / Kino Lorber]: The first writer/director of the studio era (and my favorite filmmaker) Preston Sturges had a golden run of seven critical and box offices successes at Paramount Pictures — The Great McGinty (1940), Christmas in July (1940), The Lady Eve (1941), Sullivan’s Travels (1941), The Palm Beach Story (1942), The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944), and Hail the Conquering Hero (1944). Unfortunately, that streak ended with the box office flop of his dramatic biopic, The Great Moment (1944). Sturges originally envisioned a story told with a flashback structure, but the studio was dissatisfied with Sturges’ original cut, and they re-edited the movie without his input. Unfortunately, Sturges’ cut no longer exists for comparison purposes. However, Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray release includes an introduction and a featurette to help put Sturges’ fascinating failure in context. You can find my full review of the disc HERE.
Repeat Performance [Blu-ray / Flicker Alley]: Film noir meets The Twilight Zone in this entertaining genre hybrid. Joan Leslie plays an actress who makes a wish to live the previous year over to avoid mistakes that led a New Year’s Eve tragedy. Her wish is granted, but she will find that it isn’t an easy thing to change your fate. The Film Noir Foundation spearheaded a new restoration of this highly requested New Year’s noir by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, and they have once again teamed with Flicker Alley to assemble an impressive package on Blu-ray. In addition to the film itself, the disc includes an introduction by Eddie Muller, an audio commentary by Nora Fiore (“The Nitrate Diva”), a video profile of Joan Leslie, a mini-documentary on Eagle-Lion Pictures, a souvenir booklet, and more.
Murder at the Vanities [Blu-ray / Kino]: Completed just prior to the enforcement of the censorship guidelines of the Motion Picture Production Code, Murder at the Vanities (a.k.a. Earl Carroll’s Murder at the Vanities) is one of the last of the Pre-Code movies and one of the most lasciviously entertaining. If the movie is remembered at all today, it is due to the musical production number “Sweet Marijuana,” which extolls the beneficial properties of the drug, while barely covered, topless women pose as cactus flowers. However, Murder at the Vanities has a lot more going for it than one ludicrously-staged song and dance. The film features humor, music, scantily clad women, murder, and mystery. Best of all, the multi-talented Jack Oakie is at the center of it all. You can find my full review of the disc HERE.
Beverly of Graustark [Blu-ray / Undercrank Productions]: Ben Model’s Undercrank Productions has saved this 1926 silent from relative obscurity. Marion Davies stars in this gender-switch comedy, in which an American co-ed swaps places with her cousin, who is set to be crowned the king of Graustark. The Blu-ray presents a brand new 4K restoration of the film by the Library of Congress from archival 35mm elements. It also includes the film’s newly-discovered, original 2-color Technicolor ending. Ben Model composed and performs a new score for the film.
Where There’s Life [Blu-ray / Kino Lorber]: Where There’s Life is a comedy that has been more or less forgotten. It isn’t discussed or even namechecked when fans and historians discuss the filmography of Bob Hope. Consequently, I was expecting an average or below-average comedy programmer. Instead, I found the film absolutely delightful from start to finish. I’d call it my “favorite film discovery” of the year, except that Bob Hope made so many movies where a “wisecracking brave coward” gets pulled into a dangerous situation by a beautiful woman, that I’m not entirely sure I haven’t watched this particular title sometime before. No matter. Where There’s Life is absolutely one of the very best films of its type. You can find my full review of the disc HERE.
Arsenic and Old Lace [Blu-ray / Criterion]: Frank Capra’s adaptation of the popular stage play, Arsenic and Old Lace, received a much needed 4K scan and digital restoration. Cary Grant stars in the story that combines murder, suspense, screwball comedy, romance, and criminal insanity. It also features fantastic character work from the likes of Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, John Alexander, and Jack Carson. The Criterion disc includes a 1952 radio adaptation, starring Boris Karloff in the part he originated on Broadway. It also has the best cover art I’ve seen this year.
The Abominable Dr. Phibes / Dr. Phibes Rises Again! [Blu-ray / Kino Lorber]: I am an absolute fanatic when it comes to The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) and it’s sequel, Dr. Phibes Rises Again! (1972). They are my favorite horror films of all time, and rarely does an October pass when I do not re-watch them. The films are colorful, clever, witty, and art deco-stylish. Plus, they feature Vincent Price at his campy best as the murderous Dr. Phibes. While the films have been previously released individually on Blu-ray in the U.S., those releases are out of print. Kino Lorber Studio Classics is offering the films as a Blu-ray double-feature, with audio commentaries from director Robert Fuest, film historian Tim Lucas, and author Justin Humphreys (The Dr. Phibes Companion).
Touch of Evil [4K UHD / Kino Lorber]: The first 4K Ultra HD discs were released in 2016, but it wasn’t until this year that we saw an abundance of classic films released in the higher resolution format. This is one of the best. After Citizen Kane, Orson Welles rarely had final cut on the movies he directed. Welles’ masterful and subversive film noir, Touch of Evil (1958), exists in three different versions — the studio-edited theatrical version, a preview cut of the film, and the reconstructed version, which was edited based on a memo outlined by Welles. Kino Lorber Studio Classics presents all three versions in this 3-disc 4K UHD box set. In addition to Orson, this classic stars Janet Leigh, Charlton Heston, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, and Marlene Deitrich. This is a “must own” release for fans of Welles and of film noir.
The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection Vol 2 [4K UHD / Universal]: One of the rare classic 4K UHD releases of previous years was the 2020 release of The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection Vol 1, featuring Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963). This year, five more classics from the master of suspense — Saboteur (1942), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), The Trouble with Harry (1955), Marnie (1965), and Family Plot (1976) — received a 4K UHD upgrade in a Vol. 2 set. All the films are accompanied by archival extras, such as storyboards and featurettes. Shadow of a Doubt was Hitchcock’s personal favorite from his filmography, and I’m also a big fan of the dark comedy The Trouble With Harry. However, all of the films are worth watching, and these will probably be the best home video presentations they will ever receive.
The Apartment [4K UHD / Kino Lorber]: The Apartment (1960) is arguably Billy Wilder’s greatest movie, in a filmography that includes a few masterpieces. This multi-Academy Award-winning dramedy has received a few Blu-ray releases over the years, but the image quality is greatly improved in the Kino 4K release. If you love this movie as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to spend the money to upgrade it to 4K UHD. That’s the way it crumbles, cookie-wise. By the way, Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity (1944) and Some Like It Hot (1959) also received 4K UHD releases this year.
Army of Darkness [4K UHD-Blu-ray / Scream Factory]: I know. I know. Did we really need another home video release of Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness (a.k.a. Evil Dead III)? Probably not, but this set sounds pretty cool. Scream Factory’s Collector’s Edition contains a new 4K restoration of the Theatrical Cut from the original camera negative, approved by by director Sam Raimi, director of photography Bill Pope, and editor Bob Murawski. The Theatrical Cut is provided on both 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Then, the Director’s Cut and International Cut are provided in HD on Blu-ray. Finally, the Television Version with additional footage is provided on one of the Blu-rays in standard definition. The set is also stacked with previously produced special features. This should be the ultimate home video version of the film… until the next one is released.