Kino Lorber Studio Classics Announces its July 2023 Home Video Releases

June 6, 2023
Kino Lorber Studio Classics  Announces its July 2023  Home Video Releases

Human Desire

(Dir. Fritz Lang, 1954)

Starring Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford, Edgar Buchanan, Peggy Maley, Grandon Rhodes

Available on Blu-ray July 11, 2023

Legendary director Fritz Lang (Metropolis), cinema’s “Master of Darkness,” reunites with his stars of The Big Heat, Glenn Ford (Gilda) and Gloria Grahame (Naked Alibi), for this pitch-black film noir based on Émile Zola’s La Bête humaine. Korean War vet Jeff Warren (Ford) returns to his job as a railroad engineer, and quickly succumbs to his boss’s wife, Vicki Buckley (played with frank, unvarnished carnality by Grahame). Thus begins a tangled web of suspicion, sex and murder involving Vicki and her brutish husband Carl (Broderick Crawford, All the King’s Men). Adapted by Alfred Hayes (Clash by Night) and shot by Burnett Guffey (Bonnie and Clyde), Lang’s spellbinding masterpiece evokes a powerful emotional landscape of greed, jealousy and Human Desire.

Bonus Features:

  • Terror and Desire: Actress Emily Mortimer on Human Desire (9:37)
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XV

[Man Afraid / The Girl in the Kremlin / The Tattered Dress]

(Dirs. Jack Arnold, Harry Keller, Russell Birdwell, 1957)

Starring Jeff Chandler, George Nader, Lex Barker, Gail Russell, Jeanne Crain, Phyllis Thaxter, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Elaine Stewart, Jack Carson, Eduard Franz, Harold J. Stone, Tim Hovey, Troy Donahue, Jeffrey Stone, Maurice Manson, William Schallert, George Tobias, Edward Andrews, Edward Platt

Available on Blu-ray July 11, 2023

This collection features three film noir classics.

MAN AFRAID (1957) – Noir greats George Nader (Six Bridges to Cross, Appointment with a Shadow) and director Harry Keller (The Unguarded Moment, The Female Animal) come together for Man Afraid, a heart-stopping CinemaScope noir about a preacher ensnared in fear. When Reverend David Collins (Nader) and his wife Lisa (Phyllis Thaxter, Act of Violence) catch a burglar in their son’s room, the ensuing struggle ends with an injury to Lisa’s eyes and David unintentionally killing the thief. The Collins struggle with the resulting publicity, David’s own conscience, Lisa’s temporary blindness…and the burglar’s vengeful father (Eduard Franz, Cyborg 2087) who begins to stalk their son Michael (Tim Hovey, Queen Bee). The tense revenge-noir Man Afraid features a score by the great Henry Mancini (Touch of Evil).

THE GIRL IN THE KREMLIN (1957) – Moscow, 1953. Four terrified women prisoners are brought before Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, who picks the beautiful Dasha and proceeds to punish her by shaving off her long, black hair. Moments later, a plastic surgeon leads Stalin into an operating room and transforms his face into something new. So begins the story of the world’s greatest conspiracy: The Girl in the Kremlin, a harrowing Cold War noir starring Lex Barker (The Price of Fear, The Girl in Black Stockings) and Zsa Zsa Gabor (Touch of Evil, Picture Mommy Dead). When Stalin alters his appearance, fakes his own death and vanishes, ex-O.S.S. agent Steve Anderson (Barker) and Lithuanian refugee Lili Grisenko (Gabor) lead the manhunt across Europe. Directed by Russell Birdwell (The Come On) and featuring Maurice Manson (The Creature Walks Among Us) in a chilling performance.

THE TATTERED DRESS (1957) – In this CinemaScope film noir from director Jack Arnold (The Incredible Shrinking Man, Man in the Shadow), top lawyer James Blane (Jeff Chandler, Red Ball Express, Female on the Beach) is a man known to do anything it takes to win a case. But when Blane defends a socialite on trial for the murder of a bartender who made a pass at his wife, a scheming sheriff (Jack Carson, The Tarnished Angels) frames Blane for bribing a juror (Gail Russell, Calcutta, Night Has a Thousand Eyes) and exposes the hidden evil simmering beneath the surface of their quiet desert town. The Tattered Dress boasts powerful performances by its never-better cast, which includes Jeanne Crain (Man Without a Star), Elaine Stewart (Night Passage), George Tobias (Rawhide), Edward Andrews (The Unguarded Moment) and Phillip Reed (Klondike Annie).

Bonus Features:

  • Brand New HD Masters – From a 2K Scan of the 35mm Fine Grains
  • NEW Audio Commentary for MAN AFRAID by Film Historian David Del Valle and Filmmaker David DeCoteau
  • NEW Audio Commentary for THE GIRL IN THE KREMLIN by Film Historians Emma Westwood and Paul Anthony Nelson
  • NEW Audio Commentary for THE TATTERED DRESS by Professor and Film Scholar Jason A. Ney
  • Theatrical Trailers for MAN AFRAID and THE TATTERED DRESS (Newly Mastered in 2K)
  • 3 TV Spots for THE GIRL IN THE KREMLIN (Newly Mastered in 2K)
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

Gloria

(Dir. John Cassavetes, 1980)


Starring Gena Rowlands, Buck Henry, Julie Carmen, Tom Noonan, Lawrence Tierney, Val Avery, John Adames

Available on Blu-ray July 18, 2023

The brilliant Gena Rowlands (A Woman Under the Influence, Opening Night) gives an Oscar-nominated performance (Best Actress, 1980) as an ex-gun moll and showgirl suddenly forced to protect a six-year-old kid in Gloria. Pioneering director and Rowlands’ partner, John Cassavetes (Faces, Husbands), known for his unique approach to filmmaking, creates a powerful, tension-filled story. An accountant (Buck Henry, Heaven Can Wait) is in possession of a ledger which could put a number of mob bosses behind bars for a long time. Before he is killed, however, he manages to entrust the ledger and his son to a neighbor, Gloria, for protection. Gloria reluctantly takes the kid on the run while keeping the mob at bay, sometimes at the point of a gun. Finally, tired of running, she decides to confront them head on!

Bonus Features:

  • Two Theatrical Trailers
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

To Live and Die in L.A. (4KUHD)

(Dir. William Friedkin, 1985)

Starring William Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Turturro, Darlanne Fluegel, John Pankow, Dean Stockwell, Steve James, Michael Greene, Robert Downey Sr., Debra Feuer, Jane Leeves, Christopher Allport, Valentin de Vargas, Dar Robinson

Available on 4K UHD July 18, 2023

William Petersen (Manhunter, TV’s CSI) and Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Mississippi Burning) face off in a deadly game of cat and mouse in this riveting action-thriller directed by cinema legend William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist, Sorcerer). Full of style and grit, this raw tale of corruption and revenge boasts one of the most harrowing car chases ever caught on film and a shockingly explosive ending. Federal agent Richard Chance (Petersen) has a score to settle, and he’s through playing by the rules. Whether that means blackmailing a beautiful parolee, disobeying direct orders or hurtling the wrong way down a crowded freeway, he vows to take down a murderous counterfeiter (Dafoe) by any means necessary. But as the stakes grow higher, will Chance’s dark obsession with vengeance destroy him? The ultimate ’80s neo-noir, To Live and Die in L.A. features John Pankow, Debra Feuer, John Turturro, Darlanne Fluegel and Dean Stockwell, with cinematography by Robby Müller (Paris, Texas) that captures the City of Angels from the trendy elegance of Rodeo Drive to the seedy, neon glow of Hollywood.

Bonus Features:

DISC 1 (4KUHD):

  • Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative
  • Audio Commentary by Director William Friedkin
  • 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Lossless Audio
  • Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc
  • Optional English Subtitles

DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):

  • Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative
  • Audio Commentary by Director William Friedkin
  • TAKING A CHANCE: Interview with Actor William Petersen (20:41)
  • RENAISSANCE WOMAN IN L.A.: Interview with Actress Debra Feuer (14:55)
  • DOCTOR FOR A DAY: Interview with Actor Dwier Brown (8:52)
  • SO IN PHASE – SCORING TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.: Interview with Composers Wang Chung (12:43)
  • WRONG WAY – THE STUNTS OF TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.: Interview with Stunt Coordinator Buddy Joe Hooker (35:38)
  • COUNTERFEIT WORLD – THE MAKING OF TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.: Documentary (29:49)
  • Deleted Scene and Alternate Ending with Introductions (13:06)
  • Radio Spot
  • Theatrical Teaser
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Lossless Audio
  • Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
  • Optional English Subtitles

To Live and Die in L.A. (Special Edition)

(Dir. William Friedkin, 1985)

Starring William Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Turturro, Darlanne Fluegel, John Pankow, Dean Stockwell, Steve James, Michael Greene, Robert Downey Sr., Debra Feuer, Jane Leeves, Christopher Allport, Valentin de Vargas, Dar Robinson

Available on Blu-ray July 18, 2023

William Petersen (Manhunter, TV’s CSI) and Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Mississippi Burning) face off in a deadly game of cat and mouse in this riveting action-thriller directed by cinema legend William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist, Sorcerer). Full of style and grit, this raw tale of corruption and revenge boasts one of the most harrowing car chases ever caught on film and a shockingly explosive ending. Federal agent Richard Chance (Petersen) has a score to settle, and he’s through playing by the rules. Whether that means blackmailing a beautiful parolee, disobeying direct orders or hurtling the wrong way down a crowded freeway, he vows to take down a murderous counterfeiter (Dafoe) by any means necessary. But as the stakes grow higher, will Chance’s dark obsession with vengeance destroy him? The ultimate ’80s neo-noir, To Live and Die in L.A. features John Pankow, Debra Feuer, John Turturro, Darlanne Fluegel and Dean Stockwell, with cinematography by Robby Müller (Paris, Texas) that captures the City of Angels from the trendy elegance of Rodeo Drive to the seedy, neon glow of Hollywood.

Bonus Features:

  • Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative
  • Audio Commentary by Director William Friedkin
  • TAKING A CHANCE: Interview with Actor William Petersen (20:41)
  • RENAISSANCE WOMAN IN L.A.: Interview with Actress Debra Feuer (14:55)
  • DOCTOR FOR A DAY: Interview with Actor Dwier Brown (8:52)
  • SO IN PHASE – SCORING TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.: Interview with Composers Wang Chung (12:43)
  • WRONG WAY – THE STUNTS OF TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.: Interview with Stunt Coordinator Buddy Joe Hooker (35:38)
  • COUNTERFEIT WORLD – THE MAKING OF TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.: Documentary (29:49)
  • Deleted Scene and Alternate Ending with Introductions (13:06)
  • Radio Spot
  • Theatrical Teaser
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Lossless Audio
  • Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

52 Pick-Up (Special Edition)

(Dir. John Frankenheimer, 1986)

Starring Roy Scheider, Ann-Margret, Vanity , John Glover, Clarence Williams III, Lonny Chapman, Robert Trebor, Kelly Preston, Doug McClure, Ron Jeremy, Amber Lynn, Sharon Mitchell

Available on Blu-ray July 18, 2023

Greed! Extortion! Revenge! Based on the explosive bestseller by the great American crime writer, Elmore Leonard (Out of Sight), and with top-notch direction by legendary filmmaker John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate, Ronin), 52 Pick-Up evokes the chilling reminder that if you have a lot, you have a lot to lose. Life is good for Los Angeles entrepreneur Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider, The Seven-Ups, Jaws)—great business, beautiful home and gorgeous wife (Ann-Margret, Viva Las Vegas, Carnal Knowledge). Just when Harry thinks he’ll land a seat on the city council, his life suddenly spins out of control when a trio of pornographers, led by the ruthless Alan Raimy (John Glover, Masquerade), shows up with a videotape of Harry in bed with his mistress (Kelly Preston, The Experts). And when Harry goes on the offensive and tries to pit one blackmailer against the other, the tension mounts—as does the possibility of murder. The stacked cast also features Vanity (Neon City), Clarence Williams III (Reindeer Games) and Doug McClure (At the Earth’s Core).

Bonus Features:

  • NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmakers/Historians Steve Mitchell and Edwin Samuelson
  • Isolated Music Track: Featuring an Audio Interview with Composer Gary Chang
  • TV Spots & Theatrical Trailer
  • Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

Number One with a Bullet

(Dir. Jack Smight, 1987)

Starring Robert Carradine, Billy Dee Williams, Valerie Bertinelli, Peter Graves, Doris Roberts, Bobby Di Cicco, Mykelti Williamson, Jon Gries, Barry Sattels

Available on Blu-ray July 18, 2023

Billy Dee Williams (Nighthawks, Return of the Jedi) is Hazeltine, a smooth and sophisticated narcotics detective. Robert Carradine (The Long Riders, Revenge of the Nerds) is Barzak, Hazeltine’s hot-tempered and not-so-suave partner. Their humor hits as hard and fast as their fists, and they never miss in the lawless world of killer drugs. Then, suddenly, Hazeltine and Barzak are stopped cold. When a key witness escapes while in their custody, the partners are sentenced to the unthinkable—desk jobs. So Hazeltine and Barzak decide it’s time to take the law into their own hands. Their L.A. manhunt takes them from dark alleys and seedy nightclubs to luxurious mansions filled with every imaginable pleasure. And when they discover that their most deadly enemy may be another cop, they’d better find out who—and fast. Number One with a Bullet is an edge-of-your-seat adventure for every fan of action, suspense and comedy, from director Jack Smight (Harper), co-writer James Belushi (Red Heat) and legendary producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus (52 Pick-Up), with co-stars Valerie Bertinelli (C.H.O.M.P.S.), Peter Graves (TV’s Mission: Impossible) and Doris Roberts (The Taking of Pelham One Two Three).

Bonus Features:

  • Brand New HD Master – From a 2K Scan of the 35mm Interpositive!
  • NEW Audio Commentary by Action Film Historians Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

Audie Murphy Collection II [Sierra / Kansas Raiders / Destry]

(Dirs. George Marshall, Alfred E. Green, Ray Enright, 1950-1954)

Available on Blu-ray July 18, 2023

This collection features three western 1950s classics, starring screen legend Audie Murphy.

SIERRA (1950) – Adventure… Raging to the Very Peaks of Excitement! Ring Hassard (Audie Murphy, Ride a Crooked Trail) and his father Jeff (Dean Jagger, Rawhide) live in a hidden mountain valley where they capture and tame wild horses. When Ring comes to the rescue of Riley Martin (Wanda Hendrix, Prince of Foxes), a lawyer who has lost her way on the trail, it leads to a romance between them—but also opens an investigation into Jeff’s shadowy past. Even more trouble comes when they encounter a gang of horse thieves led by the dastardly Big Matt Rango (Richard Rober, Jet Pilot). Directed by Alfred E. Green (Four Faces West) in dazzling Technicolor, Sierra features a villainous early role for Tony Curtis (Son of Ali Baba) and a jolly performance by Burl Ives (The Big Country), who performs several frontier ballads. And Hendrix, who was married to Murphy at the time, makes a fierce and fetching heroine.

KANSAS RAIDERS (1950) – The Furious, Fighting Story of Quantrill’s Guerrillas! During the Civil War, young Jesse James (Audie Murphy, The Duel at Silver Creek), his brother Frank (Richard Long, The Stranger) and their soon-to-be-legendary gang ride into Kansas on the trail of Colonel William Quantrill (Brian Donlevy, Canyon Passage). Seeking revenge against the Union, Jesse wants to join Quantrill’s Raiders, who are plotting to claim Kansas for the Confederacy. The more time Jesse spends with Quantrill, however, the more he realizes that the colonel isn’t a hero fighting for the South, but a bushwhacking madman. Directed by Ray Enright (The Spoilers), Kansas Raiders blazes with bold Technicolor and brilliant supporting performances by Marguerite Chapman (The Amazing Transparent Man), Scott Brady (Undertow), Tony Curtis (Flesh and Fury), Richard Arlen (Thunderbolt), James Best (Seminole) and Dewey Martin (The Big Sky).

DESTRY (1954) – The Classic Story of the West! Ruthless gambler Decker (Lyle Bettger, All I Desire) and his cronies are causing unrest in the sleepy frontier town of Restful. After the local sheriff dies under mysterious circumstances, Decker arranges to have the town drunk (Thomas Mitchell, Stagecoach) appointed sheriff, thinking he will be easily controlled. But the new sheriff sends for Tom Destry (Audie Murphy, No Name on the Bullet), son of a famous two-fisted lawman, to be his deputy. When Tom arrives, he isn’t exactly the swaggering hero the sheriff had in mind. In fact, Destry doesn’t even carry a gun. But the new deputy’s mild exterior masks a wild determination to see justice done, as Decker and the other locals soon discover. Directed by George Marshall (When the Daltons Rode), Destry is a glorious Technicolor retelling of Marshall’s own 1939 gem, Destry Rides Again, starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart.

Bonus Features:

  • NEW Audio Commentary for SIERRA by Film Historian Toby Roan
  • NEW Audio Commentary for KANSAS RAIDERS by Author/Screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner and Film Historian Henry Parke
  • NEW Audio Commentary for DESTRY by Film Critic/Author Lee Gambin and Actor/Film Historian Gary Frank
  • Theatrical Trailers (All Three Films)
  • Optional English Subtitles 

 

Nevada Smith

(Dir. Henry Hathaway, 1966)

Starring Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Suzanne Pleshette, Martin Landau, Arthur Kennedy, Raf Vallone, Janet Margolin, Pat Hingle, Howard Da Silva, Paul Fix, Gene Evans, Josephine Hutchinson, John Doucette, Val Avery, Lyle Bettger, Bert Freed, Ted de Corsia

Available on Blu-ray July 18, 2023

The dynamic screen presence of Steve McQueen (Hell is for Heroes, The Great Escape, The Hunter) is in full force in one of the iconic star’s best and most memorable westerns—Nevada Smith. Born in the 1890s to a Native American mother and a white father during the California gold rush, Nevada Smith (McQueen) has his life turned upside down after he finds that his parents have been murdered by vicious killers. He becomes a lone gunslinger, blinded by his compulsion for revenge, and will stop at nothing to show the killers his own brand of justice. Produced and directed by western great Henry Hathaway (Rawhid, True Grit, Shoot Out), Nevada Smith surrounds McQueen with breathtaking landscapes (courtesy of cinematographer Lucien Ballard, The Wild Bunch) and standout supporting actors like Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy, Suzanne Pleshette, Raf Vallone, Janet Margolin, Howard Da Silva, Pat Hingle, Paul Fix, Gene Evans and Martin Landau.

Bonus Features:

  • Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
  • NEW Audio Commentary by Author/Screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner, Producer Mark Jordan Legan and Film Historian Henry Parke
  • Theatrical Teaser
  • 3 TV Spots (B&W)
  • Radio Spot
  • Optional English Subtitles

 
Needful Things (4KUHD)

(Dir. Fraser C. Heston, 1993)

Starring Max von Sydow, Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, Amanda Plummer, J.T. Walsh, Ray McKinnon, Duncan Fraser, William Morgan Sheppard, Shane Meier, Valri Bromfield, Don S. Davis

Available on 4K UHD July 25, 2023

Welcome to Castle Rock, Maine, a lovely place to live…if you don’t mind selling your soul! Acting greats Ed Harris (The Abyss) and Max von Sydow (3 Days of the Condor) head an exceptional cast—including Bonnie Bedelia (Die Hard), J.T. Walsh (A Few Good Men) and Amanda Plummer (Pulp Fiction)—in this supernatural thriller that’s dark, haunting and a hell of a good scare! Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Harris) has a devil of a problem: Suddenly all the residents of his sleepy little town are dying…to kill each other. But at least business is still booming, especially at a new antique store. The shop’s mysterious owner, Leland Gaunt (the nerve-shattering von Sydow), has something for everyone, and his prices are always reasonable: just one small favor…oh, and, of course, eternal damnation! Needful Things comes stylishly directed by Fraser C. Heston (The Crucifer of Blood) and scripted by W.D. Richter (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) from the #1 bestselling novel by the crowned king of horror, Stephen King (The Dead Zone, Cujo, Misery). This special edition also includes an HD Up-res of the 191-minute TV cut of the film.

Bonus Features:

DISC 1 (4KUHD):

  • Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master (Theatrical Cut) – From a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative
  • Audio Commentary by Director Fraser C. Heston, Moderated by Scorpion Releasing's Walt Olsen
  • 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Lossless Audio
  • Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc
  • Optional English Subtitles

DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):

  • Brand New HD Up-Res Master of the 191-Minute TV Cut
  • New Interview with Screenwriter W.D. Richter
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

Needful Things (Special Edition)

(Dir. Fraser C. Heston, 1993)Starring Max von Sydow, Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, Amanda Plummer, J.T. Walsh, Ray McKinnon, Duncan Fraser, William Morgan Sheppard, Shane Meier, Valri Bromfield, Don S. Davis

Available on Blu-ray July 25, 2023

Welcome to Castle Rock, Maine, a lovely place to live…if you don’t mind selling your soul! Acting greats Ed Harris (The Abyss) and Max von Sydow (3 Days of the Condor) head an exceptional cast—including Bonnie Bedelia (Die Hard), J.T. Walsh (A Few Good Men) and Amanda Plummer (Pulp Fiction)—in this supernatural thriller that’s dark, haunting and a hell of a good scare! Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Harris) has a devil of a problem: Suddenly all the residents of his sleepy little town are dying…to kill each other. But at least business is still booming, especially at a new antique store. The shop’s mysterious owner, Leland Gaunt (the nerve-shattering von Sydow), has something for everyone, and his prices are always reasonable: just one small favor…oh, and, of course, eternal damnation! Needful Things comes stylishly directed by Fraser C. Heston (The Crucifer of Blood) and scripted by W.D. Richter (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) from the #1 bestselling novel by the crowned king of horror, Stephen King (The Dead Zone, Cujo, Misery). This special edition also includes an HD Up-res of the 191-minute TV cut of the film.

Bonus Features:

DISC 1:

  • Brand New HD Master (Theatrical Cut) – From a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative
  • Audio Commentary by Director Fraser C. Heston, Moderated by Scorpion Releasing's Walt Olsen
  • 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Lossless Audio
  • Dual-Layered BD50 Disc | Optional English Subtitles

DISC 2:

  • Brand New HD Up-Res Master of the 191-Minute TV Cut
  • New Interview with Screenwriter W.D. Richter
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round

(Dir. Bernard Girard, 1966)

Starring James Coburn, Camilla Sparv, Aldo Ray, Robert Webber, Severn Darden, Nina Wayne, Todd Armstrong, Marian McCargo, Michael Strong

Available on Blu-ray July 25, 2023

Screen icon James Coburn (Our Man Flint, A Fistful of Dynamite) stars as Eli Kotch, a captivating rogue and full-time con man in this comical crime caper also featuring Aldo Ray (Kill a Dragon) and Camilla Sparv (Murderers’ Row). In prison, Kotch cleverly seduces an attractive psychologist to win parole. Once out, he immediately goes to work—planning a major bank robbery at the Los Angeles International Airport. The logistics of the heist call for “imaginative” thinking, so Kotch hires an electronics wizard, charms Inger Knudsen (Sparv) into marriage and recruits Eddie Hart (Ray) to work the airport as a disguised cop. Once everything is set, the determined Kotch is ready to blast into action. But will his scheme really land him the loot he’s looking for—or will his dreams wind up in a Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round? Featuring Nina Wayne (Luv), Robert Webber (The Dirty Dozen) and the film debut of Harrison Ford (Blade Runner).

Bonus Features:

  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

A Dandy in Aspic

(Dir. Anthony Mann, 1968)

Starring Laurence Harvey, Mia Farrow, Tom Courtney, Harry Andrews, Peter Cook, Lionel Stander, Per Oscarsson, Calvin Lockhart, Barbara Murray, Norman Bird

Available on Blu-ray July 25, 2023

Laurence Harvey (The Manchurian Candidate), Tom Courtenay (Doctor Zhivago) and Mia Farrow (Rosemary’s Baby) star in this thought-provoking Cold War thriller about the dangerous and oftentimes lonely world of espionage. Russian double agent Alexander Eberlin (Harvey) has long been posing as a British spy in England, but, feeling like a “man without a country,” he wishes to return to his motherland. His request for a transfer is denied, however, and his life is further complicated when British Intelligence assigns him and his cold-blooded boss (Courtenay) to travel to East Berlin and eliminate his Russian counterpart and friend. Living a life of lies, Eberlin comes to the painful realization that he has no allies—and no way out. The film features the elegantly chic Mia Farrow, along with Harry Andrews (The Deadly Affair), Peter Cook (Bedazzled) and a soundtrack by music legend Quincy Jones (In the Heat of the Night). A Dandy in Aspic was begun under the direction of the great Anthony Mann (T-Men, The Naked Spur, El Cid); when Mann passed away during production, Laurence Harvey completed the film.

Bonus Features:

  • A TIME TO DIE: Members of the Crew recall aspects of the film’s production (10 Minutes)
  • PULLING STRINGS: Titles Designer Michael Graham Smith and Puppeteer Ronnie Le Drew discuss the distinctive opening credit sequence (22 Minutes)
  • INSIDE MANN: An appreciation by Critic and Broadcaster Richard Combs (12 Minutes)
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Optional English Subtitles

 

The Anderson Tapes

(Dir. Sidney Lumet, 1971)

Starring Sean Connery, Christopher Walken, Dyan Cannon, Martin Balsam, Ralph Meeker, Alan King, Val Avery, Garrett Morris, Dick Anthony Williams, Paul Benjamin, Conrad Bain, Margaret Hamilton

Available on Blu-ray July 25, 2023

Sparkling wit, non-stop action and dynamic stars Sean Connery (Goldfinger, The Great Train Robbery) and Dyan Cannon (Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Shamus) make this heist film one of the best of its kind. After ten years in the cooler, Duke Anderson (Connery) heads for the luxurious apartment of his ex-girlfriend, Ingrid Everleigh (Cannon), where he masterminds an elaborate plot to rob the entire building. Financed by an underworld boss (Alan King, Casino), he recruits the best burglars in town, including an antiques dealer (Martin Balsam, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three) and a young safecracker (Christopher Walken, The Deer Hunter, King of New York). But what he doesn’t know is that each detail of the robbery is secretly recorded by electronic “bugs” planted throughout the building. Smartly directed by cinema legend Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men, Serpico) from the nationwide bestseller, and featuring a memorable musical score by the great Quincy Jones (In the Heat of the Night), The Anderson Tapes blends satire and suspense into a wholly entertaining caper concoction.

Bonus Features:

  • Audio Commentary by Film Historian Glenn Kenny
  • TV Spot
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Optional English Subtitles