A summertime question for Cinema Strikes Back.

David Austin:

Tarkan was 2005, as was Ran.

Coming from a genre and cult standpoint, avoiding obvious big releases like the original King Kong, I think Fox's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and Discotek's Electric Dragon 80,000 Volts are the best packages so far. Both are films that had been absent from Region 1 DVD for far too long, both are great movies, and both were treated with consummate respect, given beautiful transfers and provided with an interesting variety of extras. Anchor Bay's Cemetery Man and NoShame's The Emilio Miraglia Killer Queen Box Set are close seconds, the first being a decent treament of an outstanding movie, the second being outstanding treatment of a couple of fun movies. Runners-up include Mondo Macabro's Virgins from Hell with an entire reel of Indonesian trailers, and Miramax's long-awaited release of Delicatessen. Looking to the future, I am most excited about Classic Media's Godzilla megaset, which will finally make the original epic (along with many of its fun descendants) available in the US, Universal's Double Indemnity special edition, and Mondo Macabro's Bollywood Horror Collection.

This year saw the release of many films that I had long awaited on DVD, but there are a lot out there that still need a good Region 1 release. First, as of yet, none of the clever, clockwork films of Sabu have crossed over from Japan to US DVD, including the wonderful Postman Blues and Drive. Luis Buñuel's filmography, despite the efforts of Criterion, still has substantial gaps, including The Exterminating Angel and Simon of the Desert. Don Coscarelli's action-packed sequels to Phantasm are still missing, as is Stuart Gordon's icky From Beyond. As for martial arts, Chang Cheh's insane Five Element Ninja, Sammo Hung's intense Pedicab Driver, and three King Hu masterpieces, each as good as the next, are still unavailable, Raining in the Mountain, A Touch of Zen and Dragon Gate Inn. And finally, two satirical gangster films, from Japan and Russia respectively, Juzo Itami's Minbo and Aleksei Balabanov's Brat (aka Brother).

Blake:

Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party - If there is a singular most important release this year it is for this film. The power of the Internet allows it to breath to live and find an audience. Where do the films without distribution go? Hopefully instead of completely vanishing, we as fans of cinema can still find and buy them online. One of the most simple and touching films of all time is Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party. This is actually a film that has the power to move even Paris Hilton.

Faust - If you chart love and effort put into a DVD, then this Masters of Cinema release stands out as the best along with Dazed and Confused (Criterion). Everyone is aware of Dazed, but how many have bought Faust? This is a must own. The film is presented in amazing fashion and no detail in the extras or packaging is left to chance. You pick up this DVD and you can just feel the passion from the people that wanted you to have it. They sold their grandma's into slavery, their dogs to the meat market... you just know they did everything they could to make this hands down the most rocking release of this film of all time. [Note: The American release from Kino is available here.]

Upcoming DVD Releases I can't wait to own:

Air Guitar Nation (2006); LOL (2006). Air Guitar for its sheer amount of outright fun. LOL because it so far has left every Hollywood romantic release this year in its dust. It has no money or stars and is better than every Hollywood release I've seen this year.

Films That Should Be on DVD:

Pretty Maids All in a Row - Chilly winds have blown on this film's chances for a DVD release. If ever there was a film that could dethrone Rocky Horror on the midnight circuit, this is it. Rock Hudson wants women more than Bill Clinton in this film which boasts a funky collaboration between Roger Vadim and... who else but Gene Roddenberry. Also starring the diverse casting of Angie Dickinson, Telly Savalas, Roddy McDowall, James Doohan, Barbara Leigh and Margaret Markov. All at once, it is, as Tarantino says, "Vadim's love letter to American girls," but so much more than that. It is the Star Wars: A New Hope of coming-of-age films. You won't ever take it home to mom, but you darn sure will never grow tired of watching it and constantly showing it off to friends, lovers and film addicts.

Fear is the Key (1972) - Ben Kingsley has hair and Barry Newman is at his finest in this film featuring one of the wildest car chases and most rousing endings I've ever seen. This is a great thriller that fell through the cracks and has yet to be discovered by many out there.

The Burglar (1957) - Paul Wendkos noir that is so unusual that it makes unusual as cool as Pulp Fiction wallets.

Jeff:

I was thrilled that Princess Raccoon was finally released this year. Other possible candidates: Election/Election 2, 3 Dev Adam, Tarkan, Warner Bros boxsets.

Posted by dwhudson at July 27, 2006 11:40 AM