2010: The Digital Movie Bonanza

[Brian Thibodeau]

Just to further tempt you, here's another Amazon link with all of their timed daily specials for the week ahead.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/r ... 1000452571

Not as much for me on this one as on the other link I posted, but definitely getting a few odds 'n ends, starting with PRINCE OF PERSIA Blu-ray in about an hour. From what I've seen of it on screens in stores, it's not something I'd keep, but I would like to see it all the way through. Odds are it will be in the $10 range, so I can flip it up here and at least break even.

HERO NEVER DIES: That's one of my favourite Johnnie To movies. Has an almost mythic feel to it. The characters even mark their territory by pissing on trees! Also love how the score integrates the Japanese classic 'Sukiyaki.'

Have a few other recent pickups to list, but won't be home until tomorrow night to do so.

[Brian Thibodeau]

Recently . . .

Criterion Blu-rays from the Barnes & Noble 50% Off Criterion Sale:

HOUSE (1977)
LOLA MONTES (1955)
BIGGER THAN LIFE (1955)
NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955)
PATHS OF GLORY (1957)
CHARADE (1963)
I'm figuring any Criterion purchases going forward will be Blu-ray only, thanks to the Toronto Library's large supply of Criterion DVDs, which has allowed me to see a lot of titles without breaking the bank (literally!). In the case of HOUSE, YouTube made that an easy buy, as they had the whole movie posted there until early this year, when Criterion presumably got it yanked. My one gripe: Criterion's cardboard digipacks for their two-disc editions. Can't they just use 2-disc plastic cases to maintain consistency with their one-discers? These cardboard jobbies seem tailor made for getting smashed in the mail.

Other Blu-rays in recent weeks:

AVATAR EXTENDED BLU-RAY COLLECTOR'S EDITION
TOMB RAIDER (Upgrade) $8 at U.S. Wal-mart
GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE and ATTACK OF THE LEGION
Surprisingly top quality disc considering it's from Mill Creek, though the lack of extras and the superior third feature means I'm stuck with my old non-anamorphic Japanese import box for a while longer. Amazon's $5.49 price tag makes this an easy buy
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951; VCI; Restored/Remastered SE)
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (2009; 4-disc Blu-Ray/3-D Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy edition)
Ordered this as an Amazon combo-deal with the BEAUTY & THE BEAST Blu to get both for about $16 each. A rare blind buy, so not sure I'll keep it
THE EVIL DEAD (2-disc Limited Edition Blu-ray & Bonus DVD; Anchor Bay)
THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN (1989)
DARK CITY (1994; Director's Cut SE)
GONE WITH THE WIND: SCARLET EDITION (3 disc set) $20.99
(Really should've waited on this one -- Barnes & Noble had it for $12.49 as a Black Friday week special )

DVDs

FOX HORROR CLASSICS COLLECTION
(The Lodger / Hangover Square / The Undying Monster) Fox Horror Classics Collection (The Lodger / Hangover Square / The Undying Monster)
FOX HORROR CLASSICS COLLECTION VOL. 2
(Dragonwyck / Chandu the Magician / Dr. Renault's Secret)
(got both of these in part due to Shawn's reviews of various titles, as well as Amazon's bargain prices)


Blu-rays from Amazon's Black Friday Week sales (with prices, most of which are still available)
THE WOLFMAN (2010) $10.00
TAKEN (2008) $7.99
DIRTY HARRY COLLECTION $28.99
PREDATOR (Ultimate Hunter Edition) $7.99
(The price was the only saving grace on this, as the transfer looks like absolute waxy s**t)
SHOWGIRLS (Blu-ray SE + DVD) $7.99
Stop judging meeeeeeee . . .

[Brian Thibodeau]

Another great Black Friday sale for those checking in here today.

ANY 5 Warner Archive titles for $50 (includes the $24.95 remastered titles), shipped FREE
http://www.wbshop.com/Warner-Archive/AR ... lt,sc.html

Soooo hard to resist . . .

Well, I couldn't resist . . .

First order a few days ago:
THE GREEN SLIME (1968) Remastered
WILD WILD PLANET (1965)
WAR OF THE PLANETS (1966)
HIT MAN (1972) remake of GET CARTER
TWO ON A GUILLOTINE (1965) Remastered
$50 total, shipped

Then, like a dope, this afternoon I read about a coupon code (SAVINGS) that takes $20 off $100 at the Warner site, but it was too late to cancel the previous order and expand it by five, so I ended up putting together another ten from my wishlist, this batch for a grand total of $8 each (sure beats the $24.95 they normally want for some of them!)

PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW (1971) Remastered
-30- (1959) Remastered
MACABRE(1958) Remastered - William Castle's first gimmick flick!
THE DISEMBODIED (1957) Remastered
EYE OF THE DEVIL (1966) Remastered
THE GREEN SLIME (1968) Remastered **
CRESCENDO (1970)
THE FIENDISH PLOT OF DR. FU MANCHU (1980) Time to finally see what all the shame was about
THE OUTFIT (1973) Remastered
THE HYPNOTIC EYE (1960) Remastered

** That is indeed a double. Resale values on these are pretty decent up here, since they can't be purchased in Canada or shipped here.

More Black Friday deals to post soon, and then I should probably go into hibernation for a few months, or years, or something . . .

[Brian Thibodeau]

Possibly my last shopping post for 2010. This covers the past few weeks, actually:

Hong Kong/China stuff (a mix of local purchases and imports):
LEGEND IS BORN - IP MAN
LIKE A DREAM
AMPHETEMINE
OCEAN HEAVEN
ADVENTURE OF THE KING
GIRL$
REIGN OF ASSASSINS
STOOL PIGEON

Legendary Collection DVDs
THE BEDEVILLED
FOUR LOVES
OH! MY COPS
CHASE A FORTUNE
MY FAMILY
FLIRTING
THE ASSOCIATION (no Eng. subs )
IT TAKES TWO
THE GOOFY GANG (1987)

METROPOLIS (U.K. Masters of Cinema Edition)

FANTASIA/FANTASIA 2000 (2 Blu+2 DVD)
SORCERER'S APPRENTICE (Blu+DVD+DC)
(thanks to two $10 stackable Disney Movie club coupons, plus Target's $10 discount for buying the two titles together, I got both for just under $19 US. Sold SORCERER'S for $25 up here after I watched it)
TOY STORY 3
THE LOSERS Blu+DVD+DC (okay movie, but already sold)
THE A-TEAM Blu+DVD+DC Target Exclusive
HALO LEGENDS Blu - $10
IMMORTAL BELOVED Blu $8.99
SHOGUN ASSASSIN SE Blu $10.99
TOY STORY Blu $12.99
INCEPTION Blu+DVD+DC
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS Blu+DVD $7.99
FARGO Blu+DVD $7.99
DR. STRANGELOVE Blu $8.99
TV FUNHOUSE COMPLETE SERIES DVD, $5 at Big Lots

Canadian "Boxing Day" Specials:
THIRTEEN GHOSTS/HOUSE OF WAX DOUBLE FEATURE Blu - $5
KICK-ASS (Blu/DVD/DC) Loved this movie! $10
BEST OF WALLACE & GROMIT Blu $10
SPLICE Blu $10
SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD (Blu+DVD+DC) $14
FLINT COLLECTION (3-disc DVD) $10
Sony 3D BDP-S770 Player $169 (Canadian no less )
MAD MEN SEASON 1 Blu $9.99
MAD MEN SEASON 2 Blu $9.99
MAD MEN SEASON 3 Blu $9.99

Recent Criterions from the library:
BAND OF OUTSIDERS, JEANNE DIELMAN, LE CORBEAU, BLACK ORPHEUS, LIFE
AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU, PATHS OF GLORY, THE HARDER THEY COME (not Criterion but Xenon SE, despite the library's online listing)
Of these, I'd love to get Blu-rays for LE CORBEAU, if it makes the transition, and BLACK ORPHEUS, which I hesitated to buy during the Barnes & Noble sale. I did buy the PATHS OF GLORY earlier, though. Fantastic film. BAND OF OUTSIDERS did nothing to make me like Godard any better, though I can understand its importance. JEANNE DIELMAN is amazing, but at over 3 hours, definitely a one-time experience.