Savant's new reviews today are
I'm stepping up the review pace (eight - count 'em - 8) to catch up with the cool genre titles that are hitting the shelves here in late spring, including a passel of Memorial Day-themed War and action pix (how we remember our fallen, tsk tsk). And there'll be a short break at Memorial Day time so I'm hitting the gas now to compensate.
"R" O'Donnell of Home Vision asked me to mention a big event he held in New York last Tuesday to promote the upcoming The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi movie. Miramax is hoping that the heightened popularity of HVe's Zatoichi DVD's (now up to seventeen instalments) and IFC's cable screenings will benefit the new movie's release. Premiere magazine's Glenn Kenny gave an amusing overview speech about the entire Asian cultural invasion, from Kill Bill to the The Ring horror mania. HVe is planning a roundup of its Yakuza films in a boxed set to tie in with new releases Bloody Territories and Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter, which "R" describes as "Kill Bill all the way." HVE always has the most creative promotions, which I'm happy to pass along.
A question for Savant readers: I've received a DVD of a very good movie which may lie in a gray area in regard to bootlegging - I'm fairly sure that a major label has rights to the title (and should have released it a long time ago). Here's the problem - do I review it straight and not mention the issue of legitimacy? There's a possibility that it may be in the clear. Do I snub the release on the presumption that it's not legit? I think I'm going to review it straight, without mentioning the problem (on which I've received no final word from the major label), and just let it happen. The DVD is still being sold and I've gotten several emails from readers who want to know if it's worth buying. Thanks, Glenn Erickson
Posted by DVD Savant at May 22, 2004 04:15 PM