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January 29, 2007

Greetings! Savant's new reviews today are

Band of Angels  Warner DVD
and
Hollywoodland  Universal/Focus Features

Hello again. Last week an Anchor Bay announcement promised us more Hammer releases, and I remembered that we're still way overdue for an AB series of reissued Mario Bava titles. Almost a year ago I reported the 'scoop' that Eric the Conqueror would be included in the new series, but it never surfaced. So I hope it is still on the way.

I have updated the Savant Wish List and will continue to do so; I'm not sure if I should be announcing titles that are to be released by quoting web news, or relying on availability postings on Amazon. As it's research time problem for me, I think I'll continue to rely on tips from interested readers.

One more, sadder note. I was just informed that actress Solveig Dommartin passed away earlier this month. She will genuinely be missed.

Hope your week is going well, and thanks for reading. Glenn Erickson



January 26, 2007

Greetings! Savant's new reviews today are

Robert Mitchum The Signature Collection:
Angel Face, Macao, Home from the Hill, The Sundowners, The Good Guys and the Bad Guys, The Yakuza
 Warners

Note: Angel Face and The Sundowners are actually reviewed separately; the Sundowners review will be uploaded on Monday, January 29.

Hello once more from Los Angeles, which is now sunny and warm again.

We've survived another work week. We begin by offering a link (referred by Gary Teetzel) to an odd French stop-motion animation Robert Mitchum film that we thought was rather cute.

Next comes the official announcement of the new Eclipse line from Criterion, a plain-wrap series of less expensive releases of classic pix from their libraries. Eclipse will be starting with a box of early Ingmar Bergman films, followed by a similar set of Louis Malle documentaries. Note that their new Eclipse logo alters their new Criterion logo, making it look like a sinister Pac-Man pixel gobbler.

Anchor Bay will also be launching a new line of special editions that will include some Don Coscarelli films (liberated from MGM?) and a promised set of Hammer reissues. Many of those original AB Hammer releases from 1999 and 2000 are now OOP collectors' items.

I now have the time to go over the Savant Wish List with additions and revisions ... by Saturday it should be updated with a few 'announced but not scheduled' titles.

Thanks for reading! Glenn Erickson



January 23, 2007

Greetings! Savant's new reviews today are

Looker  Warner DVD
and
Slaughter of the Vampires  Dark Sky

Yes, another rushed morning but I thought I would mention a tremor in the DVD space-time continuum: NoShame has released Caltiki, il mostro immortale on disc. The good part is that it has its original language plus an English track, plus several extras. The downside is that it's only in Region 2. I may be able to get a review copy, in which case you'll be reading a lot more about La Dolce Caltiki at Savant. I'm hoping to get the Robert Mitchum Collection review online for Saturday. Hollywoodland, Flags of Our Fathers, The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales and Band of Angels are on the way as well. Thanks for reading! Glenn Erickson



January 20, 2007

Hello! Savant's new reviews today are

Monsters and Madmen:
The Haunted Strangler, Corridors of Blood,
First Man Into Space, The Atomic Submarine
 Criterion

Yes, you read correctly, four fabulous reviews today ... all at one easy URL!

What's in the News? ABKCO has announced that they're releasing Alejandro Jodorowsky's El Topo and The Holy Mountain on the first of May. Both of these 'smoke 'em if you got 'em' head-trip classics were arthouse hits, and El Topo was a brief grindhouse favorite for its nasty & violent spaced-out visuals ... CRITERION has announced rare treats in Jules Dassin's Brute Force (essential grit noir) and Stuart Cooper's Overlord. It's an extremely affecting drama about the buildup to D-Day using rather incredible real footage of troops preparing & crossing the channel, with great music and almost no (maybe none at all) dialogue.

Speaking of the Savant DVD Wish List, faithful correspondent Stefan Andersson reports that the following have been 'announced' at the Home Theater Forum: Fixed Bayonets, Royal Flash, Spys, Bedazzled (1967?) and The Silent Partner. I guess that when I get time to amend the Wish List (many additions waiting to be added), I'll have to create a "coming but not yet scheduled" list category. But it's nice to know that a few apples are already looking loose on the tree.

Finally, the indomitable Bill Shaffer asked me to announce the 2007 Kansas Silent Film Festival, which he helps organize every year. The place is the White Concert Hall in Topeka, Kansas -- Friday and Saturday February 23 and 24. It's a mini-festival of exciting shorts and features both familiar and rare: shorts by Griffith, Chaplin, Charley Chase, Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy; and the features The Strong Man (Harry Langdon), Rosita (Mary Pickford), Cyrano De Bergerac (1925), Tol'able David (Richard Barthelmess) and Chicago (Phyllis Haver). There will also be live music, including the Mont Alto Orchestra, at all presentations. The website is here. Thanks! Glenn Erickson



January 15, 2007

Greetings! Savant's new reviews today are

Yojimbo and Sanjuro: Two Samurai Films by Akira Kurosawa  Criterion

Hello ... Maybe this is the day to suggest that readers peruse the DVD Savant review index; I only have one new review up, although it's for two movies. I've received the new Robert Mitchum set and some other titles but they will be delayed by a few days ... I want the reviews to be worth reading, after all. Since the beginning of December the titles have been rather thin, but the pace will be picking up quickly. Actually, I'm also editing again for at least a couple of weeks, so I'll be back on my schedule of, cut all day, write all evening! It's fun working that way, and somehow not even tiring! Thanks, Glenn Erickson



January 12, 2007

Hello! Savant's new reviews today are

The Films of Kenneth Anger, Volume One  Fantoma
and
The Illustrated Man  Warner DVD

Hello again! After a brief SURGE in additions, I find that the Savant DVD Wish List has undergone a commitment ESCALATION that makes too many demands on the SAVANT TIMETABLE. So I'm going to be putting up new titles on a much pickier basis and excusing myself from responding to each submission. But hey, if you remember a great film and want to suggest it (I shouldn't be writing this), please do! But no long lists, please.

The Kenneth Anger disc sure brought back memories of films school. I've only seen clips of Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, and it's quite a weird experience. Strangely, I first remember becoming aware of the movie back in an early 60s reference in Famous Monsters magazine. I remember Forry Ackerman printing a picture of The Great Beast and writing that the movie was too adult for us monster kids. Great, another reason to hide FM from my parents!

Finally saw CHILDREN OF MEN, which was excellent in most aspects, and also my kind of movie. THE PAINTED VEIL had pretty pictures and Naomi Watts, but few surprises or strong emotions, except perhaps the presence of our favorite Diana Rigg.

The YOJIMBO/SANJURO reissues from Criterion have appeared, so I'll be tackling them next I think .. It'll be a week before I can post my reviews of the MONSTERS and MADMEN collection. Hope things are going well! Glenn



January 08, 2007

Greetings! Savant's new reviews today are

Operation Crossbow  Warner
and
Up Periscope  Warner

Hello ... we're firmly into January now and interesting titles are starting to trickle in again. I just received Criterion's Monsters and Madmen disc set and am getting into the great Tom Weaver commentaries. And the Robert Mitchum Signature Collection can't be far off, either.

Another funny YouTube steer from Brad Caslor, for those who haven't already found it ... an inspiring true-nature idyll from Canada called Hinterlands Who's Who. How do those spiders weave those hallucinogen-altered webs? Thanks for reading, Glenn Erickson



January 05, 2007

Greetings! Savant's new reviews today are

Matalo! & Blindman  Special guest review by Lee Broughton
and
The Cave of Silken Web  Image

Going back a few days, Savant got the clever idea of posting a DVD Wish List and asking for suggestions. After four days of compiling responses, all I can say, at least for now, is "Stop!" I've been getting dozens of 20- and 30-title lists. It very quickly got to the point where I add only a few titles from each, most often when one shows up on more than one list. Keep sending them in if you want, but I'll only be adding titles when my reaction is "why didn't I think of that?"

On the other hand, I will try to amend the list to note when new titles are announced. Perhaps I'll start a second list at the bottom and move the entries down when they have tentative release dates. Hmmm ... sounds like more work ...

The boost from this effort is that I'm hearing from a lot of new people and even a couple of old friends and associates. The list prompted a response from George Feltenstein of Warner Home Video, who responded by estimating that 70% of the titles covered by his company are already in the works for 2007 and 2008. Savant's Criswell neurons are predicting a steady stream of Warner reviews on this site.

Reader Marc Hampton pointed out that in my review of the Busby Berkeley Collection I mentioned "... a fall-down funny comedy bit by the almost completely forgotten Judy Canova. She could win a prize for the major starring personality of the past least likely to be revived anywhere -- repertory, cable TV, you name it. I've been watching TV for forty years and have never caught a Judy Canova 'hix pix' movie."

Marc reports that on Monday, April 9, the Film Forum in NYC will play 3 Judy Canova movies: JOAN OF OZARK, SIS HOPKINS and HIT THE HAY! Judy's daughter is appearing live at 8pm that night. Savant's Criswell neurons are shrinking in shame.

But wait, there's more. Animator/editor friend Brad Caslor writes from Canada to recommend a link to Your Studio and You, Matt Stone and Trey Parker's Lampoon of a Universal Studios training film. It's about 14 minutes long and well worth the time.

Back on Tuesday with reviews for OPERATION CROSSBOW and UP PERISCOPE. Thanks! Glenn Erickson


Don't forget to write Savant at [email protected].

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