THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION -- Movie Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 5/7/16

 

For his debut feature film, Frank Darabont burst out of the starting gate with a vengeance by directing one of the most beloved American classics of modern film as well as writing the screenplay.

When I first heard that a movie was being made from Stephen King's novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" I figured that the short, somewhat sketchy story would have to be heavily padded out to make an entire feature. Darabont proved otherwise by augmenting King's prison yarn in ways that were a deeply satisfying enhancement to the original material, and then turning THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994) into an engrossing, visually and emotionally rich cinematic experience that few who have seen it will ever forget.

The story involves a brilliant young banker named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) unjustly convicted and sentenced to life for the murder of his wife and her lover. Aging lifer Red (Morgan Freeman) gradually forms a grudging respect for Andy due to his quiet perserverance and refusal to be cowed or dehumanized by the prison system, which is embodied by a hypocritical warden (Bob Gunton as Warden Norton) and the brutally sadistic guard Capt. Hadley (Clancy Brown).

Andy becomes an invaluable resource to his jailers when he starts doing their tax returns for them and helping the warden launder all the money he's skimming from various illegal endeavors. But whenever he steps out of line by asserting his basic humanity, he's slapped down hard. This comes to a head when a new inmate (Gil Bellows) who may have information about the true killer of Andy's wife is murdered by the warden and Hadley.

After this, it appears as though Andy, who has become something of a heroic inspiration to his fellow convicts, has finally been beaten down and demoralized. There even comes a point in which they and we fear he's on the verge of suicide.

But the beleagered and embittered Andy Dufresne has a trump card up his sleeve, one which he's been holding for several years until just the right time to play it. And when he does, it leads to one of cinema's most dazzling and satisfying examples of comeuppance and righteous revenge, not to mention the exhilarating redemption promised by the title.

Proving himself a consummate screen artist, Darabont presents this story with the richest period production design and cinematography that the viewer could wish for and populating it with a cast filled with great A-list and character actors, each of whom seems inspired by his role.

Robbins is keenly attuned to what makes Andy Dufresne tick, letting us see both the sharply-perceptive intellect and deep emotions beneath the character's sometimes aloof manner. As Red, Freeman (whose character provides the film's soulful narration) expresses wisdom, melancholy, and an aching remorse for the crime he committed as a youth, and we're glad when Andy is able to instill in him--as well as the other prisoners--a feeling of hope after years of despair.

Darabont contrasts this with the frequent brutality of prison life, including Andy being beaten and raped by the monstrous Bogs (Mark Rolston of ALIENS and ERASER) and "The Sisters" while being subjected to lengthy stays in solitary confinement whenever he courts the warden's displeasure. A particularly sad interlude occurs when an old, institutionalized con named Brooks (played by the great James Whitmore) is released against his wishes and finds himself half a century behind the times in a world that's completely alien to him.

 

Yet even at its darkest THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION doesn't revel in graphic violence or ugliness for its own sake. Darabont displays admirable taste and restraint, relying on his rock-solid screenplay to convey what is needed while filming it in a beautifully classical, deliberate style that takes its time and eschews such things as shaky-cam and attention-deficit editing.

The actual prison location is remarkable. The abandoned complex, filmed shortly before a date with the wrecking ball, looks almost like a medieval castle, while Darabont's team has worked their movie magic with the interiors. The vast, specially-built cell block that houses our main characters is worthy of a Ken Adam 007 set.

Among those familiar faces adding their acting talents to the project are William Sadler (the main bad guy from DIE HARD 2, later to appear in Darabont's THE GREEN MILE), Jeffrey DeMunn (THE GREEN MILE, THE MAJESTIC), Larry Brandenburg (FARGO's Stan Grossman), Neil Guintoli (MEMPHIS BELLE), David Proval ("The Sopranos"), Jude Ciccolella (SIN CITY), and Paul McCrane (ROBOCOP, THE BLOB, "ER").

While stuck with a title that didn't exactly draw people into theaters or encourage positive word-of-mouth (nobody could remember it), THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION overcame initial bad box office and a seven-nomination strikeout at the Oscars to become one of the most popular home video and cable-TV favorites of all time. (As of this writing, it's voted #1 by members of the Internet Movie Database.) Redemption indeed, both in the film's heartrendingly upbeat ending and in real life as well.



Read our review of THE FRANK DARABONT COLLECTION

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION -- Movie Review by Porfle

THE GREEN MILE -- Movie Review by Porfle

 

 

 Originally posted on 5/8/16

 

 

Four years after 1994's THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Frank Darabont once again tapped master storyteller Stephen King (in addition to his own screenwriting talents) for another prison tale, THE GREEN MILE.

I recall the novelty of reading King's tale when first published not as a lengthy single volume but as a series of small paperbacks released in serial form a la Charles Dickens. I was skeptical when I heard that this riveting but highly unusual tale would be turned into a movie, a skepticism that Darabont proceeded to dash into smithereens by creating what I consider to be his finest and most thoroughly accomplished work to date.

The story takes place on Death Row in a Southern prison circa 1935, where head guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) strives to treat the condemned men with a fair amount of dignity and compassion until their date with "Old Sparky." Brawny, reliable Brutus "Brutal" Howell (David Morse) is his right hand man, aided also by the other guards Harry Terwilliger (Darabont regular Jeffrey DeMunn) and young Dean Stanton (Barry Pepper, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN).

Paul's biggest headache, besides the occasional psycho prisoner such as fiend killer "Wild Bill" Wharton (Sam Rockwell, GALAXY QUEST, GENTLEMEN BRONCOS), is a cruel, cowardly weasel of a guard named Percy Wetmore, brilliantly played by one of my favorite actors, Doug Hutchison (MOOLA). As the spoiled nephew of the governor's wife, Percy threatens to tattle on Paul whenever he doesn't get his way or is caught abusing the prisoners. It's Hutchison's best role since that of inhuman super-creep Eugene Tooms on "The X-Files."

While his connections could secure any job he wishes, Percy remains on Death Row because he aspires to be lead guard during an execution. Anxious to be rid of him, Paul grants him this opportunity. But it turns disastrous when Percy deliberately botches the electrocution of a hated inmate, turning it into a horrifying, agonizing ordeal (which Darabont stages with exquisite aplomb) both for him and the mortified onlookers in the film's most grueling, deliciously Grand Guignol sequence. (The SPFX as the ill-fated inmate's smoking body jerks, spasms, bursts into flames, and finally roasts alive are gruesomely convincing.)

While all this horror is going on, the Green Mile--named for its faded green linoleum--receives its strangest guest yet, a monstrously huge but mild-mannered black man named John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), convicted of murdering two little girls but seemingly unable to hurt a fly. Duncan, whose only previous film credit was in ARMAGEDDON, sought the services of an acting coach for the role and this paid off handsomely when he delivered a bravura performance as the doomed behemoth with the mind and heart of a child.

The film plunges full-bore into the supernatural when it's discovered that Coffey has miraculous healing powers which he uses to bring life back to the pet mouse of fellow condemned man "Del" Delacroix, an eccentric Cajun (Michael Jeter), after Percy cruelly stomps on it. (The mouse, "Mr. Jingles", will be a crucial element of the story in unexpected ways.)

After Coffey heals his painful bladder infection as well, Paul suddenly gets a wild, farfetched idea upon which he's willing to stake not just his job but his very freedom--that perhaps, somehow, John Coffey might be able to heal the dying wife of his boss and friend, Warden Hal Moores (James Cromwell). But if Coffey is capable of doing this, how in the world can Paul preside over the man's execution? Especially now that he's convinced Coffey is actually innocent?

It's a dilemma to haunt the viewer for some time to come, as impeccably rendered by Darabont with the skills of a master screen craftsman. Here again he tells the story unhurriedly and in a formal, old-school fashion that evokes the satisfaction one feels delving into a fine novel. Beautifully designed sets and another ideal prison location, this one with a distinct Gothic atmosphere, combine with gorgeous cinematography to create a film whose period ambience is intoxicatingly effective.

Hanks is at his best here, as is Morse, both portraying the kind of good and stalwart men you'd want in such positions. (Ditto for actors DeMunn and Pepper as their fellow guards.) Duncan gives the performance of his career and earned the Oscar nomination he received for it. James Cromwell and Patricia Clarkson, as Warden and Mrs. Moores, help make their strange encounter with John Coffey unforgettable, while always likeable Bonnie Hunt provides endearing moral support and domestic romantic interest as Paul's wife, Jan.

Gary Sinise (FORREST GUMP), Eve Brent, and SHAWSHANK alum William Sadler appear briefly as well, and in the film's wraparound segments, an older Paul Edgecomb is portrayed by none other than the great character actor Dabbs Greer in one of his juiciest and most high-profile roles ever.

As in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Darabont and King present prison inmates who are more like members of a social club than hardened criminals in order for us to more easily accept and identify with them. The first one to walk the Green Mile is Graham Greene's Arlen Bitterbuck, who gets one wonderfully poignant scene in which he wistfully recounts his happiest moment in life to Paul. 

 

 Michael Jeter is profoundly effective as Del in his scenes with Mr. Jingles the mouse, which never fail to have me blubbering like a baby even more than the film's powerful finale. As Wild Bill, Sam Rockwell is both repellent and perversely hilarious. Harry Dean Stanton is also funny in a smaller role as a prison trustee.

THE GREEN MILE ultimately becomes not only a highly absorbing tale of life on Death Row from both sides of the bars, but also a fascinating and moving morality tale that mines some of our deepest and most profound emotions. Darabont achieves a perfect balance here between the story's darker, uglier aspects, which manage to hold us in morbid fascination even at their most repellent, and the joyously uplifting passages that radiate with the compassion, empathy, and love which human beings sometimes display in the unlikeliest of circumstances.


Read our review of THE FRANK DARABONT COLLECTION

 

THE GREEN MILE -- Movie Review by Porfle

MISERY (Blu-Ray) -- DVD Review by Porfle

(Blu-Ray comments by Ian Friedman. Originally posted on 10/5/09.)


If you're a fan of Stephen King's books, you know that one of his favorite schticks is the "predicament" story. They're usually pretty simple and focus mainly on one character, with whom we identify, who is placed into a seemingly inescapable situation that will require ingenuity, endurance, and lots of suffering in order to come out of it alive. In "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon", a little girl is lost in the woods and must survive on her own for several days. In "Gerald's Game", a woman is handcuffed to a bed by her kinky boyfriend, who then dies of a heart attack and leaves her helpless. Stephen's game, it would seem, is to come up with these challenging premises which he must then write his way out of.

Rob Reiner's impeccably-filmed 1990 horror thriller MISERY, based on King's novel of the same name, places James Caan's "Paul Sheldon" into a doozy of a predicament--after crashing his car during a blizzard, he wakes up in bed in the secluded home of widowed nurse Annie Wilkes, his legs and right arm mangled.

Paul, author of a series of wildly-successful romance novels about a heroine named "Misery Chastain", is told by the sweet and attentive Annie that she is his number one fan. But when she finds out that he's killed "Misery" off in his latest novel, Annie goes off the deep end and her violent and dangerously insane side comes to the fore. Thus, Paul is helpless and at the mercy of a lunatic from whom there seems to be no escape.

Caan gives one of his best performances as a rational man who is suddenly thrust into a twisted, nightmarish ordeal of dehumanizing abuse and utter lunacy. He's very believable in the role and his expressions of guarded concern, growing alarm, and finally terror, outrage, and agony are some of the most realistic and expressive acting he's ever done.

Kathy Bates, of course, is just incredible as Annie Wilkes, every bit as much of a genuine movie monster as Mr. Hyde or the Phantom of the Opera. Clearly based in part on Genene Jones, the infamous "Texas Baby Murderer", Annie is a big woman with a big mental problem, and Bates plays the role to the hilt. Still, so powerful is her presence that she never needs to go over the top, which makes her character all the more unnervingly effective.

The direction by Rob Reiner is deviously clever. I don't think I've ever used the word "Hitchcockian" before, but I think it would apply here. Reiner seems to be having a ball shooting all sorts of different shots of walking feet, shadows under doors, etc. and editing them together to build little vignettes of mounting suspense. While Paul is creeping around the house in his wheelchair or doing something he's not supposed to be doing, we know that Annie could appear at any moment and inflict terrible punishment. Buster, the local sheriff (Richard Farnsworth), investigates Annie's house in a scene that recalls the queasy unease of Vera Miles' search of the Bates home in PSYCHO.


Annie's every tiny mood swing or irrational suspicion can bring new terror, until we're jittery with dread whenever she's onscreen. Her solution for Paul's attempts to escape captivity, while not quite as extreme as in King's novel, is still not for the squeamish. The final confrontation between the two, which could've turned out ludicrous in lesser hands, is handled extremely well.

The new Blu-Ray 2-disc set (BD/DVD) from 20th-Century Fox is 1.85:1 with English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Spanish and French Dolby Digital 5.1, and offers subtitles in all three languages. The Blu-Ray image looks pretty good. There is actually some print damage, which is a bit surprising--not too much, but that there is any is a bit strange. The picture is a little soft, but still offers a good amount of detail.

MISERY takes its time establishing the situation and characters and then building an aura of suspense that can at any moment erupt into nerve-wracking terror. It's a great example of how a movie can put the viewer through the proverbial wringer without the need for graphic violence and cheap shocks.

MISERY (Blu-Ray) -- DVD Review by Porfle

THE OUTSIDER:THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

(Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray TM I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.)

Originally posted on 7/18/20


I used to pick up a Stephen King novel and just get swallowed up in it. At its best, his work would draw me in, wring me out, and leave me stunned. I would binge-read one of those big, deeply involving books and loathe to put down until I'd rushed headlong through the whole thing.

It's been a while since I got that feeling, but it came rushing back when I started watching the 3-disc, 10-episode Blu-ray collection of THE OUTSIDER:THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment), HBO's adaptation of the King novel in which a smalltown boy is horribly murdered in the woods by a man whose DNA and fingerprints are all over the crime scene and there are eyewitnesses who can positively identify him.

The trouble is--and this is where you can picture King gleefully setting his literary trap for us--that the man, Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman), the boy's little league baseball coach, who has a devoted wife and two daughters and has never shown any indication towards violence or untoward behavior, can also be positively identified both by eyewitnesses and video footage as being in a town 70 miles away at the exact moment the murder occurred.

Thus, the story starts out like a really puzzling murder mystery of the "locked room" variety--that is, one in which there seems to be no possible explanation even though the investigators know that, logically, there must be one. It takes a while to dawn on us and them that, in this case, the strict rules of logic aren't being followed by whoever or whatever is responsible.

I was shocked to find that the series' star, Ben Mendelsohn, played the sniveling Daggett in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. As Ralph Anderson, lead investigator on the case, he's a solid guy we can pull for to get to the bottom of things despite his own self-doubts, even when we find him maddeningly skeptical of anything resembling the supernatural.

Ralph's wife Jeannie, played by the great Mare Winningham (an Oscar® nominee for GEORGIA), shares with him a lingering grief over the death of their own young son, making their relationship a turbulent one that is exacerbated by their current circumstances.

Of the rest of the rather large cast playing interesting and diverse smalltown personalities, the standout for me is Cynthia Erivo as the incredibly eccentric private investigator Holly Gibney.

Holly is one of those characters--like Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot--whose every move and utterance holds the viewer in keen anticipation. (Clearly, Stephen King had a ball creating her, as did Erivo in bringing her to life.)

Though something of a societal misfit, maybe even an oddball, Holly has a mind like a search engine and is perceptive to the point of being psychic. These qualities tend to intimidate others and set her apart from normal society, making social interactions difficult. It also makes her a clear threat to the elusive and darkly malevolent subject of their desperate search.

When the case takes its inevitable turn toward the supernatural thanks to her dogged investigation, Holly is the one who must suffer the withering scorn of both her peers as well as the family members involved in the case who are still wracked with unrelenting grief.

King explores every detail of the emotional distress which all of the characters must bear during what will be the most grueling and ultimately horrific ordeal of their entire lives, all the while keeping us on edge waiting with bated breath for the worst to happen at every turn.

The production itself is a visual page-turner whose first couple of episodes move at a fast clip, hooking the viewer with its sensational premise. Then the whole thing slows down and settles into a maddeningly deliberate pace which makes us wait in constant suspense for each story point to unfold.

The direction is considerably well-done, often rather disorienting in that much is shown in wide, informal camera shots with few closeups, distancing us from the action and forcing us to seek out what's going on, especially in the many scenes that take place in creepy dark rooms or other murky locations.

This may, in fact, be the most darkly-lit movie I've ever seen. Often characters wander slowly through a scene in almost total darkness, making us want to scream for them to turn on a light before something jumps out at them.  It gets even worse when something indeed appears in the form of a hooded figure whom Ralph keeps insisting is merely a dream although we know he isn't.

Jason Bateman sets the standard high with his sharp and imaginative direction of the first two episodes--he's better at it than whoever directed him in the last couple of things I've seen him in--while his portrayal of accused child-murder Terry Maitland is just as expertly done.

The ten episodes are easily one of the most watchable television productions I've ever seen, climaxing with King's usual catastrophic clash between good and evil in which characters we've grown close to must die while others are irrevocably changed by the horrific experience.

I found the story's resolution more satisfying than I expected after all the build-up, and an extended denoument takes its time in decompressing us after all that tension. (Don't miss the final scene which occurs after the end credits have already begun.)

Like some of King's best older work such as "The Stand" and "It", THE OUTSIDER:THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON gives us a disparate collection of characters who eventually must come together against all odds to oppose a terrifying and seemingly invincible unknown enemy that they can barely begin to understand. As a superbly wrought work of horror-suspense cinema, this is one of the best Stephen King novels that I never read.



BONUS FEATURES

    EL CUCO. THE BABA YAGA. THE OUTSIDER – All New Featurette
    Invitation to Set
    Stephen King and The Outsider
    Jason Bateman and The Outsider
    Adapting The Outsider
    Analyzing Holly Gibney
    The Outsider: Inside Episodes 1-10

10 ONE-HOUR EPISODES

    Fish in a Barrel
    Roanoke
    Dark Uncle
    Que Viene el Coco
    Tear-Drinker
    The One About The Yiddish Vampire
    In the Pines, In the Pines
    Foxhead
    Tigers and Bears
    Must/Can't

DIGITAL
The Outsider is now available to own on Digital. Digital purchase allows consumers to instantly stream and download to watch anywhere and anytime on their favorite devices. Digital movies and TV shows are available from various digital retailers including Amazon Video, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu and others. A Digital Copy is also included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs for redemption and cloud storage.

BASICS
Street Date: June 9, 2020
Order Due Date: May 5, 2020
BD and DVD Presented in 16x9 widescreen format
Running Time: Feature: Approx. 600 min
Enhanced Content: Approx. 40 min

DVD
Price: $29.99 SRP ($34.99 in Canada)
3 DVD-9s
Audio – English (5.1), French
Subtitles – English, French

BLU-RAY
Price: $39.99 SRP ($44.99 in Canada)
3 BD-50s
Audio – DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 – English
BD Subtitles – English, French

Read our original coverage HERE

THE OUTSIDER:THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

What If "The Shawshank Redemption" Had An Unhappy Ending? (video)

 

 (Caution: May cause sadness)

"The Shawshank Redemption" has one of the most feelgood endings ever.

It's the total opposite of the ending of, say, a certain Terry Gilliam film.

But what if the ending was a total bringdown? Huh? What if?


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

What If "The Shawshank Redemption" Had An Unhappy Ending? (video)

"The Outsider: The Complete First Season" - On Digital TODAY & on Blu-ray/DVD on June 9

HBO’s Smash Hit Based on the Best-Selling Novel by the Award-Winning Author, Stephen King

THE OUTSIDER: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

Unravel the Mystery on Blu-rayTM and DVD June 9, 2020

Available on Digital TODAY – March 9, 2020
 

BURBANK, CA (March 9, 2020) – Believe the unbelievable! Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release the murder crime mystery series The Outsider: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray and DVD on June 9, 2020 and is priced to own at $29.99 SRP ($34.99 in Canada) for the DVD and $39.99 SRP ($44.99 in Canada) for the Blu-ray which includes a Digital Copy (US Only). The Outsider: The Complete First Season is also available to own on Digital via purchase from all major digital retailers today.

In addition to all 10 exhilarating episodes from season one, Outsider: The Complete First Season features over 40 minutes of behind-the-scenes bonus content including the all-new featurette “EL CUCO. THE BABA YAGA. THE OUTSIDER.” In this never-before-seen featurette you can dive deep into the real-world origins and supernatural abilities of the being at the center of The Outsider with compelling insights from the creators and cast

Based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Outsider is a new drama series that follows a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a local boy. When 11-year-old Frankie Peterson’s body is found mutilated in the Georgia woods, police detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) sets out to investigate – with eyewitnesses and physical evidence pointing to Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman), a popular high school teacher, Little League coach, doting husband and father.

While the case appears ironclad, Ralph is baffled by the emergence of contradictory evidence that places his suspect in a neighboring city at the time of the murder. The mysterious set of circumstances surrounding this horrifying crime leads Ralph, a seasoned cop still grieving the recent death of his own son, to bring in unorthodox private investigator Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo), whose uncanny abilities he hopes will help explain the unexplainable.

“The Outsider is not just for Stephen King fans, as there is something for everyone in this captivating series,” said Rosemary Markson, WBHE Senior Vice President, Television Marketing. “The series has mesmerized audiences through its incredibly talented actors, thrilling plot twists, and true to life themes of grief and trauma, which will keep you glued to the screen until its electrifying climax.”

The incredible cast of The Outsider: The Complete First Season includes Emmy®- and Golden Globe nominee Ben Mendelsohn (“Bloodline,” “Ready Player One”), Tony Award winner and Golden Globe nominee Cynthia Erivo (“The Color Purple,” “Harriet”), Bill Camp (Emmy®-nominee for “The Night Of”), Mare Winningham (Oscar® nominee for “Georgia”), Paddy Considine (HBO’s upcoming “The Third Day”), Julianne Nicholson (HBO’s upcoming “Mare of Easttown”), Yul Vázquez (“Divorce”), Jeremy Bobb (CINEMAX’s “The Knick”) and Marc Menchaca (“The Sinner”), with Emmy® and Golden Globe winner Jason Bateman (“Ozark,” “Arrested Development”) as Terry Maitland.

The Outsider is produced by Mendelsohn and executive producer Bateman (who also directs the first two episodes). The series is written for television by Richard Price (The Wire, The Night Of), who also serves as Executive Producer. Executive producers include Andrew Bernstein, Marty Bowen for Temple Hill Entertainment, Jack Bender, Michael Costigan for Aggregate Films, and Dennis Lehane (episodes 105-110). The series is produced by Bateman’s Aggregrate Films and Temple Hill Entertainment in association with Civic Center Media.

BONUS FEATURES

    EL CUCO. THE BABA YAGA. THE OUTSIDER – All New Featurette
    Invitation to Set
    Stephen King and The Outsider
    Jason Bateman and The Outsider
    Adapting The Outsider
    Analyzing Holly Gibney
    The Outsider: Inside Episodes 1-10


10 ONE-HOUR EPISODES

    Fish in a Barrel
    Roanoke
    Dark Uncle
    Que Viene el Coco
    Tear-Drinker
    The One About The Yiddish Vampire
    In the Pines, In the Pines
    Foxhead
    Tigers and Bears
    Must/Can't


DIGITAL
The Outsider is now available to own on Digital. Digital purchase allows consumers to instantly stream and download to watch anywhere and anytime on their favorite devices. Digital movies and TV shows are available from various digital retailers including Amazon Video, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu and others. A Digital Copy is also included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs for redemption and cloud storage.

BASICS
Street Date: June 9, 2020
Order Due Date: May 5, 2020
BD and DVD Presented in 16x9 widescreen format
Running Time: Feature: Approx. 600 min
Enhanced Content: Approx. 40 min

DVD
Price: $29.99 SRP ($34.99 in Canada)
3 DVD-9s
Audio – English (5.1), French
Subtitles – English, French

BLU-RAY
Price: $39.99 SRP ($44.99 in Canada)
3 BD-50s
Audio – DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 – English
BD Subtitles – English, French

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees.

"The Outsider: The Complete First Season" - On Digital TODAY & on Blu-ray/DVD on June 9

Porfle's Trivia Quiz #15: "CARRIE" Prom Scene (1976) (video)

SPOILER ALERT!

Don't even read the questions if you haven't seen the movie!
 

Question #1: Who dumps the pig's blood on Carrie?

A. Norma
B. Sue Snell
C. Tommy Ross
D. Billy Nolan
E. Chris Hargensen

Question #2: Principal Morton (Stefan Gierasch) gets Carrie's name wrong when he says, "We're all sorry, ____."

A. Cammie
B. Kelly
C. Cassie
D. Correy
E. Kimmy

Question #3: How does Miss Collins (Betty Buckley) die?

A. Fire
B. Electrocution
C. Trampling
D. Crushing
E. She doesn't

Question #4: Who besides Carrie survives the prom?

A. Billy Nolan, Sue Snell, Tommy Ross
B. Sue Snell, Chris Hargensen, Billy Nolan
C. Chris Hargensen, Norma, Tommy Ross
D. Billy Nolan, Tommy Ross, Norma

I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Porfle's Trivia Quiz #15: "CARRIE" Prom Scene (1976) (video)

New Genre Fest -- THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL!

 

THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL
BRAND NEW GENRE FEST IN MT.HOOD, OREGON TO LAUNCH ON APRIL 27, 2017
A 4-day celebration at horror's most iconic hotel

Packages and Passes On Sale Now
www.overlookfilmfest.com

(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, October 31, 2016) – The Overlook Film Festival, a four-day celebration at horror’s most iconic hotel The Timberline Lodge – the hotel used as the exterior setting of the infamous Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece THE SHINING - will kickoff for the first time from April 27 through April 30, 2017. The festivity is expected to showcase experiential events, exciting work in new and classic horror cinema, and interactive activities where attendees can be fully immersed in the diverse world of the genre space. Located just one hour east of Portland, Oregon, The Overlook Film Festival will attract genre fans and cinephiles from all over the world along with major press and industry members who are excited for this unique experience.

The annual four-day celebration is created by veteran festival organizers Michael Lerman and Landon Zakheim, both sharing a passion and a vision for providing a rare experience for fans to not just watch the latest work from emerging genre filmmakers but to also connect with each other in order to foster a creative and engaging community.  The duo plan to bring their signature events to the festival, including a full weekend long immersive game from interactive company Bottleneck Immersive and an original live version of radio play “Tales From Beyond The Pale” by Glass Eye Pix.

"We're incredibly excited to bring the film community and enthusiastic audiences we've been cultivating over the last few years to The Overlook Film Festival" said festival co-director Landon Zakheim. "We're so grateful to the Timberline Lodge for providing such a gorgeous iconic venue in the beautiful location of Mt. Hood, Oregon where our unique, experiential celebration of all things genre can thrive."

"It's a truly inspiring time for horror cinema," said festival co-director Michael Lerman. "Our jam-packed program of festival favorites, fresh discoveries and bonafide classics from features to shorts to live events will be presented in the one-of-a-kind atmosphere we've built through our various other genre projects. We really can't wait to announce our lineup next year."

The Overlook Film Festival advisory board is comprised of: Kristen Bell (Festival Director, Fantastic Fest), Nate Bolotin (Partner, XYZ Films), Joe Dante (Filmmaker), Larry Fessenden (Filmmaker), Colin Geddes (Midnight Madness & Vanguard Programmer, Toronto Intl. Film Festival), Mick Garris (Filmmaker), Stuart Gordon (Filmmaker), Trevor Groth (Director of Programming, Sundance Film Festival), Tim League (Founder & CEO, Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, Drafthouse Films, Fantastic Fest), Daniel Noah (Founding Partner, SpectreVision), Lindsay Peters (Market & Industry Director, Frontieres Intl. Co-Production Market, Fantasia Intl. Film Festival), Tom Quinn (Distribution Executive), Alix Taylor (Producer), Ryan Turek (Director of Development, Blumhouse Productions), Josh C. Waller (Founding Partner, SpectreVision), Leigh Whannell (Actor/Writer/Filmmaker), Diana Williams (Creative Development lead, ILMxLab, LucasFilm Story Group), and Elijah Wood (Founding Partner, SpectreVision)

Genre fans and festival attendees can start purchasing packages and passes now through www.overlookfilmfest.com.

Film Submissions are now open until February 3rd, 2017. For more information, please visit www.overlookfilmfest.com.

Facebook: facebook.com/OverlookFilmFestival
Twitter: @TheOverlookFest
Instagram: @OverLookFilmFest

MISSION STATEMENT
The Overlook Film Festival is a 4-day celebration of horror held on Mt. Hood in Oregon at the Timberline Lodge, featured in Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece THE SHINING as the location of the infamous Overlook Hotel. Presenting superior film programming with an expanded focus on experiential events, the festival showcases exciting work in new and classic horror cinema alongside the latest in interactive and live shows for a fully immersive weekend. As a summer camp for genre fans, The Overlook is a community event bringing the best of horror in all its forms to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience within an intimate and inspirational environment.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Overlook Film Festival runs from April 24 - 30, 2017 at the historic Timberline Lodge located in Mt. Hood Oregon. The festival is committed to screening a highly curated selection of the best in world genre cinema, alongside secret screenings, world premiere discoveries, midnight shows, family programming, and a robust short film lineup. The festival will honor a living legend with the Master of Horror Award presented by Mick Garris. The Visionary Award will go to an innovator making strides to preserve the genre's future and the recipient will be invited to present a film of their choosing. The live programming will include one-of-a-kind musical performances, an original production of live radio play TALES FROM BEYOND THE PALE presented by Glass Eye Pix and read by actors with films in the program, unique panel presentations, live podcasts, escape room challenges, magic shows, games, brunches, an interactive gallery, virtual reality installations, and the festival’s signature event - the horror immersive game produced by Bottleneck Immersive, an opt-in real-time mystery that encompasses the entire festival weekend in which players become the story’s the main characters.

FESTIVAL HEADQUARTERS - THE TIMBERLINE LODGE
Constructed in 1937, Timberline Lodge stands on the south slope of Mt Hood at an elevation of 6,000 feet. This beautiful 55,000 square foot National Historic Landmark is still being used for its original intent – a magnificent ski lodge and mountain retreat for everyone to enjoy. As one of Oregon’s most-visited destinations, hospitality is their specialty. The hotel provides exciting, family-friendly skiing, snowboarding and year-round recreation. They offer the best in historic lodging, fine dining, meaningful souvenirs, and memorable experiences, and practices historic preservation and environmental stewardship, while providing a safe and warm family atmosphere. Historic Timberline Lodge isn’t just a hotel and ski resort, it’s a legacy.

DIRECTIONS TO THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL
The Overlook Film Festival is located approximately 60 miles east of Portland, Oregon and Portland International Airport. Out of town patrons can fly into Portland International Airport (PDX) and are encouraged to rent cars or order shuttles or car services. Local Ticket and badge holders are encouraged to drive (please check weather conditions for snow chain recommendations) or take public transportation. Shuttles will be provided to all guests from the base of Government Camp, Oregon to the Timberline Lodge where the festival is held. For more information on getting to the Timberline Lodge please visit: http://www.timberlinelodge.com/plan-your-visit/travel-and-transportation/

WHERE TO STAY
The best way to enjoy the festival is to stay at the festival’s host venue, The Timberline Lodge, available only to those who purchase festival packages. Additional lodging can be found in nearby Government Camp at The Lodge at Government Camp, Best Western Mt. Hood, Mt. Hood SkiBowl, and Collins Lake Resort, alongside a large number of cabin and condo rental options. Located about 20 minutes away from Government Camp are Mt. Hood Meadows and The Resort At The Mountain.

New Genre Fest -- THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL!

Stephen King's "GERALD'S GAME" To Star Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood For Netflix

CARLA GUGINO AND BRUCE GREENWOOD TO STAR IN MIKE FLANAGAN’S “GERALD’S GAME” FOR NETFLIX WHICH IS BASED ON STEPHEN KING’S SUSPENSE NOVEL

Netflix announced today that Carla Gugino (The Space Between Us, San Andreas, Watchmen) and Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek into Darkness, Star Trek) will star as ‘Jessie’ and ‘Gerald’ in Mike Flanagan’s (Universal’s upcoming Ouija: Origin of Evil, Hush, Oculus) Gerald’s Game for Intrepid Pictures.

Flanagan adapted the script with Jeff Howard (Oculus, I Know What You Did Last Summer) which is based on Stephen King’s 1992 suspense novel of the same name.  Intrepid Pictures’ Trevor Macy will produce the thriller; which Netflix distribute exclusively worldwide.

Henry Thomas (Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gangs of New York), Carel Struycken (Men in Black), Kate Siegel (Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Oculus), Chiara Aurelia (“Agent Carter,” Big Sky, “Pretty Little Liars”) will round out the cast, with principal photography beginning today in and around Mobile, Alabama.

Gerald’s Game follows Gerald and Jessie Burlingame, who have gone to their summer home on a warm weekday in October for a romantic interlude. After being handcuffed to her bedposts, Jessie tires of her husband's games, until things take an unexpectedly tragic turn. Still handcuffed, she is trapped and alone. Painful memories from her childhood bedevil her. Her only company is a hungry stray dog and the voices that populate her mind. As night comes, she is unsure whether it is her imagination or if she has another companion: someone watching her from the corner of her dark bedroom.

Director Mike Flanagan said: “Gerald's Game has been my dream project for nearly twenty years. As a lifelong fan of Stephen King, it is a true honor to be trusted with this amazing material. I am deeply grateful to my long-time partner, Trevor Macy, and to my new partners at Netflix, for making this dream project a reality. This is one of the reasons I wanted to make movies in the first place.”

Gerald’s Game marks Macy and Flanagan’s fifth collaboration since 2013, following: Oculus and Before I Wake for Relativity; Hush for Netflix; and Ouija: Origin of Evil, which Universal Pictures will release on October 21st. Intrepid Pictures has produced fourteen feature films distributed worldwide by both major and Independent studios including Stacy Title’s The Bye Bye Man which STX Entertainment will release on January 13th.

King is one of the most renowned authors of contemporary horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy. His books have sold more than 350 million copies, many of which have been adapted into feature films, miniseries, television shows, and comic books.

Gugino is represented by CAA and Untitled Entertainment, Greenwood by the Gersh Agency, Thomas by The Gersh Agency and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Struycken by Jeffrey Leavitt Agency, Siegel by TCA/Jed Root and Nelson Davis, Aurelia by Paradigm Talent Agency, Flanagan by WME and King by Paradigm Talent Agency.

Intrepid Pictures is a feature film and television production company dedicated to producing elevated genre content for global mainstream audiences. Led by veteran trendsetting producer Trevor Macy, Intrepid has earned a reputation for developing material that pushes the boundaries of conventional storytelling to make films that transcend the formulaic and influence popular culture.  Worldwide box office hit The Strangers from filmmaker Bryan Bertino, along with critically acclaimed Oculus and Hush from frequent Intrepid collaborator, director Mike Flanagan, exemplify this strategy.

Stephen King's "GERALD'S GAME" To Star Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood For Netflix

CHILDREN OF THE CORN -- DVD review by porfle

I've heard the original 1984 version of this movie described as a "classic", but the only things I remember from when I saw it back in the 80s are Linda Hamilton (lookin' good) and Courtney Gains (lookin', unfortunately, like Courtney Gains). And also the fact that, for me, it seems to have been pretty unmemorable. How, then, would I react to a made-for-TV remake of this Stephen King story? Why am I asking you?

Having just watched it, I can now state unequivocally that the 2009 TV-remake of CHILDREN OF THE CORN is...okay. Looking very much like a TV-movie with extra gore and nudity added for the DVD, it begins in 1975 with Burt Stanton (David Anders) and his wife Vicki (Kandyse McClure) driving through Nebraska farm country and trying to find their way out of it. These people hate each other and are constantly arguing, which distracts Burt long enough for him to accidentally run over a little kid who darts out from the tall corn. Shocked and horrified, they discover that the boy's throat has been cut.

Burt decides to take the body to the nearest town and report the incident, but the small village of Gatlin seems deserted. Suddenly, Burt and Vicki are surrounded and attacked by hordes of creepy children who are devoted members of a religious cult led by the diminutive Isaac (Preston Bailey), whom they believe is in direct contact with the wrathful God of the Old Testament. Isaac preaches that all adults over the age of 19 are sinful and must be killed, which is why there aren't any grownups around. Burt and Vicki, naturally, become the next targets of this twisted cult and potential sacrifices to their unusually corn-centric God.

Probably the most noticeable thing about this movie at first is that Kandyse McClure's "Vicki" is one of the most insufferable characters in film history. Crabby, vindictive, self-centered, whiny, verbally sadistic (she berates Burt for being a Viet Nam vet), incessantly bitchy--and these are her good qualities--Vicki is automatically the character we most want to see die horribly.

Others, including perfidious pipsqueak Isaac and his older punk toady Malachai, will join her on that list, along with just about every other brat in the movie, but Vicki tops them all. McClure, who played Sue Snell in another Stephen King TV-remake (the much-superior CARRIE), must be credited for making this character every bit as hateworthy as written.

David Anders' "Burt" thus becomes the only person that we can root for, and the movie is at its best when the former Marine is kicking some serious little-kid butt. His wartime experience comes back to haunt him as he's being chased through the cornfields and has flashbacks in which he imagines himself eluding the Viet Cong, making the protracted chase sequence more interesting. Anders, who I found impressive in the nifty 2006 supernatural flick LEFT IN DARKNESS, does a good job as Burt and gives us just about the only reason we have to care about anything that happens in this movie.

Preston Bailey, who plays Rita's son Cody on "Dexter", tries to be forceful and imposing as cult leader "Isaac" but still looks like he belongs in a Sugar Pops commercial. The kid does manage to spout a heck of a lot of unwieldy dialogue, though, laden with Old Testament-style threats and pronouncements, so you've got to hand it to him. A homicidal fire-and-brimstone wackjob isn't the kind of character that nine-year-old actors are usually asked to portray.

The direction by Donald P. Borchers, who co-produced the original film, is competent but unexceptional. Borchers also wrote the teleplay (inspired by the unused screenplay by King for the first version), which contains some groan-worthy lines such as "Put that in your God and smoke it!" and a whole lot of faux-Biblical blather.

On the sex-and-violence front, some grievous-looking wounds are among the nice gore effects--a broken arm with protruding bone, a spurting throat gash or two, a couple of horribly mutilated victims--and there's a surprising sex scene which takes place on the altar of Isaac's church when he announces that it's time for "fertilization." The score by Jonathan Elias, who also did the music for the original version, is noisy and overbearing. Even the edits make noise.

The DVD from Anchor Bay is 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Surround 5.1 and English subtitles for the hearing-impaired. The bonus feature is an in-depth, entertaining 45-minute documentary, "Rough Cuts: Remaking 'Children of the Corn'", which is broken into four chapters--"New Directions", "Cast of the Corn", "To Live and Die in Gatlin", and "Fly on the Wall." Included are lots of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and filmmakers.

Borchers states that he'd love to hear Stephen King's opinion of the new film, in which the author chose not to participate, since it sticks much closer to his original vision. I've definitely seen worse films that enjoyed King's direct involvement. CHILDREN OF THE CORN redux isn't all that bad for a low-budget TV-movie, although I doubt if very many people will still be talking about it fifteen years from now.

Buy it at Amazon.com

CHILDREN OF THE CORN -- DVD review by porfle

"CHILDREN OF THE CORN" Remake Comes to DVD October 6th

FROM THE PRODUCER OF THE CLASSIC 1984 SHOCKER… CHILDREN OF THE CORN ON DVD FROM ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Beware He Who Walks Behind The Rows! Based on the short story from Stephen King and to celebrate the silver anniversary of the 1984 motion picture, the 2009 remake of Children of the Corn will be released on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment on October 6th, 2009. Written, directed and produced by Donald P. Borchers, producer of the 1984 original, the 2009 version not only presents a new, bold vision of the story, but also utilizes state-of-the-art visual effects created by Emmy™-winning special effects artist Kevin Kutchaver (“Lost,” “Alias,” X-Men X2, The Bourne Ultimatum, Hellboy). SRP is a vine-ripened $26.97 and pre-book is September 3rd.

Starring David Anders (“Alias,” “Heroes,” Into The Blue 2), Kandyse McClure (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Reaper”) and Preston Bailey (“Dexter”), Children of the Corn represents the ultimate road trip nightmare. Burton and Vicki (Anders and McClure) are an unhappily married couple making their way across the country when an accident leaves them stranded in the middle of a corn field. They stumble upon a cult of children led by the charismatic young leader Isaac (Bailey) and his right hand “man” Malachai (Daniel Newman, the upcoming Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant). They soon learn that this is no typical cornfield and there is something different about the children living in Gatlin, Nebraska. “Harvest” takes on a life-or-death urgency when Burton and Vicki must find a way to escape before they becomes sacrifices to He Who Walks Behind The Rows!

Premiering on the SyFy Channel September 26th, the 2009 Children of the Corn DVD will present the unrated version of the film, as well as a cornucopia of insightful bonus features, including:

“New Directions” – An interview with Writer/Producer/Director Donald P. Borchers on remaking a cult classic.
“Cast Of The Corn”– Interviews with Actors Kandyse McClure (“Vicki”), David Anders (“Burt”) and Daniel Newman (“Malachai”).
“To Live And Die In Gatlin” – Interviews with Production Designer Andrew Hussey and Special Make-Up FX Supervisor Alan Tuskes.
“Fly On The Wall” – Behind-the scenes footage from the set of CHILDREN OF THE CORN.

The Children Of The Corn DVD presents the totally uncut and uncensored version, featuring gruesome images, sexually graphic material and scenes deemed too offensive for cable television audiences.

About Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is the home entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It includes the Anchor Bay Films and Manga Entertainment brands. It distributes feature films, children’s entertainment, fitness, TV series, documentaries, anime and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray™ formats. It is the exclusive distributor in the U.S. of the theatrical titles from Overture Films. Headquartered in Burbank, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Starz Media is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital Group.

Buy it at Amazon.com

"CHILDREN OF THE CORN" Remake Comes to DVD October 6th