DON'T BLINK -- DVD review by porfle

We're pretty much at the point now where a lot of movies in this particular genre don't even really require a set-up--it's just understood that there's a group of young stereotypes traveling to a remote location for the weekend (usually in order to "par-tay!"), and when they get there something bad will happen to them which will get progressively more terrifying, and they won't be able to escape. Or use their cell phones.

In writer-director Travis Oates' feature debut, DON'T BLINK (2014)--a title which conveniently serves as its own tagline--the bad thing is that everyone at the exquisitely rustic lodge this group of people have just arrived at, including all staff, guests, etc., seems to have mysteriously vanished. And then one by one, over the course of a long, arduous, and very eerie night, they themselves start to come up missing.

The only thing that keeps these movies from being clones of each other is how they're handled after the cookie-cutter setup, be they of a supernatural bent or more in the stalker-slasher vein. (See our recent reviews, for example, of DEATH DO US PART, ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE, THE BLACK WATERS OF ECHO'S POND, and the genre spoof HYSTERICAL PSYCHO.)

The usual personality types are on hand here, with variations of the usual interpersonal relationships. One of them, Noah (David de Lautour), who is the new boyfriend of Ella (Fiona Gubelmann), who is the old girlfriend of Jack (Brian Austin Green, CHROMESKULL: LAID TO REST 2, "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"), is the possible red-herring bad guy (a staple in these flicks) because he acts weird and nobody else knows him.

There's also Claire, the studious one with "final girl" potential (Joanne Kelly, "Warehouse 13"); Charlotte, the babe whose loose morals mask hidden insecurities (Samantha Jacobs); a nerd or two (I kind of lost track, to be honest); Jack's current love Tracy, played by Mena Suvari (AMERICAN BEAUTY, AMERICAN PIE); and, perhaps most interestingly, Zack Ward, the guy most of us remember as "Scut Farkus" in A CHRISTMAS STORY. He's well-cast as Alex, the loose cannon who becomes a danger to himself and others when panic starts to set in. (Robert Picardo of THE HOWLING and "Star Trek: Voyager" makes a very brief appearance.)

The cast members acquit themselves well enough at first although increasing demands on their dramatic abilities become a bit of a strain on some. Director Oates manages this atmospheric "Twilight Zone" type of material capably and the inexplicable disappearances are handled with a fair amount of suspense and spookiness.

What's ultimately bothersome about the script is that, as things veer closer toward the supernatural, it becomes more and more likely that we're going to be left hanging at the end, without a hint of what the hell's going on. I'm not asking for blueprints or diagrams or anything, but, heck, it's easy to gradually make a story as baffling and irrational as the writer wants it to be as long as he isn't planning on ever explaining anything anyway.

The DVD from Vertical Entertainment is in widescreen with Dolby 5.1 and 2.0 sound and subtitles in English. Extras consist of a trailer and instructions on how to obtain a digital copy of the film.

What does distinguish DON'T BLINK for me comes down to two things--one, the characters, dialogue, and situations aren't nearly as childishly dumb as in many movies of this type, and two, there's a strong, deliberate sense of mystery and suspense that kept me right with it for pretty much the whole running time. It's too bad that at its disappointingly inconclusive ending, the movie itself almost blinks out of existence.

Buy it at Amazon.com

DON'T BLINK -- DVD review by porfle

HBO Home Entertainment Announces "The Sopranos": The Complete Series

Only six weeks left until The Sopranos: The Complete Series! Many of HBO's award-winning dramas are heralded for their groundbreaking stories and transformative performances from all-star ensemble casts, and an upcoming release from HBO Home Entertainment represents one of the network's most important contributions to the world of television.

When The Sopranos debuted in 1999, its story of a modern-day mob boss juggling responsibilities between his family and his other "family" was like nothing that TV critics and viewers had ever seen. The series went on to win more than 20 Emmy® Awards throughout its run, including wins for its legendary cast members including James Gandolfini, Edie Falco and Michael Imperioli. This fall, fans and newcomers alike will have the opportunity to see the show like never before when The Sopranos: The Complete Series comes to Blu-ray with Digital HD for the first time. The box set includes 28 Blu-ray discs, a Digital HD copy of all 86 episodes, and more than five hours of bonus materials, including a brand new exclusive feature utilizing interviews with cast, crew, filmmakers and academics to explore how The Sopranos transformed the television landscape. The Sopranos: The Complete Series Blu-ray with Digital HD ($279.99) will be in stores November 4, 2014 - and will be at the top of any TV aficionado's holiday wish list.

"The greatest work of American pop culture of the past quarter century" - The New York Times

THE SOPRANOS®: THE COMPLETE SERIES

BLU-RAYTM WITH DIGITAL HD

Collectible Box Set Featuring All Six Seasons of the Groundbreaking Series Available for the First Time on Blu-rayTM with Digital HD November 4, 2014

Just in Time for Holiday Gift Giving

Complete Series Blu-ray Set is Packed with More Than Five Hours of Bonus Content, Including a Never-Before-Seen Feature Exploring the Legacy and Impact of the Game-Changing Series

New York, NY (September 23, 2014) - Fifteen years after making its revolutionary debut and radically altering the TV landscape, fans of the legendary HBO® series The Sopranos can now experience the show like never before. This fall, all 86 episodes of the beloved Emmy®-, Golden Globe®- and Peabody Award-winning series are available for the first time in a Blu-ray with Digital HD collector set in 1080p high definition. With 28 Blu-ray discs packaged in an elegant box set featuring iconic artwork from the series, The Sopranos: The Complete Series Blu-ray ($279.98) is an essential addition to any home entertainment collection. Featuring all six seasons plus bonus materials, this must-have set will be out in stores exclusively from HBO Home Entertainment on November 4, 2014 - just in time for the holidays.

Blu-ray with Digital HD Set Special Features

The Sopranos: The Complete Series Blu-ray comes with a free Digital HD copy of all 86 episodes, and the set is also loaded with more than five hours of bonus material including a new and exclusive feature exploring how The Sopranos came to be and how it transformed the television landscape. "Defining a Television Landmark," which runs approximately 45 minutes, features all-new interviews with cast, crew, celebrities, filmmakers and academics -- including series creator David Chase, star James Gandolfini, Academy Award® winning director Steven Soderbergh, Emmy® Award winner Jeff Daniels and Golden Globe winner Steve Buscemi -- discussing the impact and influence of the groundbreaking series, with brand new archival footage. Additional bonus material includes lost scenes, two round table dinners with cast and crew, 25 audio commentaries and much more.

The Sopranos: The Complete Series

Exclusively on Blu-ray with Digital HD
Street Date: November 4, 2014 November 4, 2014
Rating: TV MA
Runtime: Approx. 83 Hours
Price: $279.98

Buy it at Amazon.com

HBO Home Entertainment Announces "The Sopranos": The Complete Series

"In Search of Ancient Mysteries" -- Sci-fi Documentary on DVD Oct. 28 from Film Chest

Film Chest Media Group Proudly Presents
"In Search of Ancient Mysteries"

Narrated by The Twilight Zone’s Rod Serling, An Exploration of the Primitive World & Possible Extraterrestrial Visitors

Available on DVD Oct. 28th

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Oct. 1, 2014 — For Immediate Release — Take an in-depth look at Earth’s early inhabitants in In Search of Ancient Mysteries, entering our galaxy on DVD Oct. 28 from Film Chest Media Group.

This popular, made-for-television documentary, hosted by science fiction icon Rod Serling, explores unexplained mysteries of the ancient world and possible connections to aliens. Scientists and scholars analyze strange findings in statues, cave paintings and writings which suggest that people of the distant past may have been more sophisticated than previously thought … and may have been in contact with aliens or some other advanced civilization.

The success of this documentary led to the popular, long-running television series In Search Of … (1976-1982), hosted by Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek). A must-have for all sci-fi fans, mystery enthusiasts, scientific devotees and history buffs.

In Search of Ancient Mysteries is presented in full screen with an aspect ratio of 4 x 3 and original sound.

About Film Chest:
Founded in 2001, Film Chest offers high-quality content for a wide variety of production and distribution needs, boasting one of the world’s largest libraries (10,000+ hours) of classicfeature films, television, foreign imports, documentaries, special interest and audio—much ofit restored and digitized in HD. Headquartered in Bridgeport, Conn., with offices in New York City, the company also produces and distributes collector’s DVD sets for its American Pop Classics, CULTRA and HD Cinema Classics labels. Visit us online: www.filmchestmediagroup.com

In Search of Ancient Mysteries
Film Chest
Genree: Sci-fi/Documentary
Original Release: 1973 (Color)
Not Rated
Format: DVD
Running Time: Approx. 53 Minutes
Suggested Retail Price: $11.98
Pre-Order Date: September 30, 2014
Street Date: October 28, 2014
Catalog #: FC-508
UPC Code: #874757050898

Buy it at Amazon.com

"In Search of Ancient Mysteries" -- Sci-fi Documentary on DVD Oct. 28 from Film Chest

"Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection" Celebrates the Visionary Filmmaker December 2

STANLEY KUBRICK: THE MASTERPIECE COLLECTION BLU-RAY™

10 Discs, 8 Films, 2 New Documentaries, New Hardcover Photo Book

Also Includes 3 Previously Released Documentaries

Burbank, Calif., September 23, 2014 -- The late director Stanley Kubrick had a special relationship with Warner Bros. Because of this relationship, Christiane Kubrick invited and provided the studio full access to Kubrick’s home, film props, personal cameras, film equipment, production facilities and personal insight to this great director.

To mark this momentous occasion, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will release Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection on December 2. The 10-disc Blu-ray™ set ($199.99 SRP) includes eight Kubrick classics as well as the newly-produced documentary: Kubrick Remembered which captures intimate moments in Stanley Kubrick’s very personal life, two new-to-Blu-ray documentaries: Stanley Kubrick In Focus and Once Upon a Time…’A Clockwork Orange’ plus three additional documentaries: Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures, and O’ Lucky Malcolm! Also included will be a new 78-page hardcover photo book using film archive photographs.

Films in the collection will be Lolita (1962), Dr. Strangelove (1964), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry Lyndon (1975), The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Kubrick Remembered offers a new look into the Kubrick archives, with special appearances by the director’s wife, Christiane Kubrick, as well as never-seen footage of Stanley’s works, his house and his film production facilities. Stanley Kubrick In Focus presents such directors as Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, Oliver Stone, William Friedkin and Martin Scorsese relating how Kubrick’s directorial style influenced them.



About Stanley Kubrick
 Recognized as one of the most accomplished, innovative, and influential directors in film history, Stanley Kubrick was a perfectionist who maintained complete artistic control and privacy during the shooting, and even the subsequent marketing of his movies. Many of Kubrick’s acclaimed works were received as controversial and provocative, yet still regarded as brilliant and visionary. Kubrick’s films earned 19 Oscar^{® nominations including three for Best Picture (Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon) and four for Directing (Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon). In 1960, Kubrick’s Spartacus won four Oscars® (Actor in a Supporting Role, Art Direction, Cinematography and Costume Design). In 1968 Kubrick won the Oscar® for Special Visual Effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey.}

Kubrick was born in 1928 in New York City and grew up in the Bronx where his father was a physician. At 13, Kubrick became interested in photography and began to teach himself the craft. In 1945, prior to his high school graduation, Kubrick did a photo essay of a news vendor with his papers heralding the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Look selected one of the photographs for the closing of their series on the death of the president. Shortly thereafter, Look hired him as an apprentice, and within six months, at age 17, Kubrick became one of the magazine’s youngest-ever staff photographers.

After creating a photo essay on boxer Walter Cartier, Kubrick directed an impressive, gritty short documentary, Day of the Fight (1950), based on his pictorial for the magazine. Kubrick then made two more documentaries and a short feature about a fictitious war (Fear and Desire). Two low-budget crime thrillers followed -- Killer’s Kiss and The Killing – then Kubrick cemented his reputation with his first major studio film, the powerful antiwar movie Paths of Glory.

Kubrick immigrated to England in 1961, where he found more autonomy and greater control as a filmmaker. Kubrick died peacefully at his home in England on March 7, 1999. He is survived by his wife, Christiane, and three daughters and has left the cinema with an enduring legacy.

About the Films in the Collection
Lolita (1962)
 Humbert (James Mason), a divorced British professor of French literature, travels to small-town America for a teaching position. He allows himself to be swept into a relationship with Charlotte Haze, his widowed and sexually famished landlady, whom he marries in order that he might pursue the woman's 14-year-old flirtatious daughter, Lolita, with whom he has fallen hopelessly in love, but whose affections shall be thwarted by a devious trickster named Clare Quilty.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Released by Columbia Pictures, the cold war satire is a chilling dark comedy about a psychotic Air Force General unleashing an ingenious, foolproof and irrevocable scheme sending bombers to attack Russia, as the U.S. President works with the Soviet premier in a desperate effort to save the world. The film stars Peter Sellers, in multiple roles, as well as George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
 Kubrick’s dazzling Academy Award®-winning achievement (Special Visual Effects) is an allegorical puzzle on the evolution of man and a compelling drama of man vs. machine. Featuring a stunning meld of music and motion, the film was also Oscar®-nominated for Best Director, Art Direction and Writing. The director (who co-wrote the screenplay with Arthur C. Clarke) first visits the prehistoric age-ancestry past, then leaps millennia (via one of the most mind-blowing jump cuts ever) into colonized space, and ultimately whisks astronaut Bowman (Keir Dullea) into uncharted space, perhaps even into immortality.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Causing major controversy when first released, the film garnered four Academy Award® nominations – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Screenplay. The film also introduced into popular culture the concept of "ultra-violence," as singing, tap-dancing, derby-topped hooligan Alex (Malcolm McDowell) has a "good time" – at the tragic expense of others. His journey from amoral punk to brainwashed proper citizen and back again forms the dynamic arc of Kubrick’s future-shock vision of Anthony Burgess’ novel.

Barry Lyndon (1975)
 Redmond Barry (Ryan O’Neal) is a young, roguish Irishman who's determined, in any way, to make a life for himself as a wealthy nobleman. Enlisting in the British Army and fighting in Europe’s Seven Years War, Barry deserts, then joins the Prussian army, gets promoted to the rank of a spy, and becomes a pupil to a Chevalier and con artist/gambler. Barry then lies, dupes, duels and seduces his way up the social ladder, entering into a lustful but loveless marriage to a wealthy countess named Lady Lyndon (Marisa Berenson). He takes the name of Barry Lyndon, settles in England with wealth and power beyond his wildest dreams, before eventually falling into ruin.

The Shining (1980)
 From a script he co-adapted from the Stephen King novel, Kubrick melds vivid performances, menacing settings, dreamlike tracking shots and shock after shock into a milestone of the macabre. The Shining is the director’s epic tale of a man in a snowbound hotel descending into murderous delusions. In a signature role, Jack Nicholson ("Heeeere’s Johnny!") stars as Jack Torrance, who’s come to the elegant, isolated Overlook Hotel as off-season caretaker with his wife (Shelley Duvall) and son (Danny Lloyd).

Full Metal Jacket (1987)
 A superb ensemble falls in for Stanley Kubrick’s brilliant saga about the Vietnam War and the dehumanizing process that turns people into trained killers. The scathing indictment of a film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Screenplay. ‘Joker’ (Matthew Modine), ‘Animal Mother’ (Adam Baldwin), ‘Gomer’ (Vincent D’Onofrio), ‘Eightball’ (Dorian Harewood) and ‘Cowboy’ (Arliss Howard) are some of the Marine recruits experiencing boot-camp hell under the punishing command of the foul-mouthed Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermy). The action is savage, the story unsparing, and the dialogue is spiked with scathing humor.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
 Kubrick’s daring and controversial last film is a bracing psychosexual journey through a haunting dreamscape, a riveting suspense tale and a career milestone for stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Cruise plays a doctor who plunges into an erotic foray that threatens his marriage – and may ensnare him in a murder mystery – after his wife’s (Kidman) admission of sexual longings. As the story sweeps from doubt and fear to self-discovery and reconciliation, Kubrick orchestrates it with masterful flourishes. His graceful tracking shots, rich colors and startling images are some of the bravura traits that show Kubrick as a filmmaker for the ages.


About the Documentaries:

· Kubrick Remembered – NEW
A new look into the Kubrick archives, with special appearances by Christiane Kubrick. Featuring never-seen footage of Stanley’s works, his house and his film production facilities.


· Stanley Kubrick In Focus – NEW to Blu-ray
Spielberg, Soderbergh, Stone, Friedkin, Scorsese and others tell how Kubrick’s directorial style influenced them and how his unique style was developed


· Once Upon a Time…A Clockwork Orange – NEW to the U.S.

Co-written by critic Michel Ciment and featuring interviews with a psychologist and a sociologist, Once Upon a Time…‘A Clockwork Orange’ is a wonderfully unusual cine-documentary that focuses more on the titular movie’s historical context and philosophy than on its production and reception. The documentary benefits from archival audio commentary by the late Stanley Kubrick, who offers his rationale for making the controversial, devilishly prescient proto-punk cult classic: "Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven."

· Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures
Kubrick’s career comes into sharp focus in this compelling documentary narrated by Tom Cruise. Fascinating footage glimpses Kubrick in his early years, at work on film sets and at home, augmented by candid commentary from collaborators, colleagues and family. Produced and directed by Jan Harlan, the brother of Christiane Kubrick, Stanley Kubrick's widow.

· O’Lucky Malcolm!
A documentary about the life and career of actor Malcolm McDowell, produced and directed by Jan Harlan and edited by Katia de Vidas.

Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection (BD)

  

Street Date: December 2, 2014

Order Due Date: October 28, 2014

Pricing: $199.99 SRP

Catalog #/1000449528UPC # 883929392254

Note: All enhanced content and premiums listed above are subject to change.

Academy Awards® and Oscar® are both registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Blu-ray Disc™ and Blu-ray™ and the logos are the trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.

Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs™ offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The format also provides a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film.

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, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com and WBUltra.

Buy it at Amazon.com

"Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection" Celebrates the Visionary Filmmaker December 2

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Presents Five New "Diamond Luxe" Editions Dec. 9

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT
INTRODUCES DIAMOND LUXE EDITIONS DEC. 9

WBHE to offer new films in sleek premium Blu-ray™ packaging

·The Green Mile 15th Anniversary Edition
·Natural Born Killers 20th Anniversary Edition
·Forrest Gump 20th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition
·Gremlins: 30th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition
·Ben-Hur: Two-Disc Blu-ray with Bonus Special Features Disc

　
Burbank, Calif., June 20, 2014 – On December 9, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will launch its new Diamond Luxe Editions – special new releases that will be offered in sleek and elegant collector-style packaging.

The releases selected to introduce the packaging will be two-disc sets of anniversary editions, alternate cuts and other signature titles – all of which will boast new or outstanding vintage bonus features.

 The first group of Diamond Luxe Edition titles includes anniversary editions of The Green Mile, Gremlins, Natural Born Killers and Forrest Gump. Ben-Hur will also be offered in a new Two-Disc Blu-ray™ edition. All are available for $24.98 SRP.

Diamond Luxe Editions represent state-of-the art-design, intended to communicate sophistication, class and value. They are an homage to the company’s iconic film catalog and designed to encourage collectability - a boon to home libraries everywhere.

The striking functional design is more sleek and durable than traditional Blu-ray packaging. As pictured below, a super-slim case, only ½" ‘thin’ when completely closed, features an eye-catching photographic image and title treatment. The case opens into a two-fold with two additional impactful images and then again into four panels with a powerful panoramic photo and two slots for the discs…all folding neatly for easy storage. Click here for illustrated animation.

Noted Jeff Baker, WBHE’s Theatrical Catalog EVP & GM, "While mainstream home entertainment packaged media may have peaked, there still is a substantial audience of movie enthusiasts for many titles from our theatrical library, the largest of any studio. These consumers demand not only extra features but also packaging that’s aesthetically pleasing and durable. We are looking forward in the future to judiciously releasing films utilizing this new and innovative packaging."

WBHE, a trend setter with 13 consecutive years as the industry’s market share leader, is known for its award-winning packaging designs (most recently, it won The Hollywood Reporter ‘s 2013 Grand Key Art Award for Harry Potter Wizards Collection). The studio expects this new design to further solidify its key market segment of Blu-ray catalog sell-through, anticipating the attractive yet practical packaging will create a new brand identity and make a special impression with movie enthusiasts and collectors.

Blu-ray Disc™ and Blu-ray™ and the logos are the trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.

Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs™ offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The format also provides a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film.

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, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com and WBUltra.

Stream rare and hard-to-find movies and TV shows at Warner Archive Instant; purchase discs at Warner Archive Collection. Even more at www.wbshop.com or www.wbultra.com

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Presents Five New "Diamond Luxe" Editions Dec. 9

HALLOWEEN COMPLETE COLLECTION "Michael Myers Alumni Reunion" Signing at Dark Delicacies on Tuesday Sept. 23

HALLOWEEN Films Reunion at

Dark Delicacies Bookstore in Burbank!!!

 18 “Michael Myers Alumni” Gather to Celebrate September 23^rd Release

of Mammoth 15-Disc HALLOWEEN COMPLETE COLLECTION Blu-ray Set

from Anchor Bay Entertainment and Scream Factory

 

WHAT:       Eighteen actors and creative artists, spanning the entire 35 year history of the iconic Halloween film franchise, will descend upon Burbank’s famed gothic retailer Dark Delicacies to sign copies of Anchor Bay Entertainment and Scream Factory’s massive 15-disc HALLOWEEN Complete Collection Blu-ray set. Come see a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of on-screen and behind-the-scenes graduates from the “Michael Myers Film School of Survival!”

 

WHEN:      Tuesday, September 23^rd, 2014, 7:30pm

                                     

WHERE:    Dark Delicacies Bookstore

                   3512 W. Magnolia Blvd.

                   Burbank, CA 91505

                   818-556-6660

                  

GUESTS:  PJ Soles, Halloween (“Lynda Vanderklok”)

                   Raymond O’Connor, Halloween 4 (“Security Guard”)

                   Tom Morga, Halloween 4

                   Erik Preston, Halloween 4 (“Young Michael Myers”)

                   Kathleen Kinmont. Halloween 4, (“Kelly Meeker”)

                   Matthew Walker, Halloween 5 (“Spitz”)

                   Frankie Como, Halloween 5 (“Deputy Nick Ross”)

                   Daniel Farrands, Halloween 6, Writer

                   JC Brandy, Halloween 6, (“Jamie”)

                   Jeffrey Landman, Halloween 6, (“Billy Hill”)

                   Daisy McCrackin, Halloween Resurrection

                   Brad Hardin, Halloween 6 and Halloween H20, Special FX Make-up

                   Adam Hann-Byrd, Halloween H20 (“Charles Deveraux”)

                   Chris Durand, Halloween H20, (“Michael Myers”)

                   Donna Keegan Avery, Halloween H20, Stunt Double JLC

                   Gary Glayton, Halloween Resurrection (“Young Michael”)

                   Caroline Williams, Rob Zombie’s Halloween 2

                   Alan Howarth – Composer for 5 Halloween films

                   Sean Clark – Documentary

NOTE:  In response to queries regarding the Dark Delicacies event on Tuesday, September 23^rd, the signing was originally confined to customers who pre-ordered the HALLOWEEN COMPLETE COLLECTION in advance of the event. HOWEVER, due to unprecedented demand, Dark Delicacies will have a SMALL amount of copies available for walk-ins the day of the event. Please know this quantity is EXTREMELY limited, and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis on Tuesday, September 23^rd starting at 4pm PT.

Buy it at Amazon.com

Original full coverage

HALLOWEEN COMPLETE COLLECTION "Michael Myers Alumni Reunion" Signing at Dark Delicacies on Tuesday Sept. 23

Suspense-Thriller "DON’T BLINK" on DVD Oct. 14

VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT Proudly Presents

 

Don’t Blink

You Might Be Next …
 

Gripping, Suspense-Thriller on DVD Oct. 14^th

 

LOS ANGELES — Oct. 1, 2014  — A group of friends looking for a relaxing, weekend getaway get anything but in Don’t Blink, available on DVD Oct. 14 from Vertical Entertainment.
In this gripping suspense-thriller, 10 friends head to a remote mountain resort for a quiet, much-needed, weekend getaway. But upon their arrival, the rustic lodge is more than just sleepy … it’s apparently deserted.

Food is served … baths are drawn … and signs of guests are everywhere. Eerily silent, not even a bird chirping or a fly buzzing can be heard. But with no gas, cell service or phone to be found, the anxious group is left wondering what to do next.
When one of their own suddenly vanishes – seemingly in front of their eyes – terror grips them. Miles from the nearest town, tensions run high and loyalties falter as others abruptly, and inexplicably, go missing.

Desperately seeking salvation, the survivors realize, Don’t Blink or you might be next …

Starring Mena Suvari (American Reunion, American Pie 1 & 2, American Beauty), Brian Austin Green (Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Domino), Joanne Kelly (Warehouse 13, Diamonds), Fiona Gubelmann (FX’s Wilfred, Blades of Glory, Employee of the Month), Zack Ward (Transformers, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Almost Famous), David de Lautour (DmC: Devil Man Cry), Leif Gantvoort (The Amazing Spider-Man), Curtiss Frisle (Terri), Emelie O'Hara (Josephine and the Roach, Stained Glass Window, Undocumented) and Samantha Jacober (First Winter).

Don’t Blink is presented in widescreen with an aspect ratio of 16 x 9 (2.40) and 5.1 digital surround sound.

About Vertical Entertainment
  Based in Santa Monica, Calif., Vertical Entertainment was founded in 2013 by entertainment industry veterans Rich Goldberg and Mitch Budin and has quickly become a notable force in indie film distribution for theatrical, television, DVD, VOD and digital platforms. With a focus on family fare and theatrical genre films with A-list casts in the $5-10 million budget range, the company plans to release up to 24 films a year. High-profile titles acquired to date include The Hot Flashes, starring Brooke Shields, Wanda Sykes, Virginia Madsen, Daryl Hannah, and Camryn Manheim; ^{Scenic Route, starring Josh Duhamel and Dan Fogler; Rushlights with Josh Henderson, Beau Bridges and Aidan Quinn; the animated Freedom Force, voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar and Christopher Lloyd; and the 3-D animated film The Snow Queen, based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale and produced by Timur Bekmambetov.}

Don’t Blink
Vertical Entertainment
Genre: Thriller
Not Rated
Format: DVD
Running Time: Approx. 92 Minutes
Suggested Retail Price: $20.99
DVD Pre-Order Date: September 16, 2014
DVD Street Date: October 14, 2014
Catalog #: 03478
UPC Code: #037117034789

Buy it at Amazon.com

Suspense-Thriller "DON’T BLINK" on DVD Oct. 14

BORN TO RACE: FAST TRACK -- DVD review by porfle

Racing enthusiast Alex Ranarivelo's BORN TO RACE: FAST TRACK (2014) is the sequel to his 2011 directing and co-writing effort BORN TO RACE, and offers yet more visually stimulating but largely inconsequential auto and racing porn for the undiscerning fan.

Smalltown boy Danny Krueger (Brett Davern) is an aspiring young racer who lucks into a scholarship to a renowned racing academy run by a gruff but caring Corbin Bernsen. Danny's fellow students include two bad-guy Italian brothers named Enzo and Paulo Lauricello, who burn up the track like nobody's business while laughing derisively at everyone else, especially the insecure and inexperienced Danny.

The rest of them are the usual stereotypes such as (God help us) yet another hick Texan, an Asian-American from Iowa who says "dude", and a girl who can race just as good as a guy, dammit. When one of these is injured due to Danny's incompetence on the track and must drop out, Danny is in need of a new racing partner. The only person available, impossibly enough, is one of the bad guys from the original movie, Jake Kendall (Brando Eaton).

Will Danny and Jake learn to forget their differences and work as a crack racing team who'll graduate from Corbin Bernsen's racing academy and have a chance of beating the wicked Italian brothers in the upcoming "big race"?

And while we're worrying about all that, there's (A) the little matter of Danny's girlfriend Jessica (Nicole Badaan) and her pesky desire to go to lawyer college on the opposite coast instead of staying in L.A. with Danny, and (B) the fact that no, Danny and Jake CAN'T learn to forget their differences, which gets them both kicked out of the racing academy and out of the running for the aforementioned big race. Omigosh, it's the dreaded "lowest point for our heroes" part of the plot that we all fear when watching movies like this!

But not to worry, because there's absolutely nothing surprising about the plot of BORN TO RACE: FAST TRACK including the eventual "everything turns out okay just like you thought it would" ending. The story is kept simple so as not to get in the way of the racing fun, as are the stereotypical characters and non-stop cliches. In other words, the plot doesn't advance as much as it's merely checked off one point at a time.

Every scene is edited like an action scene--exposition and character development fly by fast and furious (so to speak) in this baby. It just can't sit still for a second, as though its motor is always revved up and ready for the director to pop the clutch yet again for more vroom-vroom stuff. The movie can barely contain itself long enough to whiz through some rigged up plot developments which, amazingly enough, will somehow allow Danny to enter the big race after all.

The guys who edited QUANTUM OF SOLACE's action sequences into an incomprehensible mess could've learned a thing or two from whoever put this movie's racing scenes together. There's the usual rapid-fire editing here, but compared to QUANTUM's visual confetti, shots are held just long enough--sometimes a mere fraction of a second longer--and linked with enough storytelling skill to allow us to actually perceive what's happening while still being dazzled by the lightning-fast images.

Still, if you want more than just adrenaline-rush racing action, such as a meaningful story and genuine human interaction, you'll have to mine for it here like an old prospector panning for gold dust. The story, as it is, alternates between action and moments of superficial sentiment awkwardly shoehorned in like something out of a low-budget Michael Bay movie. You almost expect the racers to launch into an ear-bending rendition of "Leavin' On a Jet Plane" right before the race.

The DVD from Anchor Bay, which comes in a cool lenticular 3D sleeve, is in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound and subtitles in English and Spanish. The sole extra is a making-of featurette entitled "Fast Track: Behind the Scenes."

If you stop expecting a real movie and just realize from the start that you're pretty much watching a live-action cartoon, you're sure to enjoy BORN TO RACE: FAST TRACK a lot more. It may not be FAST AND FURIOUS (whose star, Vin Diesel, is humorously name-checked at one point), but at least the auto action and crash stunts are all 100% real and CGI-free. Which should be enough to get some racing fans revved up and ready to follow this flick around the track a few times.

Buy it at Amazon.com:

Blu-ray

DVD

BORN TO RACE: FAST TRACK -- DVD review by porfle

"Gone with the Wind" 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition Arrives Sept. 30

 

“America’s most popular film. Enormous in every way.”

Los Angeles Times, Kenneth Turan

  

75^th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition

Arrives September 30

Limited & Numbered, With New Collectible Packaging, New Memorabilia and New Special Features

Nationwide Celebrations Scheduled

On September 30, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will honor one of the most celebrated motion pictures of all time with the Gone with the Wind
75^th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray™ and Digital HD with UltraViolet.

 

Gone with the Wind -- the quintessential Hollywood epic and still history’s all-time domestic box-office champion ($1.6 billion[1]), with more tickets sold than any other movie ever made – is a “must have” for classic film collectors. It will be fittingly presented in limited and numbered sets, with new collectible packaging, new enhanced content and new collectible memorabilia. The memorabilia includes a replica of Rhett Butler’s handkerchief and a music box paperweight playing Tara’s theme with an image on top of the Rhett-Scarlett kiss. Also included is a 36-page companion booklet featuring a look at the immortal style of Gone with the Wind, written by New York fashion designer and Project Runway finalist Austin Scarlett, whose signature look reflects the romantic elegance of the Gone with the Wind era.

 

The new special features include footage of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh attending the original movie premiere in Atlanta and Old South/New South, a journey through today's South, revisiting the real-life locations depicted to see how the world of the Old South continues to inform life in the New South’s cosmopolitan world. Gone with the Wind 75^th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition will be available for $49.99 SRP.

 

75^th Anniversary Celebrations Nationwide

To commemorate the 75^th anniversary of Gone with the Wind, the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin will launch the exhibition, “The Making of ‘Gone With The Wind.’” For the first time in more than 25 years, three original gowns worn by Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara, including the iconic green curtain dress, will be exhibited together along with replicas of the film’s other gowns. Additionally, more than 300 items from producer David O. Selznick’s archive will be displayed, including behind-the-scenes photographs, storyboards, correspondence, production records, audition footage and fan mail. Turner Classic Movies is one of the sponsors of the exhibition which runs from September 9 – January 4, 2015.

 

On September 22, WBHE will partner with The Actors Hall of Fame in a special 75^th Anniversary Gone with the Wind fundraising gala to benefit dramatic arts education in schools. Hundreds of stars and industry leaders will arrive ‘in costume’ at the historic Culver Studios where many key scenes of the movie were filmed. The gala will be streamed live from the Mansion on digital and social media around the world. Planned highlights of this special evening include the dedication of the Olivia de Havilland Dramatic Arts Education Center and a recreation of the famous Virginia Reel dance scene from the movie, with student actors in period costumes and a silent auction including Gone With The Wind memorabilia. For additional information on the events, go to www.hrc.utexas.edu and http://actorshalloffame.org/  respectively.

 

About the Movie

Gone with the Wind, lauded as one of the American cinema’s grandest, most ambitious and spectacular pieces of filmmaking, was helmed by Victor Fleming in 1939, the same year as the director’s The Wizard of Oz. It captured 10 Academy Awards^®[2] including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress for Hattie McDaniel, the first Oscar awarded to an African-American actor. Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel, on which the film is based, has been translated into 16 languages, has sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide, and even now, continues to sell 50,000 copies a year.

 

Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard and Hattie McDaniel star in this classic epic of the American South. On the eve of the Civil War, rich, beautiful and self-centered Scarlett O'Hara (Leigh) has everything she could want - except Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). As the war devastates the South, Scarlett discovers the strength within herself to protect her family and rebuild her life. Through everything, she longs for Ashley, unaware that she is already married to the man she really loves (Gable) - and who truly loves her - until she finally drives him away. Only then does Scarlett realize what she has lost ... and tries to win him back.

 

Special Features:

• Featuring footage including Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh attending the original movie premiere in Atlanta
• Old South/New South NEW! Take a journey of discovery through today's South, revisiting the real-life locations depicted in Gone With the Wind, from Gettysburg to Atlanta to New Orleans, to see how the world of the Old South - and the themes depicted in the film - continue to inform life in the cosmopolitan world of the New South.

 

Gone with the Wind 75^th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition

Street Date: September 30, 2014

Order Due Date: August 26, 2014

Pricing: $49.99 SRP

Cat/UPC: 1000446620/6000079798

 

Note: All enhanced content and premiums listed above are subject to change.

Academy Awards® and Oscar® are both registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Blu-ray Disc™ and Blu-ray™ and the logos are the trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.

Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs™ offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The format also provides a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film.

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, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com and WBUltra.

 

ABOUT DIGITAL HD WITH ULTRAVIOLET

Digital HD with UltraViolet allows fans to watch a digital version of their movie or TV show anywhere on their favorite devices. Digital HD with UltraViolet is included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs. Digital HD with UltraViolet allows consumers to instantly stream and download movies and TV shows to TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones through UltraViolet retail services like CinemaNow, Flixster, Target Ticket, VUDU and more. For more information on compatible devices go to wb.com/ultravioletdevices. Consult an UltraViolet Retailer for details and requirements and for a list of HD-compatible devices.

 

Stream rare and hard-to-find movies and TV shows at Warner Archive Instant; purchase discs at Warner Archive Collection. Even more at www.wbshop.com or www.wbultra.com

  

---

[1] Domestic gross. adjusted for inflation (according to www.boxofficemojo.com)

[2] 1939 (12^th)                   ACTRESS – Vivien Leigh

                                                ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE  – Hattie McDaniel

                                                ART DIRECTION  – Lyle Wheeler

                                                CINEMATOGRAPHY (Color) – Ernest Haller, Ray Rennahan

DIRECTING -- Victor Fleming

FILM EDITING -- Hal C. Kern, James E. Newcom

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION -- Selznick International Pictures

WRITING (Screenplay) -- Sidney Howard

SPECIAL AWARD To William Cameron Menzies for outstanding achievement in the use of color for the enhancement of dramatic mood in the production of Gone with the Wind.

SCIENTIFIC OR TECHNICAL AWARD (Class III) For important contributions in cooperative development of new improved Process Projection Equipment: F. R. ABBOTT, HALLER BELT, ALAN COOK and the BAUSCH & LOMB OPTICAL COMPANY for faster projection lenses; The MITCHELL CAMERA COMPANY for a new type process projection head; MOLE-RICHARDSON COMPANY for a new type automatically controlled projection arc lamp; CHARLES HANDLEY, DAVID JOY and the NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY for improved and more stable high-intensity carbons; WINTON HOCH and the TECHNICOLOR MOTION PICTURE CORP. for an auxiliary optical system; DON MUSGRAVE and SELZNICK INTERNATIONAL PICTURES, INC. for pioneering in the use of coordinated equipment in the production, Gone with the Wind.

"Gone with the Wind" 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition Arrives Sept. 30

THE FORBIDDEN GIRL -- DVD review by porfle

I'm not sure what I just watched, but it was called THE FORBIDDEN GIRL (2013) and it was about...uhh...give me a minute...

At first I thought it was going to be an intense fright flick which would go for the sort of RING-type scares that are so common nowadays. Toby McClift (Peter Gadiot, NIGHT WOLF, "Caesar") is secretly meeting his girlfriend Katie (Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen) in a crypt at night when suddenly she's carried off screaming by some kind of jerkily-edited demonic entity surrounded by black CGI smoke. Hmm, looks like this might get scary.

But this spook tale is even more fanciful than THE RING because Toby's father--a pastor who's your stereotypical fundie religious fanatic--has "forbidden" him to experience normal relations with a woman lest he release evil into the world. (One of the disadvantages of being some kind of mystical "chosen one", y'see.)

Well, Toby ends up in the nut house over the whole thing, but when he gets out he manages to score a tutoring position in a huge Gothic mansion for a reclusive young girl named Laura Wallace who is actually, as it turns out, his beloved Katie.

And just as we're muttering "No way!" to ourselves, we meet the mistress of the house, Lady Wallace (Jeanette Hain, THE WHISTLEBLOWER), a bedridden old crone who seems to be undergoing a HELLRAISER-style rejuvenation process, and her protector-lover Mortimer (Klaus Tange), a blonde bundle of sinewy hostility with a penchant, we soon learn, for turning into that black CGI smoke monster we got a glimpse of earlier.

Anyway, the whole affair quickly develops into the sort of shadowy, leaf-strewn Gothic romance blather that we used to read about in comic books like "House of Mystery", with Toby pledging to free Laura/Katie from the lonely bondage of her tower room while the power of his love conquers whatever Lady Wallace and Mortimer can throw at him with whatever supernatural powers they eventually turn out to have. And boy, do they ever have plans--evil plans--for the both of our hapless young lovers.

What those plans are finally start to emerge from the murky enigma that is THE FORBIDDEN GIRL until some late revelations put a little life into the largely dopey and dull story. What gets us by until then is that exquisite Gothic setting and some lush production design, which, although weighed down by lots of unfortunate CGI (when will they ever learn that CGI isn't scary?), will serve as the backdrop for a confusing but lively climax featuring generous amounts of rather fine boobage.

Still, none of this is very scary or menacing. In fact, some of the earlier passages, in which Toby doubles for the usual female heroine in this "stranger in a creepy mansion" sort of story, are almost ADDAMS FAMILY-like. Gadiot's stiff, rather childlike acting style and a sometimes almost whimsical musical score also add to what amounts to a kind of precious theatricality to the proceedings.

Till Hastreiter, a capable director, goes for some lightweight Ken Russell/David Lynch surrealism in an early dream sequence but reverts to the "kitchen sink" style of throwing anything that might stick at the film's blustery finale, which will either have you thinking "Hey, this is pretty cool, and...boobs!" or scratching your head at the sheer eye-boggling inanity of it all.

The DVD from Inception Media Group is in 16x9 widescreen with Dolby 5.1 surround sound and English subtitles. A trailer is the sole extra.

I'm still not even quite sure whether or not I was entertained by THE FORBIDDEN GIRL, but I do know that it was mildly interesting for awhile, and then it got all "Wow! Stuff's, like, happening!" near the end, and then there was one ending too many, and then the fadeout left me thinking, "Well, that was--huh?"

Buy it at Amazon.com

THE FORBIDDEN GIRL -- DVD review by porfle

THE RIDDLE -- movie review by porfle

(NOTE: This review originally appeared online at Bumscorner.com on March 15, 2007. In April of that year THE RIDDLE became the first movie to premiere as a free DVD insert in the U.K. newspaper The Daily Mail.)

　
"A box without hinges, key, or lid...yet inside, a golden treasure's hid."

Are you one of those people who knew right away that the answer to this was "an egg" because you're good at solving riddles? Mike Sullivan isn't. It takes him almost a whole movie to sort out the answer to THE RIDDLE (2007), a low-key, deliberately-paced mystery thriller with a literary bent, set along the muddy banks of London's Thames River. But that's a good thing, because it's a lot more fun watching him get to the bottom of things the hard way.

Mike (Vinnie Jones) is a tabloid journalist who wants to graduate from covering dog races to crime reporting. His aggressively nosey foray into the suspicious death of a construction worker puts him at odds with a shady police detective named Willis (P.H. Moriarty), who seems to have other interests in crime besides solving it.

Mike's boss, Roberta (Vanessa Redgrave), also has reasons for wanting him to stay off the case and gives him the sack when he refuses. But he does have an ally--smart, perky Kate (Julie Cox, of the "Dune" TV miniseries), a police press officer who takes a liking to Mike and wants to help him sort out the truth.

Meanwhile, a vivacious older woman named Sadie (Vera Day), who runs the pub where Mike hangs out and has a penchant for riddles, stumbles upon a remarkable find in her cellar--an unpublished manuscript by Charles Dickens himself. But before she can parlay this discovery into untold riches, she's found dead on the riverbank.

Determining to find out who killed his friend and why, Mike soon begins to suspect a link between her murder and the death of the construction worker, along with the recent drowning of a young drug-addicted woman in the Thames. His investigation will eventually uncover questionable activities involving a sleazy construction company CEO named Roberts (Jason Flemyng) and a member of Parliament, Forsyth (Michael Fenton Stevens), who, it turns out, was a personal friend of Sadie.

All of this would make for a fairly interesting story on its own, but that's just the half of it. When Mike gets his hands on the Dickens manuscript (entitled "The Riddle") and begins reading it, the story seems to have odd parallels to his current investigation. Dickens (Derek Jacobi) himself narrates it for us, telling the tale of a young writer named Cedric Skenshal and his wife, who is slowly going mad. Her sister Alice moves in to help care for her, after which the tale soon darkens to include mysterious death, blackmail, and murder.

How this story is eventually resolved not only relates in a strange way to Mike's current concerns, but also seems to mean more to Dickens than a mere work of fiction--especially when the esteemed author starts whispering clues and warnings to Mike in his dreams. "I've got enough trouble with real crime, let alone made-up ones by Dickens," he complains to Kate at one point.

THE RIDDLE is writer-producer Brendan Foley's follow-up to 2005's kickass crime drama JOHNNY WAS--the script was a finalist in the 2001 Big Break international screenwriting contest--and his first film as director. He handles the job quite assuredly for a first-timer and shows some flashes of style, especially in the sequence where Mike gets drugged and seduced by a mysterious woman named Margot (Clemmie Myers). She waits for him to pass out in bed and then stands there in her bra and panties casually snapping pictures of his investigative notes to a driving techno beat. It may not sound like much in print, but visually it's pretty cool.

The darkly-lit Dickens scenes are seemingly intrusive at first, but become more interesting as the importance of the century-old tale grows in relation to the rest of the story. As in JOHNNY WAS, Foley shows a knack for exploring the seedier side of London, and makes the most of a relatively modest five-million-dollar budget to bring his smartly-written screenplay to life.

The cast is exceptional, especially Vinnie Jones (JOHNNY WAS, X-MEN:THE LAST STAND, LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS), who has recently become one of my favorite actors. He's convincing as anything from a ruthless killer to the likable sort he plays here, and, in the tradition of the classic movie tough guys, is always interesting to watch. Julie Cox gives a fun performance as Kate, whose quirky romance with Mike is one of the most appealing aspects of the film--they make a delightful non-glamorous movie couple as they gradually warm up to each other.

Still lovely at 67, Vera Day (LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, WOMANEATER, ENEMY FROM SPACE) shines in her brief scenes as the ill-fated Sadie. Ruthless CEO Roberts is played with plenty of slime by Jason Flemyng, familiar as the sniveling Netley of FROM HELL and Dr. Jekyll in THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN.

Also notable are Mark Asante as Mike's construction worker friend Dwayne, P.H. Moriarty as the loathesome detective Willis, Shelly Goldstein as the mad Mrs. Skenshal, British comedian Mel Smith ("Not The Nine O'Clock News", THE PRINCESS BRIDE) as Dickens expert Professor Cranshaw, and, of course, the formidable Vanessa Redgrave in the small role of Mike's devious boss, Roberta.

Best of all, perhaps, is Derek Jacobi ("I, Claudius", UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION, GLADIATOR) as a nameless old tramp who haunts the muddy shoreline of the Thames, scrounging for various discarded items and always on the lookout for the occasional "manna from heaven" that comes his way.

Long-haired and scruffy, the tramp sees and knows more than one might think, and his help, in exchange for coffee and sandwiches ("Beef!" is his favorite) proves invaluable to Mike and Kate. The tramp is a great character--funny, wise, prone to occasional outbursts of theatricality, and a bit mystical--and Jacobi, who also plays Dickens, gives a wonderful performance.

What is the secret behind THE RIDDLE? (Part of the answer lies in this review.) All is revealed in the exciting final scene, which includes murder, a confession or two, and a twist that is pretty surprising unless you're one of those people who are good at solving riddles and have already figured it out. Which Mike Sullivan isn't, thank goodness, or it would've been a really short film.

Buy it at Amazon.com

THE RIDDLE -- movie review by porfle