Saturday, June 30, 2018

Film Discoveries - May 2018

Hello everyone!  May's selections feature murder, bloodshed, vengeance and all manner of sordid acts (in other words, it's a typical month).  I made a concerted effort to watch a few Blu rays I'd received as gifts or been lent by gracious siblings, but it so happened that none of these cracked the top four.  So, while I'd have liked to talk more about 50/50 or Arrival (both of which you should see if you haven't yet), here are the films that edged them out...

Rolling Thunder - 1977


Previously, I'd mentioned that I've found a new appreciation for the films of the 1970s.  In keeping with this, I checked out 1977's Rolling Thunder and was blown away.  I'd heard it brought up on podcasts as an example of a great revenge movie, but I think that actually undersells what a great portrait it is of a man who has been hollowed out by his trauma.  It's ugly, but it's human and challenging at times.  Definitely worth a watch. 


My Letterboxd review:

Availability 
Rolling Thunder is currently available on blu-ray from Shout Factory.  



Blue Velvet - 1986


David Lynch has had a profound impact on me over the past few years, so I was anxious to see Blue Velvet.  A twisted nightmare journey through the underbelly of an idyllic small town, its bizarre characters and intense situations have a way of sticking in the brain.  I'm usually on board for Lynch's weirdness, so for me, if anything, the film could have stood to be even more of bizarre.  That's not a knock by any stretch, though.


My Letterboxd review:

Availability
Blue Velvet is currently available on  Blu-ray from MGM.



The Scarlet Empress - 1934


I love it when a film genuinely surprises me, and The Scarlet Empress did this on multiple levels.  I was surprised at its levels of violence and sexual content that somehow survived the rigors of the Hays Code, surprised that such complex cinematography could be in a mid-1930s filmm and above all surprised that this highly fictionalized telling of Catherine the Great's rise, with its ahistorical costuming, beautifully garish set design, and disparate acting styles could somehow hang together as something more than the sum of its parts.  This is a masterpiece. 


My Letterboxd review:
The Scarlet Empress is set to be released on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection as part of their Dietrich & von Sterberg in Hollywood box set.



Tomorrow Is Another Day - 1951


I typically watch a lot of film noir and it's always nice to run across a gem of the genre that's not quite as well known as a Double Indemnity or an Out of the Past.  Tomorrow Is Another Day definitely qualifies in my book.  The subject matter may be familiar, but the performances are strong and there's some very impressive cinematography on display here as well. 


My Letterboxd review:

Availability
Tomorrow Is Another Day is currently available on DVD from the Warner Archive. 
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