Ernie Fosselius blasted onto the comedy scene when his parody HARDWARE WARS (13 mins., 1977; MVD) became a cult phenomenon in the late ‘70s. An amusing compendium of gags in extended, faux-trailer form, narrated by the great Paul Frees, “Hardware Wars” is funnier in its sub-15 minute run time than Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs” is in its totality, from its googily-eyed Sesame Street-esque Chewbacca knock-off to its non-cutting edge technical effects with household appliances zooming around a galaxy very, very close to home.
For a while, it was easier to find “Hardware Wars” on home video than it was “Star Wars” itself. The short was able to generate a home video release – in Warner’s old, clamshell-sized “Hardware Wars and Other Film Farces” VHS tape many of us might remember from back in the day – plus was nationally broadcast, albeit edited, on an episode of Dick Clark’s “TV Bloopers & Practical Jokes” NBC series. But perhaps the biggest sign that Fosselius “nailed it” was that George Lucas himself called it the best of the many parodies of his 1977 classic – and invited Fosselius to co-write “Return of the Jedi” song “Lapti Neck” along with some source cues for the film.
“Hardware Wars” has, after some delays, been dusted off for Blu-Ray and arrives, complete with a slipcover of artwork emulating its original VHS release, this month from MVD as part of its Rewind Collection. This 2K transfer “from the only known surviving element,” i.e. a 16mm ‘reversal release print’ (1.33, 2.0 stereo/mono) still looks and sounds better than any version you might have seen before. We also get a shorter “Director’s Cut,” a “foreign version,” the short “Hardware Wars Saves Christmas” and a jokey “prequel” produced around the time that “The Phantom Menace” hit theaters. There’s also a “2012 HD Master” which looks like an upscaled version of its DVD transfer, possibly from an earlier, canceled format release.
In addition to Fosselius’ commentary and 1978 “Creature Features” interview, there’s also a parody “Plan 9.1 From Outer Space” Fosselius was involved with and –best of all – Fosselius’ savvy 1980 “Apocalypse Now” spoof, “Porklips Now,” which was the capper on the old Warner Home Video “Hardware Wars” VHS tape. It’s included in standard def and looks fine, as does the attractive packaging that also includes a mini-poster and that snazzy slipcover. Warmly recommended!
New From Imprint
Premiering in high-definition for the first time is one of producer Lew Grade’s many box-office wipeouts from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s – GREEN ICE (109 mins., 1981, PG) – an appealing enough caper-thriller that, to the best of my knowledge, never received a theatrical run in the U.S. That’s probably understandable following the lack of commercial returns for Grade’s infamous one-two punch of ITC flops “Raise the Titanic” and “Legend of the Lone Ranger,” though “Green Ice” – while also a movie that ran into production difficulty – is a superior film all around with some solid elements going for it.
Ryan O’Neal stars as a New York electronics engineer who stumbles into the mining of green emeralds in South America – an industry presided over by Omar Sharif’s mogul, who regulates their use to the extreme that local goons will murder anyone stealing from the hills where they’re found. Among the dead is the sister of wealthy Ann Archer, who strikes an immediate chemistry with O’Neal at the same time she’s engaged to be married to Sharif, though it’s not really love that he’s after. Eventually, O’Neal and Archer form an alliance and a plan for revenge: depleting Sharif’s stash of “green ice” not from the military-patrolled Colombian hills but rather stealing from his high-tech vault in downtown Bogota.
“Green Ice” has its shortcomings but this is a breezy and very entertaining film with a distinguished pedigree across much of its behind-the-scenes crew. From Gil Taylor’s Mexico-based lensing to Maurice Binder’s Bond-ian credits, “Green Ice” exudes class, and was clearly intended to provide an appropriately 007-like mood via the hiring of series vet Ernest Day. Alas, Day was only supposed to helm the 2nd unit on “Green Ice” – as he had for “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker” among countless films before – at least until Day was tagged to replace original director Anthony Simmons, who was dismissed by producer Jack Weiner early in the shoot (Simmons is still listed as one of four screenwriters credited with adapting the book by “11 Harrowhouse” author Gerald Browne).
The result is a patchy movie with some odd comings and goings – including a brief blast of comic relief provided by John Larroquette as a Texas-accented cowboy who O’Neal tabs to help with the raid – yet a satisfying mix of adventure and romance still permeates through the film. O’Neal is perfectly acceptable in one of his later leading man roles, and Archer, who was hired right off “Raise the Titanic,” is lovely and works well paired with him. Sharif does the best he can with a mostly one-dimensional role, but it’s the stunts, location shooting and overall atmosphere that makes “Green Ice” an enjoyable, early ‘80s ride, one that has been mostly out of the public eye since it debuted on HBO in the U.S. years back.
“Green Ice” here makes its Blu-Ray debut in one of Imprint’s most satisfying transfers for a catalog release: this 2024 scan of the original negative (1.78) offers lots of detail and grain. The source has its share of speckles and even a bit of print damage (line running down the frame) in the concluding reel, but it holds up for the most part, and the lack of DNR employed is most welcome.
On the audio end, the original Dolby Stereo track features a wide dynamic range in its 2.0 PCM stereo mix, the film sporting a rare movie score from Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. It’s definitely “of the era” and there are two terrible vocals provided for Wyman’s songs by Maria Muldaur – thankfully the action scoring is robust and one has to thank Ken Thorne for that, as the veteran composer is credited with orchestrating and conducting the score.
The movie is included in a 109-minute cut that’s apparently what was prepped for a U.S. theatrical release that never happened (the movie instead landed on cable and on VHS via CBS/Fox imprint Key Video). The original “ITC cut” runs 116 minutes and is also included here in a standard-definition 1.78 transfer; note the additional scenes mostly involve Archer and O’Neal’s relationship and are confined to the movie’s first half. While it’s nice to have this edit available, the added scenes slow the film down and aren’t especially necessary.
Music-and-effects audio tracks and textless Maurice Binder opening and closing credit reels are also included along with a commentary by David J. Moore on the extended version. There’s also a nice interview with the great stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong, who discusses the film, touching briefly upon both Simmons’ firing as well as ITC’s original plan of hiring an ailing Steve McQueen for the lead. Recommended!
Another relic from the ‘80s – albeit not nearly as entertaining – debuts on Blu-Ray for the first time worldwide this month courtesy of Imprint: LET’S GET HARRY (102 mins., 1986, R), a messy “Rambo” clone that, like “Green Ice,” ran into issues involving its producers and original director.
Originally helmed by Stuart Rosenberg but credited to the infamous “Alan Smithee,” “Let’s Get Harry” finds a group of blue-collar auto workers (Michael Schoeffling, Glenn Frey, Rick Rossovich, “Back to the Future”’s Tom Wilson) uniting with mercenary Robert Duvall in an effort to save Schoeffling’s brother Mark Harmon who’s been kidnapped by Colombian drug dealers. Their mission is pushed by a wired (and I do mean wired) Gary Busey in a film where producers Daniel H. Blatt and Robert Singer (“V: The Final Battle”) wanted to “enhance” Harmon’s participation via reshoots, in lieu of his rising star status courtesy of hit NBC series “St. Elsewhere.”
Rosenberg disagreed with that decision and had his name accordingly removed from the Tri-Star film — reshoots or not, though, he might as well had his name taken off anyway given this moribund movie’s lethargic pacing and overall odd atmosphere. Despite the attractive cast “Let’s Get Harry” is tedious and surprisingly DOA, Duvall looking like he knew he never should’ve said “yes” and only Busey really bringing the needed energy to make the picture work. Blatt and Singer’s work in TV seems to have carried over to the lack of “cinematic” quality the film has, while Brad Fiedel’s dated score fails to liven up the movie. It’s an exercise in ‘80s action cliches, which you can see executed better elsewhere.
Based on a story by Samuel Fuller, “Let’s Get Harry” barely played in theaters and was mostly sent to the blossoming VHS market by HBO Home Video. Imprint’s Blu-Ray hails from a capable Sony catalog master (1.78, 2.0 PCM stereo) though offers no special features.
New From Arrow
Former NYPD Deputy Commissioner Robert Daley later became a popular novelist with several of his books adapted for the big-screen including “Year of the Dragon” (directed by Michael Cimino in 1985) and “Prince of the City” (1981). The latter was directed by Sidney Lumet, who later (more successfully) adapted Daley’s novel “Tainted Evidence” as NIGHT FALLS ON MANHATTAN (113 mins., 1997, R; Arrow Video).
Shot in late 1995 but unreleased in the U.S. until May 1997 by Spelling Films via Paramount (a combination that was also responsible for the lousy film of Stephen King’s “Thinner”), “Night Falls on Manhattan” is an excellent crime thriller packed with superb performances that’s based, in part, on the real case of drug runner Larry Davis, who shot six cops (but was ultimately acquitted) during a raid on his sister’s Bronx home in 1986.
Chief among them is Andy Garcia, playing a rising assistant DA in New York City who’s asked by his boss (Ron Liebman) to prosecute a drug dealer who was captured under shady circumstances by a pair of NYC cops (James Gandolfini and Ian Holm)…one of whom is also his father.
Daley’s critique of the legal and political processes in NYC, and the thin line straddled between them, makes for a terrific and highly underrated film – one of Lumet’s best from the later stages of his career in fact. Location shooting and David Watkin’s layered cinematography provide a flavorful technical package, but it’s the smart script – part crime procedural, part courtroom drama – and performances that linger: in addition to Garcia playing opposite Holm and a pre-”Sopranos” Gandolfini, we’re also treated to Richard Dreyfuss as a William Kuntsler-like civil rights attorney and additional roles filled by Lena Olin, Colm Feore, a young Bobby Canavale and veterans Vincent Pastore and Frank Vincent among them.
Making its U.S. Blu-Ray debut from Arrow, “Night Falls on Manhattan” is enhanced here by a 2K remaster (1.85, 5.1/2.0) from the original negative by the label. This is a marked improvement over Imprint’s previous Blu-Ray, which was based off Paramount’s previous HD master. The sound is also nicely engineered featuring a supportive Mark Isham score. Extras include archival DVD commentaries by Lumet as well as Garcia and Leibman, joined by producers Thom Mount and Josh Kramer; a 2002 episode of the fine TV series “The Directors” on Lumet; trailers/TV spots; and vintage EPK materials and on-set interviews with the cast.
BASKET CASE 4K UHD Limited Edition (91 mins., 1983; Arrow Video): Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck) heads to New York City along with a wicker basket carrying his Siamese twin brother Belia in one of the more memorable cult-horror indie efforts of the early ‘80s. Director-writer Frank Henenlotter’s subsequent career may have never lived up to the potential of this quirky, gory and occasionally very amusing effort – marked by memorable stop-motion animation – but “Basket Case” stands alongside “The Evil Dead” as one of the decade’s more unique low-budget genre outings.
Previously available on Blu-Ray in a Something Weird/Image release, Arrow’s 4K UHD offers a UHD edition of their 2018 Blu-Ray from the same source: the original 16mm negative courtesy of MoMA. Now enhanced with Dolby Vision HDR, fans can even better appreciate the fruits of that restoration (1.37) while the PCM uncompressed mono audio is likewise clear. An Arrow-exclusive 2018 commentary from Henenlotter and Van Hentenryck is paired with an archival commentary while other goodies include Henenlotter’s short “Basket Case 3-1/2: An Interview with Duane Bradley,” an interview with Van Hentenryck, a 2017 Henenlotter conversation, interviews with supporting cast members, feature length documentaries, archival featurettes, outtakes, animated shorts, a full range of trailers and much more.
NARC 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray Limited Edition (105 mins., 2003, R; Arrow): In director Joe Carnahan’s “breakthrough” effort, Jason Patric plays a somewhat burned-out undercover agent assigned to a case involving completely burned-out NARC Ray Liotta. Liotta’s partner – he claims – was killed in the line of duty, but as Patric uncovers, Liotta has gone further over the edge than even Patric has gone, losing all touch with right and wrong.
“Narc” garnered strong reviews during its theatrical release in early 2003, though this “indie” film was actually co-produced by Tom Cruise. Liotta was also one of the producers of Joe Carnahan’s well-written script, which works because of the forceful performances of the two leads. Compared to the similarly-themed Kurt Russell effort “Dark Blue” that hit around the same time, there’s more grit and grime in “Narc” which adds to the realism though it does, admittedly, make the picture difficult to sit through at times. This is an unrelenting crime thriller with a predictably bloody outcome, though if you’re looking for a well-made little film with strong characterizations and atmosphere, “Narc” is still worth a view.
Out May 21st, Arrow’s new 4K remaster (1.85) from the original negative has been enhanced with Dolby Vision HDR and features a brand new Dolby Atmos soundtrack. It’s an excellent a/v restoration with a new interview with Carnahan leading Arrow’s UHD/Blu-Ray Limited Edition. Also new are interviews with cinematographer Alex Nepomniaschy and actress Krista Bridges; there are also ample archival extras, leading off with the original DVD commentary track with Carnahan and film editor John Gilroy, which discusses the low-budget shoot, the story’s origins, and the themes of the picture. It’s a better than average talk, with the two being fairly candid about the movie and its production. Three separate featurettes examine the making of the film, while another segment sports “French Connection” auteur William Friedkin praising the picture.
Coming May 28th from Arrow, PANDEMONIUM (92 mins., 2023) is something a little different from the label: a recent French anthology film about a couple who meet a trio of other tortured souls hovering in purgatory after they’re killed in a car accident. This offbeat genre mash-up from director “Quarxx” comes to Blu-Ray with a 1080p (2.39) transfer and 5.1/2.0 French audio with English subtitles. Extras include an interview with Quarxx, plus a conversation between the director and make-up/FX supervisor Olivier Afonso. There’s also a Quarxx interview on shooting a real birth; 2023 Paris premiere footage; a Making Of featurette; and the trailer.
Also From MVD
Coming May 7th from the MVD Rewind Collection, SABOTAGE (99 mins., 1996) struts out Mark Dacascos as a former Black Ops colonel, haunted by a mission gone wrong, who’s thrown back into the fray when his former squad mates start being picked off one by one. A pre-Matrix Carrie-Ann Moss stars in this surprisingly watchable action thriller from resourceful B-auteur Tibor Takacs (“The Gate”), offering a decent story and solid supporting cast that also includes Tony “Candyman” Todd, John Neville and Graham Greene. MVD’s Blu-Ray (1.78, 2.0 stereo) offers a new half-hour interview with Dacascos, a 13-minute interview with Tony Todd, a trailer reel and MVD’s customary double-sided artwork and mini-poster.
FRIVOLOUS LOLA 4K UHD (105 mins., 1988; Cult Epics): Cult Epics continues to showcase the “lighter side” of Tinto Brass with this restoration of his 1988 sex comedy “Frivulous Lola.” Anna Ammirati stars as the title character, a teen girl in the 1950s whose view of sex and fidelity differs from her more traditional fiancee (Max Parodi) in a Brass effort that has more appealing, and relatable, characters than you typically find in his output; Patrick Mower is amusing, meanwhile, as Lola’s swinging stepfather.
Cult Epics’ 4K restoration (1.85) includes a new transfer from the original negative with HDR10, along with 5.1/2.0 audio either in English or Italian with optional subtitles. Special features include a commentary from Eugenio Ercolani and Nathaniel Thompson, a 2004 interview with Tinto Brass, trailers, a photo gallery, plus a slipcover, 20-page booklet, Italian lobby card print reproductions, and a reversible sleeve with original Italian poster artwork.
HSI SHIH: BEAUTY OF BEAUTIES Blu-Ray (155 mins., 1965; 88 Films): 88 Films dives deep into Taiwanese film history for this release of a watershed 1965 epic from director Li Han-hsiang. The Shaw Brothers veteran left the studio for this biopic involving Hsi Shih, one of China’s “Four Great Beauties” and, specifically, her involvement in a skirmish between warring Chinese Kingdoms from roughly 475-221 B.C. Gorgeous widescreen (2.39) imagery marks this new 4K restoration from the original negatives (Mandarin with English subtitles) with extras featuring a restoration comparison and insightful interview with genre authority Tony Rayns.
Also New & Noteworthy
New on 4K UHD from Sony is Herbert Ross’ 1989 box-office smash filming of Robert Harling’s popular play STEEL MAGNOLIAS (118 mins., PG), starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, and Olympia Dukakis as the stalwart Southern belles who live, love and dish at a Louisiana hair salon. Julia Roberts, in her first star-making performance (“Pretty Woman” would follow a few months later), plays Field’s daughter and Daryl Hannah is the wallflower whose introduction into the world of Parton’s salon serves as the audience’s initiation to the characters as well.
Harling incorporated a lot of his own experiences into “Steel Magnolias,” basing the film on the life of his mother and (late) sister, which grounds the fluffy nature of the material with a hard dramatic undercurrent that takes hold in the film’s second half. Along the way, though, there are plenty of laughs and some wonderful performances, with the actresses working off one another splendidly and the film establishing a genuine sense of time and place – no surprise with the picture having been shot almost exclusively in and around Harling’s hometown. Georges Delerue’s beautiful score is, like so many of the composer’s works, a huge asset to the film (he replaced David Shire, whose dismissal was memorably depicted in editor Paul Hirsch’s recent book “A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far Far Away”), while John A. Alonzo’s attractive lensing and a capable male supporting cast (Tom Skerritt as Field’s husband; Dylan McDermott as Roberts’ spouse; and Sam Shepard as Parton’s deadbeat hubby) both open up the play’s stage confines for the film.
Sony’s gorgeous Dolby Vision HDR transfer (1.85, Dolby Atmos/5.1 DTS MA) includes a commentary from Ross carried over from the previous release along with the “In Full Bloom: Remembering Steel Magnolias” featurette, 10 deleted scenes, a Digital HD code, the trailer, and the busted 1990 CBS TV pilot – featuring Cindy Williams, Elaine Stritch and Polly Bergen – which functions as a sequel to the film but wasn’t picked up for series, not even with Harling having written it himself.
Also new from Sony is the latest busted spin-off from the Spidey-verse, MADAME WEB (116 mins., 2024, PG-13), which wastes the likes of Dakota Johnson (the title character) and Sydney Sweeney (Spider-Woman Julia Cornwall) in a silly mash-up that feels like too many cooks were allowed to spend an entire day prepping a single meal. The final result pushes and pulls in too many directions with an excess of characters and obvious post-production tinkering resulting in a film that makes even the last “Venom” look watchable. Sony’s Blu-Ray includes a deleted scene, gag reel, easter eggs, featurettes, a 1080p transfer (2.39), 5.1 DTS MA sound and a Digital HD code.
OCEAN’S TRILOGY 4K UHD (Warner): Slick, economically-packaged UHD set from Warner features the 4K debut of Steven Soderbergh’s three George Clooney/Brad Pitt/Matt Damon-led remakes of the ‘60s Rat Pack quasi-classic “Ocean’s 11.” Their first effort, OCEAN’S ELEVEN (117 mins., 2001, PG-13), is the best of the batch with laid-back sequels OCEAN’S TWELVE (125 mins., 2004, PG-13) and OCEAN’S THIRTEEN (122 mins., 2007, PG-13) likewise coasting along with enjoyable performances, ample cameos and a genial tone. You can say Soderbergh’s direction isn’t exactly overflowing with tension but if you’re in the right mood all three films – even when they’re playing to diminishing returns over the sequels – make for easy-going fare that’s likely to spur repeat viewing. Warner’s HDR10 transfers are all uniformly superb with 5.1 DTS MA sound, Digital HD codes, and their respective extras from their previous Blu-Rays (commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes) included.
JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS Part Two 4K Ultra HD Steelbook (95 mins., 2024, PG-13; Warner): The second half of classic DC storyline “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” based on Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s story, continues on after the World’s Mightiest Heroes were recruited by the “Monitor” – culled from multiple Earths, all to fight an antimatter apocalypse. This time out, Shadow Demons are hellbent on destroying reality, requiring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Supergirl – plus the Monitor too – to team up and do battle. There’s only a little more action in this set-up heavy second installment along with another superb 4K HDR10 transfer and 5.1 DTS MA sound in Warner’s Steelbook edition. A Digital HD code, “Voices in Crisis” and “The Bat-Family of the multiverse” featurettes are also included plus a preview of Part 3.
New on Blu-Ray
ORPHAN Blu-Ray (123 mins., 2009, R; Shout!): Happy couple Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard opt to bring home an orphaned little girl so that their own son and deaf daughter have another sibling…of course, she turns out to be a homicidal maniac harboring a massive secret in this well-made but exploitive film with a tasteless premise on the part of writers Alex Mace and David Leslie Johnson.
Admittedly, Jaume Collet-Serra directs this Dark Castle production with a sure hand, and one has to give him credit for allowing “Orphan” room to breathe with its two-hour running time and character development expanded beyond what we typically see in a genre picture of its kind. That said, “Orphan” still gets progressively sillier the further along it goes, leading to a howler of an ending.
Scream Factory’s Collector’s Edition of “Orphan” bows on Blu-Ray this month sporting a new 2K scan of the interpositive (1.85) with 5.1/2.0 DTS MA audio options. Brand new-extras include an interview with composer John Ottman and no less than four commentaries (albeit all with “film critic” participants), while archival extras include additional scenes, an alternate ending, and one making of featurette.
EIGHT MEN OUT Blu-Ray (120 mins., 1988, PG; MGM): John Sayles’ superb 1988 film of the infamous Black Sox scandal, “Eight Men Out,” returns to Blu-Ray in a no-frills MGM catalog release. This excellent chronicle of Charles Comiskey’s crumbling baseball empire, embodied by its underpaid players who ultimately decide to throw the 1918 World Series, boasts a uniformly outstanding cast, from John Cusack and Charlie Sheen as teammates who find themselves at the center of what became a national scandal, to Clifton James as the owner and D.B. Sweeney as “Shoeless Joe” Jackson. Sayles’ direction is a little too restrained at times for its own good yet the film is still highly rewatchable and the MGM catalog transfer (1.85, 2.0 stereo) is just fine.
IN SEARCH OF THE LAST ACTION HEROES Blu-Ray (141 mins., 2019; Gravitas Ventures): Oliver Harper’s lengthy documentary covers the action genre in a somewhat haphazardly edited production, packed with interviews and salient points, but is not well organized. Paul Verhoeven, Mario Kassar, Sam Firstenberg, Steven E. DeSouza, Shane Black, Michael Jai White, Eric Roberts, Cynthia Rothrock, Alex Winter, composers Brad Fiedel, Vince DiCola and Brian Tyler are among the interviewees in this tour of the genre from the ‘70s popularity of Bruce Lee, “Jaws,” and Clint Eastwood to the genre’s true burst in the ‘80s with Arnie, Sly, and the heyday of the great “action heroes.” The interviews are insightful but the jumping around makes you wish a little more time had been expended on a single film or theme before it moves ahead to the next. Still worthwhile for fans, Gravitas’ Blu-Ray features a 1080p transfer and 2.0 stereo soundtrack.
BLUE GIANT Blu-Ray (119 mins., 2023; Gkids/Shout! Factory): A smoky jazz score from Hiromi and an adult-driven story line make this anime worthwhile. Director Yuzuru Tachikawa adapts Shinchi Ishizuka’s manga about Dai Miyamoto, a man who leaves his hometown for Tokyo upon picking up a saxophone and moves to the city to fulfill his dreams; there, he meets an expert pianist and novice drummer in forming a jazz trio with the desire of playing at Japan’s most exclusive jazz club, So Blue. Gkids’ Blu-Ray includes a 1.78 transfer, Dolby Atmos Japanese audio plus TrueHD 5.1 and PCM 2.0 stereo options, all subtitled in English; a Q&A with Hiromi; and the trailer.
ALAM DVD (109 mins., 2024; Film Movement): A Palestinian teenager is motivated to participate in a political movement – raising a Palestinian flag on Israeli’s Independence Day – after meeting and falling for an attractive classmate in Firas Khoury’s “Alam.” Certainly timely given the circumstances if nothing else, “Alam” includes a 16:9 transfer on DVD with 5.1/2.0 audio, in Hebrew/Arabic with English subtitles.
NEXT TIME: THE CROW Flies in 4K! Until then, don’t forget to drop in on the official Aisle Seat Message Boards and direct any emails to our email address. Cheers everyone!