It’s been a weird, bizarre, scary year, but hopefully you’ve managed to keep safe, healthy, and entertained. With summer in full swing, we present you a gift guide of some releases for the season that should cure your boredom. Every year we’re given some titles to promote for our readers, and we come across some new releases that might make the summer season a bit easier to endure.
Also: Remember that every time you buy through us, you help Cinema Crazed!
Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits – 1971-1981: Criterion Collection [Blu-Ray] – Criterion Collection
After releases on DVD from Shout, Bruce Lee’s greatest films get the big Blu-Ray 4K restorations and royal treatment with a box set that’s tough to beat. Included are 1971’s “The Big Boss,” 1972’s “Fist of Fury,” 1972’s “Way of the Dragon,” (the New 2K digital restoration of the rarely-seen 99-minute 1973 theatrical version, and a New 2K digital restoration of the 102-minute “special-edition” version of) 1973’s “Enter the Dragon,” and of course 1978’s “Game of Death.” There are new interviews, new promotional materials, “Blood and Sleet” the making of “Enter the Dragon,” and so much more.
Criterion gives the series of films the same treatment as the “Zatoichi” series with a brand new guide with a series of essays and photos, as well as a wonderful boxed packaging for the whole set. Most impressive is the new art by Gian Glang, who presents Lee in various forms of his all too brief but legendary film career. Concurrently, the films will be available in individual releases on Blu-Ray for folks that have only a few from Lee’s Library that they want to keep and collect.
Jaws (1975): 45th Anniversary Limited Edition [4K/Blu-Ray/Digital] – Universal Studios
In honor of the anniversary and celebration of “Jaws,” Universal is releasing the masterpiece on a 4K UHD upgrade along with the other BD, and Digital copies. There’s no better summer movie than “Jaws” which finds Sheriff Martin Brody facing off against a vicious large shark that is wreaking havoc on a small seaside town during the season. In order to keep people from being eaten (including his family), he sets out to stop the shark along with a seasoned shark hunter, and a marine biologist. “Jaws” is a timeless horror masterpiece filled with an iconic score, excellent suspense, and an action packed climax. This is an upgrade worth pursuing.
Orca: The Killer Whale! (1977) [Blu-Ray] – Shout Factory
A bonafide childhood favorite, “Orca” was released to capitalize on the popularity of “Jaws.” Back then, every studio sought to mimic the success with their own nature run amok horror movies (“Piranha,” “Frogs,” et al.). One of the few movies that weren’t sued in to oblivion by Universal, “Orca” is a revenge tale about a killer Orca murdering the people of a seaside village, that killed her baby. From Dino De Laurentiis, this fun, gory knock off stars Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, Will Sampson, and Bo Derek (in her feature film debut). The new release from Shout! is a worthwhile side dish after the “Jaws” festivities.
Idle Hands (1999): Collector’s Edition [Blu-Ray] – Shout Factory
In the midst of the slasher boom, “Idle Hands” was sorely overlooked and for many years criminally underrated. “Idle Hands” begins as a weird body horror comedy and quickly transforms in to a gory horror comedy about possession, Satan, and the living dead.
Devon Sawa is great in a cast featuring Seth Green, Elden Henson, Vivica A. Fox, and a very sultry Jessica Alba. “Idle Hands” is shockingly original, bizarre, and descends in to pure dark, gory, heavy metal horror by the time it comes to a close. As an added touch, it’s absolutely funny as hell. The new Collector’s Edition from Shout includes some great brand new features, and audio commentaries for loyal fans.
Hudson Hawk (1991): Retro VHS Style [Blu-Ray] – Mill Creek Entertainment
“Hudson Hawk” isn’t an entirely good movie, per se, but it did get a lot of headlines for being one of the big budgeted theatrical, critical, and financial flops of the 1990’s. There’s the great Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, Sandra Bernhard, and of course star Bruce Willis, who shows us once again that he’d much rather have been a rock star than a Hollywood actor.
If you want a wacky comedy with pratfalls, that’s also a heist film, a buddy comedy, a crime thriller, a mobster flick, kind of a musical, and a pulpy adventure, then you might find “Hudson Hawk” to your liking. Maybe. Mill Creek has just released the Retro VHS slip case edition which is a neat memento for nostalgic collectors that once perused the sacred aisles of the video stores.
The Goonies (1985): Exclusive Giftset [4K/Blu-Ray/Digital] – Warner Bros.
Goonies Never Say Die, and Warner is proving its lasting power by celebrating the 35th anniversary while also upgrading it to 4K. This Exclusive Gift Set is a treasure trove for any Goonies movie buff. Featured are a wonderful “treasure box” gift case, a One Eyed Willy patch, collectible buttons, and the mythical One Eyed Willy treasure map! And of course, the movie is upgraded to 4K, and includes the Blu-Ray and the Digital Copy.
War of the Worlds (1953): Criterion Collection [Blu-Ray] – Criterion Collection
George Pal’s 1953 loose adaptation of the novel is still considered one of the all time great alien invasion movies. Taking the concept of the novel and a bit from the Orson Welles radio play, “War of the Worlds” is a frantic, vicious, and chaotic alien invasion film where a doctor struggles to survive through a horrible invasion.
The basically invulnerable aliens have humanity beat in every front. Or so it seems. This is a gem with a new restoration, beautiful new cover art by Patrick Leger, and the legendary Mercury Theatre on the Air radio adaptation of The War of the Worlds from 1938, directed and narrated by Orson Welles.
Super Schlock! : The Weird, Wild Superheroes of the 90’s
What would a Gift List be without a recommendation for two of the site’s writers. Now Available from Felix Vasquez is “Super Schlock! The Weird, Wild Superheroes of the 90’s,” a book spotlighting the superhero movies of the nineties like “Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD,” and “Generation X,” all before superhero cinema was common place and not considered a risky investment.
There’s also Phil Hall’s “The Weirdest Movie Ever Made: The Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot Film,” from Bearmanor Media, the Rondo Nominated book that explores the legacy and controversy behind the legendary Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot footage. He seeks out information about the iconic footage, and even speaks with a slew of people to try to make sense of the fateful footage.
Both books can be picked up now!
Wonder Woman: The Complete Collection – 1975-1979 [Blu-Ray] – Warner Bros.
With Wonder Woman being a hot commodity once again, fans can now track the roots of the character’s big pop culture transition before the big budget sequel. The character is successfully adapted in to a hit cult action series starring the gorgeous Lynda Carter as the titular Wonder Woman.
Carter stars in the episodic adventures of Wonder Woman (and her alter ego Diana Prince) as she fights off spies, criminals, thieves, and the like. The new set includes all fully restored 59 episodes of the series, including the original Pilot movie, and multiple episode commentaries including the one and only Lynda Carter.