The Bootleg Files: An Inspector Calls

Posted on March 16, 2018 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 630: “An Inspector Calls” (1954 British drama starring Alastair Sim).

LAST SEEN: On the Internet Archive.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It has been commercially unavailable for years in the United States.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: There is a U.K. DVD version, but no U.S. version yet.

In the aftermath of World War II, British writer J.B. Priestley put forth the play “An Inspector Calls,” which offered an interesting mix of drawing room mystery and socialist agitation against his nation’s suffocating class system. The play was first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945 and later had its London premiere in 1946 starring Ralph Richardson as the eponymous investigator. The Broadway premiere occurred in 1947 with Thomas Mitchell as the inspector. “An Inspector Calls” also turned up on British television in 1948 and in radio adaptations in 1950 and 1953.
Continue reading →

Lenny Bruce On Film

Posted on March 16, 2018 by Phil Hall

Lenny Bruce had a profound impact on modern comedy, but he was a somewhat elusive figure when it came appearances in film and television. On this episode of “The Online Movie Show,” film historian Paul Scrabo discusses Bruce’s work as a 20th Century Fox screenwriter, his writing and acting in the under-the-radar “Dream Follies” and “Dance Hall Racket,” and the censorship problems that limited his screen time and, ultimately, fueled his early death.

The episode can be heard here.

“The Online Movie Show” is produced at the Platinum Wolfe Studios.

Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998) [Blu-Ray]

Posted on March 12, 2018 by Felix Vasquez

Boyd Kirkland’s “SubZero” stands as not only one of the best animated Batman films of all time, but one of the best Batman films, period. In a time where Warner were handing us goofy films like “Batman Forever,” behind the scenes, Bruce Timm took the material seriously, delivering entertaining mature fare like “SubZero.” Something of a sequel to “Deep Freeze,” Kirkland’s film is also a stark contrast to last year’s “Batman and Harley Quinn,” choosing to expand on the hit episode, rather than repeat the same beats ad nauseum like the latter chose to.

Continue reading →

Justice League (2017) [Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital]

Posted on March 9, 2018 by Felix Vasquez

At the end of the day I think “Justice League” is a very—okay movie, with glimmers of greatness. But that’s the problem, sadly. Fans waited and waited, and didn’t want an okay movie. We fans wanted a great movie, and despite bringing in Joss Whedon in the final hour, “Justice League” feels less like the beginning of an epic saga of superheroes, and more like a throwaway episode of a mediocre superhero series. And what with “mustache gate” and the continued controversy over the original cut of the film, “Justice League” will carry a lot of baggage with it forever. Which is sad, because I still didn’t hate it as much as I did “Batman v Superman.”

Continue reading →

The Bootleg Files: The Frito Bandito Commercials

Posted on March 9, 2018 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 629: “The Frito Bandito Commercials” (1967-71 television advertising campaign).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: No afterlife for politically incorrect commercials.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: We’ll see that border wall first.

When Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president in 2015, he flabbergasted many people with this impolite description of Mexicans: “They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

Continue reading →

Hammer Films Double Features: Maniac/Die! Die! My Darling! [Blu-Ray]; Never Take Candy from Strangers, Scream of Fear! [Blu-Ray]

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Felix Vasquez

As with all Mill Creek releases, they’re prone to bringing fans and collectors whole box sets of films, and then to re-release the sets in various volumes here and there. For fans that can’t spring for the big box set, there are two releases from Mill Creek Entertainment that got the Blu-Ray treatment. These are fine releases if you want the movies or nothing else. If you want the bells and whistles, you’ll just have to wait longer.

Continue reading →

Heaven’s Gate: Classic or Clunker?

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Phil Hall

For many people, Michael Cimino’s 1980 epic “Heaven’s Gate” represents the worst of cinema. For others, however, the film is an original and audacious work that did not deserve the harsh reviews and box office failure in its initial release. On this episode, film critic Jerry Roberts joins Phil Hall to discuss the merits and mishaps of this still-polarizing work.

The episode can be heard here.

“The Online Movie Show” is produced at the Platinum Wolfe Studios.