JohnDoe
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What is on your DVD Wish List?
What is on your DVD Wish list?
Good Afternoon film fans,
The topic today is Movies that you love, that are unavailable on DVD in Australia at present.
Those cinematic delights that have not seen the light of day in Oz, in vanilla format,(extras free) or otherwise.
Here are some DVD favourites of mine that are shamefully only available in the US & UK. (Sorry about the length of the Blog, I was having so much fun Igot carried away)
Luc Besson’s Leon: The Professional(1994) (Action/Thriller)
Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman
Tender story of a precise and deadly Hitman with a gentle soul, (Leon) who befriends an orphaned little girl (Matalida), wanting to learn his craft.
John Boorman’s Point Blank(1967) (Action/Thriller)
Starring: Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson
Hard Boiled, slow burning and introspective revenge story that took itself seriously, the template for thoughtful action films like: Get Carter, The Limey and A History of Violence.
John Frankenheimer’sSeconds (1966) (Sci Fi/Thriller)
Starring: Rock Hudson, Jeff Corey, Richard Anderson
Ahead of its time head screw with revolutionary cinematography, Secondsis about a regretful old man who thanks to modern science can trade in his aged shell for a younger mans body. Rock Hudson gives an image shattering performance as a man out of his time, trying to adapt to the cultural and social changes in 1960’s society.
George Roy Hills Slaughterhouse 5 (1972)(War/Sci Fi)
Starring: Michael Sacks, Ron Leibman, Valerie Perrine
Based on Kurt Vonnegut jnr’s novel, this is the warped story of a Billy Pilgrim, a psychologically shattered WWII soldier who becomes unglued from time. It’s an existential time travel film with an anti war flavour, intellectual, surreal fun that stays with you.
Christopher Nolan’s Following (1998) (Thriller)
Starring: Jeremy Theobold, Alex haw, Lucy Russell,
Director Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Memento) makes his feature film debut with a writer who follows people for inspiration, an obsessive voyeur, one day he tracks the wrong man.
David Cronenburg’s Rabid/Shivers (1977/1975)(Horror)
Starring:Allan Kolman, Paul Hampton, Joe Silver, Susan Petrie, marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore
A pair of disturbing psychological horror films, from the master of challenging cinema Mr Cronenburg (A History Of Violence, Dead Ringers, Existenz, VideoDrome, The Brood). In both a genetic disease takes a hold of people and makes them nymphomaniac cannibal killer zombies.
Terence Mallick’s Badlands (1973) (Drama)
Starring:Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates
A James Dean loving psychopath (Sheen) and an emotionally troubled teen (Spacek) team up and go on a killing rampage along the American Highways. This re-creation of the Starkweather/Fugate rampage is emotionally complex and beautifully shot. This influential film has gone on to spawn a genre of it’s own with Natural Born killers and Kaliforniaetc
Richard Linklater’s Slacker (1991) (Comedy)
Starring: Richard Linklater, Rudy Basquez, Keith McCormack, Terrence Kirk
Gen Xer’s sit around, shoot the shit and wax lyrical about pop culture and their meaningless existence. The film that launched Director Richard Linklater’s (A Scanner Darkly, Fast Food Nation, Waking Life, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise) career. This was the first film to give slackers everywhere a cinematic voice and inspired Kevin Smith to write Clerks.
Michael Haneke’s Funny Games(1997) (Foreign Thriller)
Starring: Susan Lothare, Ulrich Muhe, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering
A married couple and their young child go on holidays to an exclusive resort where they are savagely tormented by a pair of teens.
A powerhouse of a film not for the weak hearted, this painfully paced exercise in suspense works on many levels and with its social conscience can not be brushed aside after the final credits roll.
Guilmerro Del Torro’s Cronos (1993) (Foreign Horror)
Starring: Ron Pearlman, Frederico Luppi, Claudio Brook
A very welcome reinvention of the Vampire film: an ancient device that resembling a bug offers eternal life at a price, the lust for blood. A moody, atmospheric chiller from the Director of Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth
Jean Pierre Melville’s Le Samourai (1967) (Foreign, Drama)
Starring: Alain Delon, Francoir Perrier, Jacques Leroy
Profoundly effecting, an expert hitman looks for redemption. Shot with flair, acted with style and directed by a master, stands tall as one of the great moments in cinema history.
A cinematic revolution in cool, this is the film that inspired John Woo’s The Killer and Luc Besson’s Leon plus a host of others.
Don Siegel’s Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) (Sci-Fi/Horror)
Starring: Kevin Mccarthy, Dana Wynters, Carolyn Jones, Larry Gates
Aliens from another planet come and take over human bodies, making people into mindless drones. The 2 remakes are available in Oz, and a third is planned for the bigscreen next year, why wouldn’t they have given the original the DVD treatment? This is, after all one of the great sci fi horrors, standing the test of time to still deliver chills and offers food for thought about a conformist society.
Richard Rush’s The Stuntman(1980) (Comedy/Thriller)
Starring: Peter O Toole, Barbara Hershey, Alex Rocco, Adam Roarke, Steve Railsback
An escaped con poses as a movie stuntman, an enigmatic, egotistic, self absorbed film director determined to get the shot, even if it kills someone.
Unclassifiable, this film has comedy, thrills, action, drama and romance in equal portions. Messing with your mind, this unique, well written idea is carefully executed to provide laughs and philosophical quandaries equally.
5 Runners Up
Arthur Penn’s NightMoves (Mystery)
Sam Fuller’s House of Bamboo (War)
Brian De Palma’s Blow Out (Thriller)
Robert Alderich’s The Killer’s (Action)
William Friedkin’s Sorcerer/Cruising (Thriller)
What unreleased Cinema great do you wish was on Region 4 DVD?
The topic today is Movies that you love, that are unavailable on DVD in Australia at present.
Those cinematic delights that have not seen the light of day in Oz, in vanilla format,(extras free) or otherwise.
Here are some DVD favourites of mine that are shamefully only available in the US & UK. (Sorry about the length of the Blog, I was having so much fun Igot carried away)
U.S Extended Edition DVD Cover
Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman
Tender story of a precise and deadly Hitman with a gentle soul, (Leon) who befriends an orphaned little girl (Matalida), wanting to learn his craft.
US DVD Cover
Hard Boiled, slow burning and introspective revenge story that took itself seriously, the template for thoughtful action films like: Get Carter, The Limey and A History of Violence.
DVD Cover
Starring: Rock Hudson, Jeff Corey, Richard Anderson
Ahead of its time head screw with revolutionary cinematography, Secondsis about a regretful old man who thanks to modern science can trade in his aged shell for a younger mans body. Rock Hudson gives an image shattering performance as a man out of his time, trying to adapt to the cultural and social changes in 1960’s society.
US DVD cover
Starring: Michael Sacks, Ron Leibman, Valerie Perrine
Based on Kurt Vonnegut jnr’s novel, this is the warped story of a Billy Pilgrim, a psychologically shattered WWII soldier who becomes unglued from time. It’s an existential time travel film with an anti war flavour, intellectual, surreal fun that stays with you.
UK DVD Cover
Starring: Jeremy Theobold, Alex haw, Lucy Russell,
Director Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Memento) makes his feature film debut with a writer who follows people for inspiration, an obsessive voyeur, one day he tracks the wrong man.
US DVD Cover
Starring:Allan Kolman, Paul Hampton, Joe Silver, Susan Petrie, marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore
A pair of disturbing psychological horror films, from the master of challenging cinema Mr Cronenburg (A History Of Violence, Dead Ringers, Existenz, VideoDrome, The Brood). In both a genetic disease takes a hold of people and makes them nymphomaniac cannibal killer zombies.
US DVD Cover
Starring:Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates
A James Dean loving psychopath (Sheen) and an emotionally troubled teen (Spacek) team up and go on a killing rampage along the American Highways. This re-creation of the Starkweather/Fugate rampage is emotionally complex and beautifully shot. This influential film has gone on to spawn a genre of it’s own with Natural Born killers and Kaliforniaetc
Criterion Collection DVD
Starring: Richard Linklater, Rudy Basquez, Keith McCormack, Terrence Kirk
Gen Xer’s sit around, shoot the shit and wax lyrical about pop culture and their meaningless existence. The film that launched Director Richard Linklater’s (A Scanner Darkly, Fast Food Nation, Waking Life, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise) career. This was the first film to give slackers everywhere a cinematic voice and inspired Kevin Smith to write Clerks.
US DVD Cover
Starring: Susan Lothare, Ulrich Muhe, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering
A married couple and their young child go on holidays to an exclusive resort where they are savagely tormented by a pair of teens.
A powerhouse of a film not for the weak hearted, this painfully paced exercise in suspense works on many levels and with its social conscience can not be brushed aside after the final credits roll.
US DVD Cover
Starring: Ron Pearlman, Frederico Luppi, Claudio Brook
A very welcome reinvention of the Vampire film: an ancient device that resembling a bug offers eternal life at a price, the lust for blood. A moody, atmospheric chiller from the Director of Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth
Criterion Collection DVD Cover
Jean Pierre Melville’s Le Samourai (1967) (Foreign, Drama)
Starring: Alain Delon, Francoir Perrier, Jacques Leroy
Profoundly effecting, an expert hitman looks for redemption. Shot with flair, acted with style and directed by a master, stands tall as one of the great moments in cinema history.
A cinematic revolution in cool, this is the film that inspired John Woo’s The Killer and Luc Besson’s Leon plus a host of others.
US DVD Cover
Starring: Kevin Mccarthy, Dana Wynters, Carolyn Jones, Larry Gates
Aliens from another planet come and take over human bodies, making people into mindless drones. The 2 remakes are available in Oz, and a third is planned for the bigscreen next year, why wouldn’t they have given the original the DVD treatment? This is, after all one of the great sci fi horrors, standing the test of time to still deliver chills and offers food for thought about a conformist society.
US DVD Cover
Starring: Peter O Toole, Barbara Hershey, Alex Rocco, Adam Roarke, Steve Railsback
An escaped con poses as a movie stuntman, an enigmatic, egotistic, self absorbed film director determined to get the shot, even if it kills someone.
Unclassifiable, this film has comedy, thrills, action, drama and romance in equal portions. Messing with your mind, this unique, well written idea is carefully executed to provide laughs and philosophical quandaries equally.
5 Runners Up
Arthur Penn’s NightMoves (Mystery)
Sam Fuller’s House of Bamboo (War)
Brian De Palma’s Blow Out (Thriller)
Robert Alderich’s The Killer’s (Action)
William Friedkin’s Sorcerer/Cruising (Thriller)
What unreleased Cinema great do you wish was on Region 4 DVD?
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
and I'd like to add to my DVD collection:
Delicatessen
Seven Samurai
Swingers
Girl Slaves of Morgana-something-something
The Party Animal
Elvis Gratton!
Film & TV on DVD
Delicatessen is in Auastralia but the USversion has some great extras not out over here.
Swingers is also out in Oz but is a pan n scan picture-get the US version for the proper aspect ratio and some great features that arent on the Australian disc.
Seven Samurai is also in Australia and is well worth getting because its the full length edit with about an hour more than any other Aussie release.
Girl Slaves, Elvis Gratton and Party Animal are all not released here yet..........close your eyes and make a wish..
Film & TV on DVD
I want a DVD copy of the epic Vampire film RazorBlade Smile nearly as much as I wanted Near Dark, so glad they finally released it..
Terrance Mallick is my favorite director and I haven't even seen 'Badlands.' For shame.
I watched Michael Haneke's 'Day of the Wolf' last night and wanted to self harm. I'll have to try 'Funny Games' in an effort to figure out what I'm missing in understanding him.
Finally, I must see 'Cronos' again. Very excited about 'Pan's Labyrinth.'
Thanks, JD. Great stuff.
Oh and the DVDs I'm after? The Kids in the Hall's 'Braincandy' and 'The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming.'
LaurenD
Film & TV on DVD
Badlands is my favourite mallick, make it a mission.
Micheal haneke is an aquired taste, "Time of The Wolf " is one of his bleaker films.....Funny Games is much more of a thriller and The Piano Teacher is also worth a look.
As for Guilemerro Del Torro's Cronos it is essential viewing. Also check out The Devil's backbone.
When I lived in Canada I got right into Kid In the hall and Braincandy was one screwed up laughfest.
As for The Russians are coming, the Russians are Coming, it has been released here in oz and is under 20 bucks.
Good luck on your quest
Horrorphile
I have an extensive list of DVDs I want ... Do you have any contacts?
Film & TV on DVD
PM me the list and I will see what I can do...
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Film & TV on DVD
Theye screened it on Foxtell last year so I got to revisit it then...
Film & TV on DVD
Great of you to sign up....Im a Widmark fan and Kiss of Deathh is a DVD I would really like to see get a local release....Nicholas "Nepotism" Cage LMAO
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
I'd love to see some of those old 80s dark comedies like "Eating Raoul" and "Buckaroo Banzai" on DVD.
Do you guys get (television series)"Mr. Show", "Robot Chicken" or "Venture Brothers" over there?
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
Film & TV on DVD
Robot Chicken and Mr Show never made it here, but I got the US DVDs years ago, funny stuff...
Buckaroo Banzai and Eating Raoul are on DVD in Oz and both will make it into my collection, great films.
Always groovy