Kino Lorber Studio Classics Acquisitions

[captveg]

Here we go again: KL apparently used the old 2011 master of Kind Hearts and Coronets instead of the new 2019 one SC has put out on Blu in the UK— so there’s a title where KL can say their release is different from the equivalent UK disc!

KL Insider is saying SC is insisting they gave them the 2019 master. If that's the case then SC is outright lying about what they gave KL.

KL Insider is also claiming the Blackmail packaging should have said the AR for the second disc sound version is 1.11:1. They're chalking it up to a packaging typo, and saying it should be an AR that has never been seen before, when all one has to do is see that the dimensions of shapes are stretched, and a proper 1.20:1 AR would correct that. Now, is this SC providing an improper master? Maybe. And if a future European SC release for Blackmail ends up looking the same we can probably conclude that they are the root cause. But the suggestion that we stop trusting our lying eyes in both these cases is irksome.

[tenia]

KL Insider is saying SC is insisting they gave them the 2019 master. If that's the case then SC is outright lying about what they gave KL.

Both discs are publicly available, so it's easy to check during the project which is which. On top of that, the older disc is obviously not a recent 4K restoration.
While it's problematic when/if such a case happens, having discussed with other labels, studios sending the wrong masters is almost daily business for them and checking what's what too. At least, KL would have been able to let people know what they're getting in the end.

[captveg]

They are at least making additional inquiries to SC again. Here's hoping.

[mfunk9786]

I wonder how many more of their releases will have a run-up befitting of the Benny Hill music

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 26th!

The Nude Bomb (1980) with optional English subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Film Historian and Critic Peter Tonguette
• "Trailers From Hell" with Alan Spencer
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 94 Minutes 1.85:1 Rated PG
Join Don Adams as Maxwell Smart (aka Agent 86) of the original Get Smart TV series in The Nude Bomb! Agent 86 is assigned to battle an evil villain who is threatening to drop a “nude bomb” capable of destroying all the fabric in the world. With only 48 hours, some voluptuous assistants, and his questionable spy skills to help him, Maxwell Smart certainly has his hands full trying to save the world from severe nakedness. Directed by Clive Donner (What’s New Pussycat?) and featuring a hilarious cast that includes Sylvia Kristel (Emmanuelle), Rhonda Fleming (Inferno), Dana Elcar (The Sting), Pamela Hensley (Rollerball), Norman Lloyd (Saboteur) and Vittorio Gassman (Big Deal on Madonna Street). The Nude Bomb is a hilarious spoof that is sure to leave you in stitches! aka THE RETURN OF MAXWELL SMART.

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 12th!

Charley Varrick (1973) with optional English subtitles
• Brand New 4K Master
• Refracted Personae: Iconography and Abstraction in Don Siegel's American Purgatory - An examination of Don Siegel’s signature directorial style and key thematic elements in his later masterpiece, CHARLEY VARRICK by Film Historian Howard S. Berger
• Last of the Independents: The Making of Charley Varrick – 72-Minute doc featuring interviews with Kristoffer Tabori (Siegel’s son), actors Andy Robinson and Jacqueline Scott, stunt driver and actor Craig R. Baxley, composer Lalo Schifrin, and Howard A. Rodman (son of screenwriter, Howard Rodman)
• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Toby Roan
• Limited Edition Booklet Essay by Film Critic Nick Pinkerton
• "Trailers From Hell" with Josh Olson and Howard Redman
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 111 Minutes 1.85:1 Rated PG
From Don Siegel, the legendary director of Dirty Harry, Madigan, The Black Windmill and Two Mules for Sister Sara comes this tough-as-nails action classic about a small-time crook who outfoxes the mob and the law. Screen great Walter Matthau (The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Laughing Policeman) stars as the titular career criminal, with the powerful Joe Don Baker (Walking Tall, Framed) as the tough Mafia hitman on his tail. Charley robs small banks with small payrolls. That keeps him out of trouble until he stumbles onto the mob’s secret stash. The chase is on as the Big Boys go after the “Last of the Independents.” It’s a heart-pounding ride that builds to a fiery airborne climax as Charley makes his last desperate run for the Mexican border and safety. The stellar cast includes Felicia Farr (3:10 to Yuma), Andy Robinson (Dirty Harry), John Vernon (Point Blank), Sheree North (Breakout), Norman Fell (Bullitt), Benson Fong (Our Man Flint), Woodrow Parfrey (Papillon) and William Schallert (In the Heat of the Night). Two of the film’s best features are the terrific photography by Michael C. Butler (The Missouri Breaks) and original music score by Lalo Schifrin (Prime Cut).

[Kino Insider]

They are at least making additional inquiries to SC again. Here's hoping.

We reached out yesterday, still haven't heard back. They're most likely on holiday.

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 19th!

Un Flic (1972) aka Dirty Money
• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan
• 2004 Interviews with Jean-Francois-Delon (Alain's brother) and Florence Gabin (Jean's daughter)
• In the Mood for Melville - 60 Minute Documentary
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 98 Minutes 1.66:1 Rated PG
From Jean-Pierre Melville, the legendary director of Bob Le Flambeur, Le Doulos, Le Deuxième Souffle and Le Cercle Rouge comes this action-packed neo-noir. A Paris police chief (Alain Delon, The Sicilian Clan) discovers that his nightclub owner friend (Richard Crenna, First Blood) also leads a group of bank robbers. When he’s tipped off that the same robbers are planning a drug heist, the police chief races to defeat his two-faced friend. Meanwhile, the police chief has engaged in some double-crossing himself—by sharing the same woman (Catherine Deneuve, Mississippi Mermaid) with the man he calls his friend. Melville’s last film plays beautifully with all his trademark silences, grim faces and gloomy colors, featuring stunning photography by the great Walter Wottitz (Army of Shadows, The Train). The top-notch cast includes Michael Conrad (The Longest Yard), Riccardo Cucciolla (Sacco & Vanzetti) and Jean Desailly (The Soft Skin).

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 12th!

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) with optional English subtitles

• Brand New 2019 HD Master - 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative
• For the Love of Characters - 2014 Featurette with Michael Cimino
• Audio Commentary by Film Critic Nick Pinkerton
• 60 Second Radio Spot
• 60 Second and 30 Second TV Spots
• Theatrical Trailer (Newly Mastered in HD)

Color 115 Minutes 2.35:1 Rated R
From Michael Cimino, the legendary director of The Deer Hunter, Heaven’s Gate and Year of the Dragon comes this bold, witty and tough crime-thriller starring screen icons Clint Eastwood (A Fistful of Dollars) and Jeff Bridges (Winter Kills) as a pair of modern-day outlaws. Thunderbolt (Eastwood) is a former thief whose razor-sharp wits and steely nerves made him a master of his profession, but he’s about to re-enter the criminal world with a new partner: Lightfoot (Bridges), a brash young drifter whose energy and exuberance give the veteran a new outlook on life. Their target: the seemingly impenetrable Montana Armored Depository. After forming an uneasy alliance with Thunderbolt’s former partners in crime, Red Leary (George Kennedy, Cool Hand Luke) and Eddie Goody (Geoffrey Lewis, High Plains Drifter), they launch an amazing scheme that will test the limits of their endurance, and the power of their friendship. Fueled by explosive action, fascinating characters and a powerfully moving climax, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is an adventure of the highest caliber and the directorial debut for Cimino, who also wrote the original screenplay. Wonderfully shot in Scope by Frank Stanley (The Eiger Sanction) and featuring a wonderful supporting cast that includes Catherine Bach (The Midnight Man), Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon), Jack Dodson (The Getaway), Burton Gilliam (Gator), Roy Jenson (Framed), Bill McKinney (Deliverance), Vic Tayback (Bullitt), Dub Taylor (Junior Bonner) and Gregory Walcott (Prime Cut).

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 5th!

It Always Rains on Sunday (1947) with optional English subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith
• Coming in From the Rain: Revisiting IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY (16:36)
• Locations: Featurette (6:23)
• Theatrical Trailer

B&W 92 Minutes 1.37:1 Not Rated
From Robert Hamer, the legendary director of Kind Hearts and Coronets, Dead of Night and The Detective! Featured in Time Out’s 100 Best British Films list, It Always Rains on Sunday is considered one of the greatest achievements of 1940s British cinema. Googie Withers (Night and the City) stars as Rose Sandigate, a Bethnal Green housewife whose Sunday is turned upside down by the reappearance of an old flame who is now an escaped convict seeking protection from the police. A rare glimpse into life in London’s East End post WWII, It Always Rains on Sunday was Withers’ last film for Ealing Studios, and due to her wonderful performance as a woman trapped in a claustrophobic domesticity, it remains one of her best. The great Douglas Slocombe (The Lion in Winter, Raiders of the Lost Ark) beautifully shot this classic film noir in glorious black-and-white.

Seven Days to Noon (1950) with optional English subtitles
★★★★ (Highest Rating) - New York Daily News
★★★★ (Highest Rating) - Leonard Maltin
Timely, Brilliant and Almost Unbearable - Newsweek

B&W 97 Minutes 1.37:1 Not Rated
English scientist Professor Willingdon (Barry Jones, Brigadoon) runs away from a research center with an atomic bomb. In a letter sent to the British Prime Minister, he threatens to blow up the center of London if the government doesn’t stop stockpiling nuclear warheads. Special agents from Scotland Yard, led by Superintendent Folland (André Morell, The Frightened Bride), try to stop him with help from the scientist’s assistant and future son-in-law. Beautifully shot by the great Gilbert Taylor (Star Wars, Repulsion) and directed, edited and produced by John Boulting (Brighton Rock) and Roy Boulting (Run for the Sun), who also co-wrote the screenplay with Frank Harvey (I’m All Right Jack).

The Man Between (1953) with optional English subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Film Critic and Author Simon Abrams
• Interview with Claire Bloom (10:26)
• Carol Reed: A Gentle Eye (44:01)
• 1967 BFI Audio Interview with James Mason (41:59)
• Trailers

B&W 102 Minutes 1.37:1 Not Rated
From Carol Reed, the legendary director of The Third Man, Trapeze, The Fallen Idol, Oliver! and Outcast of the Islands comes this classic film noir, a reteaming of the director and star (James Mason, North by Northwest, Lolita) of Odd Man Out. Set in a divided Berlin at the beginning of the Cold War, The Man Between is often considered a companion piece to The Third Man with its atmospheric portrayal of a city struggling to survive in a grim post-war reality of poverty and mistrust. Unlike the devilish Harry Lime, Mason’s world-weary dealer Ivo Kern is ultimately still a decent man, compelled by his love for a naïve schoolteacher (Claire Bloom, The Haunting, Charly) to make one last misguided trip through the Brandenburg Gate, with potentially tragic consequences. Beautifully shot in glorious black-and-white by Desmond Dickinson (Berserk, Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?).

Naked Alibi (1954) with optional English subtitles
• Brand New 2K Master
• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Kat Ellinger
• Reversible Blu-ray Art
• Theatrical Trailer

B&W 86 Minutes 1.85:1 Not Rated
Murder suspect Al Willis (Gene Barry, The War of the Worlds), released for lack of evidence, vows vengeance on the cops who brutalized him. When one of those cops turns up dead, his partner Chief Joe Conroy (Sterling Hayden, The Asphalt Jungle) hunts down Al who has skipped town for a border city. Both men end up in thrall to bad girl Marianna (Gloria Grahame, In a Lonely Place), whose unique sexiness is on full display in this film noir potboiler. Written by Lawrence Roman (A Kiss Before Dying) and directed by Jerry Hopper (Secret of the Incas). The strong supporting cast includes Marcia Henderson (Thunder Bay), Max Showalter (Niagara), Billy Chapin (The Night of the Hunter) and Chuck Connors (The Big Country).

Woman in Hiding (1950) with optional English subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Kat Ellinger
• Theatrical Trailer

B&W 97 Minutes 1.37:1 Not Rated
Newlywed Deborah Chandler Clark (Ida Lupino, Road House) discovers on her honeymoon that her husband (Stephen McNally, Winchester ’73) may have murdered her father for business reasons… and now wants to kill her. After surviving an attempt on her life, she disappears, moving to another town and changing her name. She meets a drifter and ex-GI named Keith Ramsey (Howard Duff, The Naked City) who may know more than he’s letting on. Woman in Hiding marks the first pairing of Lupino and co-star Howard Duff, who would marry in 1951 and appear in four more features together including While the City Sleeps and as guest villains on the hit Batman TV series. Beautifully shot by legendary DP William H. Daniels (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) and directed by Michael Gordon (Portrait in Black).

[flyonthewall2983]

Glad you guys are doing Thunderbolt And Lightfoot. The Twilight Time release was pretty underwhelming, hope this is better especially with the new transfer and the Cimino interview. This is one I always wanted Criterion to do, but since Cimino is dead I can certainly settle for something like this.

[tenia]

The older master was OK and amongst the better pre-existing HD masters. I'm curious to see how much added value the 4K resto will bring, compared to a bump I expect to be more obvious for Charley Varrick (considering how dated the current HD master is). However, the 2014 ITW seems to be the one included on the Carlotta disc.

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 12th!

Winter Kills (1979) with optional English subtitles
• Brand New 4K Master
• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director William Richert
• Who Killed WINTER KILLS? - Interviews with William Richert, Stars Jeff Bridges and Belinda Bauer, Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond and Production Designer Robert Boyle
• Reunion - William Reichert and Jeff Bridges reminisce about making WINTER KILLS
• Star Stories - William Reichert remembers his WINTER KILLS cast
• Radio Spot
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 98 Minutes 2.35:1 Rated R
Screen legend Jeff Bridges (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, 8 Millions Ways to Die) stars as Nick Kegan, the son of world-famous tycoon Pa Kegan (John Huston, Chinatown) and half-brother of the late US President Timothy Kegan, who was slain by a lone assassin 19 years earlier. But when a long-rumored “second gunman” makes a secret deathbed confession, Nick begins to unravel a trail of suspects that includes a billionaire war-freak (Sterling Hayden, The Killing), a murderous mob boss (Ralph Meeker, Kiss Me Deadly), a shady nightclub owner (Eli Wallach, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly), a Cuban kingpin (Tomas Milian, Face to Face), an eccentric computer expert (Anthony Perkins, Psycho) and a mysterious Washington madam (Elizabeth Taylor, Cleopatra). Belinda Bauer (Robocop 2), Toshiro Mifune (Yojimbo), Dorothy Malone (The Tarnished Angels), Richard Boone (Big Jake), Brad Dexter (99 River Street), Joe Spinell (Maniac), Tisa Farrow (And Hope to Die), Erin Gray (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century) and Camilla Sparv (The High Commissioner) co-star in this one-of-a-kind black comedy-thriller from acclaimed writer/director William Richert (A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon) and based on the best-selling novel by Richard Condon (Prizzi’s Honor, The Manchurian Candidate).

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 12th!

Madigan (1968) with optional English subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson
• TV Spot
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 101 Minutes 2.35:1 Not Rated
From Don Siegel, the legendary director of Dirty Harry, Charley Varrick, The Black Windmill and Escape from Alcatraz comes this hardboiled crime-drama starring screen greats Richard Widmark (Time Limit) and Henry Fonda (The Ox-Bow Incident). This critically acclaimed detective drama takes a hard-hitting look at the lives and loves of New York City’s top cops. Directed in gripping documentary style by Siegel, Widmark portrays the veteran Big Apple detective who is given only a few hours to track down a vicious killer. Fonda is the humane yet relentlessly forceful police commissioner who orders Widmark into the streets to solve the case, even though it might be his last assignment. The top-notch cast includes Inger Stevens (Firecreek), Harry Guardino (The Enforcer), James Whitmore (Them!), Susan Clark (Valdez Is Coming), Don Stroud (Coogan’s Bluff), Sheree North (Breakout), Warren Stevens (Forbidden Planet) and Raymond St. Jacques (Cotton Comes to Harlem). Screenplay by Abraham Polonsky (Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here) and Howard Rodman (The Six Million Dollar Man) with stunning CinemaScope cinematography by acclaimed DP Russell Metty (Touch of Evil).

[beamish14]

Any chance of some Alan Rudolph (Remember My Name) or Carl Reiner (Enter Laughing/The Comic) in the new year?

[Petty Bourgeoisie]

Fingers crossed for Hercules in The Haunted World by Christmas.

[Adam X]

It's due in October.

[Kino Insider]

Any chance of some Alan Rudolph (Remember My Name) or Carl Reiner (Enter Laughing/The Comic) in the new year?

Remember My Name is held up due to legal issues and we've never done a deal with Sony.

None of these Carl Reiner films are currently on our radar.

[Kino Insider]

Fingers crossed for Hercules in The Haunted World by Christmas.

Coming in October.

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 12th!
First Time on DVD and Blu-ray!

Street People (1976) with optional English subtitles
• Brand New 2K Master
• NEW Interview with star Stacy Keach
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 92 Minutes 1.85:1 Rated R
Screen greats Roger Moore (The Spy Who Loved Me, Gold) and Stacy Keach (The Long Riders, The Ninth Configuration) co-star in this hard-hitting Euro-Crime thriller of a Mafia deal gone bad by cult filmmaker Maurizio Lucidi (The Designated Victim). An ancient cross, stuffed with a cache of pure heroin worth millions, is transported from Sicily to a catherdral in San Francisco. Three workers supervising the loading of the huge icon are brutally murdered and their attackers make off with the precious cargo. Enraged by this escapade, the district’s Godfather calls on sly attorney Ulisse (Moore), who in turn enlists the help of his friend and getaway driver Charlie Hanson (Keach), to get to the bottom of the dilemma. Across two continents, the pair stalk their prey with deadly precision in a heart-pounding race against time, until the final confrontation—a bloody battle to the death.

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 12th!
First Time on DVD and Blu-ray!

Return to Macon County (1975) with optional English subtitles
• Brand New 2K Master
• Reversible Blu-ray Art
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 89 Minutes 1.85:1 Rated PG
Two Guys, a Chick and the Hottest ’57 Chevy on the Road! The highly successful sequel to Macon County Line is the action-packed story of three exuberant youngsters on the loose in the suddenly permissive world of America in the 1950s. Eager young drag racer Bo Hollinger (Nick Nolte, 48 Hrs.) and his hot-headed buddy Harley McKay (Don Johnson, TV’s Miami Vice) are in route to compete in the Grand National drag races in California. Their trouble starts when they take on a new passenger, a waitress named Junell (Robin Mattson, Wolf Lake), who is on her way to Hollywood, but isn’t against having some seductive and malicious fun along the way. Junell has a strange habit of pulling out her revolver when things go wrong—and things go very wrong as soon the trio pulls into Macon County, locking horns with some small-town hoods and a hardboiled sheriff (Robert Viharo, Hide in Plain Sight). They’ve got to burn rubber out of town, leading to a crazed chase across the county all the way to the exciting climax. Written and directed by cult filmmaker Richard Compton (Welcome Home, Soldier Boys). Fasten your seatbelt for the explosive Return to Macon County!

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 12th!

The Gun Runners (1958) with optional English subtitles
• Brand New 2K Master
• Theatrical Trailer

B&W 83 Minutes 1.85:1 Not Rated
From Don Siegel, the legendary director of Dirty Harry, Charley Varrick, Madigan and Escape from Alcatraz comes this action-packed adventure-yarn about Florida gun-smuggling during the Cuban Revolution. In order to pay off debts, cabin-cruiser skipper Sam Martin (Audie Murphy, Ride a Crooked Trail) rents his boat to a ruthless gun merchant who sells his illegal arms to a revolutionary group in Cuba. Soon Sam finds himself in deep water as Siegel ratchets up the tension in this sea-faring thriller based on the classic Ernest Hemingway novel To Have and Have Not. The stellar cast includes Eddie Albert (The Longest Yard), Patricia Owens (The Fly), Everett Sloane (The Lady from Shanghai), Richard Jaeckel (3:10 to Yuma) and Jack Elam (Support Your Local Sheriff).

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 19th!

Diabolically Yours (1967) In French with optional English subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 93 Minutes 1.66:1 Not Rated
Screen legend Alain Delon (Un Flic, The Sicilian Clan) stars in this provocative French thriller as a wealthy man at the center of an extraordinary plot after a car crash leaves him unable to remember who he is. With his wife (Senta Berger, Cast a Giant Shadow) convinced he is faking his amnesia, he sets out to discover who and why someone wants him to believe he is going crazy and should end his life. Wonderfully directed by Julien Duvivier (Panique) and beautifully shot by Henri Decaë (Le Samouraï). Co-starring Peter Mosbacher (The Face of Fu Manchu) and Sergio Fantoni (Hornets’ Nest).

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 19th!

Farewell, Friend (1968) aka Honor Among Thieves
• Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson
• 2004 Interview with director Jean Herman
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 115 Min 1.66:1 Rated PG
Film icons Charles Bronson (Rider on the Rain, Mr. Majestyk) and Alain Delon (Un Flic, The Sicilian Clan) team up to create a one-of-a-kind buddy film with a fascinating premise. After serving together in the French Foreign Legion, Franz Propp (Bronson) and Dr. Dino Barran (Delon) go their separate ways only to be reunited by an extraordinary coincidence. Barran is persuaded by a friend to sneak into an underground bank vault and help return stolen bonds. While he is hiding, he comes upon Propp, who is actually there to rob the safe. After getting locked inside the vault, the two very different men strike up a powerful friendship that binds them together through a series of shocking developments—from a miraculous escape to being framed for murder. The strong supporting cast includes Olga Georges-Picot (Je T’aime, Je T’aime), Bernard Fresson (French Connection II) and Brigitte Fossey (The Man Who Loved Women).

[Kino Insider]

Coming November 19th!

Someone Behind the Door (1971) with optional English subtitles
• NEW Audio Commentary by Director Nicolas Gessner
• Radio Spot
• Theatrical Trailer

Color 93 Min 1.66:1 Not Rated
Screen legends Charles Bronson (Rider on the Rain, Mr. Majestyk) and Anthony Perkins (Psycho, Five Miles to Midnight) co-star in this suspenseful thriller directed by Nicolas Gessner (The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane). Laurence Jeffries (Perkins) is a neurosurgeon dedicated to his research and neglectful of his beautiful wife Francis (Jill Ireland, Breakheart Pass), who leaves him for another man. The vindictive doctor plots a diabolical scheme—conditioning an amnesiac patient (Bronson) into believing that Francis is his own wife—so that he can take revenge by proxy, with a perfect alibi. Bronson gives one of his best and most convincing performances in this dark tale of deceit and hardened emotions. Beautifully shot by legendary DP Pierre Lhomme (Cyrano de Bergerac, Camille Claudel).