It’s been a minute since we’ve had a week that was as packed with as many exciting Blu-rays and DVDs as this one. Fans of classic cinema will love the releases from the Criterion Collection and the Warner Archive Collection that are out this week, as will fans of romantic telefilms, recent flicks, and pretty much every other genre imaginable. Take a look at the titles that are now available and we think you’ll agree that it’s a great time to be a physical media lover!
Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
One of the most-requested titles in Movies Unlimited history, this fun-filled film version of the Irving Berlin musical stars Betty Hutton (who replaced Judy Garland shortly after shooting began) as legendary Wild West sharpshooter Annie Oakley, who falls for fellow marksman Frank Butler (Howard Keel). With Louis Calhern as Buffalo Bill Cody, and J. Carrol Naish as Sitting Bull. Songs include “Anything You Can Do,” “Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly,” and “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”
The Furies (Criterion Collection)(1950)
Barbara Stanwyck and Walter Huston are at their fierce finest in this crackling western melodrama by master Hollywood craftsman Anthony Mann. In 1870s New Mexico Territory, megalomaniacal widowed ranch owner T. C. Jeffords (Huston, in his final role) butts heads with his firebrand of a daughter, Vance (Stanwyck), over her dowry, choice of husband, and, finally, ownership of the land itself. Sophisticated in its view of frontier settlement and ablaze with searing domestic drama, The Furies is an often-overlooked treasure of American filmmaking, boasting Oscar-nominated cinematography and vivid supporting turns from Judith Anderson, Wendell Corey, and Gilbert Roland.
Memories of Murder (Criterion Collection)(2003)
As a rural South Korean town in the mid-1980s was rocked by the brutal and unprecedented efforts of a serial murderer, the instinctive but overmatched local cop (Song Kang-ho) in charge finds his methodologies clashing–ultimately tragically–with those of the slick homicide detective (Kim Sang-kyung) sent in from Seoul. Director Bong Joon-ho’s compelling, fact-based thriller also stars Kim Roi-ha, Song Jae-ho, Byun Hee-bong.
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
First mate Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton), in this classic seafaring adventure, based on Nordoff and Hall’s novelization of the real-life 1788 mutiny. Frank Lloyd directed this winner of the 1935 Best Picture Academy Award; with Franchot Tone, Donald Crisp, Eddie Quillan, Mamo Clark. Look for James Cagney, David Niven, and Dick Haymes.
Paris When It Sizzles (1964)
William Holden and Audrey Hepburn sizzle, too, in this breezy romantic bon bon, as playboy screenwriter Richard Benson and his temp secretary, Gabrielle Simpson, who act out film situations in his Paris apartment in an attempt to get over his writer’s block. Fun remake of the 1952 French film “Holiday for Henrietta” co-stars Noël Coward, Grégoire Aslan, Raymond Bussières, and uncredited cameos by Marlene Dietrich and Tony Curtis.
Chariots of Fire (1981)
Based on a true story, the winner of 1981’s Best Picture Oscar is an exciting human study of two British runners-one a devout Christian missionary, the other a nouveau–riche Jewish Cambridge student–who compete in the 1924 Olympic Games. Stellar performances from Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, and Ian Holm and a spectacular score by Vangelis highlight this exhilarating drama directed by Hugh Hudson; with Nicholas Farrell, Nigel Havers, John Gielgud, Alice Krige.
Love In Store (2020)
The work ethics of popular cable shopping network hosts Terrie Carpenter (Alexandra Breckenridge) and David Crabtree (Robert Buckley) couldn’t have been more different, and their off-camera antagonism got worse as they both angled for the prime slot of the channel’s retiring alpha diva (Jackée Harry). Forced by circumstance into a surprisingly successful co-anchoring stint, will they find themselves selling one another on romance? Lisa Chandler, Carlo Marks, Naika Toussaint also star.
Royal Matchmaker (2018)
Manhattan relationship site honcho Kate (Bethany Joy Lenz) never backed down from a challenge, and didn’t when microstate monarch Edward (Simon Dutton) gave her exactly one month to find a suitable mate for his son Sebastian (Will Kemp). After she gets off on the wrong foot with her noble subject, will he soon find that the perfect woman’s standing in front of him? Charming Hallmark effort also stars Brittany Bristow, Elva Trill, Joseph Thompson.
Crisis (2021)
A federal agent (Armie Hammer) trying to keep his sting of a multi-cartel Fentanyl smuggling operation from falling apart. A recovering Oxycontin addict (Evangeline Lilly) hunting for her runaway son. An academic researcher (Gary Oldman) tipped to the stunning truth about a promised new non-addictive painkiller. Their stories will collide in this riveting ensemble piece spun from the opioid scourge; Greg Kinnear, Michelle Rodriguez, Luke Evans, Lily-Rose Depp, Kid Cudi co-star.
Dave Chappelle’s Block Party (2006)
Actor, writer and comic Dave Chappelle loads up a bus with residents of his Ohio hometown and takes them to Brooklyn, N.Y. Once there, the travelers enjoy a concert featuring Kanye West, the Fugees, Big Daddy Kane and others. Rehearsal footage and Chappelle’s brand of comedy enliven the proceedings.
’til Death: The Complete Series (2006)
Eddie (Brad Garrett) and Joy (Joely Fisher) Stark have been married for what seems like forever — and they’ve got the scars to prove it. Naturally, cynical high school history teacher Eddie thinks it is his manly duty to offer “sage” advice to newly married men. But Eddie’s little secret is that he loves Joy more than anything; and however sarcastic Joy herself appears, she loves Eddie right back. All four seasons of the series are included in this collection.
Body Brokers (2021)
Young Ohio junkie Utah (Jack Kilmer) thought he had an out from the cycle of using and crime when kindly counselor Wood (Michael Kenneth Williams) offered to take him to an L.A. treatment center and get clean. He’d learn too late that the operation was actually a complex scam out to milk him for his rehab insurance coverage–and that he was there to recruit other addicts for the same exploitation. Stunning, fact-inspired opus co-stars Frank Grillo, Alice Englert, Jessica Rothe, Melissa Leo.
The Morturary Collection (2019)
In the Pacific Northwest hamlet of Raven’s End, town mortician Montgomery Dark (Clancy Brown) finally got a taker on his “Help Wanted” sign when inquisitive young Sam (Caitlin Custer) came knocking. Challenged to share tales of his grisliest cases over the decades, the unnerving undertaker obliges…but are either he or his prospective hire what they appear to be? Astonishing anthology also stars Jacob Elordi, Ema Horvath, Sarah Hay, Barak Hardley.
Stealing Chaplin (2021)
British grifter siblings Cal and Terry (Simon and Doug Phillips) were stuck in Vegas, 30 grand in the red, and with the legbreakers after them. Their brilliant solution to get out of the jam? Disinter the body of Charlie Chaplin from the local cemetery, and hold it for ransom! Dry and dark farce, loosely inspired by the infamous ‘78 theft of the comic legend’s remains from their resting place in Switzerland, also stars Peter Woodward, Cheryl Prater, Al Sapienza, and Wayne Newton as himself.
Click here for a complete overview of all of this week’s new releases.