Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Decades ago, animator and director Ralph Bakshi made significant contributions to the art of hand-drawn animation with features that made it to cinemas such as The Lord of the Rings (1978), Wizards (1977), and Fire and Ice (1983) to name a few.
Along the way, Bakshi became identified with rotoscoping which is a technique that involves drawing or painting over an element in live-action footage frame by frame (as to create a matte or a realistic animation).
Speaking of Bakshi’s past work as well as rotoscoped animation, Sony Pictures recently released the film American Pop (1981) on Blu-ray disc format and I am happy to say that I now have a copy of it for my Blu-ray collection. This is also my first-ever Blu-ray of a Bakshi-directed animated movie.
A close look at the cover of my Blu-ray copy of American Pop.
To begin with, posted below are the specs from the Blu-ray.com page…
Video
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Subtitles –English SDH
Discs -Blu-ray Disc, Single Disc (1 BD-25)
Playback – Blu-ray: Region A
In my personal experience, the first time I ever saw American Pop was not in the cinema but on TV here in the Philippines way back in 1993. Back then, I found the film’s combination of music with mostly rotoscoped animated scenes (there were also some live-action shots, archived footage and some very unique pieces of art shown). I was not able to replay Bakshi’s movie until recently.
So after more than thirty long years, I finally got to replay American Pop on Blu-ray and I can say I enjoyed it even more. To see the rotoscoped animation and varied music play in front of me in high-definition is an even more immersive viewing experience than the previous time I saw this film. Another advantage of high definition is being able to see tiny visual details that I was unable to spot long ago. Oh yes, the fine artworks used on the backgrounds in specific parts of the movie now look a lot more engaging to look at.
A look at the rear of American Pop Blu-ray.
What I regret to say here is that American Pop Blu-ray absolutely has no special features included. Not even a movie trailer! I can only guess that Sony Pictures did not bother to exert efforts to conduct new interviews with Ralph Bakshi and the cast members, nor did they even try to secure any media features or previews of the movie before its theatrical release. It’s not clear if Sony will someday come up with a collector’s edition Blu-ray of this 1981 Bakshi film.
For the dedicated Ralph Bakshi fans as well as enthusiastic film buffs and collectors of movies on physical media, American Pop Blu-ray is recommended as the film itself is more than enough to outweigh the lack of special features. American Pop is more lively than ever to watch and listen as it is now in high-definition.
Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Way back in 1954, the original Godzilla movie (Japanese title: Gojira) made its debut in theaters in Japan. Not only did it make a huge impact with moviegoers, it paved the way for more Godzilla movies (which compelled Hollywood players to join in), imitators and made a solid contribution to global pop culture.
Of course, the original Godzilla film was decades before I was even born and as a boy, I got to watch on home video “Godzilla 1985” which was a Westernized version of The Return of Godzilla (1984). Then in 1998, I saw Roland Emmerich’s twisted version of Japan’s giant monster.
Going back to the original film from 1954, an American version of it was released in 1956 under the title Godzilla: King of the Monsters which was a recut version that had actor Raymond Burr in it as an American journalist witnessing events. That American version, which I saw partially by chance on cable TV, only made me want to see the 1954 original Godzilla movie intact.
That being said, I acquired a copy of the Godzilla (1954) Blu-ray fromCriterion Collection and I can say I am really enjoying it. It definitely is a very good addition to my collection of Blu-ray movies.
The cover of the Godzilla (1954) Blu-ray release from Criterion Collection.
To begin with, posted below are the specs from the Blu-ray.com page…
Video
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC (24.01 Mbps)
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Audio
Japanese: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
Subtitles – English, English SDH
Discs -Blu-ray Disc, Single Disc (1 BD-50)
Playback – Blu-ray: Region A
The back of the Criterion Collection Godzilla (1954) Blu-ray. Pay close attention to the details because you will get a lot of stuff to enjoy with this one added into your Blu-ray movie collection.
I really enjoyed the 1954 movie directed by Ishiro Honda and I can talk more about it in detail in a future retro movie review. Going back to Criterion’s Godzilla (1954) Blu-ray, I can say that the company did a great job not only with the restoration and audio, they also loaded the disc with a whole lot of content that will appeal strongly with dedicated Godzilla fans as well as the newcomers who wish to learn more about Japan’s giant monster, its legacy and place in global pop culture. The disc also has a restored copy of Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956) but I strongly recommend you watch the 1954 film first and foremost.
The extra stuff in the disc contains a lot of content for you to enjoy. There are interviews with certain cast and crew members, an illustrated audio essay about the tragic Lucky Dragon No. 5 vessel, an audio commentary by David Kalat, and more.
When it comes to the physical aspect of Criterion’s Godzilla (1954) Blu-ray, the packaging is both nicely done and inspired. I just love it whenever I opened the set to get to the disc, an image of Godzilla folds and forms in shape for your viewing pleasure. The set also has a booklet that contains really interesting information. Very clearly, this is so much better than streaming!
I really like this excellent packaging by Criterion Collection. Very clearly better than streaming!
For the dedicated Godzilla fans as well as enthusiastic film buffs and collectors of movies on physical media, Criterion’s Godzilla (1954) Blu-ray is highly recommended! This is currently the best way to enjoy the classic movie in the comfort of your home!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the film and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Blob, a sci-fi horror movie released in 1958 starring Steve McQueen and Aneta Corsaut, written by Kay Linaker and Theodore Simonson, and directed by Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr. (Irvin Yeaworth for short). This was a low-budget local-level production by Valley Forge Films, Fairview Productions and Tonylyn Productions.
The Blob movie poster.
Early story
The story begins somewhere within a small town in Pennsylvania. During one evening, teenagers Steve Andrews and Jane Martin spend a romantic time together in a car only to be disturbed when a meteorite from outer space crashes nearby. This easily sparks Steve’s curiosity as he decides to drive to find the spot of the crash taking Jane with him.
Meanwhile, an old man who happened to be living near the spot of the crash went out of his home and finds the meteorite first. Out of curiosity, he pokes the meteorite with a stick which slowly causes it to break open revealing a gelatinous substance (the blob) inside. He uses the stick on the substance, lifts it up and examines it closely. Against gravity, the substance suddenly moves up the stick and wraps itself on the old man’s hand causing him to become desperate to remove it. He failed.
As Steve drives down the road, the old man with the blob suddenly crosses down their path. The old man tells Steve to take him to a doctor…
Quality
Steve McQueen (3rd from left) as teenager Steve Andrews with Earl Rowe (2nd from right) as Lt. Dave and other over-aged actors playing teenagers.
I can say that I really like this old movie which has always been an independent, low budget production that made a solid contribution to the sci-fi genre and pop culture in general.
To begin, this film has a simple plot about an alien creature in the form of a gelatinous blob from outer space which attached itself into an old man’s hand, grew a lot when the man made it to the doctor, and then started consuming people which made it grow so big, life in the town got disrupted and people found themselves in danger. Unsurprisingly, the blob itself does not dominate the narrative considering the limitations the filmmakers had on making special effects work plus they focused more on the characters to move the plot forward. Rest assured, however, that the production team went all out with their limited resources on making the monster look menacing in the final fifteen minutes. I should state that the special effects team did a convincing job with the way they made the blob move to specific directions.
Given the simple plot, it is not surprising to see the narrative focusing more on the characters particularly with teenagers Steve and Jane (both played by obviously over-aged actors Steve McQueen and Aneta Corseaut). The story clearly follows the two mentioned teenagers who have the best knowledge about the blob and what happened, and it just so happens that they are always at a disadvantage when asked by adults to prove things.
With a monster that large within the local community, you know that something must be done before it causes further damage and kills more people. The blob was portrayed to be unrelenting in consuming and killing people which causes it to grow even bigger and with no limits determined. The blob does not care at all about the pain and anguish of its victims which parallels the evil of Communism/Marxism/socialism/anti-Semitism in real life.
Jane (Aneta Corseaut) and Steve (Steve McQueen) with the local doctor (Stephen Chase) early in the film.
The interactions between teenagers (note: Steve McQueen and Aneta Corseaut are not the only over-aged looking actors playing youth) and the mature authorities (local police, parents, educator and house keeper to name some) dramatized a gap in which the youth lacked credibility while the adults remain difficult to convince. Very notably the backward car race early in the film symbolically reflects the Hollywood film trend of the 1950s in which American teenagers are portrayed to be troublesome and living without real purposes.
Going back to the protagonists Steve and Jane, the screenplay was designed to highlight what good teenagers can do when a crisis strikes the local community and why the adults should get over their doubts about the youth.
Given the structure of the script, there are a lot of talk scenes throughout and the progress of the blob growing as a menace within the plot helped break the monotony. While he is clearly too old to play a teenager, Steve McQueen here remains convincing as a youth who strives to achieve something worthy even as he lacks maturity. The same can be said about Aneta Corseaut whose character was designed to help Steve move forward apart from having romance with him. When her character feels troubled, Steve comes in to support her in return. If you ignore their mature looks and focus on the dialogue, you will find convincing lines of youth within Steve and Jane. The same can be said about the other teenagers.
Considering the low budget and the limitations of technology at the time, the man-made practical effects in this movie are still good.
I can say out loud that watching movies inside the cinema is always better than streaming. The best way to enjoy a movie at home, on the other hand, is with physical media like Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray.
While McQueen and Corseaut performed well, there were some moments of stiff acting and lifeless delivery of lines of dialogue scattered throughout.
Those of you who are so used to fast-paced films with thrills and jump scares, you should temper your expectations as this movie moved at a slow-to-medium pace with very little horror elements and very little violence. As this was a low-budget local-level production, certain shots had to be made with very obvious creative shortcuts. Even though this movie was filmed on several locations in Pennsylvania, the filmmakers failed to establish a true sense of geography and this means no scenic shots.
Going back to the blob itself, its jello appearance may not look menacing at first and there were times when the lack of scale (note: they did not have equipment to achieved the depth-of-field visual effect) was noticeable. What I liked here is the way the blob was portrayed – unrelenting and totally immune to the emotions and concerns of people it encounters. The blob here somewhat reminds me of the T-800 in The Terminator (1984) in the sense that it simply would not stop to attack people, consume them and then keep on growing into one very large mass which causes a crisis on the small town community.
In case you are wondering, there were accidents that happened during the memorable scene of moviegoers running out of the cinema in the film. The tripping of some people were purely accidental.
When it grabs someone and starts to consume the victim physically, the blob does not care about the pain it causes on its prey. While it is clear that the movie’s script was written during the early stages of the Cold War, it is possible that the blob served as a symbol of Communism infiltrating America, endangering people and taking their lives (and liberties) away. That being said, the rampant Leftist influence and social violence in the minds of millions of Americans today makes this film socially relevant and the blob’s threat has gotten even more symbolic. Lastly, I should state that composer Ralph Carmichael managed to come up with music to emphasize the threat of the blob.
Conclusion
In my honest opinion The Blob (1958) is still a good movie to watch and it deserves its place in film history as well as in the sci-fi genre of movies in general. While it had its shortcomings, this low-budget local-level production managed to be a worthy viewing experience and set the foundation for its movie franchise (note: a sequel was made in 1972 and the memorable remake of 1988 followed). To say the least, this movie paved the way for Frank Darabont and Chuck Russell to produce the 1988 remake that was very intense and a lot of fun to watch.
The Blob (1958) in Blu-ray disc format from The Criterion Collection. This is the best way to enjoy the movie at home.
The blob itself went on to inspire creative imitations (referred to as blobs or ooze) and new monsters in other forms of entertainment (note: the blob appears as one of the monsters in the 1982 Intellivision game Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain). Steve McQueen himself went on to become one of Hollywood’s elite stars in the decades that followed and this film should interest both die-hard fans and any film buff who wants to learn more about him.
Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Back in the late 1980s, I saw the 1988 version of The Blob – let’s refer to it as The Blob (1988) – on home video and it turned out to be a fine mix of thrills, scares and science fiction concepts that ultimately became fun to watch. Being young at a time when Internet connection and online research were not yet available, I was not even aware that The Blob (1988) was a remake of the 1958 original Blob movie that starred Steve McQueen.
If you who love the late 1980s Blob movie and if you have been looking to add something to your home entertainment collection of Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray movies, be aware that the Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray of The Blob (1988) is now available in the market and you can order it online right now and have it delivered to your home. The new release by Shout Factory! is loaded with features and it has native 4K visuals.
The Blob (1988) 4K Blu-ray cover.
To put things in perspective, posted below are the technical specs from The Blob (1988) 4K Blu-ray page at Blu-ray.com. The said website highly recommended it in its review.
Video Codec: HEVC / H.265 (84.99 Mbps) Resolution: Native 4K (2160p) HDR: HDR10 Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing, Reversible cover
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
Having seen both the 1958 and 1988 versions of The Blob, I can say to the newcomers and movie buffs reading this that you can’t go wrong with either version. I enjoyed both movies and I can say that each film has distinctive attractions for viewing. The Blob of 1958 is more sci-fi and has very little horror elements.
However, if you want thrills, the 1980s culture, stronger horror elements, stronger sci-fi elements, the creative approach done by director Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont on reimagining The Blob‘s concept, and the great-looking practical effects (note: the blob effects were made with physical stuff and a lot of man-made work without computers), then The Blob (1988) is the definitive choice. Take note I mentioned thrills as the movie has some fast-paced scenes that happen from time to time as you watch it. Considering its use of sci-fi concepts mixed with action, The Blob (1988) really stood out among the many horror movies released by Hollywood throughout the 1980s. I should also state that the remake has Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith, Jeffrey DeMunn, Joe Seneca, Candy Clark and Donovan Leitch Jr. in its cast.
As a 4K Blu-ray collector, I plan to acquire a copy of The Blob (1988) 4K Blu-ray in due time. I was already aware of the Blu-ray release from 2019 but I waited for the 4K version to be made.
If you want the best enjoyment possible from watching The Blob (1988) Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray, I highly recommend you avoid watching movie reaction videos and the spoileriffic retro movie reviews posted by YouTubers.
Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs from around the world! If you are an enthusiast of giant monster movies and if you have gotten tired with what Hollywood has been releasing, there is a brand new Godzilla (Gojira in Japanese) movie from Japan’s Toho which will be released in cinemas before the year ends…Godzilla Minus One (Japanese title: Gojira Mainasu Wan).
The official movie poster for the Japanese market.
To get started about this new Japanese Godzilla movie, I encourage you to watch the official trailer (English subtitles included) below…
The way the details and visuals were presented in the movie trailer, the filmmakers showed Godzilla as a terrifying giant whose presence brings certain death and destruction to those near it. The trailer made Godzilla looking like it intends to kill people. What I find interesting about the core concept of this upcoming movie is that the iconic monster wreaks havoc in Japan a short time after the end of World War II. This emphasizes that Japan is economically weak and struggling to recover from the tremendous losses suffered from the said war. Also spotted were efforts by the filmmakers to replicate the look of post-WWII Japan.
If you know your world history, you should be aware of the facts that America dropped atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 which compelled Japan (then a major military force with the Axis powers) to surrender unconditionally. Putting that historical context into the realm of fantasy by Toho, Godzilla Minus One shows what would happen had the giant monster invaded Japan while it was still in a very weakened state.
This is a terrifying image of people running away from Godzilla whose steps were causing destruction.
Considering the post-World War II background, it is not yet clear to me if this movie will serve as a prequel to the original Gojira movie of 1954. What is clear is that the filmmakers are daringly making something new with Japan’s icon and their creative approach looks radically different from Toho’s previous Godzilla release in 2016 (note: read my retro review of Shin Godzilla).
Considering the many Godzilla movies released – including those from Hollywood studios – being original with telling a story about the monster is indeed very hard to do. That being said, I am interested to see how the post-World War II setting, the new story and characters, and the giant monster itself will be executed on-screen. If the trailer indicates anything, it looks like Godzilla Minus One could turn out as a dramatic disaster movie (than a monster movie) and could come close to what the 1954 original movie presented.
As of this writing, there are not too many international markets for cinematic releases listed in Godzilla Minus One‘s IMDB page. Being based here in the Philippines, I can only hope that the Japan-made movie will be released in local cinemas which could be a bit tricky given the fact that Shin Godzilla had a limited release here in 2016. I really want to watch this upcoming movie in the local cinema, especially IMAX, but that would depend on how the distribution here in the Philippines will be executed. At the same time, watching a Japanese-made Godzilla movie would be a nice break from the MonsterVerse Godzilla that has been around for years now. Honestly, I’m getting tired of Hollywood’s current version of Japan’s icon.
A very menacing Gojira image from Toho promoting Godzilla Minus One. If you look very closely, you can see some of the giant monster’s teeth red with blood.
If Godzilla Minus One does not get screened locally for some reason, its potential Blu-ray (and possibly 4K Blu-ray) release in the future would be the next option to watch it. Regardless, watch out for this new movie in cinemas in a few months’ time.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the movie Cloak & Dagger (1984) and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back my readers, fellow movie buffs and 20th century pop culture enthusiasts! Decades ago, I got to watch the movie Cloak & Dagger when it was first released on home video. As time passed by, I got to replay it on cable TV and DVD. I have yet to see its 4K Blu-ray disc version (note: you can order it here) Starring Henry Thomas (the star of Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial) and Dabney Coleman, Cloak & Dagger was one of those American movies that did not succeed in movie theaters but found its audience on home video, cable TV and free TV.
The 1984 movie was released at a time when video games gradually made its way into motion pictures in varied ways just before Nintendo started reshaping video gaming. Back then, I was very young and already got into playing games on console and at the arcade which helped me relate with the video game elements of Cloak & Dagger. In case you are wondering, the filmmakers and Atari, Inc. itself collaborated together. There may be some among you who never saw this 1980s flick and some of you may be wondering what is significant about Cloak & Dagger and why is it the topic of this retro movie review.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Cloak & Dagger (1984) directed by Richard Franklin and written by Tom Holland and Nancy Dowd inspired by the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” written by Cornell Woolrich. This movie is the 4th cinematic adaptation of the said short story.
The movie poster of Cloak & Dagger (1984)
Early story
The story begins with Jack Flack (Dabney Coleman) overcoming Soviet guards to enter a place to retrieve top secret documents from incoming people. It turns out that Jack Flack is nothing more than a fictional character imagined by a young boy named Davey (Henry Thomas) who keeps on immersing himself with flights of fantasies, loves playing games and believes that real life is filled with enough opportunities and places to play. In the presence of game store owner Morris (William Forsythe) and his little blonde neighbor Kim (Christina Nigra), Davey boasts a lot about Jack Flack as if he was a real-life hero and even talks to him as his imaginary companion that no one else could see nor hear. Inspired by the said character and the world of espionage he always imagined, the boy carries with him a black water pistol for a “gun” and a softball for a “grenade”.
Morris then sends Davey and Kim out to do a real assignment – an errand to travel within the city going to a certain company and retrieve something for him. Afterwards, the two commuted and entered a building which Davey does with his fantasy of espionage and infiltration burning in his mind. Leaving Kim on the ground floor, he climbs up the stairs until he reaches a certain window and sees something sinister going on in the next level as reflected on one of the windows outside.
Suddenly a door opens near him and a wounded man slowly hands him an Atari 5200 cartridge titled Cloak & Dagger, tells him to bring it to the FBI, and mentions “one million three hundred twenty nine.”
The door near them suddenly opens with two armed men emerging. Right in the presence of Davey, they opened fire at the wounded man who fell down to his death. Davey just became the witness of an actual murder and becomes the target of the two gunmen…
Quality
Henry Thomas and Christina Nigra as Davey and Kim respectively.
To get to straight to the point, I can declare that this movie is very clearly a spy thriller designed to engage both children and adults. It took the key concept of the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” and implemented it into its very own tale that happens to be set during Ronald Reagan’s America (the 1980s) with elements of video games, espionage and even murder mixed together.
The story told through Davey was crafted to be entertaining while keeping viewers in suspense as to how the overly imaginative young boy would deal with real-life danger and consequences as he became the target of murderous men who would not stop at all. Davey is clearly in danger for much of the movie and you will get to sympathize with him and wish he should stop being obsessed with fantasy so he could overcome the trials that were happening. This is, indeed, a well structure and nicely directed work by Richard Franklin who seem to be inspired by past works of Alfred Hitchcock (note: Franklin directed the sequel to Hitchcock’s classic Psycho).
As mentioned earlier, this movie was made to engage both children and adults. Cloak & Dagger is not exactly a wholesome viewing experience as its presentation has always been quite intense because of on-screen violence that was executed carfully. There are guns, shooting and even killing in this flick which proved to be integral to the overall presentation and clearly added to the thrill factor. You will get to see getting Davey shot at by the armed henchmen (Eloy Casados and Tim Rossovich) who clearly do not give a damn of shooting a minor as they are so focused on their mission. Looking at the henchmen in this film, I can imagine them as traitorous Americans conspiring with their nation’s foreign enemies such as the Soviets, the Iranians and the Palestinians. Along the way, there is the clear villain named Rice (Michael Murphy) who has this subtle touch of evil as well as a good amount of sleaziness in him. While the violence is intense, it does not necessarily push this film into rated R territory.
Michael Murphy as the sleazy villain who is willing to kill Davey even though he is a minor.
The two henchmen about to commit murder in the presence of Davey. There is evil visible in their faces.
Henry Thomas really shines as the protagonist here. While Davey here shares a few elements with E.T.’s Elliot – struggling to move forward with the absence of one parent and adjusting his life with what he perceives to be the best ways possible – he truly dramatizes how weird and wild he could be living his life with a very loose grip on reality. For him, local society in San Antonio, Texas, provides him a huge playground for his spy game and he sure distracts people as he walks by them talking to his imaginary friend Jack Flack. Still, there are key parts of the story in which Henry Thomas convincingly dramatizes Davey who feels lonely inside as he misses his late mother and is unable to spend quality time with his father. Thomas also acted with intensity in the scene in which he makes a trade with the villain and also during his last face-off with him in the 2nd half of the film. Henry Thomas really was a good youth actor and his performance here is often overshadowed by his role in Spielberg’s E.T.
Dabney Coleman on the other hand plays both Jack Flack and Davey’s father Hal. Coleman is quite versatile playing different characters here. As Jack Flack, he fits in excellently into Davey’s uncontrolled belief of espionage as he gives him advise which were taken seriously leading into danger. Of course, advising Davey does not really mean the fictional spy cares for him on a personal level and you will eventually Flack’s true value before the film ends. Flack’s final moments could inspire you to re-examine the true meaning of heroism. As Hal, Coleman convincingly plays the father who has been so busy working in the Air Force as an air traffic controller, he has been unable to spend quality time with his son and the recent death of his wife really took its toll on their family. Compared to Jack Flack, Hal is indeed caring towards his son but his hectic work schedule prevents him from bonding closely with him. Coleman delivered a fine performance during the scene when Hal explains to Davey what real-world heroism is and that not all heroes just shoot bad guys. There definitely are helpful values on parenting within Hal.
Henry Thomas and Dabney Coleman are really convincing as son and father.
Thomas and Coleman artistically have really fine chemistry together as the father and son (Hal and Davey) and as the wannabe adventurer spending lots of time with his action hero (Davey and Jack Flack). Considering Davey’s obsession with fantasy and the attention he pays so much to Jack Flack, he was practically living with idolatry and foolishness. If you observe closely, Davey is very lively with Flack and not so lively with his father.
Even though this movie is fictional, it still dramatizes that parenting will never be easy. That being said, this should inspire parents and also incoming parents to prepare themselves on nurturing their children and ensure they help them understand the differences between reality and fantasy.
Video game elements
Screenshot from the Cloak & Dagger arcade game. This game can be played nowadays through Antstream Arcade on Xbox consoles.
To make things very clear, Cloak & Dagger (1984) is not an adaptation of the electronic game that was released the same year. Rather it has the Cloak & Dagger game as a key plot element in the form of an Atari 5200 game cartridge (referred to as a “tape”) which the movie dramatizes to be real.
As a kid, I got to play arcade and console games a lot. As such, seeing Davey play the Cloak & Dagger game on his Atari 5200 as well as gameplay footage was a very entertaining viewing experience for me the first time I ever saw this movie. It was a scene I personally related with.
In real life, however, the Cloak & Dagger game from Atari, Inc. was released only in the arcades as the efforts to create a port for the Atari 5200 never got fulfilled. That being said, it was through very clever film editing that video footage of the arcade version were inserted into the scene in which Davey played the Cloak & Dagger cartridge on his console in the presence of his father. To clarify things, the Atari 5200 was a commercial failure in real life and it seems that making a console version of the arcade game did not make business sense to Atari, Inc. at all.
If you want to play the Cloak & Dagger arcade game in your home right now, you will need an Xbox console and Antstream Arcade ($30 for 1-year subscription, $80 for lifetime pass). Cloak & Dagger is just one of over a thousand games available through Antstream Arcade and you can learn more by clicking here and here.
Conclusion
Henry Thomas as an armed Davey.
I have seen Cloak & Dagger (1984) many times throughout my life from childhood and to adulthood. I can clearly say that this 1980s movie is still really good to watch as its appeal to both children and adults remains strong and intact. It is a medium-paced spy thriller that not only follows a young boy who witnesses and murder and gets into danger (note: even his neighbor gets involved) but also dramatizes (in entertaining ways) how dangerous situations can get when you are living with uncontrolled personal fantasy and interacting with a heroic friend who does not really exist. Considering the time this movie was released, I am delighted to tell you cautious readers that there definitely is no wokeness nor were there any traces of political correctness that got in the way of its presentation. Going back to the parenting aspect of this film, it is made clear that children need their parents for moral support and there is absolutely no way that games, fictional heroes and geek culture could ever be good alternatives. Like the adults, children should never lose their grip on reality and should be taught that uncontrolled fantasy can lead to real-life danger. Very clearly, director Richard Franklin and the crew did a fine job telling a solid story and emphasizing the main characters while also providing suspense, action and thrills.
Considering all the mixed elements it has, Cloak & Dagger (1984) can be engaging towards parents, their children, fans of espionage and people who love video games. Finally, I should state that the City of San Antonio in the Lone Star State of Texas is indeed a great location for filmmaking and viewing.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back fellow geeks, pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Way back in 1982, the horror comedy anthology film Creepshow was released in cinemas and it gave moviegoers a fun time getting scared as it featured well-made short stories written by Stephen King and directed by George Romero. The two creators were strongly influenced by the 1950s horror comic books of EC Comics when they made the movie. Very recently, Creepshow was released on 4K Blu-ray loaded with lots of extras for fans and moviegoers to enjoy. The said 4K Blu-ray release can be ordered online now.
I myself first saw Creepshow on home video sometime in 1983 and got to replay it occasionally on cable TV and DVD. Strangely enough, it was only a few years ago when I first learned that there was indeed a comic book adaptation of the movie that was also released the same year it hit cinemas.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Stepehen King’s Creepshow published in 1982 by Plum with stories written by Stephen King and drawn by Bernie Wrightson (with Michele Wrightson). The cover was illustrated by the late EC Comics legend Jack Kamen.
The cover.
Early stories
Father’s Day – Sylvia Grantham, her nephew Richard, niece Cass and Hank (husband of Cass) enjoy time together at the Grantham estate anticipating the arrival of Bedelia for the annual family dinner. It is an open secret within the family that Bedelia killed her late father Nathan Grantham who was so overbearing to her as she became responsible on nursing him full-time.
Bedelia apart from her relatives in Father’s Day.
The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verril – A lonely farmer named Jordy witnesses the unexpected arrival of a meteorite from out space which landed violently on his farm. After realizing what it is, he touches it without any protection and gets his fingers burned. Considering the rarity of the object, Jordy begins to imagine making a lot money by bringing it to the local college.
A page of the story of Jordy and the meteor.
The Crate – In the basement level of Amberson Hall (science building of Horlicks University), a janitor accidentally finds a very old wooden crate located right under the staircase. The writings “Ship to Horlicks University via Julia Carpenter – Arctic Expedition – June 19, 1834” were marked on the crate. Meanwhile a faculty party is taking place across town. During the party, the mild-mannered college professor Henry Northrup experiences embarrassment as his unhinged wife Wilma (note: referred to as Billie) talks way too much in front of professor Dexter Stanley and many others. Henry reveals to Dexter that he has grown to hate his wife. Suddenly, someone tells Dexter that a telephone call for him is waiting. It was the janitor who made the call.
Henry, wife Wilma (AKA Bilie), the janitor and Dexter Stanley in The Crate.
Something to Tide You Over – At a beach, Harry Wentworth could do nothing but remain helplessly immobile as his entire body and neck have been buried under the sand by Richard. It turns out that Harry has been having an affair with Becky, Richard’s wife. The helpless Harry expressed that he and Becky were really in love with each other. For his part, Richard has something else to show to him and he certainly has some things prepared.
Richard and Harry in Something to Tide You Over.
They’re Creeping Up on You – A wealthy and cruel businessman named Upson Pratt is alone in his well-lighted apartment. He has been suffering from mysophobia and has been living in isolation and only communicates with others using the telephone and other electronic methods. Slowly but surely, cockroaches begin to multiply in his apartment.
Upson Pratt and the cockroaches in They’re Creeping Up on You.
Quality
Starting with the storytelling with emphasis on how the comic creators selected content from the movie and translated it all into illustrated literature format with a little over sixty pages to work with, I can say that this comic book is pretty much a faithful adaptation of the film’s five short stories (note: the cinematic prologue and epilogue were never adapted). For each short story, it is clear that sufficient details from each cinematic tale were adapted and the overall concepts, acts and characterizations were pretty much maintained. This is a credible piece of illustrated literature work as each tale is not only readable but also engaging and entertaining complete with shock moments. Take note that Stephen King not only wrote all these tales for the movie, there were two tales that were previously published in literary format before Creepshow was even made. Whoever participated in the editing process behind the production of this comic book deserves commendations.
While the writing used in adapting the film’s concepts and characters turned out good, it is clearly obvious that certain cinematic elements could not be translated here. Remember how frantic and scared Dexter Stanley (played by the late Fritz Weaver) was in the movie after he witnessed the janitor got killed by the monster? Those cinematic emotions never made it in illustrated literary format here.
The artworks by Bernie Wrightson are pretty good to look at. Similar to the writing, the visuals here were made to recapture the look of the movie not in a shot-for-shot manner but with the artist’s own approach on how such scenes should be presented. That being said, I should state that the comic book panels that appeared in the movie’s transition scenes (example: still live action image slowly turning into illustrated comic book form) are NOT here at all.
You will instead see Wrightson’s own visual interpretation of the scenes from the movie and the artworks were inspired a bit by the 1950s horror comics of EC Comics and ultimately were more in line with the contemporary approach of drawing comic book art of the 1980s. The gory scenes from the movie made it in this comic book. When it comes to drawing monsters or the undead, the art result was uneven. While Wrightson’s art of the monster in The Crate was really scary to look at (in accordance to how it appeared cinematically), the work on the walking dead in Something to Tide You Over looked much less scary compared to those in the film.
While Wrightson clearly did not prioritize recapturing the likenesses of the actors to illustrate their respective characters, there were a few shots in which professor Henry Northrup somewhat looked like the late Hal Holbrook, and the illustrated Bedelia resembled the late Viveca Lindfors.
Conclusion
The best way to describe Stephen King’s Creepshow (1982) is this…it is indeed a very solid adaptation of the movie and its five short stories. While it was clear that not all the dialogue and other types of content of the movie could ever fit in this comic book, the creators did a very credible job of adapting Creepshow’s core elements and succeeded in making what they had solidly presented for readers to enjoy. Each short story from the movie turned out to be cohesive and enjoyable for reading.
When it comes to really enjoying this graphic novel, I personally would recommend you readers to watch the Creepshow movie first before reading. The film is the complete package of entertainment showcasing the combined works of Stephen King and director George Romero, while this comic book is ultimately the companion piece for those who enjoyed the movie as well as EC Comics’s horror comic books of the 1950s.
Overall, Stephen King’s Creepshow (1982) is highly recommended!
Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Back in the early 1980s, I managed to watch on home video the 1982 horror comedy anthology film Creepshow which was a fine collaboration between director George Romero and author Stephen King clearly inspired by the 1950s horror comic books of EC Comics. Â Â Â Â
The good news for fans of the movie as well as those who love watching movies in the comfort of home without streaming is that the Creepshow Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray (2 discs inside the set) from Shout Factory is now available at retail and for ordering online. For those who want the best in visuals, Creepshow’s 4K version is in native 4K!
The 4K Blu-ray cover cleverly uses the same art from the original movie poster of 1982.
To begin with, posted below are the technical specs of Creepshow Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray sourced from its Blu-ray.com page. Some parts in boldface…
Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing, Reversible cover
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
In case you are wondering how much stuff you will get in return for purchasing Creepshow Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray, posted below is an excerpt from the Blu-ray.com announcement page. Some parts in boldface…
BRAND NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE (2023)
Audio Commentary With Director George A. Romero And Special Make-Up Effects Creator Tom Savini
Audio Commentary With Director Of Photography Michael Gornick
Audio Commentary With Composer/First Assistant Director John Harrison And Construction Coordinator Ed Fountain
Terror And The Three Rivers – A Round Table Discussion On The Making Of Creepshow With John
Amplas, Tom Atkins, Tom Savini, And Marty Schiff
The Comic Book Look – An Interview With Costume Designer Barbara Anderson
Ripped From The Pages – An Interview With Animator Rick Catizone
The Colors Of Creepshow – A Look At The Restoration of Creepshow With Director Of Photography Michael Gornick
Into The Mix – An Interview With Sound Re-recordist Chris Jenkins
Mondo Macabre – A Look At Mondo’s Various Creepshow Posters With Mondo Co-Founder Rob Jones And Mondo Gallery Events Planner Josh Curry
Collecting Creepshow – A Look At Some Of The Original Props And Collectibles From The Film With Collector Dave Burian
Audio Interviews With Director Of Photography Michael Gornick, Actor John Amplas, Property Master Bruce Alan Miller, And Make-up Effects Assistant Darryl Ferrucci
Tom Savini’s Behind-The-Scenes Footage
Horror’s Hallowed Grounds – A Look At The Original Film Locations Hosted By Sean Clark
Deleted Scenes
Theatrical Trailers
TV Spot, Radio Spots
Still Galleries – Posters, Lobby Cards, And Movie Stills
Still Galleries – Behind The Scenes Photos
Wow, the above sure is a lot of stuff for the long-time Creepshow fans and the Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray collectors to digest.
For the newcomers reading this, Creepshow is arguably a landmark American horror movie as it used a very unique format of telling not one, not two but five standalone horror comedy stories that each had its unique concept and different casts. As comedy is mentioned, it means there is dark humor implemented that prevents each story from being too grim with its horror. In other words, the horror in this anthology film is unique and fun to watch. Adding further zest into its creativity was the use of comic book-inspired panels and backgrounds that really captured the vibes of 1950’s EC Comics-published horror comic books. This passionate collaboration between a movie director best known for zombie movies and an author best known for horror and suspense literature really stood the test of time. Not to be outdone, however, is the movie makeup and special effects works done by fan-favorite Tom Savini.
I should also state that Creepshow several actors who made fine contributions on-screen. Horror genre standout Tom Atkins plays the angry father in the film’s prologue and epilogue. The late Leslie Nielsen, who is often remembered for cinematic comedy, cleverly plays a villain (with a fine mix of evil and humor in his performance) opposite Ted Danson. There were also Hal Holbrook and Adrienne Barbeau as a very unique couple. In the Father’s Day segment, you will see the late classic actress Viveca Lindfors as the unfortunate aunt as well as a much younger Ed Harris in a supporting role. The late E.G. Marshall is the lead star in the fifth segment. Last but not least, you will see Stephen King himself act in one of the segments concerning the crash of a meteor. Apart from the horror concepts and stylish directing of Romero, the lineup of actors alone add tremendous value to Creepshow’s overall attraction and fun value.
Leslie Nielsen.
Hal Holbrook and Adrienne Barbeau as a married couple.
Author Stephen King as Jordy.
The impact of this 1982 horror anthology movie cannot be denied. In the years following Creepshow’s release, the Twilight Zone: The Movie anthology film of 1983 (note: this one even involved Steven Spielberg directing one story), the Tales from the Darkside horror anthology TV series (created by George Romero himself) and the Tales from the Crypt horror anthology TV series were released.
To know more about Creepshow, watch the video from Minty Comedic Arts below…
If you want the best enjoyment possible from watching Creepshow Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray, I highly recommend you avoid watching Creepshow movie reaction videos and the spoileriffic retro movie reviews posted by YouTubers.
Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! As you may have noticed, I am a 4K Blu-ray movie collector and I can say that I really am enjoying watching movies in 4K at the comfort of home with my Xbox Series X console as the 4K Blu-ray player.
When it comes to watching my favorite movies with the best possible video and audio qualities, I always had a grand time replaying Total Recall (1990) on 4K Blu-ray, and I can say the same with replaying the greatest Hollywood action movie ever made – Die Hard (1988)!
This is my copy of Die Hard 4K Blu-ray.
Back in 2021, I bought myself the 4K Blu-ray copy of Die Hard even though I already have the Blu-ray (1080p) copy. I simply wanted the best possible visuals and home entertainment experience of the classic movie that starred Bruce Willis and was directed by John McTiernan. In my life, I was fortunate to watch Die Hard in the local cinema here in the Philippines way back in 1988 and it was indeed the most thrilling in-theater experience I had as the film drew lots of reactions from all the moviegoers around me (note: this includes a standing ovation during the final conflict between John McClane and Hans Gruber) and its presentation turned out great. Simply put, Die Hard is one of my favorite movies all of time and the greatest Hollywood action movie of all.
As for Die Hard 4K Blu-ray itself, it came with the 4K Blu-ray disc, the Blu-ray disc and the digital code. I bought it online with a huge discount. Oh yes, the visuals were in native 4K resolution which I always preferred.
To put things in perspective, posted below are the technical details of Die Hard 4K Blu-ray as displayed on its Blu-ray.com page.
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (49.50 Mbps)
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: HDR10
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
German: DTS 5.1
Italian: DTS 5.1
Czech: Dolby Digital 2.0
Polish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese: DTS 5.1
Subtitles – English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Cantonese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Polish, Swedish
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-66, 1 BD-50)
Digital – Digital copy expired, Movies Anywhere
Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing
Playback –4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
The Blu-ray disc, the 4K Blu-ray disc and the paper for the digital copy.
In my experience watching Die Hard on 4K Blu-ray disc, I noticed there were indeed visual improvements here and there. The film was remastered in 4K and it maintained the cinematic look precisely while it had assorted visual upgrades along the way. There was also a noticeable noise reduction on moments of intense brightness, particularly the explosions (note: they are longer overly bright and their precise colors and shapes became visible) and the fluorescent lights. I also enjoyed how the colors were improved and with the improvements on clarity, the tiny visuals details that were not visible on other formats became visible in 4K.
In connection to the improved visuals, watching Bruce Willis looking so much younger and with a full head of hair turned out to be unique part of the viewing experience. Oh yes, Alan Rickman as Gruber in a fancy looking suit looks better than ever in 4K!
Indeed, watching Die Hard 4K Blu-ray is the best and definitive way to enjoy the 1988 action classic at home. Don’t settle for streaming nor the 1080p Blu-ray nor DVD. Die Hard 4K Blu-ray is the best! If you don’t have it yet in your 4K Blu-ray collection, go for Die Hard 4K Blu-ray while it is still available and currently discounted!
Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Long before he went all-in with digital filmmaking and made the Avatar movies, James Cameron made a huge impact in the sci-fi action genre with the use of practical effects when they were still the standard in Hollywood filmmaking.
After making waves with The Terminator in 1984, Cameron went on to make the sequel Alienswhich became a huge success and remains a fine example of how to do sequels. To be very clear, the production of Aliens (which starred Sigourney Weaver who returned as Ellen Ripley) has a very detailed and colorful history about notable twists in Hollywood that connect it with The Terminator. As Arnold Schwarzenegger worked on a Conan sequel, production of The Terminator got delayed and along the way, Cameron – who got involved in the Alien sequel – used the extra time to make the script for Aliens (note: working title was Alien II) which was 90 pages long. That script was submitted to Fox’s then new president Larry Gordon who loved it and agreed to wait until Cameron completed The Terminator just so that he could direct Aliens.
Aliens was released in cinemas in 1986 and went on to gross over $130 million worldwide while winning mostly positive feedback from movie critics. When the film was shown on TV in 1989, a modified cut with additional scenes were shown. In 1991, the extended cut of Aliens was released on LaserDisc format and it was 20 minutes longer than the theatrical version.
In the year 2016, the 30th anniversary celebration of the movie happened with the release of a commemorative and feature-loaded Blu-ray and it contained the movie’s two cuts!
Aliens 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray.
On face value, the Aliens 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray is quite enticing to both movie fans and collectors as it contains the following content:
Theatrical Version and Special Edition of the movie (2 cuts)
NEW The Inspiration and Design of Aliens featurette
Deleted and Extended Scenes
Superior Firepower: Making Aliens
Superior Firepower: Making Aliens Enhancement
Pre-Production Galleries
The Art of Aliens
Gateway Station and Colony
Vehicles and Weapons
Aliens
Casting
Cast Portrait Gallery
Deleted Scene Montage
Look at all that stuff you will get with Aliens 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray! (photo source – Blu-ray.com)
Personally, I love watching Aliens which in my view is among the very best works of James Cameron and also the best movie of the entire Alien/Aliens film franchise. Through the decades I saw both the theatrical version and the special edition on different formats from video tape to LaserDisc, DVD and cable TV. The movie has Sigourney Weaver’s finest performance; a story that was crafted with a lot of inspiration; it has great action scenes, stunts and a very clever presentation of showing the Xenomorphs; it has very engaging music by the late James Horner; it has several moments of suspense that effectively served as build-ups for the action or intense pay-offs that followed; it has great creature effects by Stan Winston which proved to be an evolution of H.R. Giger’s designs; the Alien Queen was made possible by James Cameron and Stan Winston and ultimately became an essential addition into the Alien/Aliens lore; and ultimately this film moved the entire Alien/Aliens movie franchise forward creatively while respecting what was established in the first movie of 1979 (directed by Ridley Scott, written by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett).
Aliens also serves as a lively look back at the actors who made nice contributions. There was the late Bill Paxton who went on to appear in more films directed by James Cameron. There was The Terminator actor Michael Biehn who joined the film as a replacement. Lance Henriksen, who also appeared in The Terminator, played the new android Bishop which led to further appearances in two other films of the Alien film franchise.
As much as I love the movie, I have yet to acquire the Aliens 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray. In the back of my mind, a 4K Blu-ray release of Aliens could be announced suddenly and I have preference for 4K Blu-ray viewing. Be aware that already there is a 4K Blu-ray version of Alien in the market and even the hugely disappointing prequel Alien Covenant has a 4K Blu-ray release. With the woke Disney company in control of 20th Century Fox, there is no telling when will Aliens have a 4K Blu-ray version.
To know more about Aliens, watch the following videos below…
Author Carlo Carrasco 