Category: Film

The Friends of Eddie Coyle

The Friends of Eddie Coyle is an excellent 19673 film based on a fine 1970 novel by George V. Higgins. It was shown recently on TCM and is on disc as part of the Criterion Collection. The book is largely dialogue and Higgins, a former prosecutor, really understands how his small-time criminals talk and act.

Higgins was a big influence on Elmore Leonard. Remenber Jackie Brown, the Tarantino film based on Leonard’s Rum Punch? Jackie Brown is the name of a character in Eddie Coyle.

His novel Cogan’s Trade was filmed as Killing Them Softly and revived interest in Higgins.

Robert Mitchum: The Last Celluloid Desperado

Film: Giants and Toys

I just watched Giants and Toys (1958) an excellent film that shows the dangers of capitalism run amok. Arrow Video has recently released it on Blu-ray.

Independent Blu-ray/DVD labels

Independent labels are a main force in keeping physical media alive as the major studios focus on streaming. Some of the independent labels have streaming platforms, too. These labels are a great source of films that would not be popular enough for the major labels to produce them. Many focus on horror films. They have also done a great job on foreign films and old films.

The Criterion Collection is the gold standard for independent labels. They also have a streaming channel. Criterion editions are expensive but worth it since they have great restorations and extensive extras on the discs. This July, Barnes and Noble has their discs for 50% off. They announce new discs every month on the 15th.

Kino Lorber has a wide variety of current and older films. They have frequent sales.

Shout Factory focuses on 1960s and later films such John Carpenter films and Hammer horror films.

Arrow Video is an English label. Some of their discs are not designed to play in the US. They have a wide variety of films from all over the world including a lot of horror.

Severin Films

Second Run DVD in an English label that does a great job of releasing discs of films from central Europe.

Oscilliscope Films – I love We Are Little Zombies

Vinegar Syndrome has done a great job on Rudy Ray Moore discs

Synapse Films releases a variety of independent films

Flicker Alley has released some great silent films

Well Go USA does a great job of releasing discs of Asian films

Powerhouse Indicator Films is a UK label. Many of their discs are not for the US market. They’ve done extensive fine Hammer reissues.

Funimation releases Asian films

Classic Flix specializes in old American films

Grindhouse Releasing has mostly horror films such as those directed by Lucio Fulci

Scorpion Releasing

Code Red DVD

SRS Cinema – underground movies

88 Films UK label

eBay has discs from Asia for Asian films that have not been released in the US. Be careful to make sure they play in the US.

Diabolik has a big selection of horror and other cult discs

The 3-D Film Archive has restored 3-D films. Some are Kickstarter projects before they are released on independent labels.

I’ll add to this list as I think of more labels.

Criterion has released Bringing Up Baby

Bringing Up Baby is an excellent comedy from 1938 starring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. It was directed by Howard Hawks.

Blobfest is this weekend

This is a great event. Unfortunately, it will be virtual for the second consecutive year. Make sure to look at the merchandise for shirts and posters.

I hope that next year it’s an in person event. I think they would be smart to offer an online version too and sell merchandise on the Internet which they didn’t do before the pandemic.

I remember the ad campaign for Putney Swope

Robert Downey, Sr. who made Putney Swope passed away yesterday. I remember the ad campaign for the film – examples are in the tweet below. Some papers censored the middle finger. I lived in Philadelphia then and I know I saw examples with the finger and without.

I even brought them into my high school English class and the teacher didn’t know what the middle finger meant! I think she even hung the ads up in the classroom.

Vinegar Syndrome has released the film on Blu-ray.

One of the fake commercials in the film:

James M. Cain

James M. Cain was born on July 1, 1892. He was born in Annapolis, MD and worked for the Baltimore Sun early in his career. He is best known for three novels that were also successful films – Double Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice and Mildred Pierce. These are tough crime novels that are well worth reading. The films are good, too.

Hitchcock films on TCM this weekend

Great films here. I recommend Rear Window and Vertigo the most. The 1955 version of The Man Who Knew Too Much is excellent. All of these films are available on discs.