DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS DOUBLE FEATURE. (DVD Artwork). ©Cohen Media Group.
Movies
A Douglas Fairbanks Double Feature: Robin Hood and The Black Pirate (Adventure, Action)
Featuring two silent films from the 1920s starring the acclaimed actor/filmmaker, “A Douglas Fairbanks Double Feature: Robin Hood and The Black Pirate” is now available to own on Blu-ray from Cohen Film Collection.
A big-screen spectacle that ranks as one of the monumental accomplishments of the silent era, “Robin Hood” is a timeless story of romance and intrigue, staged on a herculean scale. Its sets were erected by an army of 500 carpenters and towered 90 feet in the air, covering acres of land — historically accurate to the smallest detail. For this restoration, a full frame 35MM fine grain positive was scanned at 4K, with 175 hours of digital clean-up at 2K completed.
Shot in two-strip Technicolor, Fairbanks had conceived of “The Black Pirate” years before it was finally made. According to Fairbanks biographer Jeffrey Vance, it was “the most carefully prepared and controlled of Fairbanks’s entire career,” certainly in no small part due to the expense and limitations of the early color process. The resulting film earned high praise from The New York Times, which praised its “unrivalled beauty…mindful of the paintings of the old masters.” A 35MM color negative was mastered in HD for this presentation.
Bonus features on the release include an audio commentary for “The Black Pirate” by film historian Rudy Behlmer, 18 minutes of outtakes from “The Black Pirate” with commentary by Behlmer and 29 additional minutes of “Black Pirate” outtakes.
Between Two Worlds (Drama)
A longtime passion project for star and Academy Award-winning actress Juliette Binoche, “Between Two Worlds” is now available on Blu-ray and DVD from Cohen Media Group.
Famed author Marianne Winckler (Binoche, “The English Patient”) goes undercover to investigate the exploitation of the working class in Northern France. She eventually lands a job as a cleaner on the cross-channel ferry and develops close connections with the other cleaning women, many of whom have extremely limited resources and income opportunities. As she learns more about the plight of these workers, Marianne struggles with her deception toward them and tries to rationalize that it’s for the greater good.
Adapted from Florence Aubenas’s bestselling non-fiction work “Le Quai de Ouistreham” (“The Night Cleaner”), “Between Two Worlds” marks Emmanuel Carrère’s return to directing for the first time since “The Moustache” in 2005. Carrère has achieved world renown and acclaim as an author and has been described by The New Yorker as “France’s best-known writer of literary nonfiction.” The film is presented in French with English subtitles.
Haunted Mansion (Comedy, Drama, Family)
Just in time for Halloween, viewers can add Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” to their movie collection, as the film is now available to own on Digital. It will also be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, Oct. 17, and is currently streaming on Disney+.
Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, “Haunted Mansion” tells the story of Gabbie (Rosario Dawson, “Ahsoka”), a single mom who discovers that the home she and her son share is haunted by irksome ghosts. Hoping to restore domestic tranquility, Gabbie recruits a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid the house of the supernatural squatters.
A nonstop blend of action, adventure and comedy featuring an all-star cast that includes LaKeith Stanfield (“Sorry to Bother You”), Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip”), Owen Wilson (“Loki”), Danny DeVito (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), Dan Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”), Jamie Lee Curtis (“Halloween”) and Jared Leto (“Requiem for a Dream”), “Haunted Mansion” was written by Katie Dippold (“Parks and Recreation”) and directed by Justin Simien (“Dear White People”). The Digital, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD releases come home with exclusive never-before-seen bonus content, including eight deleted scenes, a gag reel and two behind-the-scenes featurettes: “Making ‘Haunted Mansion’” and “999 Happy Haunts.”
Strays (Adventure, Comedy)
A subversion of the dog movies everyone knows and loves, “Strays” debuts on Blu-ray and DVD Tuesday, Oct. 10, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The live-action, R-rated comedy is also now available to own on Digital and is currently streaming on Peacock.
Plucky pup Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell, “Step Brothers”) thought he and his owner Doug (Will Forte, “MacGruber”) were playing an innocent game of fetch. It isn’t until he meets Bug (voiced by Jamie Foxx, “Django Unchained”), a streetwise stray who says only suckers have owners, that Reggie realizes his miserable master intentionally abandoned him in the big city. With two more pooches (voiced by Isla Fisher, “Wedding Crashers,” and Randall Park, “Fresh Off the Boat”) adding fuel to his furry fire, Reggie goes from cute to cunning as he and Bug concoct a crazy scheme to get back to Doug and give him a big bite between his legs. Revenge has never been this riotous, or this irreverent, as the hilariously absurd antics of these four furballs turn typical animal adventures totally upside down. Forget everything you know about “dog movie” drama, because this is one journey home that’s off its leash and over the top.
Bonus features on the release include a feature commentary with director/producer Josh Greenbaum (“Fresh Off the Boat”) and screenwriter/producer Dan Perrault (“The Screen Junkies Show”) as well as six behind-the-scenes featurettes: “Talk Like a Dog,” “The Ultimate Treat: Making ‘Strays,’” “Poop, Booms, and Shrooms,” “Will Forte: ‘Stray’ Actor,” “Training to be ‘Stray’” and “A New Best Friend.”
Calling all dog lovers! Front Row Features is giving away a Digital copy of the raunchy comedy romp “Strays” to two lucky readers. To enter the contest, simply email socalmovieeditor@aol.com by Oct. 16 with the title of your favorite dog movie in the body of the email for your chance to win. Good luck!
