(Ape caricature art by Richard Smith)
By Anthony Taylor, Contributing Writer, in Collaboration with ATLRetro
Welcome to Apes on Film! This column exists to scratch your retro-film-in-high-definition itch. We’ll be reviewing new releases of vintage cinema and television on disc of all genres, finding gems and letting you know the skinny on what to avoid. Here at Apes on Film, our aim is to uncover the best in retro film. As we dig for artifacts, we’ll do our best not to bury our reputation. What will we find out here? Our destiny.
If you have a retro cinema and television buff in your life, consider yourself lucky! Finding gifts for them just got a whole lot easier thanks to our handy gift-giving guide. Below are our deep-dive (and shallow end) choices for the greatest gifts released in 2022 for lovers of physical media. All titles are in Blu-Ray or 4K format unless otherwise noted.
Get the popcorn ready and Happy Holidays!
MULTI-DISC/TITLE SETS
Dr. Phibes Double Feature [The Abominable Dr. Phibes/Dr. Phibes Rises Again] – Kino Lorber
It’s impossible not to love the kitschy fun of director Robert Fuest’s Phibes movies. Vincent Price chews scenery like bubble gum, and the Art Deco styling is gorgeous. It’s hard to hate a film whose tagline was “Love Means Never Having To Say You’re Ugly.” Both films come on a single disc so it’s not stuffed with extra features, but definitely bargain-priced.
The Incredibly Strange Films Of Ray Dennis Steckler Collector’s Set – Severin
Twenty – COUNT ‘EM! – twenty films by the master of cheap ass, WTF? cinema, Ray Dennis Steckler! Most well known for The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!!?, Steckler’s films were always startlingly tapped into the contextual zeitgeist of the times. Absurd, yes – consequential, no doubt; he created some of the best cinema during which to make out at drive-in screenings. Severin’s box set is fantastically featured, with new HD scans of the films, hours of bonus features and a book about the filmmaker. Get it!
Night Gallery (Season 3) – Kino Lorber
Return to the landscape of darkness with Rod Serling! Kino’s season 3 blu-ray set is filled to the top with classic episodes like The Girl With The Hungry Eyes, Fright Night, and Something In The Woodwork, as well as those amazing commentaries by the team that did the first two season sets and other supplements. Go all-in with this final offering of the early 1970’s television terror!
They rebuilt him… in BLU-RAY! Thirty-three (that’s NOT a typo!) discs of all the bionic goodness you remember from the classic 1970’s television series! All the episodes plus the three TV movies that launched the series and the reunion movies, The Bionic Woman crossover episodes, as well as hours of bonus content and behind-the-scenes featurettes. A full ninety-two hours of Steve Austin and friends! It’s honestly a mind-bowing package of amazing high-definition entertainment, and I can’t believe there’s anyone on the planet over the age of 35 that wouldn’t be thrilled to get this in their stocking!
SINGLE TITLE/DISC GIFTS
Army Of Darkness [Limited Edition Steelbook] – Shout! Factory
“This is my BOOMSTICK!” Another fun title that should be in every media Library. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell can do no wrong in this third installment of the Evil Dead franchise, and arguably the funniest. This four disc set has every cut of the film imaginable (including a brand new 4K scan of the theatrical cut) as well as a full slate of supplementary features, all wrapped up in an attractive steelbook case. Just accept that if your special film fan doesn’t have this package, they need it.
The Great Escape 4K UHD – Kino Lorber
The classic. Director John Sturges’ WWII P.O.W. odyssey features possibly the greatest cast in the history of war movies (The Longest Day excepted) and just about every line of dialog is quotable. Steve McQueen is the coolest as the Cooler King, and performs the most memorable motorcycle jump in cinema history. This 2-disc set includes the film on 4K, as well as a bonus blu-ray disc of extras and featurettes. Essential.
Star Trek I: The Motion Picture 4K UHD – The Director’s Edition Complete Adventure – Paramount
Excuse me while I hyperventilate a bit… WOW! What a set for the all-too-often- maligned first Star Trek film! The director’s cut, the theatrical cut, a bonus disc jam-packed with new and legacy special features, poster, photos, stickers, booklet, and more. It’s enough to make one gambol about like a muppet. Star Trek: TMP is a better film than most remember, and totally worth all the hoopla associated with the brand new remaster in this package. Boldly go get it now!
Highlander (Collector’s Edition) – Studio Canal
There can be ONLY ONE! The 80’s classic fantasy to end all fantasies, director Russell Mulcahy and writer Gregory Widen created an entirely new immortal breed to populate a franchise that included multiple films and television series, and an upcoming remake starring Henry Cavill, so yeah…maybe more than one. Studio Canal’s set includes a poster, a comic book, buttons, photos, and two discs full of immortals dueling with swords to the amazing music of Queen. How can you go wrong?
I could go on for pages and pages. We’re living in a jet stream of great releases and film fans should be very happy about that. Check out our previous and future columns for more recommendations and HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM APE CITY!
Ape caricature art by Richard Smith
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