This Week on DVD & Blu-ray (07-16-13)

The big question is: Who’s holding the conch? Find out as Criterion brings us the original Lost Boys with their treatment of  “Lord of the Flies”, the 1963 adaptation of William Golding’s classic novel by Peter Brook. If you’re unfamiliar with the book, it’s the original Hunger Games, yet more provocative (especially in black and white) and a more potent message about civilization and survival. I’m more familiar with the 1990 remake by Harry Hook with featured some early child work by Balthazar Getty and James Badge Dale, so I’d be interested in checking out the original. Another adaptation out this week stars Sylvester Stallone in “Bullet to the Head” which finds veteran director Walter Hill adapting a little known French comic book. Try as he might to inject a bluesy noir atmosphere to the action flick, it still feels like a retread and at times unintentionally silly. You’re better off checking out Brian Helgeland’s “42” a baseball biopic which follows the story of Jackie Robinson. Chadwick Boseman is fantastic as the title character and Harrison Ford delivers some of his best work in years as the Brooklyn Dodgers manager who gives an African-American ball player a chance at the big leagues. One of the best family films of the year.

Some other recent releases out this week….

“Erased” is a thriller that premiered on VOD and On Demand back in April starring Aaron Eckhart and Olga Kurlyenko. Eckhart plays a CIA agent who’s on the run with his estranged daughter (Liana Liberato) when his employers erase any trace of his existence, marking them both for termination as part of a global conspiracy.

“Evil Dead” came out last March and it’s that rare horror remake that’s slightly different (for the better) and actually quite good. Director Fede Alvarez (who also co-wrote) took a more serious tone, separating it from the campy horror humor of the previous “Evil Dead” movies. Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi, the actor and director behind the other movies, served as co-producers for this feature and apparently there may be more of these movies to come.

One movie that has my curiosity is an American animated/live action movie from 1973 called “Heavy Traffic” directed by Ralph Bakshi (“Fritz the Cat” and “Wizards”) that earned itself an X rated back then for its content that consists of: greasers, freaks, dopers and prostitutes. The movie meanders its way through surreal fantasies of a young New York cartoonist named Michael Corleone, using pinball imagery as a metaphor for urban life.

That’s it for this week! Previous reviews are highlighted below. Enjoy the Rundown….