What’s furniture doing in a blog about old movies?

You can get this thing on Amazon right now for a little over 50 bucks. It holds 531 DVDs or 630 Blu-Rays. I’m pointing this out because with all the terrific stuff released or announced lately, we’re all gonna have some storage issues.

Look at the Hammer horror pictures that have come out, or are coming, from Warner Archive, Scream Factory and Mill Creek. That’s some serious shelf space right there. Then there’s Universal 50s monster/sci-fi stuff coming from Kino Lorber and Scream Factory. The Thing (1951) from Warner Archive. A great-looking Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) from Olive Films. Forty Guns (1957) from Criterion. And that’s just getting started.

This is a great time to be an old-movie nut. Seems like every day we’re finding out about something else making its way to our HDTVs — thanks to the companies I mentioned above, along with others like Indicator, Arrow and VCI. So, as you deck out your house for the holidays, think about where to put all these wonderful old movies.

Blu-Ray News #140: Barry Lyndon (1976).

Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Starring Ryan O’Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee, Gay Hamilton, Hardy Krüger, Leonard Rossiter

The Criterion Collection has announced Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon (1976) for an October release.

I didn’t know what to make of this when I first saw it, but like a lot of people, now think it’s absolutely mesmerizing. The Blu-Ray from Warner Bros. was gorgeous, and I’m eager to see how much better Criterion will have it looking. There’s a new 4K transfer and 5.1 surround mix. Of course, you can bet their extras — documentaries, interviews (new and old), etc. — will be terrific. Highly, highly recommended.

Blu-Ray News #118: Junior Bonner (1972).

Directed by Sam Peckinpah
Starring Steve McQueen, Robert Preston, Ida Lupino, Joe Don Baker, Barbara Leigh, Ben Johnson, Dub Taylor

Sam Peckinpah’s Junior Bonner (1972) is a wonderful movie, plain and simple. And Kino Lorber’s bringing it to Blu-Ray this summer. Its previous DVD releases weren’t anamorphic, so this will be a huge leap forward.

If you haven’t seen it, you’re in for a real treat. I can’t recommend this one highly enough. Thanks to Paula for the photo of McQueen and Ben Johnson.

More Peckinpah Blu-Ray news — Criterion has announced Straw Dogs (1971) for June.