Hunt for the Jaws Blu Ray

Jaws, just the thought of it takes me back to the day my brother and I persuaded our babysitter to detour from the line for The Man Who Would be King in favour of the line for the film with a Poster that promised big sharks with big teeth. I was about 7 and the introduced me to the magic of Mr Spielberg, Duel , Close Encounters and my first cinematic love, Raiders of the Lost Ark.
   So yesterday I spent my lunch hour treking through Wellington, in search of the blu ray that was my own personal holy grail. My efforts went by unrewarded. Websites told me that 22 August was the New Zealand day of release. But I just couldn't find  a copy of it for love or money. What happened, why can't I find it anywhere. Not even my beloved JB Hi-Fi had a copy.
  So last night, I was down, today I spent yet another lunch hour in a fruitless search for the object of my obsession and still no joy.

   So a big thank-you to my wife who came to the rescue, yes I could've ordered online from Amazon. But nah so she took the matter in her own hands and ordered from a local supplier. If all goes well I will have the silver platter in my hands tomorrow night and I will be revisiting my favourite movie but this time in all its high def glory.
    I just wish I knew why I couldn't find it in JB

Election day and other plans

Well its a sunny morning in New Zealand and the start of a big day. Today the country goes to the polling boothes as Election day has arrived. To be honest its been a lacklustre campain and pundits are predicting an obvious outcome. I await this evenings results with subdued interest just to see if their predictions for a National outright win come to fruition.

My cinema going was curtailed last week due to the arrival of Twilight. I cannot understand the poplularity of this series. I have tried to watch it but without success. Its one film series that has passed me by. Instead I caught up with my sky plus recordings and watched a blu ray I purchased from our local Wellington JB Hifi bargain bin. Flash Gordon in alls its garish glory. Time might not have been kind to this blast from the past, but with its pounding Queen Soundtrack, weak dated special effects and another outstanding Brian Blessed performance I was once more in hog heavon. This film plays like a pantomime and though a good presentation on blu ray, I was a little put out by the lack of extras as I am sure there is an interesting behind the scenes story to be told about the making of this film.

But normal service will be resumed today myself and the Mrs, are going to experience the new Titan Xtreme cinema screen at Wellington's Courtney central. It promises to be a bigger, louder movie going experience so I will be seeing if the Hype matches my expectaitions. Were going to see the Immortals so hopefully it will be a good trip and my thoughts will follow later today, or early tomorrow.

Solomon Kane

Writer Ron E Howard’s creation might not be as well known as Conan or Krull but he is just as memorable character being a Puritan demon hunter on a relentless quest to battle evil. In 2009 I became aware of its existence as a movie directed by Michael J Bassett.

However this film has bypassed cinemas down under and instead is being release on DVD and Blu ray. Being an impatient sole and as knowing it had been released in the UK I obtained the Blu ray edition from Amazon.

This film is essentially an origin tale, taking our Anti hero from his days as a blood thirsty killing machine armed with his trusty pistols and cutlass and rapier. We are introduced to him as played by James Purefoy in the midst of a far eastern battle storming a citadel. This introduction ends with him being confronted by the Devils Reaper who has come for his soul.

He escapes and abandons his blood thirsty ways for a more monastic lifestyle renouncing violence and devoting his life to peace. But when forced to leave the monastery to step once  more into the outside world you know events will lead him to once more take up his weapons and embrace his darker side but this time to battle the evil forces out to corrupt a world he has come to value. James Purefoy takes on this role with relish; his transformation to pacifist back to killing machine is believable. Much about this film reminds me of Brotherhood of the Wolf form the photography and tone so it is no surprise to discover that  many of the background crew came from that  film and that it shares the same producers.

For me the film works, but then I’m a sucker for a swords and horror though it plays more like a fantasy action film the nearest film comparison I could make would be to the old hammer horror film Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter but obviously with a bigger budget and more style. I did feel it needed a more clearly identifiable villain but for what it is and the fact that it introduces a lesser known character to the screen I enjoyed it. Tonally it matched the marvel comic’s rendition that was my introduction to the character. Special effects are top notch and the cast of great British character actors as supporting characters bring quality to the film. Special mention goes to the late great Pete Postlethwaite who played an important role in driving this tale forward.

Sadly I would have liked to have seen this on the big screen, but OZ and NZ join the US as countries denied this opportunity and thinking of some of the dross I have sat through last year I find that a little sad. Still out of this Michael J Bassett has got the task of bring Silent Hill 2 to the screen which I look forward too based his handling of this film.

I recommend this on blu ray, picture is superb and James Purefoy owns the screen sadly this might be the only installment in his adventures but this is down to lack of distributors rather than the quality of the film. Village Roadshow are releasing the film in both Australia and New Zealand and it should be out now.

Star Wars Trilogy coming to Blu ray

Hot of the presses it has been announced at the CES show that the Star Wars complete saga will be coming to Blu ray in September 2011
Twentieth Century Fox Home entertainment will be releasing Star Wars in three distinct sets to meet the needs of Star Wars fans
Star Wars the Complete Saga on Blu Ray (9 disc set which will include all six films
Star Wars the Prequel Blu Ray Trilogy (3 disc set)
Star Wars Orginal Blu Ray Trilogy (3 Disc Set)