My yearly musings on the @tcmtv.bsky.social Classic Film Festival programming and potential physical media releases. youtu.be/EmDbgd1RA84?...

When the world is screwy and you actively despise your job to the point that you’re driving through downtown in broad daylight with your windows rolled down blaring the main theme of 3 Days of the Condor while parking…all week. youtu.be/3Gwuo6Fto1U?...

I enjoyed discussing the James Bond 4K UHDs released so far and their various quirks on #BondAndBanter.

Thanks to @arrowvideo.bsky.social @flicker-alley.bsky.social Eureka and others for some of the finest physical media releases of all time last year. There’s a reason why they swept my nerdy disc awards. youtu.be/kbE33341qX0?...

I spent Valentine’s with Nick and Nora. If you haven’t read Hammett’s novel it’s FAR grittier and more convoluted than the film we adore.

When you decide to study the audio preservation of the Pink Panther series and find it’s a rabbit hole of variations and problems including: Fake stereo, 5.1 remixes, stereo remixes, noise reduction, pitch problems, overprocessing, missing elements and some releases with no original audio at all.

As usual, I don’t agree with some selections made for the NFR. Still this is the highest honor any film can receive. I find it deeply ironic that one of most deservedly won Best Sound Oscar films is on the same list with one of the worst ever mixes-which also got a Sound Oscar for some inane reason.

I review several media tie-ins to the 1990 Dick Tracy film in addition to the barebones Blu-ray release. One rewatch, many interviews, videos, articles, three script drafts, five books, two Beatty biographies (the man is an enigma) and more was consumed in making these. youtube.com/playlist?lis...

I’m premiering my review of @arrowvideo.bsky.social astounding restoration of THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY. youtu.be/CzsQE5qexMM?...

''Hollywood's like Egypt: full of crumbled pyramids. It'll never come back. It'll just keep on crumbling until finally the wind blows the last studio prop across the sands.'' - David O. Selznick Somewhere Jack Warner is screaming bloody murder. www.reuters.com/legal/transa...

Another dream release from La La Land records. lalalandrecords.com/thunderball-...

Some of the errors, deletions and sloppy work I’ve found so far in the terribly defective Atmos remixes of the Connery era #jamesbond 4K UHDs. These have hideous noise reduction levels, music replacements and crazy deletions. Do not ever listen to these botched things!!

I had a lovely talk with Devan about the Dollars trilogy restorations @arrowvideo.bsky.social painstakingly carried out.

This must be an all timer Rick McCallum quote up there with “it’s so dense”. He says the “fun” of AOTC is similar to the “beauty” that occurs just before a car crash. From the oral history book Secrets of the Force.

There is a 100% chance the copy of Lost Highway is completely rotted. That LD pressing is one of the worst rotters I’ve ever encountered. www.juliensauctions.com/en/items/142...

Arrow’s LE of A Fistful of Dollars has arrived. I made it into a booklet.😳🤯 My research journey began with these films over 20 years ago as a geeky teen.

I’m trying to read all of the DC Pulp Heroes annuals from 1997. This Superman story is very fun with some Doc Savage flavor-and then on the last page there’s a cameo of Doc and the Fabulous Five. This makes me deliriously happy.

I talk about some of the highlights in this year’s Film on Film festival, which is the greatest repertory film festival program I’ve ever seen. The BFI has outdone themselves yet again. This is a film lover’s paradise. youtube.com/watch?v=IBaF...

When you’re reading a fan translated Young Indiana Jones KIDS book…and Young Indy holds a gun to the head of a Phantom of the Opera like madman to make him reveal the location of additional time bombs scattered throughout 1915 Venice. French Young Indy is hardcore like that.

If I could somehow get my hands on them: Live And Let Die IB Tech release print Star Wars UK IB Tech release print

I received my order from the wonderful @indicator.bsky.social site sale. I definitely splurged this time! youtu.be/VIr-ehAvxuU?...

AMERICAN MADNESS is the definition of a lightning in a bottle film. Every film Capra made up to this point was very good or great, but to me this is the first indisputable masterpiece. Capra and Riskin were a perfect creative team and the production is absolute perfection. It still resonates today.

One spot of unexpected good news found in the back of today’s FCBD Phantom issue. PHANTOM 2040 IS BACK! The most prescient future superhero reinvention series was cancelled FAR too soon and never gets any respect. This will be a new comic on Comics Kingdom.

When something finally makes your very niche passions feel seen. Both Speed Racer and The Phantom for FCBD?!?! It’s like I’m dreaming.

That canceled TV show you’ll never stop thinking about

I’m premiering my review of the Warner Archive 4K UHD and Blu-ray release of The Searchers. The Archive and Fidelity In Motion did excellent work on the disc release but it is yet another severely compromised Warner studio master with really glaring flaws. youtu.be/h8KKHoQojD0?...

I was interviewed for this article on the Warner DVD disc rot issue. If you have WB DVDs from 2006-2009 definitely check to see if they’re still working properly. I go into more details in this video update on what to look for: youtu.be/K8sXaH6Uxik?...

Labyrinth of Horus is the best of the German #IndianaJones novels and one of the best Indy novels overall. A truly fun adventure now available in a lovely fan translation. youtu.be/d7WJGz3CMyk?...

I made my annual #TCMFF highlights video. Each year is not only a treasure trove of rare print screenings but also an indicator of physical media releases to come. This year sees treasures from the BFI and never exhibited 8 perf full VistaVision prints! youtu.be/EYQpcnmJKsE?...

I had a blast recording this. We discussed the possibilities and likely elements used for the upcoming Warner Bros Connery era #jamesbond 4K UHDs.

HAPPENING NOW! www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/collections/...

This makes me happy and it feels like perfect timing since I just reread Dr. No.

I made a new update video on the @warnerbrospictures.bsky.social DVD disc rot situation complete with what identifiers to look for. youtu.be/K8sXaH6Uxik?...

I’m premiering my review of the Warner 4K UHD of North By Northwest tonight. This is a major upgrade from past flawed restorations and video masters, but has a whole host of completely avoidable yet sadly typical Warner problems. youtu.be/0XVqXCDU9nE?...

What childhood TV shows most directly influenced your personal aesthetic as an adult? Robert Osborne TCM intro/outros At the Movies Speed Racer The Avengers The Saint Batman the Animated Series Sunday Morning Shootout I was a strange child…

I review the fan translated sixth German #IndianaJones novel, SECRET OF EASTER ISLAND. This book features the gloriously over the top climactic sequence I can only describe as Volcano Thunderdome. youtu.be/OUax-BO8b3U?...

The first book was so good that I would stand in line at a bookstore waiting for this sequel…if any bookstore had a line for Batman nerds. comicbook.com/movies/news/...

I’m premiering my annual Best Physical Media Awards tonight before the Oscars start for anyone interested: youtu.be/fsdXWyxFMTA?...

Thank you to everyone who supported this year’s ’Nitrate Film Festival’ 🎞️🌟 What a privilege to host once-in-a-lifetime screenings with packed houses at the Egyptian! Here are some photos from our THE UNHOLY THREE (1930) nitrate screening introduced by author Michael Blake.

If you see this, share a skeleton.

The energy I bring to BlueSky

Gene Hackman always served the material itself. His performances were so complete that the craft was invisible and his name in the credits alone earned your attention. NIGHT MOVES is an acting masterclass. So are each and every one of his performances. variety.com/2025/film/ob...

I despise Amazon’s practices. Thanks to EON I’ll have to work for them. I will never give up on James Bond. To paraphrase a line from Fleming, James Bond was something of a father to me at a time when I happened to need one. I guess I’ve always liked a challenge. youtu.be/9aovD2WsEis?...

#JamesBond fans everywhere variety.com/2025/film/gl...

For Valentine’s Day…I made a nearly two hour video analysis of Ian Fleming’s masterpiece FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. youtu.be/yztasMULQE0?...

When you read a book that contains a sequence that is so delightfully over the top it takes you a moment to process it. This book has Indiana Jones in a sequence that can only be described as VOLCANO THUNDERDOME. I didn’t know that was something I needed right now. I did. Immensely.

As per a discussion on the Discord in which we agreed that the film should have ended two scenes earlier, I fixed the ending to THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1999).

I’m premiering my review of the Criterion Blu-ray and UHD boxset of PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID. Aka the set where they refused to restore either director’s preview version… youtu.be/MD5QTJxGTLI?...

Two unbelievably terrible films that I never thought would see a UHD are getting a UHD with Dolby Vision. Instead of the two very good Don Sharp directed films this series started with! Why is crap respected more than good work? Castle is woeful but Blood is one of the worst films I’ve ever seen.

Without downloading any new pics, where are you mentally?