How does a studio decide what films take precedence over another? When DVDs first arrived on the scene I remember being livid that Chairman of the Board was released at least three years before The Godfather. Anyway, now that every film and television show is released almost simultaneously with it’s first-run, there’s still a pile of great films that still haven’t gotten the attention they deserve.

1. The New Age
Michael Tokin is best known for writing The Player, but along with his directorial debut The Rapture, The New Age is another under-rated masterpiece from the master of satire.

2. Reds
Warren Beatty’s epic story of journalist John Reed. Roger Ebert called it the “thinking man’s Doctor Zhivago”. This film merits a two-disk special edition with extended interviews from the actual participants of this turbulent time in history.

3. From Beyond
One of the greatest “B” movies of the 80s. A nice 2 disk package along the lines of “Re-Animator” would do nicely. Recently, I have read in Rue Morgue that a worthy DVD package is indeed on it’s way. There have been a couple of attempts to get this out, (1) (2), but they’re nothing to speak of and good luck finding them online. Stuart Gordon is over-seeing the release of the 2 disk set.

4. The Devils
If ever a Ken Russell film should be uncut and digitally transferred it’s his 1974 film about Urbain Grandier, a priest accused of devil worship after being spurned by Sister Jeanne, a psychotic nun whose revenge deeds make Alex Forrest’s character in Fatal Attraction look like Sister Bertrille. Based on Aldous Huxley’s The Devils of Loudon, HKFlix once had a copy, but it is now, of course, on backorder. It isn’t even possible to get this title on VHS anymore unless you try it used on amazon.com. Warner Brothers - get off your asses!

5. White Hunter, Black Heart
A cheap-ass cardboard box version of this amazing Clint Eastwood film was released years ago, although this epic, philosophical classic, detailing the location shoot of “The African Queen”, hardly deserves such shoddy treatment. Clint Eastwood is brilliant as an artist in conflict (based on John Huston via the novel by Peter Viertel; who also wrote the screenplay for African Queen). A three disk set with the film, extras and the Huston film would be the best way to handle this.

To be continued…

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