I first came to Peter Sellers through the Pink Panther films. I loved those films as a kid. Well, if I’m being honest, I loved the cartoons that ran in the opening credits and then all the silly slapstick bits, but not so much the actual stories. But lucky for them, those films are full of silly slapstick bits. Later, I loved him in Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. And then I discovered films like The Ladykillers and Being There and became a fan.
Buy Peter Sellers Early ClassicsBut the thing is I’ve never been a gigantic fan. There are still lots of his films that I’ve never seen. This new set from Kino Lorber aims to help with that. It features five of his earliest starring roles (Man in a Cocked Hat, Two-Way Stretch, I’m All Right Jack, Heaven’s Above, and The Wrong Arm of the Law), none of which I’ve seen but am totally intrigued by. I’m excited to give them a watch, and now they are my Pick of the Week.
Also out this week that looks interesting:
Somewhere in Time: Christopher Reeve stars as a man who becomes obsessed with a picture of a beautiful woman from the past (Jane Seymour). He discovers a way to travel in time and meet her. And then fall in love. And then…well, you’ll have to read my review to find out.
The Devil’s Advocate: Keanu Reeves plays a young hotshot lawyer who gets a job at a prestigious law firm only to discover his boss is literally the Devil (played by Al Pacino). Shout Factory has given it the UHD treatment.
Picture of a Nymph: Supernatural kung fu film about a monk who takes in a scholar, and they both battle demons. Sounds fun, and I’ve never gone wrong with watching a film from 88 Films.
Viridiana: Luis Buñuel directed this drama about a novice nun trying to maintain her principles and being thwarted by her lecherous uncle and numerous others at every turn. Criterion has the release.
