CriterionCast

Tidbits: Trailer Arrives For Silver Linings Playbook, Marvel Setting Up Guardians Of The Galaxy, More

As usual, The Weinstein Company have a monster slate set for 2012. With Django Unchained and The Master arriving this year, there is one film however, that has slowly passed us all by. That is, until now.

The first trailer for David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook has arrived, and while the lead Bradley Cooper may leave many cold (let’s just say this writer isn’t his biggest fan), the film looks to be a strong follow-up to Russell’s fantastic boxing picture, The Fighter. The film also stars Jennifer Lawrence, and is based off of Matthew Quick’s novel, following a mentally unstable former-teacher who moves back in with his mother. Personally, I love the look and feel of this film, and while the cast may be odd at best, this film has a shocking level of promise and should make for one hell of a third film from the distributor.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj5_FhLaaQQ&version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0]

In other news, Latino Review reports that Marvel’s long talked about secret 2014 film will be revealed at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, and will be none other than Guardians Of The Galaxy. This would fit perfectly in the studio’s plans for Avengers 2, as the one remaining question with regards to the plot point revealed in the first film is how the studio will go about using the celestial aspect of the universe. Kevin Feige has also said, however, that they plan on introducing a character, not multiple, with this film, so it remains to be seen as to just what the studio’s plans are. All will be revealed come SDCC this year.

Finally, Universal will be releasing a Blu-ray box set of nine of their classic monster films this fall, joining their recently announced 15-film Hitchcock set. The films span the classic history of Universal’s monster fair, and even includes a Blu-ray of the Spanish Dracula film, in what is a really beautiful little box set. Toss in a gorgeous book, and you’ve got something that horror hounds will be freaking out about come October 2.

Here are the specs:

Dracula (US and Spanish versions):

  • Introduction to the Spanish language version by Lupita Tovar Kohner
  • Audio Commentaries: Film Historian David J. Skal; Dracula: Dead and Loving It screenwriter Steve Haberman
  • Alternate Philip Glass score performed by the Kronos Quartet
  • Monster Tracks interactive pop-up feature about the making of Dracula
  • The Road to Dracula  Featurette
  • Lugosi: The Dark Prince Featurette
  • Dracula: The Restoration Featurette
  • The Dracula Archives feature
  • Trailer gallery

Frankenstein:

  • Audio Commentaries:  Film historian Rudy Behlmer; Historian Sir Christopher Frayling
  • Monster Tracks interactive pop-up feature about the making of Frankenstein
  • The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster Featurette
  • Karloff: The Gentle Monster  Featurette
  • Universal Horror featurette  Featurette
  • The Frankenstein Archives feature
  • Boo!: A Short Film
  • 100 Years Of Universal featurette: Restoring the Classics
  • Trailer gallery

The Mummy:

  • Audio Commentaries:  Rick Baker, Scott Essman, Steve Haberman, Bob Burns, and Brent Armstrong;  Film historian Paul M. Jensen
  • Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
  • He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art Of Jack Pierce
  • Unraveling the Legacy of The Mummy
  • The Mummy Archives feature
  • 100 Years Of Universal featurette: The Carl Laemmle Era
  • Trailer gallery

The Invisible Man:

  • Audio commentary by film historian Rudy Behlmer
  • Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed behind-the-scenes featurette
  • 100 Years Of Universal featurette: Unforgettable Characters
  • Production photographs

Bride of Frankenstein:

  • Audio commentary with Scott MacQueen
  • She’s Alive! Creating The Bride Of Frankenstein behind-the-scenes featurette
  • The Bride of Frankenstein Archives feature
  • 100 Years Of Universal featurette: Restoring the Classics
  • Trailer gallery

The Wolf Man:

  • Audio commentary with film historian Tom Weaver
  • The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth  Featurette
  • Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.  Featurette
  • He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art Of Jack Pierce
  • The Wolf Man Archives feature
  • 100 Years Of Universal featurette: The Lot
  • Trailer gallery

Phantom of the Opera (1943):

  • Audio commentary with Scott MacQueen
  • The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked behind-the-scenes featurette
  • 100 Years Of Universal featurette: The Lot
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Production photographs

Creature from the Black Lagoon:

  • Original 3D version of the film
  • 2D version of the film
  • Audio commentary with Tom Weaver
  • Back to The Black Lagoon behind-the-scenes featurette
  • 100 Years Of Universal featurette: The Lot
  • Trailer gallery
  • Production photographs

Source The Playlist / Latino Review / IGN

Joshua Brunsting

Josh is a critic, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, a wrestling nerd, a hip-hop head, a father, a cinephile and a man looking to make his stamp on the world, one word at a time.