Hi, Mom!: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1970
Director: Brian De Palma
Writers: Charles Hirsch, Brian De Palma
Cast: Charles Durning, Robert De Niro, Allen Garfield, Lara Parker, Jennifer Salt, Paul Bartel, Gerrit Graham

Release Date: May 18th, 2026 (UK), May 19th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 86 Minutes 48 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 15 (UK), R (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), A,B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"Aspiring adult filmmaker Jon Rubin (Robert De Niro, Taxi Driver) returns from a tour of Vietnam and, armed with his film camera, attempts to find meaning and inspiration in the counterculture of New York in 1970. Rubin graduates from surreptitiously filming his neighbors to joining a militant Black experimental theater group before flirting with full-scale domestic terrorism, in this hilariously madcap satire that has still retained its outrageous power to shock, fifty years after initially stunning American audiences." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about the transfers, "Hi, Mom! was scanned in 4K resolution at Illuminate Hollywood in Studio City, California. The film has been meticulously restored and color graded in 4K HDR (Dolby Vision) at FilmFinity, London, working from a new 4K 16-bit scans of the original 35mm camera negative. FilmFinity's Digital Restoration Specialists used advanced image-processing tools to remove mant thousands of instances of dirt, erase scratches and gently correct age-related imperfections frame by frame. Paired with the new HDR grade, this restoration reveals striking clarity and depth while staying true to the film's original photographic character. No grain management, edge enhancement or artificial sharpening tools were used at any stage, preserving the authentic texture of the cinematography.

Dionysus in 69 is presented from the only available digital source, provided by Richard Schechner."

Hi, Mom! comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.1 GB

Feature: 60.8 GB

This new transfer is a marked improvement over Arrow Video’s 2018 Blu-ray release. The source looks excellent and the encode is solid. Flesh tones and colors look healthy; contrast, black levels, image clarity, and compression are solid, and the image always retains an organic look. That said, grain looks thicker in some scenes than others.

Hi, Mom! comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.6 GB

Feature: 23 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio is in excellent shape; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with writer Travis Woods.

Extras for the Blu-ray include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 56 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with producer Charles Hirsch titled Charles Hirsch on Hi, Mom! (9 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with film critic Ellen E Jones (12 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Son of Greetings: a collection of behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Hi, Mom! by filmmaker Peter Davis, featuring candid images of the cast and crew (76 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Travis Woods, and Dionysus in 69—an experimental theater production of Euripides' 'The Bacchae,' filmed by Brian de Palma (85 minutes 27 seconds, 1080 progressive, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Dionysus in 69: The structure of Dionysus in 69 is loosely based around Euripides' play, which deals with the myth of Dionysus and his revenge on the city responsible for his mortal mother’s death. The cast's improvisation largely causes the chaos and disjointedness of this version of Dionysus. Dionysus in '69 represents Brian De Palma's initial use of split screen, which he employs to its fullest potential. One camera captures the performance, while the other records the audience's reactions to what they are witnessing. The cast immerses themselves in their characters, contributing to the primal intensity of their performances.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 24-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Medium is the Message: The Interplay of Ideas in Brian De Palma’s Hi, Mom! written by Matt Zoller Seitz, A Note on Dionysus in 69, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

Vietnam veteran Jon Rubin has developed a peeping tom fetish since returning to New York. He watches his neighbors with his recently acquired camera. Joe Banner is a producer of pornographic films. Jon convinces him to finance a film about the sex lives of his neighbors. A falling out with Joe Banner leads Jon to an unlikely collaboration with one of his neighbors, Gerrit Wood, an avant-garde artist and an extremist Black Power organization. Has Jon found what he’s been looking for, or has he gone off the deep end?

By the late 1960s, the studio in Hollywood was on its last legs, and several ambitious filmmakers decided it was time to push the envelope. During this period of his career, Brian De Palma's cinema was heavily influenced by new French directors like Jean-Luc Godard and the films of Alfred Hitchcock. There are several similarities in Hi, Mom! that trace back to the cinema of Alfred Hitchcock. Jon Rubin likes L. B. Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Both characters like to explore their voyeuristic side through the lens of a camera as they watch their neighbor's every move.

Hi, Mom! Like most of De Palma’s earliest films, it is overflowing with biting dark humor and a distrust of authority. No scene in Brian De Palma’s filmography epitomizes subversive humor and distrust of authority more than the Be Black, Baby! sequences. Be Black, Baby! is a series of black-and-white scenes centered around a theater troupe that exposes a white audience to the experience of being Black. Additionally, the narrative focuses on Jon Rubin’s obsession with filming the sexual habits of his neighbors.

Where Greetings relied heavily on improvisation, Hi, Mom! features a more defined narrative structure. Visually, Hi, Mom! showcases greater experimentation with camera techniques compared to its predecessor. Robert De Niro returns in the role of Jon Rubin, and this time around he delivers a more fleshed-out performance. Eric Kaz delivers another solid score that is in line with his score for Greetings. Ultimately, Hi, Mom! effectively captures the essence of the late 1960s and serves as a platform for showcasing the talents of Brian De Palma and Robert De Niro before they achieved widespread recognition.

Hi, Mom! gets a definitive release from Radiance Films. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

                                                Dionysus in 69 Blu-ray Screenshots.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Dressed to Kill: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1980
Director: Brian De Palma
Writer: Brian De Palma
Cast: Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, Keith Gordon, Dennis Franz, David Margulies

Release Date: March 3rd, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 105 Minutes 24 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £29.99 (UK)

"After sexually frustrated housewife Kate Miller (Angie Dickinson) has a session with her psychiatrist, Dr Elliott (Michael Caine), she silently seduces a man in an art gallery – an assignation that ends in murder and the only witness, high-class prostitute Liz Blake (Nancy Allen), being stalked by the killer in turn." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The film is presented in 4K resolution in HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

The 4K master was supplied by MGM via Park Circus."

Dressed to Kill comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 93 GB

Feature: 75.4 GB

As much as I was impressed with Kino Lorber’s 2022 4K UHD release, I was blown away by this new release from Arrow Video. Having now owned Dressed to Kill on multiple formats—DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD—and multiple releases for each of these formats, I can say without a doubt this release by Arrow Video will be my go-to. That said, flesh tones look correct, color saturation, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a LPCM mono mix in English. Both audio mixes sound excellent. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. The DTS-HD 5.1 track is a very good remix track that expands upon the mono source. That said, the original mono track is the way to go. It is a solid track that does a fantastic job of exploiting the sound spectrum. Included with this release are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (20 stills), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Unrated/R-Rated/TV Rated Comparison (5 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette examining the changes made to avoid an X rating titled Slashing Dressed to Kill (9 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival documentary titled The Making of Dressed to Kill (43 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview Keith Gordon titled Lessons in Filmmaking (30 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview Nancy Allen titled Dressed in Purple (23 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview Angie Dickinson titled Dressed in White (29 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview producer George Litto titled Symphony of Fear (17 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Keith Gordon titled An Imitation of Life (14 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with associate producer and production manager Fred C. Caruso titled Killer Frames (8 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Nancy Allen titled Strictly Business (8 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by film critic Jessica Crets titled The Empathy of Dressed to Kill (9 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by film critics BJ and Harmony Colangelo  (11 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with film critic Maitland McDonagh, an audio commentary by film critics Drusilla Adeline and Joshua Conkel, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and 40-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled An Unbreakable Spell of Seduction and Anxiety: Memories of Dressed to Kill written by Sara Michelle Fetters, an essay titled Galleria della morte: De Palma, Giallo, and Dressed to Kill written by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, an essay titled Viewing the Kill(er): Dressed to Kill as Neo-Noir written by Matthew Sorrento, an essay titled Exploring the Intersectionality of Brian De Palma’s “Red Period” and Second Wave Feminism written by Heather Wixson, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Like so many from my generation, I first became aware of Brian De Palma via the film Scarface. And though there are many flourishes in Scarface that have become synonymous with his distinct style as a filmmaker, Scarface, for me, proved to be nothing more than a gateway for what was yet to come.

Also, like so many film enthusiasts who become enamored with a certain filmmaker and their canon of work, my cinematic journey through the films of Brian De Palma was far removed from the order in which they were originally released. I now consider him at his best, with Dressed to Kill, the film that I now consider his best, being the one that I viewed after I had tracked down the bulk of his filmography. More to come on that film later...

By the early 1980's, Brian De Palma was at a crossroads of sorts. After the huge success of Carrie just four years ago, his next three films all underperformed at the box office. Then, with Dressed to Kill, he would return to familiar territory, the thriller genre, and bring more to the table than his Alfred Hitchcock homage. Most importantly, Dressed to Kill would mark the beginning of what is arguably Brian De Palma’s most violent period as a filmmaker. Beginning with Dressed to Kill and culminating with Body Double.

Where a film begins, where it takes you, and how it ends are equal parts of a greater cause that ultimately needs each other to succeed. Ironically, nowhere is this more clear than in the dream/nightmare sequences that open and close Dressed to Kill. From a technical standpoint, both moments are operatic tour de forces that far exceed the eye candy that drives each sequence. In fact, there is so much subtext in these moments that they come damn near close to summarizing the events that unfold.

That said, the non-dream/nightmare sequences also have plenty to offer and should not be taken lightly. Like a master chess player, Brian De Palma makes sure that every character, no matter how small or inconsequential, is fully realized three-dimensionally. Let me reiterate, these are not your garden variety characters that Hollywood is hell-bent on recycling for each new blockbuster they spew out. The way Brian De Palma shows, actions have consequences, and the result of said consequences only further enriches the characters who populate Dressed to Kill.

Dressed to Kill appears to be Brian De Palma's attempt to find his own voice while relying less on his influences. The plot owes at least one nod to Brian De Palma’s greatest source of inspiration, Alfred Hitchcock. The way in which it kills off a major character by the end of the first act Of course, Dressed to Kill features a handful of other moments that are oddly similar to some of Brian De Palma’s contemporaries from abroad. Whether he was directly knowledgeable about these directors and their films is nothing more than a guess. In case you were wondering what scene I was most referring to, here is a hint: it takes place in an elevator.

When talking about the films of Brian De Palma, one thing that stands out is his strong sense of visual flair, which at times borders on flamboyant style for the sake of style. In Dressed to Kill, he does a very good job refining those moments of bravado and lets the well-defined character drive the story at hand. In a film with many remarkable visual set pieces, the most stunning of them all is a cat and mouse seduction scene at a museum. This is one of the most striking examples of music and sound that has ever graced the silver screen.

Of course, as good as every area of Dressed to Kill is, the one area where Dressed to Kill excels the most is the performances of its entire cast, especially Michael Caine (Sleuth) in the role of Doctor Robert Elliott. Without giving away the main twist of the film, let’s just say that his character's evolution is the most memorable part of this film. Other notable performances are Angie Dickinson (Police Woman) in the role of a woman whose one night of indiscretion leads to her murder; Keith Gordon (Christine) in the role of her slain woman's son; and Nancy Allen (Robocop) in the role of a high-priced call girl named Liz Blake.

If you haven’t guessed by now, Dressed to Kill is my all-time favorite Brian De Palma film. Where most films' appeals diminish over time, my affection for Dressed to Kill continues to grow with each subsequent viewing.

Dressed to Kill gets a definitive release from Arrow Video, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Raising Cain – Shout! Factory (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1992
Director: Brian De Palma
Writer: Brian De Palma
Cast: John Lithgow, Lolita Davidovich, Steven Bauer, Frances Sternhagen, Gregg Henry, Tom Bower, Mel Harris, Teri Austin, Gabrielle Carteris, Barton Heyman, Amanda Pombo

Release Date: September 13th, 2016
Approximate Running Times: 91 Minutes 31 Seconds (Theatrical Cut), 91 Minutes 58 Seconds (Directors Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: R (Theatrical Cut), NR (Directors Cut)
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English, DTS-HD 5.1 English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.93

"Carter Nix (John Lithgow, Interstellar, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) is a respected psychologist, a loving husband and a devoted father who decides to take a year off to help raise his daughter. Carter's wife Jenny is pleased to have her attentive husband home – at first. When Carter shows obsessive behavior toward their daughter, Jenny becomes concerned, and to complicate matters, Jenny's old flame re-enters her life. But nothing can prepare her for the emergence of Carter's multiple personalities, and a fiendish plot to recreate the infamous experiments of his deranged father." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Both Versions)

Raising Cain, the theatrical cut, comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.2 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

Raising Cain, the directors cut, comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.7 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

Though these two versions come from a dated source, it has been cleaned up. Quality-wise, there are no discernible differences between these two versions. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, and image clarity and black levels are strong. Also, there are no issues with compression, and though grain is present, it is more prominent in some scenes.

Audio: 4.25/5 (All Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks are in great shape; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras on disc one include an image gallery (23 images - posters/stills), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 5 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Mel Harris (8 minutes 43 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Tom Bower (8 minutes, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Gregg Henry (15 minutes 47 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with editor Paul Hirsch (10 minutes 49 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Steven Bauer (24 minutes actor, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with actor John Lithgow (30 minutes, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras on disc two include an appreciation by filmmaker Peet Gelderblom titled Changing Cain (2 minutes 23 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), and a video essay by Peet Gelderblom titled Raising Cain Re-cut (13 minutes 2 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Doctor Carter Nix is a prominent child psychologist who decides to spend his time at home raising his daughter and furthering his studies in child psychology. On the surface, he appears to be the perfect husband and father. Then a traumatic event occurs, shattering the world he once knew.

For Brian De Palma, the 1980s can be split into two distinctive halves; the first half saw him pushing the boundaries in regard to censorship, while the latter half he ventured into mainstream cinema. After Body Double he would return to the comedy genre with Wise Guys after a lengthy absence. The 1990s would see him once again in the comedy genre with The Bonfire of the Vanities before returning to the thriller genre. When all of his films from Body Double onward failed to live up to expectations, he would then finally make a grand return to the thriller genre with Raising Cain.

Raising Cain did not connect as well as Brian De Palma's previous thrillers when it was initially released. The main reason for this disconnect is that many viewers found the story to be too confusing in its present form. It has been reported that the version released in theaters was not Brian De Palma's original edit for Raising Cain. Flash forward; along comes a release like this one, which includes Brian De Palma’s original edit for the film. Besides strengthening characters and their motivations, another area where this new edit excels is its more linear structure than its predecessor.

All around, the entire cast is outstanding, especially John Lithgow (Blow Out), who takes on multiple roles and multiple personalities. He delivers a tour de force performance that easily ranks amongst his best work as an actor. Another performance of note is Lolita Davidovich (Gods and Monsters), who portrays Carter Nix’s adulterous wife, Jenny. The supporting cast features a few actors who previously worked with Brian De Palma: Steven Bauer (Scarface) and Gregg Henry (Body Double).

Brian De Palma’s films are known for their influences, and Raising Cain even has a few moments where he references his own films like Dressed to Kill. Alfred Hitchcock is a filmmaker who he’s drawn from in many films, and the scene where a car is being submerged in water is an homage to Psycho. In the finale there is a moment that looks eerily similar to a scene from Dario Argento’s Tenebre.

From a production standpoint, Brian De Palma is clearly in his element, and he fully exploits his resources. Though the story is well-defined, they take a backseat to the visuals, which are filled with techniques and style one has come to expect from a Brian De Palma film. The most notable moment is an 8-minute tracking shot where characters speak as they walk through hallways and downstairs. Another strength is composer Pino Donaggio’s (Carrie) exemplary score, which does a phenomenal job heightening the mood. Ultimately, when it comes to building and sustaining suspense, Raising Cain does not miss a beat.

Raising Cain gets a solid release from Shout! Factory that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

De Palma & De Niro: The Early Films – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: USA, 1968 (Greetings), USA, 1969 (The Wedding Party), USA, 1970 (Hi, Mom!)
Directors: Brian De Palma (All Films), Wilford Leach, Cynthia Munroe (The Wedding Party)
Cast: Jonathan Warden, Robert De Niro, Gerrit Graham (Greetings), Charles Pfluger, Jill Clayburgh, William Finley, Robert De Niro, Judy Thomas, Jennifer Salt (The Wedding Party), Charles Durning, Robert De Niro, Allen Garfield, Lara Parker, Jennifer Salt, Paul Bartel, Gerrit Graham (Hi, Mom!)

Release Date: December 3rd, 2018 (UK), December 11th, 2018 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 87 Minutes 24 Seconds (Greetings), 91 Minutes 48 Seconds (The Wedding Party), 86 Minutes 31 Seconds (Hi, Mom!)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Greetings, Hi, Mom!), 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (The Wedding Party)
Rating: 18 (UK), R (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono English (All Films)
Subtitles: English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: OOP

"In 1963, Robert De Niro stepped in front of a movie camera for the first time. The resulting film, a low-budget black and white comedy called The Wedding Party, would take three years to complete, and another three years to be released, but it would also establish a hugely important working relationship for the aspiring actor. One of the filmmakers, long before he became synonymous with suspense thanks to Carrie, Dressed to Kill and other classics, was Brian De Palma. He and De Niro would team up again in the next few years for two more comedies, both with a countercultural bent.

Greeting is a freewheeling satire focusing on a trio of twentysomething friends – a conspiracy theorist, a filmmaker, and a voyeur played by De Niro – as they try to avoid the Vietnam War draft. Hi, Mom!, originally named Son of Greetings, returns to De Niro’s voyeur, now an aspiring maker of adult films, for another humorous glimpse at late-sixties society, this time turning its attentions to experimental theatre, cinéma vérité, the African American experience, and the white middle classes." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5 (Greetings), 4.5/5 (The Wedding Party), 4.25/5 (Hi, Mom!)

Here’s the information provided about Greetings' and The Wedding Party's transfers, "The Wedding Party and Greetings have been exclusively restored by Arrow Films for this release.

The Wedding Party is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1 [sic] with mono audio. The original 35mm camera negative element was scanned in 2K resolution on a 4K Arriscan at OCN Labs, CT. The film was graded on Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master and restored at R3Store Studios in London.

All materials for this restoration were made available by Troma Entertainment Inc.

Greetings is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with mono audio. An original 35mm camera internegative element was scanned in 2K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director at EFilm, Burbank. The film was graded on Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master and restored at R3Store Studios in London.

All materials for this restoration were made available by Charles Hirsch and Academy Film Service."

Greetings and The Wedding Party come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.7 GB

Feature: 19 GB (Greetings), 20.8 (The Wedding Party)

Though Greetings is the weakest of the three transfers, it is still by far and away the best it has ever looked on home video. Some minor source debris remains, and grain remains intact, albeit at times it looks thick. Colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid.

The Wedding Party looks great; image clarity and compression are solid, and contrast and black levels are strong throughout.

Here’s the information provided about Hi, Mom!'s transfer, "Hi, Mom! has been exclusively restored by Arrow Films for this release and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with mono audio. An original 35mm interpositive element was scanned in 2K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director at EFilm, Burbank. The film was graded on Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master and restored at R3Store Studios in London.

All materials for this restoration were made available by MGM."

Hi, Mom! comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 28.2 GB

Feature: 25.5 GB

Hi, Mom! looks great; image clarity and compression are solid, contrast and black levels are strong throughout. That said, grain is more pronounced in the black and white sequences.

Audio: 4/5 (All Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English, and all films come with removable English SDH. All audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, all audio tracks are satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras on disc one include Greetings press book (4 images), an interview with screenwriter/producer Charles Hirsch titled Charles Hirsch on Greetings (11 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with film critic and filmmaker Howard S. Berger titled Brian De Palma: Early Years (11 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary for Greetings with Glenn Kenny, author of Robert De Niro: Anatomy of an Actor.

Extras on disc two include a theatrical trailer for Hi, Mom! (1 minute 54 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), and an interview with Charles Hirsch titled Charles Hirsch on Hi, Mom! (9 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art (Greetings on the front cover and The Wedding Party on the inside cover), reversible cover art for Hi, Mom! (inside cover art original poster art), a 44-page booklet with cast & crew information for The Wedding Party and Greetings, an essay titled A Life in Cinema, A Cinema in Life written by Brad Stevens, an essay titled Before the Revolution written by Chris Dumas, an essay titled The Director as Superstar: Brian De Palma written by Joseph Gelbis and information about the transfers, and a 20-page booklet with cast & crew information for Hi, Mom!, an essay titled American Godard written by Christina Newland and information about the transfer.

Summary:

“No, I think the basic influence was Godard, mainly because the Godardian manner had a lot of influence on Greetings and Hi, Mom!, going out in the street, improvising. Except we didn’t do so much improvising ultimately because we rehearsed everything so much, and we just didn’t have enough film to improvise. When you figure it all out, the most expensive thing in Greetings was the stock, and getting it processed. But that spontaneity, telling stories that are happening to you politically at the time, the people who are your friends, that you went to college with, stuff like that. I’d say Godard was the most influential. And plus he had this very stunning visual style, and was full of ideas.” - Brian De Palma

Greetings: Three friends try to avoid the Vietnam draft.

Greetings revolves around three friends: Jon Rubin (Robert De Niro), a peeping tom who wants to become a filmmaker; Lloyd Clay (Gerrit Graham), a conspiracy theorist who’s obsessed with John F. Kennedy’s assassination; and Paul Gerald Shaw (Jonathan Warden), a serial dater who uses a computer dating service.

Brian De Palma is one of Hollywood’s most controversial directors; several of his films have pushed the envelope. Throughout his career he has battled with the MPAA over content, and, in many instances, he was forced to alter his vision, while many of his peers were able to get away with things that he was punished for. Though Brian De Palma is most known for his Hitchcock-like thrillers, he initially began his career primarily working in the comedy genre. That said, comedy played a significant role in his first five feature films: The Wedding Party, Greetings, Murder à la Mod, Hi, Mom!, and Get to Know Your Rabbit.

Brian De Palma, even at this early stage of his career, has already developed a strong visual style—bold pastel title screens, sped-up motion, time-lapse photography, jump cuts, and partially masked lenses. Many of these camera techniques he still uses and has refined through the years. He also was the editor of Greetings, and his lightning-fast cuts help capture the chaotic mood of the late 1960s. Another strength of composer Eric Kaz’s score that perfectly captures the counterculture vibe of Greetings.

With Greetings, Brian De Palma takes advantage of his lack of budget as he uses the streets of New York to his fullest advantage. Greetings achieves its documentary feel through the actors improvising their dialog and their lack of knowledge of how to play to the camera. All three leads, Robert De Niro, Gerrit Graham, and Jonathan Warden, have little or no experience making movies. The lack of screen presence from the three leads actually helps the film give a gritty realism. One of Brian De Palma’s strongest attributes as a filmmaker is his ability to take controversial material and turn it into a satire. Uneven at times, Greetings is a fascinating look at late 1960s culture.

The Wedding Party: In the days leading up to his wedding, a groom gets cold feet.

So much of why The Wedding Party works revolves around the groom’s indecision. Though the premise is well-executed and the narrative presents the events that unfold in a conventional way. That said, The Wedding Party is a film that is more influenced by avant-garde cinema than by mainstream cinema. The influence of avant-garde cinema is most felt in the way sound is used and the way editing manipulates images

Most of the performances are serviceable. The most memorable performance is Judy Thomas’ portrayal of a wallflower named Celeste. Notable cast members include Jill Clayburgh (An Unmarried Woman) in the role of the bride, Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver) in the role of one of the groomsmen, and Brian De Palma regulars Jennifer Salt (Sisters) and William Finley (Phantom of the Paradise).

The production company's bankruptcy prevented The Wedding Party from being officially released until 1969, despite being filmed in 1963. Though this is the first feature film that Brian De Palma directed, to compare The Wedding Party to his other films would be unfair, since he was one of three co-directors.

Hi, Mom!: Vietnam veteran Jon Rubin has developed a peeping tom fetish since returning to New York. He watches his neighbors with his recently acquired camera. Joe Banner is a producer of pornographic films. Jon convinces him to finance a film about the sex lives of his neighbors. A falling out with Joe Banner leads Jon to an unlikely collaboration with one of his neighbors, Gerrit Wood, an avant-garde artist and an extremist Black Power organization. Has Jon found what he’s been looking for, or has he gone off the deep end?

By the late 1960s, the studio in Hollywood was on its last legs, and several ambitious filmmakers decided it was time to push the envelope. During this period of his career, Brian De Palma's cinema was heavily influenced by new French directors like Jean-Luc Godard and the films of Alfred Hitchcock. There are several similarities in Hi, Mom! that trace back to the cinema of Alfred Hitchcock. Jon Rubin likes L. B. Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Both characters like to explore their voyeuristic side through the lens of a camera as they watch their neighbor's every move.

Hi, Mom! Like most of De Palma’s earliest films, it is overflowing with biting dark humor and a distrust of authority. No scene in Brian De Palma’s filmography epitomizes subversive humor and distrust of authority more than the Be Black, Baby! sequences. Be Black, Baby! is a series of black-and-white scenes centered around a theater troupe that exposes a white audience to the experience of being Black. Additionally, the narrative focuses on Jon Rubin’s obsession with filming the sexual habits of his neighbors.

Where Greetings relied heavily on improvisation, Hi, Mom! features a more defined narrative structure. Visually, Hi, Mom! showcases greater experimentation with camera techniques compared to its predecessor. Robert De Niro returns in the role of Jon Rubin, and this time around he delivers a more fleshed-out performance. Eric Kaz delivers another solid score that is in line with his score for Greetings. Ultimately, Hi, Mom! effectively captures the essence of the late 1960s and serves as a platform for showcasing the talents of Brian De Palma and Robert De Niro before they achieved widespread recognition.

De Palma & De Niro: The Early Films is an excellent release that gives each film strong audio/video presentations and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer