Blu-Ray/DVD Review: 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller' Criterion Collection

When it was released in 1971, the critical response to Robert Altman’s revisionist anti-western, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, was positive, but tempered. Co-star Julie Christie received an Academy Award nomination, celebrated cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond’s gauzy camerawork earned a BAFTA nomination, and a few other accolades added up. Over the years, however, it’s become recognized as a classic of the American New Wave. A maverick, anti-establishment feature, and the Criterion Collection just released a fantastic new Blu-ray worthy of that elevated status.

Blu-Ray/DVD Review: Criterion's 'The Complete Lady Snowblood'

Odds are that if you’re familiar with Lady Snowblood, it’s in reference to Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Vol. 1. Toshiya Fujita’s 1973 Japanese revenge flick is a huge influence, stylistically and content wise—Tarantino borrows characters, plot points, visual cues, and even the overall structure. If you haven’t watched Lady Snowblood, or the sequel, 1974’s Lady Snowblood 2: Song of Vengeance, now is the perfect time to climb on that train, as Criterion just released a fantastic collection.