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Sidney Lumet’s harrowing film is a true-life account of a NY narcotics detective- turned government informant; its length and intensity can be emotionally overpowering. Treat Williams is the idealistic cop who blows up his whole life and ends up betraying all the people he hoped to protect. He doesn’t seem to understand the ruthless, opportunistic nature of ‘systemic reform’ as he goes from good guy to the object of hate for both crooks and cops, and a target for the very same system that welcomed his help. The Wac made an excellent choice with this one — it’s one of the most deserving, underappreciated films of the early 1980s.

Prince of the City

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1981 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 167 min. / Available at Amazon.com / Street Date August 24, 2021 / 21.99

Starring: Treat Williams, Jerry Orbach, Richard Foronjy, Don Billett, Kenny Marino, Carmine Caridi, Tony Page, Norman Parker, Paul Roebling, Bob Balaban,...

Ken Burns and Co. made a big splash with this historical docu miniseries that in 1990 gripped the imagination of the whole country. Eleven hours of history are a breeze when presented in what was then a new form: authentic photos and paintings accompanied by actorly recitals of letters and documents from the era. It all comes to life. The people enduring the War Between the States seem just like us, as if it all happened yesterday. The Civil War DVD PBS Video 1990 / Color + B&W / 1:33 flat / 11 hours, 20 min. / 25th Anniversary Edition / Street Date October 13, 2015 / 99.99 Starring Shelby Foote, Ed Bearss, Barbara Fields, James Symington, Stephen B. Oates, William Safire, Daisy Turner and the voices of Sam Waterston, Julie Harris, Jason Robards, Morgan Freeman, Paul Roebling, Garrison Keillor, David McCullough (narrator), Arthur Miller, Charles McDowell, Horton Foote, George Plimpton, Philip Bosco, Jody Powell, Studs Terkel, Jeremy Irons, Derek Jacobi, Kurt Vonnegut Jr.,...

Columbia Pictures is set to remake the 1983 action thriller Blue Thunder, only this time instead of a tricked-out hi-tech helicopter, the story will revolve around a more advanced piece of surveillance weaponry with a state-of-the-art Drone at the center of the action. Marvel Studios executive and writer Craig Kyle (Thor) is updating the screenplay, with Fifty Shades of Grey's Dana Brunetti set to produce. The movie will reunite Brunetti with Fifty Shades producer Michael De Luca, who is now president of production at Columbia, and will oversee the project.

The Sony-based studio Escape Artists were simultaneously developing their own take on the material, but will now join this remake as a producer. The new version of the story is said to be 'timely', as it will explore the exploding use of drone technology in our society, both privately and in government sectors. This is just one of many Drone movies heading our way soon.