Blu-ray/DVD/Streaming Reviews & News
Entries from June 2012
By Lee Pfeiffer
Warner Brothers has released director John Boorman's 1972 classic Deliverance as a Blu-ray special edition to celebrate the film's 40th anniversary. Unless you've been living on a remote mountain top in the back woods of Georgia, you probably know the premise of the film. Four city slickers decide to take a weekend bachelor holiday and canoe down a Georgia river. A dam is being constructed that will not only kill off the magnificent river, but also bury historical old towns at the same time. The men are Ed (Jon Voight), Lewis (Burt Reynolds), Drew (Ronny Cox) and Bobby (Ned Beatty). As with any mingling of men, there's plenty of coarse humor and insults tossed around, with Lewis, who prides himself on his survivalist abilities, dispensing much of it at the group's newcomer, Bobby-a rather timid and overweight man who is intimidated at the prospect of white water rafting in such a remote area. The trip starts off as a fun-filled jaunt, with the men amused by the local population of hillbillies, some of whom clearly resent their presence. Nevertheless, the initial hours of rafting are exciting and invigorating. Things go horribly awry when Ed and Bobby become lost and encounter two creepy mountain men (Bill McKinney and "Cowboy" Coward), who terrorize them and subject Bobby to a humiliating rape. Before they can do the same to Ed, Lewis arrives and kills one of the mountain men with an arrow, but the other culprit escapes into the deep woods. The men now face a moral and legal dilemma as they debate what to do next. Deciding that the clannish local authorities would never buy their claim of self-defense, they dispose of the body and hope to cover up the life-altering incident. Complications arise, however, when they discover that the escaped mountain man is stalking them with murder on his mind.
Deliverance was based on the best-selling novel by legendary Southern poet James Dickey (who makes his acting debut in the film, giving a fine performance as a local sheriff). Britain's John Boorman may have seemed an odd choice to direct a film set in the American wilderness, but it's now inconceivable that anyone could have handled this difficult material more skillfully. Boorman had already shown his skill at directing macho-themed movies such as Point Blank and Hell in the Pacific. Deliverance would be the great triumph of his long career. There's plenty of praise to go around for everyone else involved. The only legitimate "star" at the time was Jon Voight, who was riding high from his recent success in Midnight Cowboy. Burt Reynolds had been around for many years, toiling in TV series and B movies. This film would elevate him to superstar status. Perhaps most impress are the performances of Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty, both of whom made their screen debuts in this film. Watching the movie today, it seems inconceivable that Beatty did not receive an Oscar nomination, considering his remarkable performance as a man coping with the ordeal of having been raped. All four actors give superb performances and there is also special praise due for the largely unknown actors and people from the local population who add immeasurably to the atmosphere of the film. Particularly impressive are the actors who played sinister mountain men. "Cowboy" Coward, the toothless hillbilly, was actually an unknown stuntman who worked with Burt Reynolds fifteen years earlier in a children's theme park based on a town in the Old West. Bill McKinney, who would go on to a long career playing cads, is even more remarkable- and during his death sequence, he set a cinematic record for keeping his eyes open for over six minutes without blinking! Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does yeoman work, capturing both the beauty and the sinister aspects of rural Georgia.
The film's impact has not diminished one iota over the years. Deliverance, like many artistic triumphs, is an often painful but thought-provoking experience that ranks among the great adventure films of all time.
Warner Brother's Blu-ray edition resurrects the special features from the 2007 collector's edition DVD:
- a multi-part series of "behind the scenes" featurettes with all of the principals including Boorman and Zsigmond
- commentary track by John Boorman
- a vintage "making of" production short that centers on James Dickey's involvement with the film
- a theatrical trailer that is suitably ominous but gives away too many key scenes
- a wonderful brand new featurette that reunites the four actors at the Burt Reynolds Museum in Jupiter, Florida where Reynolds has an entire room dedicated to props from the film. The four men, who have remained friends over the decades, seem to truly relish reliving the trials and tribulations of making the film and its great to watch them reminisce.
The Blu-ray is attractively packaged in a hardback, 42 page book featuring interviews and rare behind the scenes production stills.
This release is a suitably impressive tribute to a very impressive cinematic achievement.
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By Lee Pfeiffer
Released in an obvious attempt to capitalize on Norman Jewison's racially-charged 1967 Oscar winner In the Heat of the Night, MGM's 1969 suspense drama tick...tick...tick... attempts to emulate the smoldering tensions in a small southern town that permeated the earlier film. The MGM release is not on the caliber of the Jewison production but it is a consistently engrossing, well-acted drama that calls to mind just how relatively recently the civil rights battle had to be fought in the American South. By 1969, integration may have been the law of the land, but in fact, there were many places where attempting to implement the law would have been a death sentence. The story takes place in small Southern town where the only thing hotter than the broiling summer temperatures is the barely-concealed rage of the local population. Seems that while the apathy of white voters resulted in them staying home on election day, a black candidate for Sheriff, Jimmy Price (Jim Brown) managed to rally the minority population and pull off an unexpected win. The townspeople blame the previous Sheriff, John Little (George Kennedy) for not campaigning aggressively enough. The tough-as-nails Little is humiliated by his defeat by a black man, but takes solace from his compassionate wife (Lynn Carlin). Meanwhile, Price has plenty of problems of his own. He fully expects to be ridiculed and ignored by the locals and realizes he must quickly assert his ability to carry out the law and win the respect of those who loathe him. He's also trying to be a good father to his young son and a dedicated husband to his nervous, pregnant wife (Janet MacLaclan), who understands the dangers he faces on a daily basis. When Price arrests a well-connected white man, the entire town becomes a tinderbox. Price is threatened by the man's influential brother, who is going to literally invade the town with an army of vigilantes. He's also hated by his one-time friends in the black community because he tries to prevent them from engaging in a race war. Desperately in need of help, Price loses his one deputy to a horrific attack by unknown assailants. He forms an odd relationship with former Sheriff John Little, who reluctantly agrees to serve as his deputy. This sets off a major scandal with both men alienated in their respective communities.
tick...tick...tick remains thoroughly engrossing, thanks to the fine direction of old hand Ralph Nelson and James Lee Barrett's intelligent screenplay. The film also affords Jim Brown a rare opportunity to play a man of substance instead of the cliched action hero he was so often cast as. He delivers a good, understated performance and is more than matched by Kennedy as the sympathetic loser who is desperately trying to regain the respect he once commanded. The film boasts some excellent actors in supporting roles, topped by a frail Fredric March in his next-to-last screen role. As the town's mayor, he may be the product of a bigoted way of life, but he also sees the writing on the wall when it comes to racial equality and adopts some surprisingly progressive stances. This ability to have characters play opposite of their stereotypes helps set the film apart from similarly-themed films of the era. Other notable character actors on board include Don Stroud, Dub Taylor and Clifton James. Bernie Casey is a local trouble maker who locks horns with Brown and the movie affords us the opportunity to see two former football greats going mano-a-mano in a brutal fight. The film builds to a tense conclusion with an upbeat (if not overly optimistic) final scene that manages to be inspiring.
tick...tick...tick is certainly not a classic, but it is well worth viewing and it's release on DVD through the Warner Archive is most welcome.
The DVD contains an original TV spot as a bonus.
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By Lee Pfeiffer
Twilight Time has released Fritz Lang's classic 1953 film noir The Big Heat as a limited edition (3,000 units) Blu-ray. The movie ranks among the top films in the noir genre and time has only increased its appeal. Glenn Ford is Dave Bannion, a dedicated police detective who begins to suspect that the apparent suicide of a fellow cop might be linked to department-wide corruption. His hunch proves correct as it becomes evident that virtually the entire police department, right up to the commissioner, is controlled by local crime kingpin Mike Lagana (Alexander Scourby). When Bannion receives warnings to lay off the investigation, he ignores them and continues to pursue leads. Before long, not only he but his beloved wife (Jocelyn Brando) and daughter are targeted for death. Lang's penchant for creating a dark, foreboding atmosphere is on display here. Most of the scenes are interiors or dank, dangerous locations. The film's central plot is mesmerizing from the shocking opening frames. As a leading man, Ford could usually be described as handsome, affable and reliable but "dynamic" would hardly be associated with his screen persona. In The Big Heat, however, Ford gives what is arguably the best performance of his career. As the gangsters take their toll on him, he becomes a man obsessed, menacing men and women alike. His only ally is Debby Marsh (wonderfully played by Gloria Grahame), a ditzy but lovable gun moll who suffers terribly from her attempts to aid Bannion. Director Lang brings real pathos to the proceedings. Bannion is the ultimate family man-- and he has a sexually playful relationship with his wife, something refreshing for a film from this period. When his wife and kid are menaced, Bannion's rage brings him to the brink of committing murder himself. Supporting characters are tortured, scalded, and even children are threatened.
There are many memorable scenes in the film and most feature an impressive array of terrific supporting actors including Lee Marvin outstanding as a charismatic, but vicious thug who squares off with Bannion in the action-packed finale. Lang loved his adopted country, America, ever since he had fled Nazi Germany rather than serve as one of their propagandists. However, he was always dismayed by instances of injustice and often reflected these concerns in his films. The Big Heat might well have been the most daring expose of police corruption seen in any film until that time. The film remains a mini-masterpiece of its kind and all retro movie buffs should have it in their movie libraries.
The Twilight Time Blu-ray presents a terrific transfer that does full justice to the outstanding camerawork of Charles Lang. The package includes the usual informative collector's booklet written by Julie Kirgo, but don't read it before watching the film as it is filled with spoilers. A re-release trailer is also included.
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By Lee Pfeiffer
Fox has released the 2011 film adaptation of the classic children's tale Mr. Popper's Penguins as a Blu-ray special edition that also contains a standard DVD version. The original 1938 book by Richard and Florence Atwater has been updated to contemporary times and is set in New York City. Jim Carrey, who has regained his comedy mojo, is in top form as the titular character. As a boy, young Tom Popper idolized his father, who was an intrepid explorer. Although the two rarely saw each other, Poppa Popper used to stay in touch every night on ham radio from exotic ports of call and transfix his young son with tales of his adventures. Cut to decades later. Young Popper is now a middle-aged real estate hot shot living in a posh Manhattan penthouse. His obsession with his career has led to his wife Amanda (Carla Gugino) leaving him and taking custody of their teenage daughter Janie (Madeline Carroll) and young son Billy (Maxwell Perry Cotton). Although Tom is lovable and possesses a goofy sense of humor, his relationship with his children is strained because he is irresponsible and unreliable when it comes to promises he's made to them. Shortly after the death of his beloved father, Tom receives an unusual inheritance: six live penguins, a token of his father's esteem. At first, Popper is understandably frazzled, as coping with penguins in a Manhattan apartment, no matter how spacious, is a recipe for disaster. Through a misunderstanding, his children believe the penguins are pets for them. Having finally earned the gratitude of his children, Popper can't bring himself to donate the animals to a zoo so he concocts elaborate schemes to house them and care for them secretly, 'lest the board of the apartment building evicts all the inhabitants of Popper's penthouse.
Much of the fun from this smartly written and well-directed film is the sheer joyfulness of watching the penguins "perform". Although CGI was indeed used in key sequences, amazingly, most of the sequences relied upon trained penguins to perform some astonishing stunts. Director Mark Waters deftly weaves the human elements of the story in with the mayhem caused by the animals. Tom Popper's career nosedives when he becomes obsessed with caring for his frisky pets. Consequently, he seems unable to land a deal to convince a wealthy woman (Angela Lansbury) to allow him to broker a deal to buy the legendary Tavern on the Green in Central Park. (Tragically, the happy ending in the film was not mirrored in real life: the restaurant closed.) Popper keeps up a maddening pace, trying to keep his hard-nosed, demanding bosses happy as well as attempting to win back the affection of his wife and kids. The film is delightful throughout and Carrey has never been funnier. There are many memorable sequences, one of which involves the penguins disrupting a posh black tie gathering at the Guggenheim in much the same way the Three Stooges used to upstage champagne-drinking snobs. The supporting cast is also very winning, with both Carroll and Cotton giving admirable performances as Popper's kids, Gugino both sexy and sympathetic as his long-suffering wife and Lansbury, impressive in her most memorable role in years. There are also gems of cameos by Philip Baker Hall as Popper's grumpy boss and the always impressive Lee Moore in a fine bit as Popper's attorney.
The Blu-ray/DVD package is loaded with extras including some very interesting "making of" featurettes, a gag reel and deleted scenes (some of which should have remained in the film).
Mr. Popper's Penguins wasn't a blockbuster at the box-office, but it will undoubtedly become a family favorite that will perennially delighted generations to come.
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RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM CINEMA RETRO'S ARCHIVES
By Lee Pfeiffer
A&E has released every episode of the classic spy series Secret Agent starring Patrick McGoohan in a comprehensive boxed set. The show was widely seen as having been inspired by the success of the James Bond series, but by the time it ran in the USA under the title of Secret Agent, it had already been a hit show in the UK known as Danger Man - and it clearly preceded the 007 craze. The show ran as half-hour episodes in England but was expanded to one hour when a deal was made to air the program in America. It proved to be one of the last successful series to have been shot in black-and-white. McGoohan, who turned down the role of James Bond prior to Sean Connery being signed for the part, disdained sex and violence in popular entertainment. Thus, his protagonist, agent John Drake, relies on his wits and fists as opposed to weapons in order to thwart his enemies. Drake romanced women, but generally as a necessary aspect of the mission and not in a quest to achieve sexual fulfillment, as Bond often did. The boxed set contains the same transfers and extras that had been available previously from A&E, but this time they are conveniently packed in slim-line cases and have been made available in one boxed set.
The show holds up remarkably well, with excellent, believable scripts and superior acting being the series' hallmarks. McGoohan, known to be a quirky, short-tempered man in real life, is never less than compelling as Drake. The series also boasts an impressive array of talented actors and actresses who would go on to find stardom in their own rite during the 1960s. American fans of Secret Agent will find the half-hour Danger Man episodes of particular interest since these did not air in the USA. The set features some modest extras including a biography and filmography of McGoohan, a photo gallery and the original American opening credits sequence that showcased Johnny Rivers' smash hit title theme song (which was never broadcast in the UK). It should be noted that the set also includes the color two-part episode that was turned into the feature film Koroshi, which was released theatrically in certain countries. If you don't already have this classic series in your library, this affordable collection of all 86 episodes should prove to be irresistable now that its available in one boxed set that consists of 18 DVDs running over 57 hours.
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By Lee Pfeiffer
For all its fame, Camelot has always been treated like a second-rung achievement in the history of enduring Broadway musicals. The original 1960 stage production starred the dream cast of the era: Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet and ran two years on the Great White Way. The play also became hip to see because none other than President John F. Kennedy proclaimed it his favorite musical (hence the on-going references to the Kennedy clan and "Camelot"). Nevertheless, the show never achieved the enduring legacy of My Fair Lady, the all-time great Lerner and Lowe smash that was turned into an equally successful big screen musical in 1964 for Warner Brothers. Studio titan Jack L. Warner was determined to make Camelot another smash and enlisted top name talents. Alan Jay Lerner wrote the screenplay, legendary Joshua Logan would direct. The project became Warner's last great personal obsession and, in bringing it to the screen, he uncharacteristically spared no expense. The film was shot in part in Spain as well as the Warner Brothers Studio in Hollywood, where enormous Medieval sets were constructed, primarily King Arthur's castle. In adapting T.H. White's The Once and Future King for the stage, Lerner and Lowe had capitalized on the most legendary love triangle in all literature: between King Arthur, his bride Guenevere and the loyal knight Lancelot. As Lancelot strives to help Arthur bring a new era of justice and honor to England, their plans are threatened by his love affair between with the Queen. This gives Camelot a much darker storyline than most traditional musicals, save for perhaps West Side Story. For the most part the stage production is faithfully brought to the screen, though Lerner opens the film with a flashback sequence that alerts the audience they are in for a relatively downbeat storyline.
Logan and Warner cast three up-and-coming talents in the main roles. Richard Harris was a reluctant choice as King Arthur because he was primarily known for starring in British "kitchen sink" dramas and had never sung before on screen. In retrospect, it's hard to imagine even Burton giving a more nuanced and enjoyable performance. (Ironically, the film allowed Harris to embark on a successful career as a recording artist). Vanessa Redgrave is every bit his equal as Guenevere and the two perform their musical numbers like pros. Franco Nero, cast as Lancelot, is physically perfect and has the charisma that would see him gain stardom in Europe. (Among the leads, only he was dubbed for the singing sequences.) The film is flawed, to be sure, in that the plot moves at a glacial pace, particularly in the second act following intermission. Logan took heat from critics for sacrificing spectacle for extreme close-ups of the principals. However, this was his intention, as he said at the time he wanted to created an intimate story that would not be compromised by sweeping visual locations. Indeed, some of the sets are so obviously shot in the studio that it appears as though Logan simply filmed a stage production. Where the spectacle does appear is in the production design of John Truscott, who blew through the film's budget with his penchant for detail. (There are 3500 different costumes in the film. Redgrave's wedding gown took six months to create at a cost of $12,000 dollar - and that was in 1967.) Even Warner became alarmed at the budget overruns and, pressured by the studio's new owners, Seven-Arts, he pulled the plug before Logan could finish the film to his satisfaction. It's hard to imagine what else he intended to shoot, as some of the sequences are already over-long. However, the musical score is pure magic and the performances spirited. The supporting cast includes David Hemmings (fresh from starring with Redgrave in the sensational Blow Up) as the evil Mordred, the always-watchable Lionel Jeffries and Laurence Naismith as Merlyn, Arthur's magical mentor.
Warner's Blu-ray release is magnificent in every way. Packaged in a hardcover mini-book format with many wonderful photos, the set also includes a sampler CD of song highlights (that continues the deceit of crediting Franco Nero for songs he never sang!) Picture quality and sound are truly impressive, as are the array of bonus extras. These include a commentary track by film critic Stephen Farber and a refreshingly candid documentary that looks at the making of the film and its legacy. (Typically, no one is given the dignity for having created the documentary.) The retrospective doesn't sugarcoat the fact that the film was a major financial flop and points out, with insight, that while Warner was nurturing this mega musical production, he all but ignored the anti-Establishment films that would become surprise hits for the studio, namely Bonnie and Clyde and Cool Hand Luke. There is also a vintage featurette about the legend of King Arthur and a most-welcome half hour TV special that covered the New York premiere of the film. (Much of the fun is watching contemporary celebs such as Ed Sullivan, Truman Capote, the Kennedy "girls" and Faye Dunaway arriving in style at the Warner Theatre on Broadway). There are also a number of different trailers and TV spots.
I was fortunate enough to see Burton in his late career revival of the play in the 1980s at Lincoln Center, as well as a stage production some years later starring Richard Harris, thus, I have great affection for this work, overlong as it may be. This is the ultimate edition of an enduring musical that may never quite equal the stature of other more celebrated works, but nevertheless remains as inspiring and moving as it is entertaining. Curiously, despite the enormous financial loss suffered by Warners on this film, Paramount enlisted Lerner, Logan and Truscott for their 1969 mega-budget musical Paint Your Wagon, which proved to be such a boxoffice disaster that it effectively ended each man's career in the cinema. Like Camelot, however, it remains a top-notch musical. Here's hoping Paramount finally goes the route of Warners and presents us with a special edition Blu-ray of the film.
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As DVD inventories shrink at "brick and mortar" neighborhood stores, they are booming on line through the process of "manufactured on demand". Studios, led by the Warner Archive, are minting gold from previously ignored mid-range titles that would not merit a regular DVD release. However, as Wall Street Journal writer David Mermelstein points out, this does not negate the value of these films in any way. Some are titles that are actually regarded as classics, others are mid-range films, while still others are guilty pleasures. Nevertheless, the "MOD" process has found a middle ground between the expensive process of shipping slow-selling product to retail stores or just offering it as downloads. "MOD" titles can't be purchased in stores- they are only available on line and only a few titles boast impressive extras. However, for the most part, quality is up to par with "regular" DVDs and this format provides what may be the only viable way for collectors to obtain these titles for their libraries. Click here for more
E.T.: The Extraterrestrial will be released on Blu-ray this year in its original version. What?, you say. Was there ever a different version. Yes, there was. When the film was reissued in 2002 for its 20th anniversary, Steven Spielberg, apparently having been influenced by George Lucas' constant tampering with Star Wars, decided to "improve" the movie by tweaking some CGI effects, adding previously deleted scenes and digitally removing rifles from the hands of the men who were hunting the lovable alien. (Spielberg replaced the weapons with walkie-talkies!) Now the director has issued a mea culpa and promises that the Blu-ray version will revert back to the original theatrical cut. For more click here
By Lee Pfeiffer
Synapse Films is releasing a series of controversial Japanese soft-core porn titles under the Impulse Pictures label. The movies were originally produced by Nikkatsu, a studio that was known for legitimate fare before finding controversial subject matters generally ensured big profits. The 1977 film Eros School: Feels So Good is described on the Synapse web site as possibly the most offensive Nikkatsu movie ever made. You can say it's a rare example of truth in advertising because there is something here to offend everyone beginning with the overall premise of rape being presented in a comedic manner. The film takes place at Eros School, a high school where sexual appetites among the students are unimpeded by the generally ineffective teaching staff. The situation goes into overdrive with the arrival of Ryu (Murakuni Shohe), an older student who has recently been released from reform school where he served several years for rape. Ryu's habits haven't changed a bit. Upon his arrival, he intimidates the entire student body and publicly announces his intention to rape attractive girls at will. He lives up to his word and in true male fantasy tradition, each girl seems to ultimately welcome becoming his victim. However, he has his sites on the comely Misa (Asami Ogawa), the class president as well as the school's leading female athlete. Misa takes extraordinary efforts to avoid being Ryu's next victim. She wants all of her concentration focused on an especially important track meet that the student body expects her to win against against a rival school. Mixed into the "screenplay" are the adventures of two nerdy, virginal boys who harbor their own fantasies about bedding Misa- and their efforts always meet with disastrous results. Picture young Jerry Lewis in a sex comedy and you'll get the general idea.
There is plenty of nudity in the film, though Japanese censorship laws at the time prohibited any full-frontal shots. What is probably most outrageous, however, is the overall notion of rape as a recreational and spectator sport. The girls in the film wear their status as a Ryu conquest as though it were a badge of honor. The film would probably be deemed even more offensive if it weren't for the overall goofy, slapstick nature of the script. The characters seem to exist in an alternate universe in which kids rule over ineffective adults. There is also a fixation with female domination with plenty of cat fights between teenage girls. The film does boast one genuinely funny sequence in which a middle aged matronly type school worker explains to her colleagues how she witnessed Ryu having sex with a girl. This leads to her ending up recreating the scene with a geeky administrator in order to demonstrate exactly what she observed. The movie's more notorious finale ends with a frustrated teenage boy having sex with Ryu's pet pig. In other words, don't look for this one on the Disney Channel.
Not having seen any of these Nikkatsu films previously, I still don't know what to make of this one. It's hard to recommend something this distasteful, but the whole thing is carried off in such a crazy manner that it never seems quite as offensive as you might imagine. The Japanese male penchant for young vixens in school girl uniforms is clearly being satiated here but, beyond that, there isn't much point to the entire production except to titillate in a humorous way.
The DVD transfer looks terrific and has obviously been meticulously sourced from an impressive master print. There are no extras beyond a collector's booklet that boasts the original, provocative Japanese movie poster as well as an informative essay by film historian Jasper Sharp.
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