Hey folks, Harry here. Here’s the second half of this month’s DVD picks and previews. I like breaking these in two like this cuz it actually allows me to get my hands on more of the dvds. Now, without further pontification – let’s get to it shall we

Tuesday, June 21st, 2005

CHIN CHIN CHOW

If you were one of the adventurous followers of this column and went out and got a look at PICCADILLY starring Anna Mae Wong that I was found raving madly in love with a couple months back… Well Anna’s back with CHU CHIN CHOW and a 3 disc DVD set filled my Anna Mae Wong goodness. As I was saying, if you checked out PICCADILLY – then you’re already on your way to purchasing this one. She was the first major female Asian star to conquer the world of film and she is a sight to behold. Intelligent, passionate and the very definition of grace. This is such a treat!

HEART OF THE FESTIVAL

For Cineastes there is no festival on Earth that equals the Cannes Film Festival – this is a 3 film tribute to what Gilles Jacob, the President of the Festival, feels makes it the greatest. It is a remarkable look at the history of this stunning film festival. For the very serious film lover.

IMMORTAL

Bilal’s film has long been on the ol Geek Radar – and several of ya have it on various non-U.S. region DVDs… well finally here it is on Region 1. By no means is this a great movie. However, it is stunningly beautiful and a science fiction fantasy film from France that really must be seen by any real lover of great science fiction production design – specifically in terms of “futuristic world building” and you’ll just drink in the production design and the oh so cool Egyptian motifs applied to it all. If you haven’t seen it, finally – here’s your chance!

IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL

We’ve gotten so many documentaries into the minds of serial killers, murderers and criminals in general that we all know the pattern of these things. Usually it focuses on and around those that knew the person in question. They’d always noted the eccentricities, the oddities… you know, the peculiarities that these folks had. Well, IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL: THE MYSTERY OF HENRY DARGER isn’t a telling of a killer or criminal… actually… as odd as it seems in it’s own beautifully demented way… it’s far more disturbing. Henry Darger is a man that nobody ever really knew. The neighbors saw him. Seemed to enjoy talking about the weather they say. Apparently he mended his own clothes. But you walk into his Chicago low-rent tenement living area and suddenly there’s 1000s of images of about 6 year old girls painted… many of them with penises. Some with butterfly wings. You open up his volumes – 13,000 pages of a novel about a war between the Christians and the Godless and their army of slave children they fight with. The paintings are the illustrations for this novel – written by a man many assumed insane, crazy… hell, even illiterate. The man was an industry of art and creativity. Most assumed he was homeless, not a mad genius. The documentary by Jessica Yu will be one of the most visually stunning films you’ll see this year. The story… it’s the type of story that makes you look at all those people you judge on sight and wonder… what is their genius? Breathtaking documentary.

THE JACKET

If you ever wondered what BUTTERFLY EFFECT would have been like had it starred Adrien Brody and been mixed with the style of MEMENTO and science of ALTERED STATES and the issue of D.O.A. then you no longer have to wonder. I’ve been a card-carrying member of the Adrien Brody fan club for quite some time now, and this is no different. I really like this movie. It may be a bit overly stylistic for many of you, but if you like some spice to your cinema then this exploration of fragmented times and realities may be just the thing you want. Oh and Keira Knightley is hot as always.

SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND

There was a point in my confused youth where I actually thought the Beatles did a tribute to the BEE GEE’S in YELLOW SUBMARINE – cuz I’d seen this first. My father… after using the cane, the strap, mild electrical shock and a regimen of LSD and isolation… well after my father’s treatments… I got better. I know now that this is an affront to God, an abomination and a pox upon mankind and the aural universe. I know this. I have reasoned this. But goddamn it, I still love the piece of shit!

THEY CAME BACK

A brilliant French ZOMBIE film. Completely outside the Romero Universe – as well as the derivative films that made slight alterations on his Universe. Here – you’re dealing with a situation in a slightly more horrific way. The dead are back. They don’t you’re your brains… they want their old jobs, lovers, homes, possessions. They’re slightly slow… a little bizarre… but society wise they have to deal with thousands of “returnees” And something beyond just the fact they’re back is wrong and getting bad. How can the world continue? How does society react? Brilliantly fascinating alternative take on the dead coming back. Great!

WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (Special Edition)

Look. Tim Burton didn’t erase it. It is here! Isn’t that amazing? Heh. If memory serves the old disc didn’t have these extras. Like the Audio commentary with all the children from the movie grown up or this documentary. If I’m wrong, I apologize. I didn’t have the old disc, but I love this one. Ya know… I’m not sure it’s a good idea to release a new edition of this right before the new film hits. I think slightly after would be better. Cuz I know the first thing I did was watch it. And now I got Gene Wilder all in my noggin and that little Jon Bon Jovi kid as Charlie. Heh. God I hope Burton made a good film with this. I love this version, but being a fan of the book – I always wanted more.

Tuesday, June 28th, 2005

70s DIMENSION

This is basically a collection of weird 1970’s Television commercials and P.S.A.’s (Public Service Announcements) – but if you’re like me and a child from the 70’s. These commercials bring back a nostalgic sledgehammer to the forehead that is just irresistible. There’s a great Kitsch factor with this. And is very fun as a background item for a party… I can vouch for hilarious conversations that this started.

BIZARRE

Have you ever wanted a film narrated by a Mummy that told you all about the various cruel sick twists of sex throughtout the ages? Of course you have. We all have. This film has crazed sadism, scenes that make you want to smash full beer cans into your forehead till they explode… and get really really drunk while laughing about it. This is just crazy. As you watch this you’ll either masturbate, buy equipment for your next sexual encounter or run screaming from the room after setting fire to your home entertainment center and joining the cloth in the hopes of salvation. But don’t worry – it isn’t as fucked up brilliant as the unedited Ken Russell’s THE DEVILS.

THE BROWNING VERSION – Criterion Edition

To many this is considered the definitive Michael Redgrave role. Personally, I’m a too big of a DEAD OF NIGHT fan to agree… but he is great here. So great that Figgis never came close to making a better film with his remake. As usual this has great extras – including comments from Figgis, an archival interview with Michael Redgrave. The film is about a tedious instructor’s final day as a teacher at a school where nobody wants him. Great film. Absolutely great.

CRAZED FRUIT – Criterion Edition

Ko Nakahira’s sexually charged exploration of post war sexual promiscuity in Japan. In particular – the film features the exploits of a pair of brothers in a bit of sexual brotherly competition to see who can get laid the most amongst the hot young Japanese women in this seaside community. The film is quite striking and powerful… And very different from much of what is considered, “Japanese Cinema”.

DANGER 50,000 VOLTS

Nick Frost is a comedic god the likes of which Olympus rarely gives us. I haven’t seen this. I can’t wait to see this. Here’s the Amazon breakdown of the title:

Danger! 50,000 Volts! Is a British comedy television series where survival is not assured and Danger is always just around the next corner! Definitely not for the faintihearted! Nick Frost, star of Shaun of the Dead and the cult British comedy Spaced, fearlessly hosts this comedy survival series of seven thirty-minute episodes as he attempts to solve the following dangerous dilemmas: Alligator Attack!, Thugs With Baseball Bats!, High Speed Chases!, Minefields!, Fires!, Being Impaled!, Lightning Strikes!, Tidal Waves!, Hostage Situations! And MORE high-tension, high-risk situations that could strike out of nowhere! DVD SPECIAL FEATURES Danger! 50,000 Zombies! A specially-filmed insight into Zombies: How to kill them and what to do when you come across one! This is your Zombie Survival guide! Commentary! Nick Frost and Crew Dangerous Facts! Amazing snippets of tantalizing real life trivia

DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY

Utterly Brilliant Bit of Cult Film Genius! My personal favorite Peter Fonda film. One it has Susan George, who just screams dirty, I’ll do anything for you, sex all throughout this film. Not that they have time for that mind you. Peter and Adam Roarke are fantastic. From the director of THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE – this film actually out-grossed POSEIDEN ADVENTURE the year it came out. This is a bat out of hell chase film that just never lets up or does the expected. If you’ve never seen it. Get it now and don’t read anything about it. Let the movie surprise you!

FRENCH SEX MURDERS

Shit! That’s all I had to say wasn’t it? No? What’s wrong with you? Heh. This is a film that has a thief specializing in Eye-Balls! A detective named Bogart! The Killing of Paris Call Girls! Hot hot Euro-women in the period they owned. Mad scientists. Sex. Murder. Everything a Giallo fan could ask for!

DEEP THROAT: SPECIAL EDITION

Well… Here ya go. I don’t usually offer actual Hardcore Porn on my DVD recommends… but then Amazon doesn’t usually put it out there… and I make these lists by going through every release they have for a month – picking the ones I have seen that I could recommend – and then the ones I want for my own collection in addition to that. This is the single most important Porn film in the history of Porn. As the documentary INSIDE DEEP THROAT stated this year… This changed it all. Is it the best Porn ever? Personally I prefer INSATIABLE, MS MAGNIFICENT, ALICE IN WONDERLAND and of recent porn a film called ADVENTURE SEX that Larry Flynnt’s label put out that’s kinda amazing. Films rarely have the cultural impact that this one did… I wonder how Mark Felt about this. Hehehe… I crack me up!

TWILIGHT ZONE: SEASON 3

My favorite two episodes from this season were TO SERVE MAN and DUMMY – but since I’m getting every season of TWILIGHT ZONE, cuz I want to see – not just those episodes – but all the ones I might’ve missed. Plus this edition has nice extras and good fun stuff ta boot.

Well, that’s it for this month – see ya around the first of July with that month’s dvds… Hope you’ve enjoyed this edition…