Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
Has it already been a week? Good lord. With the AFI Fest underway now and some deadlines that Obi-Swan and I were working to meet, the last week flew by, and now here we are at another new release Tuesday. I’m just getting back up to speed over at my DVD blog, so feel free to stop by and take part in what is rapidly becoming a really fun place to hang out. In the meantime, let’s jump right in and look at what’s going to be on shelves today. Some of this is already here at the Labs, marked clearly with an asterisk (*) but the rest, I’ll be looking for myself as soon as I can get over to Amoeba.
*APRES VOUS
Yes, at heart this is really just a romantic comedy, but it’s written with a slightly deeper sense of character and there’s a Gallic charm to it that is due in large part to the presence of the always-great Daniel Auteuil. Yes, you’ve seen this story before, in various permutations, but these people all feel authentic, and you end up liking everyone so much that you don’t just root for the inevitable. Paramount Classics is putting this out, and they did a nice job with the transfer, but don’t expect anything extra. If you like French comedy and you want something sweet with an extra bit of wit, this is a great pick.
BEAVIS & BUTT-HEAD VOLUME ONE: THE MIKE JUDGE COLLECTION
I resisted BEAVIS & BUTT-HEAD for a long time after they were introduced. I wanted to just dismiss them as lowbrow idiot humor. But the problem is that Mike Judge is too damn funny. The longer he played with these two characters, the funnier it got. By the time Beavis first transformed into Cornholio, I was pretty much hooked, and I’m surprised by how much I want to get this DVD set here and dig into it. Judge handpicked 40 episodes out of the 200-plus he produced while the show was on the air, and he actually cleared the rights to eleven music videos, one of the real stumbling blocks of putting this show out in its original form. It also looks like there are tons of extra features, and overall, I can’t imagine a more deserving show to finally get treated well on home video.
BURN!
A DRY WHITE SEASON
THE MISSOURI BREAKS
THE FUGITIVE KIND
It’s an interesting day for Marlon Brando fans. These aren’t the four best films of his career by any means, but taken as a whole, they paint a pretty interesting picture of his journey as an artist.
THE FUGITIVE KIND is the oldest of the bunch, directed by Sidney Lumet from a screenplay by Tennessee Williams. Brando’s still the young smoldering untamed stud in this film, and fans of WILD AT HEART would probably flip if they saw how much his character Val Xavier identifies himself as a non-conformist by wearing his snake-skin jacket. He wanders into a small town and stirs up passions and pain, particularly in the heart of Anna Magnani. The whole cast does great work, even if this is a little bit on the overheated side. It’s not one of the great works by Tennessee Williams, but it’s well worth checking out, especially for the work that Brando and Magnani do.
By 1969, a full decade later, Brando was in decline, and the film BURN! represented him trying to figure out what to do with his fading stardom. It’s an angry film, a deeply political film, and even if I’m not sure it hits every target it aims at in telling the true story of Sir William Walker (also told in Alex Cox’s film WALKER), it makes some really strong points, and it’s hard to argue with how heartfelt the film seems to be. It’s played like an adventure film in a way, the story of a man sent to a Central American company to create a rebel leader, then sent back to destroy him. Director Gillo Pontecorvo, who also directed the masterpiece THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS, works again in this film to blur the line between drama and documentary, but the score by Ennio Morricone (one of his most underrated) tells you that this is an epic, even if it’s not the kind we’re used to. I’m excited to be able to see this again for the first time in a long time, but with a caveat: it appears that this disc may be a full-screen edition. If that’s true, then I’ll have to skip it, no matter how much I want to own the film. Criterion used to have a great laserdisc transfer of this film, so I know there’s a widescreen master of it that’s been done. There’s no excuse at this late date for putting out a substandard version.
THE MISSOURI BREAKS was pretty roundly shit on when it was released in 1976, but time’s been kind to it, and now, it’s one of the more interesting and eccentric entries on Brando’s filmography. He co-stars with Jack Nicholson here, and that alone should make any serious film fan pick the film up and give it a chance. This isn’t the best Arthur Penn film, but it’s a good one, and it’s a sort of revisionist take on the old West, exactly the kind of film you’d expect from the mid-‘70s and this cast. Since this is being released by MGM/UA through CTHE, just like all the other Brando titles this week, I’m not picking it up until I see that it’s in its full original aspect ratio. If it is, here’s another must-see.
In 1989, Brando was just starting to try to put his career back in order one last time, and it marked his final Oscar nomination (for Best Supporting Actor). It’s just as political as BURN!, but it’s nowhere near as angry. A DRY WHITE SEASON is much more of a slow fuse sort of movie, the kind of film that makes its points at a leisurely pace. Of the four being released today, this is the least interesting, but even so, it’s remarkable to contrast this and the other three and see how thirty years treated one of the very best actors to ever appear on film.
CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
*EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS marked the moment that Johnny Depp officially left 21 JUMP STREET behind forever and became interesting. Up until this point, he was just another really pretty young guy with a TV show. There’s something undeniable about the chemistry between Tim Burton and Depp, though, and it was immediately obvious in this first collaboration. Now, a full fifteen years after the fact, this still looks pretty great. This new Fox DVD release doesn’t appear to be any different than the earlier DVD edition, except for the fact that you can get it in a collector’s tin now. It’s not a particularly informative commentary, and it doesn’t really count as feature-length, since it cuts in and out over the course of the film. Still, if you don’t already own the movie, it looks and sounds really nice here, and I think this is a film that demands occasional revisiting.
I’m still not sure what I thought of CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY this summer. I’m a life-long Roald Dahl fan, and I’m very particular about the way people interpret his work. The Mel Stuart musical with Gene Wilder is a mixed bag for me. I love Gene Wilder in the film, and there are some great moments throughout, but I have to confess that, except for “Pure Imagination” and the Oompa Loompa songs, I find that film’s score almost impossible to stomach. The Charlie in that film is bland to the point of invisibility, too, which has always bothered me. Still, I’m not bagging it. I’ve got that one on DVD, and I look forward to sharing it with my baby after he’s had a chance to get to know the book. I’ll definitely show him the Burton version, too, since there’s a lot of stuff that I think it gets more right than the original. Oddly, though, as much as I love Depp’s work normally, I’m not really crazy about his Wonka. It’s an odd take, and I understand wanting to do something totally different than Wilder did. I just don’t think these are the right choices, and it really mars some key moments. Still, Burton’s got the right sensibility for the Dahl material, and even if I don’t think Danny Elfman’s score is one of his best, it’s fun, and I’m going to enjoy really studying the eye candy here. It sounds like the two-disc collector’s edition is the way to go, with a bunch of extras. No commentary, though, which is a shame after hearing how great Burton’s commentaries were on the recent BATMAN reissues.
*CRONICAS
This was a very difficult film for me to watch right now. I’ll admit it... fatherhood has changed my tolerance for watching things about violence done to children. Stuart Gordon’s DREAMS IN THE WITCH-HOUSE freaked me out on Friday, and this film did it again on Sunday. Based on several true stories that have been mixed and matched, the film is about “The Monster of Babahoyo,” a serial killer responsible for the deaths of over 100 children in Ecuador. John Leguizamo plays a reporter sent from Miami to follow the story, and he becomes involved with a man looking for a deal to get him out of prison who may or may not be the killer. It’s gripping stuff, and although there’s some cynicism about the media, this isn’t a film that’s trying to beat an easy drum. Palm Pictures has done a really nice job putting together a handsome DVD package for the film, and it looks and sounds about as good as it’s ever going to. It’s at least worth a rental, and you may end up really falling for it and buying your own copy.
THE DEVIL’S REJECTS
I really liked this film. I think it’s a huge step up from Rob Zombie’s first film as a director, and it’s so different that I really don’t think of this as a sequel. It’s more like he took some things he liked from HOUSE OF 1,000 CORPSES and tossed everything else and then just started over. Bill Moseley’s great in this one, and so is William Forsythe, the two of them playing the flip sides of a coin. Great soundtrack, too. It looks like the unrated widescreen edition of this disc is packed with extra features, and that’s definitely the edition I’ll be picking up. It’s not for everyone, but if you like brutal exploitation fare and you want to see someone update the genre without pretending to reinvent it, THE DEVIL’S REJECTS should make you very, very happy.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, ALICE COOPER - LIVE 1973: BILLION DOLLAR BABIES TOUR
THE WHO - TOMMY & QUADROPHENIA: LIVE WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
There was a point when I used to go to concerts all the time. I love live music, and I especially love a really big rock show. Earlier this week, I went to see U2 at the Staples Center, and it really reminded me of how important it is to not just listen to music, but to also enjoy it played live as often as possible. These two discs preserve life performances from very different stars of the ‘70s. Alice Cooper was big and theatrical and drew on things like horror movies and surrealism to help create his outsized stage shows. The Who are simply one of the biggest, loudest bands ever. I haven’t seen either of these discs yet, but it looks like Shout! Factory put together a really nice package for the Alice Cooper release, which was actually shot in 1973. For both TOMMY and QUADROPHENIA, you’re dealing with more recent performances, not vintage material, but that’s okay. The Who still sound pretty great by this point, and the special guests who show up for both pieces really do a hell of a job.
THE KINGDOM: SERIES ONE
If I had to pick one Lars Von Trier film that is my favorite, I think I’d pick this over BREAKING THE WAVES simply because it’s so much fun to rewatch and pick apart. The story of a haunted hospital, this is a playful, surreal piece of work that catches Von Trier at his most energetic and absurd. When I spent time with Udo Kier on the set of CIGARETTE BURNS this year, this was the film I think I asked him the most questions about, and anyone who has seen it knows why. Stephen King’s American remake, KINGDOM HOSPITAL, missed the point of why this was so great in the first place, and it didn’t manage to capture 1/10th of the lunatic atmosphere that made this feel like genuine madness when it first aired. It may have been made for television, but when you’re watching this, the screen feels anything but small. More than anything, I’m eager to see this with the commentary by Von Trier switched on. If someone can just convince David Lynch to do commentary for all of TWIN PEAKS and McGoohan to do every episode of THE PRISONER, I could die happy.
LA DOLCE VITA
Yes, I know this has been released before, but Koch-Lorber appears to have gone all out to try and create a DVD box set worthy of this amazing Italian classic. This may be the purest of all of Fellini’s treasures, a film that is giddy and drunk on sensation, the story of a young reporter (Marcello Mastroianni), a beautiful movie star sexpot (Anita Ekberg), and the collision course that brings them together. This is a gorgeous movie, full of life and richly rewarding. You can see it time and time again, and you’ll still find new things in it. This is not a new transfer, but Koch-Lorber added new subtitles to correct a common complaint about their last release, and they’ve added two discs of special features, including a documentary about Nino Rota, the composer behind this film and THE GODFATHER, among others. This looks like a pricey set, but it’s worth it, and the film deserves to be preserved in the best way possible.
*LADY SINGS THE BLUES
Still one of the great soul biopics, ten times the film that RAY was last year, LADY SINGS THE BLUES takes a lot of liberties with the life of Billie Holliday (played by Diana Ross, Oscar-nominated for her work), but it delivers as a piece of beautifully crafted entertainment. Sidney J. Furie is a crummy director for the most part, but he got it really, really right with this one. He’s helped by a cast that obviously wanted to make this movie great. In addition to Ross, Billy Dee Williams rips it up, and Richard Pryor couldn’t be any better if he tried. Seeing the film again this weekend, I was struck by how fresh and inspired it still feels, and I highly recommend it. The Paramount transfer’s really nice, looking and sounding better than it did in the theater when it first came out. There’s a decent little documentary and some deleted scenes, but the real coup would have been a commentary by Diana Ross. Still... no complaints. It’s a disc worth picking up.
LADY SNOWBLOOD
This has been released before, and if I’m not mistaken, it was released recently, so I’m not sure what distinguishes this Koch-Lorber release. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to take a look at it and compare it to previous releases. If you’re not familiar with the title, but you love KILL BILL, check this out. This was one of Quentin Tarantino’s key creative touchstones when crafting his story of the Bride and her bloody rampage of revenge. This film has more on its mind than mere exploitation, though. It’s a great samurai picture with a serious political subtext, a historical story, that makes this better than just a “Kill ‘em all” entry.
THE LENNY BRUCE PERFORMANCE FILM
It’s strange... as much as I recommend this film, and as much as I want to own it, I acknowledge that it’s not really a sterling example of why Lenny Bruce deserves to be remembered. By the time this was filmed, Lenny was at the end of his career. This is his next-to-last appearance in public, and by this point, the system had really beaten the shit out of him. Lenny was obviously a hero for free speech and a pioneer for not only stand-up comics, but also for all American artists who depend on free expression to thrive. When he was at the peak of his powers, he was also funny. This isn’t a gut-bustingly funny performance, but it’s fascinating anyway. The disc also comes with “Thank You, Masked Man,” a short animated film that brings one of Lenny’s routines to life. This is a piece of history, so even if you’re not laughing the whole time, you can’t look away.
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: VOLUME 8
God bless you, Rhino Video. God bless you for continuing to release this series, bit by bit. I know we’re never going to have every episode of MST3K on DVD because of rights issues, but the fact that Rhino’s stuck with it and they keep putting these out makes me very, very happy. Even better, they listen to the fanbase and they make every effort to put out the episodes that people actually want. This time, there are four films in the box, only one of which features Joel. That’s MONSTER A GO GO, which is coupled with the freaky short film CIRCUS ON ICE. My personal favorite of the awful films included here is HOBGOBLINS. I love the ‘70s cheese they showed on MST3K because these are the films I actually remember seeing when they were first released. Watching them get skewered is enormous fun, and even if I do think the series helped encourage an entire generation of unfunny dickheads to emulate Joel, Mike, and the ‘bots, thereby ruining untold trips to the theater, I still adore it, and I’m eager to dig into this one as soon as possible.
REEFER MADNESS: THE MOVIE MUSICAL
This surprised the hell out of me. I expected it to be a piece of crap, and instead, it actually manages to play off the inherent camp value of the original b&w REEFER MADNESS while also featuring some great musical performances and some genuinely funny stuff. Kristen Bell, l’il miss VERONICA MARS herself, proves that she’s not only adorable but can also belt a song, and Steven Weber and Alan Cumming both give good sleaze. Best of all, they’ve included the 1934 original film that inspired this as an “extra feature,” which means you’re really getting two films for the price of one. It’s a one-joke film, but it’s a surprisingly funny one-joke film, and anyone with any fondness for the subject matter should get the appropriate refreshments and spend an evening on the couch with REEFER MADNESS: THE MOVIE MUSICAL.
ROBOTECH: THE PROTOCULTURE COLLECTION
SPACE: ABOVE & BEYOND: THE COMPLETE SERIES
I just finished watching the first season of the new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA last night, and now my appetite’s been whetted for this type of material. Good thing both of these titles are scheduled for release today. I didn’t watch SPACE: ABOVE & BEYOND when it was on the air, but it’s got a rabid cult following, much like last week’s AMERICAN GOTHIC. I’m not sure if this has been improved at all since the Best Buy exclusive release of this title, but I’m sure we’ll know soon enough. In the meantime, I’ll be working my way through the entire ROBOTECH, from start to finish. I watched a lot of this series when I was much younger, and I haven’t seen it since. It’ll be nice to dive back in and remind myself why this was the gateway drug to other anime for me. Both box sets feature lots of extra features, so if you’re a fan of either, it’s going to be a pricey day.
YES
Sally Potter’s a very unusual film artist so far. ORLANDO defied easy explanation, and now, so does YES. This is a story of infidelity, written entirely in rhyming verse. The thing that holds it all together is the one and only Joan Allen. She strikes sparks with her co-star, Simon Abkarian, and the result is alternately silly and seductive. It’s smart, daring adult fare, and it’s another triumph for Potter as a filmmaker. There appears to be one short featurette on the disc, but that’s it as far as extras are concerned. If you’re not sure, rent this one, but give it a try. It may surprise you.
UGETSU - Criterion
PICKPOCKET - Criterion
Let’s round the day off with two new Criterion titles. UGETSU is new to me, but it looks like they’ve gone all out to make this entire two-disc set into a tribute to the work of director Kenji Mizoguchi. Everything I’ve ever read suggests that this is a poem, a beautiful movie that depends on tone and mood more than dialogue or conventional drama. PICKPOCKET looks like another great release, and I’ve always been fond of this Bresson film. I’m eager to see the extras that have been put together, but I’m more excited by the idea that there’s finally a beautiful collector’s edition transfer available. Anyone who loves TAXI DRIVER should take a look at this to see where the seeds of the idea were first planted in the consciousness of Paul Schrader.
It’s 8:30 in the morning LA time, and between this and the Aronofsky piece, I’ve been up all night. I still have two set visits and my AFI Fest coverage to prepare, but I’m going to sneak in a nap right now before I do. Until then...
"Moriarty" out.
