Whisperer in Darkness (2012)

It is a strange tradition that indie filmmakers with shoestring budgets inevitably want to make science fiction films. One has trouble discerning why; dramas and comedies are far cheaper and period pieces are just as exotic without the need for special effects. Yet the small film maker continues to pound out high-concept science fiction films regardless of their obvious limitations in this regard.

Then sometimes one of them knocks it out of the park.

The HPLHS already struck gold with Call of Cthulhu, a tremendously faithful 30s expressionist film based on the short story of the same name. With Whisperer they attempt to give a similar treatment to a more narrative Lovecraft story, this time in the trappings of a 1940s talkie. Success in this area is mixedthe feel starts off on target but quickly migrates to the atmosphere of a 60s creature feature... Not that there is anything wrong with that. If anything gives away the film's truly modern nature it is that the photography is a little too cleanagain not a problem, and it left me wishing this movie was available on BD as well. The soundtrack is tremendously well done and moody, just like in Call.

Without giving too much away, Whisperer follows the short story faithfully until the end at which point it concludes with an action setpiece not present in the original plot. As if by way of apology, the new ending is actually much more grim than the original, placing the protagonist in a much dimmer situation.

Just as with Call of Cthulhu, the effects here are far better than the film's small scale would suggest. The alien Mi-go in particular are a wonderfully steampunk mashup of creature and clockwork, realized with a very effective mix of models, costuming and CG. Locations are beautifully shot, and the actors fairly douse the production in characterin particular Daniel Kaemon, who plays the cult leader Mr. Noyse, lapses into a fantastic Mid-Atlantic radio presenter accent when he is (unknowingly?) recorded during his dark ritualsit sounds like it should be corny, yet it is eerily effective.

Purists may gape at the liberties taken with the source material, but this is a fantastically solid sci-fi horror flick that is true to the spirit of its source material and for my money far outstrips Lovecraft films with much costlier productions. A must buy if you enjoyed Call, or if you are a fan of old-school horror literature and cinema. This movie proves that epic sci-fi is possible in a small-scale production, and one is left wondering how so many other filmmakers drop the ball.

NOTE: buy with confidence, packaging and shipping are prompt and thorough. Even the invoice that comes with this movie is fun.

A stunning adaptation of a Lovecraft classic! I am not sure how they pulled it off, but this is straight out of the Golden Age of 1930s horror films even though it is brand new! Filmed in "Mythoscope" a style which strives to make it look true to a 1930s Black and White Noir film, they've taken what was a good Lovecraft story and made it a brilliant piece of film making. They kept true to the spirit of the plot and turned it up to eleven. If you are unfamiliar with Lovecraft's stories or style, this is a perfect start as you don't need any background it is all self-explanatory. It is a mystery, sci fi and horror all wrapping into one ball of goodness and takes you on a roller coaster ride from start to finish. It kind of reminds me of Twilight Zone or the Outer Limits, because much of Lovecraft eventually became many plots in those shows. Filmed on location in Vermont, set during the Vermont Floods of 1927, the film's release coincidentally came during the Vermont Floods of 2011. The filmmakers pitched in to help the great people of Vermont recover from the disaster. This is the second effort of the filmmakers, the first being The Call of Cthulhu. It was a new, old-style silent film and won critical acclaim. This is on the same track, winning awards and acclaim, and in my opinion, is a much more engaging film.

The actors are also top notch. Matt Foyer is an amazingly expressive actor and does a perfect job portraying Albert Wilmarth. He brings such a real human element (which you rarely if ever see in horror) you can't help but get drawn in. Barry Lynch creates both one of the creepiest scenes in horror history without blood, gore or anything but his voice and yet also manages to create one of the most heart-wrenching and human scenes I've seen in the genre.

If you at all love great classic horror films, ones that don't rely on grossing you out, but give a great ride with your mind like Dracula, Frankenstein or the Mummy, then do yourself a HUGE favor and pick this one up.

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High quality Lovecraftian movies are in short supply. Most of us agree that The Thing by John Carpenter is the best overall Lovecraftian movie. Straight up adaptations of HPL are even rarer. Not surprising, as most of HPL's works are rather wordy and cerebral, with little in the way of action or human interaction to hold interest on the screen, and all those unfortunately indescribable creatures. Previously, with The Call of Cthulhu, The HP Lovecraft Historical Society showed that this is an art best left to those who are true fans of these stories (I include Mr. del Toro and regret the shelving of At the Mountains of Madness as much as anyone). Well now the bar has been set even higher. The Whisperer in Darkness is by any account a resounding triumph. I would even say it deserves a nod at the Oscars for adapted screenplay, although that will never happen. A larger studio may have had a bigger budget or marquee stars, but there is no way anyone could have made a better film.

Of course this movie is an *adaptation* so it is not exactly the same as the novella/short story on which it was based. I think the changes and compromises wrought by the screen play authors Sean Branney and Andrew Leman do a superb job of conveying the Lovecraftian cosmicism and the important aspects of the story, while allowing the film to work as a piece of cinema. They added some human interest, by introducing a young girl, the daughter of one of Akeley's neighbors, and also gave the work some thrilling action sequences.

The creature effects by Jason Shulman, Chris Peterson and Jon Gourley merit special praise. On a shoestring budget they developed Mi-Go that are terrible to look at and fascinating to watch. Wisely the director does not tip his hand by revealing the Mi-Go too soon. The use of black and white photography allows for lighting and cinematography with a period feel. Atmospheric music by Troy Sterling Nies marvelously enhances the tension.

I think all of the performers were wonderful.Too bad Matt Foyer won't receive any special awards for his incredible and believable performance as Wilmarth. I think child actress Autumn Wendell as Hannah deserves particular kudos, as does Caspar Marsh as Hannah's father and Andrew Leman as Charles Fort (in fact the entire sequence in Arkham had me shaking my head in appreciation for the talents of the entire cast and crew).

I have read HPL's story countless times and yet I was absorbed from the opening sequence to the ending credits. I think anyone who loves thoughtful horror or science fiction could find much to appreciate here, even those who are unfamiliar with Lovecraft or who have never heard of HPL's story.

As I said, this is a resounding triumph, an achievement for the ages. All of us are in debt to the HPLHS. I cannot wait to see what they do next. I only regret there was no widespread distribution on the big screen. Maybe this can gets run on an adventurous cable channel to give it the exposure it so richly deserves. Bravo to all.

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Just finished watching. I'm a huge HPL fan, and while many of the movie adaptations are less than great, I was looking forward to this one. The HPLHS's previous movie, 'The Call of Cthulhu' was good on so many levels. And they do not disappoint here. There is additions to the story, to well, make a movie out of a story that's mostly letters back and forth, but it's not forced. Each bit makes sense in the overall story. Plus, they did a great job in making the movie feel like a 30's talkie. So yes, if you like HPL, you will enjoy this movie.

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It's amazing in itself the cast and crew are a bunch of LARPers. If you don't know what that means, go Google it, and make sure you watch the "Lightning Bolt" video that is floating around. Now that you're in on the joke, watch the movie.

While not as true to the original HPL tale of horrible science fiction, the Whisperer in Darkness does a wonderful job of presenting the Old Man's story to modern film buffs. On BD, the first thing you notice is an enchanting score in 5.1 surround and a hauntingly lit stage that is frightfully stark in contrast and detail. The images are almost "too real". The original story ends abruptly, and so the HPLHS took it upon themselves to make the story a bit longer with a bit more of an emotional, dare I say, 'heroic' ending (something that never happens in a HP Lovecraft story).

For the uninitiated, the plot involves a linguistics and folklore scholar taking a trip into rural Vermont on a quest to find definitive truth behind what amounts to a rash of 'alien sightings'. Over the course of the tale, the protagonist begins to uncover bit by bit, mostly due to a shut-in farmer who has seen a bit too much of the truth. For the fans, the ending is FAR removed from the original while remaining very much in vein and intent as possible. No spoilers here. Sorry. But the Mi-Go... pretty well done, and afforded a lot more on-screen time than the high priest of R'lyeh.

The BD itself has a tonne of extras, most of which are frikkin' hilarious. Lots of behind the scenes and technical details a lot more than on their previous Call of Cthulhu picture. But there is one glaring omission that I can't forgive:

No subtitles at all. And this is after their first film that had 24 languages.

The sheer effort in the production is incredible and fans anywhere will likely be driven insane from their own enjoyment (unless of course they don't understand English, and then the whole motion picture is lost on them). It leaves us wondering what the crew will try to produce next the crew comments specifically on Shadow over Innsmouth and the Dunwich Horror, but these suggestions seem more of a wish list. Whatever their effort, they have proven the impossible: Lovecraft's works are indeed film-able.

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Black Sheep (2013)

Chris Farley was a comic genius, and this film amply shows why and why he is sorely missed. As the brother of a gubernatorial candidate, he tries to help his brother's campaign, but most every attempt backfires. Sent off to the backwoods to keep him out of the way, his misadventures continue. There he pairs up with another character played by David Spade, and the two make a swell comic duo. They meet up with a carload reminiscent of DELIVERANCE. Their cabin plummets down a landslide after the balance of a balanced rock is upset in a most unlikely way. And they meet up with a crazed survivalist-type neighbor played by Gary Busey. Some of these events will all play out to make for the final resolution when they finally return to civilization. On that return, the movie's peak of zaniness is reached in an episode involving a car with a nitrous oxide booster. This underrated movie is a must for all fans of the farcical comedy genre, and a bittersweet tribute to one who shone briefly but brightly therein.

Black Sheep picks up right where Tommy Boy left off with the amazing comic pairing of Chris Farley and David Spade. This is another of the better movies to come from the cast of Saturday Night Live. I really miss seeing Farley and Spade together on film...

Most people I know place this movie second to Tommy Boy, which makes some sense, I suppose, but it has just as many laughs. The scenes with Farley and Spade together in the log cabin are priceless and hilarious.

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The reason there are so many bad reviews of this movie is because when people heard that Chris Farley (RIP) and David Spade were making another movie together, they were expecting the comic genius that was Tommy Boy. This is not Tommy Boy! You can't expect Chris and David to do the same thing in every movie or it will very soon become routine. Chris's Mike Donelly character is a little less dimwitted than his Tommy Boy character and David's Steve Dobbs character is a little more dimwitted than his Richard character. But, I will say this, Farley and Spade proove once again that they are the best comedy team since the Three Stooges. Sure this movie has it's flaws, but it's worth a look.

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Remember when David Spade was still on SNL, and he and Teri Hatcher did that "Spade In America" sketch on Weekend Update? Well, Teri Hatcher was dressed up as David Spade, and David Spade was dressed up as Teri Hatcher. To quote Teri Hatcher (playing David Spade), she summed up this movie the best: "Well, you know, I did a movie called 'Black Sheep.' Maybe you saw it the first time, when it was called 'Tommy Boy!'" David Spade's response (dressed as Teri Hatcher): "Uh.. yes. I did see that. You were great, David. I mean, you are very sexy." What a comeback...way to promote your movie there, David. Tommy Boy was good, but this one was rushed out to capitalize on that movie's popularity. Fans shunned Black Sheep. There are a couple of scenes in which one may crack a smile, but all in all it tanked at the box office, it's rank in sales is 1095 spots behind Tommy Boy, and based on the fact that it has only gotten 39 Amazon.com reviews over the past 9 years, I think it's fair to say that this movie just isn't very funny nor entertaining to most people.

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Sure this film is similar, it is also as entertaining. It is worth owning especially considering how cheap it is. Despite some claims on here this film did fine at the box office it made $32,377,000 domestically. This is good considering Tommy Boy made $32,700,000 domestically. The gross was very similar and the cost of production were on par with one another. Considering inflation was not a factor in the differing numbers as well, there is very little to indicate that this film failed. On DVD this film has sold well, granted not as well as Tommy Boy. Regardless making false claims that it tanked and does not compare is a result is simply not true. The film although similar is very good and worth the view.

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From Up on Poppy Hill (Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack)

(Note: this is a review of the movie, not of the DVD. Based on other reviews, I would advise potential buyers to be cautious about the quality of the specific DVD being sold.)

From Up on Poppy Hill (Kokuriko-zaka Kara) is nothing less than the best Studio Ghibli film since 2004's Howl's Moving Castle, possibly even since 2001's Spirited Away. Directed by Goro Miyazaki from a screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, From Up on Poppy Hill is based on a 1980 serialized Japanese graphic novel of the same name, illustrated by Chizuru Takahashi and written by Tetsuro Sayama. The animation is lush and lovingly detailed, and the story an engaging tale of two high school students dealing with first love and with the importance of the past, both on a cultural and institutional level, and, as it turns out, on an intimately personal level as well.

The story is set in 1963 in the port town of Yokahama in Japan in 1963 against the backdrop of the country getting ready to host the 1964 Olympic Games. Umi Matsuzaki is a sixteen-year-old high school girl living with her family and a couple of boarders in a house on top of a hill that overlooks the harbor. Her mother Ryoko, a medical professor, is currently away, studying abroad in the United States. In her mother's absence, Umi runs the house and looks after her younger siblings, Sora and Riku, and her grandmother, Hana. The boarders, both women, are an artistic college student named Sachiko Hirokouji and a doctor-in-training named Miki Hokuto. Umi's father, we learn, died many years ago when Umi was quite young, killed when his cargo ship hit a mine during the Korean War. As a kind of ritual to his memory, each morning Umi raises a set of naval signal flags up a flagpole outside the house with the message "Safe Voyage" to the ships out in the harbor.

One day, an anonymous poem about the flags appears in the school newspaper. Curious, Umi decides to visit the school newspaper to ask who wrote the poem. The school paper is published out of an office located in a delapidated old building on the school grounds nick-named "the Latin Quarter" which houses all of the school clubs and has done so for as long as anyone can remember. But the Latin Quarter is now endangered by a plan to tear it down and replace it with a brand new building as part of Japan's modernization program to put on its best face for the upcoming Olympics, a move that has the students divided between those who want everything to be new and those who have an emotional attachment to the old and traditional, which they see embodied by their beloved Latin Quarter.

On the way to visit the paper's office, Umi, accompanied by Sora, witness another student, Shun Kazama, performing a daredevil stunt to get publicity for the paper's "Save the Latin Quarter" drive. Umi is somewhat less than impressed by Shun's feat, but when she reaches the school paper office, she discovers that Shun, along with his friend Shiro Mizunuma who is the student government president, is the publisher of the school paper (and also, as she learns later, the author of the poem about her flags). Before she knows it, Umi is volunteering to help, first with the paper, preparing stencils, and then soon with their drive to save the Latin Quarter. She suggests that the best way to start would be to give the building a complete facelift, first with a thorough cleaning and then with much needed repairs and a fresh paint job. In this cause, Umi enlists the school's female student population, which in turn gets the male students guickly and enthusiastically on board.

As they work together, Umi and Shun start feeling a growing attraction to each other. But the path of young love is rarely smooth, and theirs is thrown for a bigger curve than most when Umi shows Shun a photograph of three young naval men, one of whom is her deceased father. But Shun has seen this photograph before, and suddenly a past neither of them were previously aware of begins to assert itself, complicating their budding relationship before it's properly begun. From that point on, the twin plot threads of Umi and Shun and their pasts and of the students' crusade to save the Latin Quarter are subtly intertwined. To say more would be to spoil the story.

The animation in From Up on Poppy Hill is wonderfully detailed and executed in so many ways it would take a long time to properly describe them. The Latin Quarter clubhouse is a marvel of clutter, completely believable as the sort of old place whose every corner would be filled with incredibly varied bric-a-brac due to the myriad kind of clubs it houses (and going for years without a proper cleaning because that's not typically a high priority with most boys).

Another thing I particularly liked were the subtle changes in the backgrounds as evening approached in some scenes; you could feel the sun slowly beginning to set with the ever-so-slight lengthening of shadows and changes in the hue of the sky. Equal detail was given to the way the characters moved and the things they did. In one scene, when Umi is preparing dinner, she pours the rice into a square box, then carefully runs a flat edge over the top to level it so that the amount measured out is exact. It's a minor detail not dwelled upon, but one of many similar ones that give the film a depth of reality rarely found in most animated films.

Highly, highly recommended for anyone who loves beautiful animation, engaging characters and truly first-class story-telling that never condescends to its audience.

This movie is very well done. Although it is not a Hayao Miyazaki movie, it is made by his son. You can feel how it is similar to Miyazaki's films. It just doesn't have the fantasy elements that most Miyazaki films have. Instead its more of a slice of life, laid back movie like Whisper of the Heart. Which I really enjoyed. So even though its not like watching something like Spirited away or Howl's moving castle, it is sweet and very well done. if you are a fan of Studio Ghibli's work, this is a great movie to watch. I highly suggest you check it out! It will surprise you in a good way!

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Another amazing studio ghibli movie. The story is fairly simple but still interesting and the characters are easy to care about and make the movie a great watch. Could easily watch this again and again.

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Let me start this by saying I'm a major Studio Ghibli fan as their films are all superbly done and have stories with characters that matter to the viewer. This one is no exception. I particularly like that it is set in the early 1960s, a period before Japan had become the economic powerhouse that it is today. As usual, the characters are delightful and the ending is equally a treat. It looks at how things used to be and if you have every lived in or visited Japan during this period of time, you will recognize a great deal of the surroundings. Enough from me. Buy this one. You will be so glad that you did. I've viewed it at least a half dozen times in the last few weeks and it is just as delightful the last time as it was the first.

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I saw this movie in my local theater last week. It is dubbed by Disney voices. I really liked the movie. It felt like a 50's movie to me. I will plan to purchase it when it is for sale. It is hand drawn and sometimes when the camera panned shots, it went out of focus and hurt my eyes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and plan to rate the Dvd when it becomes available.

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Halloween II (30th Anniversary Edition) (1981)

In putting together this sequel, the powers-that-be decided to combine several of the strongest elements from the original film(Michael Myers, Dr. Loomis, the strong Halloween atmosphere)with the standard pace of an early 80's slasher film(people getting killed every 5-10 minutes.) For me, this is the ideal combination. There has not been a slasher movie since that I have liked more than this one.

Dr. Loomis is my favorite horror hero, and Michael Myers my favorite horror villain. They both enjoy some of their finest moments in this installment. I find this version of Myers creepier than the later incarnations, where he has suddenly grown into something resembling an nfl lineman. There is something in the deliberate movements, and the angular figure, that is decidedly inhuman. And Dr. Loomis elevates all of this to a far higher level than it could ever have achieved otherwise.His strength,courage, and iron will make him a hero. So does his moral anguish over seeing innocent people butchered. But there is also something in his personality that makes him the ideal adversary for the Bogeyman.Of course, as a psychiatrist, he feels professional responsibility. But it goes well beyond that. There is some part of his imagination that is obsessed with Myers, and some part of his humanity that is appalled by him. These feelings, taken in concert with his naturally heroic nature, make him the perfect combatant for Myers.

This movie has the ideal pace. The story is divided between Myers stalking people at the hospital, and Dr. Loomis working with the local police to track him down. Slowly, methodically, Michael Myers begins to remove the employees of the hospital, as he makes his way towards Laurie Strode.As always, he operates like a hunter, or sportsman. Several of his victims are given opportunities to save themselves, as they were in the first film. This is what sets Myers apart from typical killers-he is rather like an artist of the macabre. If it's too easy, he almost seems to regard it as beneath him. Of all the killings, my favorite is the nurse in the room with the aquarium. That whole scene is beautifully shot and lit, with the aquarium casting all sorts of reflections across the darkened room, and the cadaverous face of Myers gradually coming into view over the doomed girl's shoulder.The murder of the security guard is effective, as well.

The atmosphere is perfect. The long, winding hallways are ideal for a movie of this sort.There are just so many places where Michael Myers could be. The effect is only intensified as the night wears on and the primary lights are extinguished.The music is great, too. It incorporates the basic Halloween theme, but it has been altered enough to set it apart from any of the other films. It's not really a tangible thing: all of the elements just work for me.The doomed people, congregated in the dark hospital. The Bogeyman, always lurking in the shadows.Dr. Loomis, making his way ever closer to the scene of the slaughter.This is a film I never get tired of watching.

I have seen this film in excess of 300 times-perhaps 400-by now. I mention that for one reason..........namely, that you simply cannot watch something that many times unless you really enjoy the process of watching it. For instance, once you've seen something a half dozen times or so, all pretense of suspense is lost. There is no longer any suspense, because you know exactly what is going to happen. You're not waiting to see how it ends, because you know how it ends. Eventually, you know how each and every SCENE ends.

I reached that point, and surpassed it.........and yet I still kept watching it. For one reason........

Just about EVERY SINGLE SCENE in Halloween 2 is either perfect, or at least very, very good. This is the key. When I watch this, I will sometimes skip the scene where the ambulance driver plays the little prank on his lady friend. Not always, but sometimes.And that's it. There is not another moment in Halloween 2 that I find extraneous, even as many times as I have sat through it.No matter how often I've seen it, I never tire of it. And this holds true for virtually each and every moment in the film.

From the crucial scenes, right down to those that appear trivial, and everything in between...........they just got it right.

I have always felt that this was Donald Pleasence's finest performance as Loomis. He simply commands the screen. There is noone like him. This is also one of the most effective incarnations of Michael Myers. His posture, and mannerisms, are so rigid, so unnatural.........he comes across as the very literal embodiment of Death, itself.(notice that bizarre little pivot he does when he turns to spy on that girl through her window.)Decidedly inhuman.

There are just so many great moments in this film. It has an ambience that is all its own. For example, the part where Laurie Strode finds out exactly who it was who had been after her earlier in the evening. This was a brilliant scene, with the music and the way that the room is lit(with the hospital room darkened, and all that light flooding through the opened door when the nurse enters-very distinctive looking). Note the hushed tones, the lowered voices........much the way that people actually speak when they are in a darkened room. Or where the blonde nurse is seeking her, after she abandons her room in her dread of Myers' return. The dark office with the aquarium, as the unfortunate nurse looks in vain for the doctor........but finds someone else. All those macabre reflections, cast in every direction around the room, make it an unforgettable scene. Or the silent silhouette, lurking just behind that screen, as the nurse and paramedic plot their next move.

Want slasher 101? How about the doomed security guard, going to investigate a strange noise? You just know how that's going to end up.

A hospital is such an ideal locale for a slasher film to take place. The long, winding hallways..........all those rooms and dark corners..........It is dark, and quiet, and isolated. And those people who ARE there are going about their business, completely oblivious to the danger.

And, always on the periphery, the Bogeyman is silently lurking and waiting. While his patience is, as Loomis said, 'not human', you know that when he DOES eventually act, it will be with decisive brutality.

But it is Loomis, more than any other single factor, that serves to differentiate the Halloween series from any other slasher or horror phenomenon. He brings strength, heroism, sincerity, humanity, and a will of iron........as well as an extraordinarily distinctive, melodic manner of delivering his lines. Just imagine some of Loomis' lines in the hands of an average, contemporary actor. They'd be diminished, perhaps to the point of being rendered gibberish.

But in the hands of Donald Pleasence, they become lyrical, darkly poetic, profound.

Dr.Sam Loomis-he elevates this series to something that it NEVER could have approached without him. There is simply nobody like him.

For me, Halloween 2 is the ultimate slasher film. I love it more and more over time. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Buy Halloween II (30th Anniversary Edition) (1981) Now

Halloween II is not as good as the original, that is obvious. Many die hard Halloween fans hate this movie and others love it. I would blame some of the hatred on the fact that John Carpneter opted not to direct. This resulted in the movie's lack of tension and dread that the original seemed to master. Halloween II also ups the violence and bloodshed (and random killing which really bothered me). This movie takes place right after Halloween ends. Halloween II benefits from an excellent, at times a little over the top, preformance from Donald Pleasance. Many complain that Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) sucks in this movie because she is so zoned out. DUH! She is doped up. This adds to the fact that she is helpless. The script may have some problems, but Halloween II is the best sequel. This movie, while not holding a candle to the original, is scary, exciting, and will keep you at the edge of your seat. After a climatic and explosive ending, it is obvious that the series should have stopped right there. But NOO, a string of retarded sequels had to be made. From the Doyle's house to Haddonfield Hospital, Halloween II finishes "the night he came home" very well.

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"Halloween II" picks up directly at the end of the original film, and sends survivor Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) to the hospital to nurse her wounds. Unfortunately for her and most of the cast, Micheal Myers follows. Donald Pleasence and Nancy Stephens also reprise their roles as well.Directed by Rick Rosenthal and scripted by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, "Halloween II" is a very respectable sequel. There is a lot more blood and gore in this one (which came in the post-"Friday the 13th" era), but unlike some of the later sequels, this one still has that "Halloween" feel about it. The finale is also very tense and wraps up the story pretty well -you could view the original and this one without any of the other sequels and have a complete story.The DVD is presented in 2.35:1 ratio and does not contain any extras aside from some brief production notes. But the movie is good, and its a bargain price, so pick it up and make it a "Halloween" night.

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When I originally viewed this sequel, I can remeber being very impress on how the film turned out. I was weary because Carpenter didn't return to direct, but some of my worries were layed to rest after I saw that he both wrote and produced it. Rick does a very credible job directing the feature and surprisingly makes the film FEEL pretty darn close ot a Carpenter film. What I really liked about this sequel is that it takes place right, I mean RIGHT after the first film. It follows the shape (Michael Myers) as he fillows Jame Lee Curtis (who is blatenly wearing a wig) to a hospital, and then the hospital itself becomes a house of horrors. I was more than pleased with only a few complaints. I didn't like how the hospital was always dark (like the lights were never on) and how michael got two bullets straight in the eyes and continued to come (this fact was forgotten in latter poor sequels). That was a little chessy and over-the-top, but forgiveable. The only thing that could have made this film better is if Carpenter himself directed, but even with him at the helm, it might not have turned out much better than this. The next entry HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH, though has nothing to do with these first two films, is a still a good movie. Fans of Carpenter whould also give it a try but stop their. The sequels after that take their audiences for granted and the continuity errors galore as they try to connect to the first two entires.

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Oliver & Company: 25th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray/ DVD Combo Pack) (1988)

During the 80's, the studio hit an artistic, creative, and commercial slump. However, I still find that I quite enjoy Disney's 80's films, many of which experimented with computer animation, non-musical storylines, and different source materials. One of my favorite pre-Little Mermaid 80's Disney films is Oliver and Company. Boasting a soundtrack filled with great songs and a wonderful cast of characters, Oliver and Company finally gets the DVD treatment, albeit a less-than-stellar one.

For one, the transfer is good, but it could be much better and it has a fair amount of grain.

The bonus features could have been much better as well. A few fluff EPK-type featurettes, which are nice, but still fluffy, are sadly enough the meat of the bonuses. Also included, fortunately, are the original trailer, original TV spot, and the 1995 re-release trailer. Two sing-alongs are included as well as two classic Disney short cartoons.

Overall, it's nice to see Oliver and Company on DVD at last. This is probably the best DVD edition Disney will give it for at least a while, so if you're considering picking it up, go for it.

Poor, abandoned kitten Oliver is homeless on the streets of 1980s New York City, until he meets a streetwise dog named Dodger. The cool canine takes Oliver under his wing and, with the help of the rest of his all-dog pickpocket gang, begins to teach him how to survive on the wrong side of the law. But when one of their con jobs goes awry, Oliver ends up in the hands of a sweet, lonely, little rich girl named Jenny. Suddenly, Oliver is living the high-life in a Fifth Avenue penthouse, much to the chagrin of Jenny's prize-winning, pampered poodle, Georgette. When the old gang shows up to rescue Oliver from his ritzy new life, they're disappointed to find that he wants to stay with Jenny. Their human ringleader, Fagin, however, is more than happy to send Oliver home, if he can get a healthy ransom in the process. Fagin isn't really a bad guy, he's just one step above homeless and has a really nasty loan-shark breathing down his neck. Jenny shows up on the dark and dangerous docks to pay Oliver's ransom and rescue her little kitty, and her sadness is too much for Fagin to take, but loan-shark Sykes has no troubles from a conscience and sees a chance to make even more dirty money. He snatches up Jenny and plans to hold HER for ransom! Suddenly, Oliver, Dodger, Fagin and the gang find themselves on a desperate rescue mission to save Jenny from the ruthless Sykes and his bloodthirsty Doberman Pinschers, Roscoe and Desoto, and even Georgette is getting in on the heroic action!

There's no doubt about it, Disney's wonderfully charming classic "Oliver and Company" is one of the most dated animated films you'll ever see. Of course, that's a big part of its charm. What could be more "`80s" than 1980s New York City? How about the music of Billy Joel and Huey Lewis? I know they were two favorites of mine in the `80s! Okay, to be honest, Billy Joel and Huey Lewis aside, the `80s is something you look back on and mock rather than view fondly, especially the clothes, and Oliver and Company captures that aspect, along with many others, perfectly. So, it's dated. Everything is, really. Call it nostalgia. Anywho, as strongly `80s as "Oliver and Company" is, it rises above it! It is simply a great film! That's something that's easy to forget if you haven't seen it in a while. "Oliver and Company" is Disney's twist on Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist," and it is an EXCELLENT modernization! All the best characters are there, and the cast is star-studded! The piano man himself, Billy Joel, voices the artful Dodger, a canine so cool he puts Snoopy to shame (we still love ya, Snoopy)! The hilarious Cheech Marin is Tito the Chihuahua, animation alumnus Dom Deluise is Fagin, the divine Bette Midler is one of Disney's funniest characters as Georgette, Robert Loggia is the excellently slimy villain, Sykes, and a very young Joey Lawrence plays Oliver, just to name a few! With seamlessly incorporated computer animation and painstakingly acquired "dog's eye view" shots of New York City, "Oliver and Company" was the film that kicked off Disney's big comeback as an animation heavyweight, though this cute little film was easily forgotten in the wake of Disney's mega-hit, "The Little Mermaid," the following year. But don't let that stop you from enjoying the magic of "Oliver and Company" yourself! Even the soundtrack is terrific, despite that it is powerfully "80s." And, it's amazing how well Disney has translated "Oliver Twist" into a tale about cats and dogs on the streets of New York without losing the heart of the tale and its underlying messages. The DVD is fantastic as well, especially for a single-disc Disney release! This is the way DVDs should be! In addition to the widescreen presentation of the film, you get a behind the scenes featurette from the original theatrical release, 2 shorter featurettes, a TV spot, theatrical trailers, a scrapbook gallery of art and other materials, 2 sing-along-songs, and the best part: You get two classic Disney shorts! Included as extras are "Puss Cafe," a hilarious Pluto cartoon where the pup goes up against two troublesome felines invading his backyard, and "Lend a Paw," the Oscar winning Mickey Mouse short in which Pluto saves a kitten from drowning and quickly regrets it. Outstanding stuff, and an amazing selection of extras for a single-disc Disney DVD! Rediscover this Disney Classic on DVD today! You won't regret it!

Buy Oliver & Company: 25th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray/ DVD Combo Pack) (1988) Now

This Disney release is a joy especially considering the poor film-only DVD releases of late on Region 2 format.

Oliver and Company has been given a quality treatment and the DVD boasts the new technology with an animated menu and sound (not just a static picture). From the menu you can choose your various options including the well-endowed Bonus Features section.

The Bonus Features are fitting and plentiful including a lovely animated short (cartoon) called `Puss Café' from Disney's Golden Age. The 14 page extensive gallery with conceptual art, character development and layouts makes for good viewing and is a rare peak in to the wonderful making of the film progress which is also documented in an ample featurette.

In addition to these features Disney have also included a short featurette on the theatrical re-release of the film as well as a featurette on the animation of Disney animals throughout Disney history a gem of a bonus on this disc.

In true Disney style, as on R1 DVD releases, the DVD also has two Sing Along features.

The presentation, detail and consideration that has gone in to this DVD release sets a high standard for the new wave of UK DVDs from Disney. The included documentaries feature interviews with Bette Midler and Billy Joel et al. and are padded with interesting information which fans will welcome.

This film is a historic one for Disney just note the trial of CGI and rebirth of Disney magic under the omniscient eye of Roy Disney in his foundation attempts to regain dwindling love for the House of Mouse.

A winning feature with no flaws and many paws.

Read Best Reviews of Oliver & Company: 25th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray/ DVD Combo Pack) (1988) Here

So Happy this is finally coming out on Blu-Ray Disk. Oliver and Company is a fun take on the Dickens Classic. No it doesn't follow Dickens. It's just based on the idea. Great movie.

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I really adore this movie. It's been one of my favorites for a while. The songs are really good and I've memorized them all. My favorite song is definitley "Once Upon a Time in New York City". It matches my voice perfectly which is odd because it's also my favorite song.

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The Edge (2010)

This is a wonderful film that will keep the viewer totally absorbed. Written by the tremendously talented David Mamet (The House of Games, Oleanna), it is beautifully directed by the noted director Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors, Along Came a Spider). The film is a complex, fully fleshed story covering many themes, fully realized by a stellar cast. It also provides the viewer with breathtaking cinematography, as well as a compelling score written by Academy Award winner Jerry Goldsmith (The Omen).

The film focuses an a mild mannered, self-effacing, slightly paranoid billionaire, Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins). A brilliant and well-read man with a penchant for esoteric knowledge, Morse is married to Mickey (Elle MacPherson), a young and beautiful, successful model. On location with her in a remote area of Alaska, she is surrounded by her young, fun loving camera crew, while he is seemingly the odd man out. He is astute enough, however, to sense that there are romantic undercurrents between his wife and her photographer, Robert Green (Alec Baldwin).

When Morse accompanies Robert on what was to be a short excursion into the Alaskan wilderness, looking for a local hunter to pose in the photo shoot, disaster looms ahead, and the test for the survival of the fittest begins. It is here that the superior mind and knowledge of Morse is put to the test, as they find themselves pitted against nature. Morse rises to the occasion, emerging as a natural leader, while his younger, fitter rival, Robert, is often at a loss as to how to cope in their peculiar situation. It is also through the emerging and changing conditions that they face, that their respective characters emerge. It is in the wilderness that they are both unmasked and emerge as their true selves.

This is a film that will keep the viewer enthralled. Anthony Hopkins has never been better as the quietly heroic Morse, and Alec Baldwin is excellent as the craven and duplicitous photographer who has cuckolded him. Elle MacPherson is luminous as the beautiful, young, trophy wife. The rest of the supporting cast, including the giant Kodiac bear, are also terrific. This is a superlative survival story that has something for everyone. Bravo!

The score, photography, direction, screenplay and the marvelous interaction between Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins all deserve high praise. It says much for the power of Baldwin and Hopkin's performances that the magnificent bear, Big Bart, did not steal every scene in which he appeared.

Billionaire intellectual, mildly paranoid Hopkins accompanies his trophy wife played by super model Elle MacPherson to a photo shoot in the Alaskan wilderness. The always faintly menacing Alec Baldwin is a trendy, sophisticated fashion photographer who has more than a passing interest in Ms. MacPherson. Hopkins reluctantly agrees to accompany Baldwin on a search for an elusive native trapper who Baldwin thinks will be an ideal photo subject. The plane goes down (in a jarringly effective scene). Three survive, but on their first night the weakest of their party is horrifyingly mauled and taken away by a giant Kodiak bear. Baldwin and Hopkins must make their way out of the wilderness with the terrifying knowledge that the bear is stalking them. Hopkins is a wonderfully effective survivor and Baldwin shows a toughness and perseverance that belies his sophisticated image. Will the bear triumph? Will they get out alive? Are Baldwin and Hopkins ultimately partners or deadly adversaries?

Thanks to David Mamet, the screenplay has depth and is probably full of deeper meanings that whizzed right by me. Lee Tamahori's fine direction lifted the film from a merely grand adventure saga to an absorbing study of two men and their inner beings. The script or the interactions never bored me. There is one fine scene setup that alone was worth the price of admission to me. Hopkins and Baldwin are peering over a fallen log desperately trying to ascertain the location of the bear. Only their upper faces are showing. Hopkins china blue eyes display enormous depth and intelligence while Baldwin's icy blues convey complete kill or be killed intensity. I think reviewers have been unjust to Ms. MacPherson's contribution. I believe she delivered just what she was supposed to: a beauty who was graceful, charming and perhaps a little shallow.

This film is about as perfect as it can be. The only flaw is a very disappointing DVD with no extras. Hopefully, another edition will come out. Anthony Hopkins is always marvelously articulate about his roles; it would be a treat to hear a few words from him. Outtakes on Big Bart's scenes would be priceless. I advise waiting for new edition before purchasing the DVD, but by all means, rent this one! In spite of its totally unimaginative title, it is one of the great films of the decade.

-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer

Buy The Edge (2010) Now

The Edge is a very much underrated film that sadly did not get the proper recognition it deserves, for it is an above average multi-layered movie that works very well on many levels, all equally well written and directed.

New Zealander Lee Tamahori, with the excellent Once We Were Warriors to his name,and writer David Mamet manage to make a movie that offers much more than its genre might suggests, both on the drama and thriller levels.

First there is the breathtaking Alaskan wilderness, spaces so vast they are equally inviting and menacing.A Napoleon general, lamenting the disaster that befell the French army once said: 'The vasteness of Russia devours us'. In the Edge you will too get the impression that the beauty of this untamed nature can also devour: break the bodies and souls of our heroes, Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, both offering their most underrated acting best.

Three men are lost in the middle of a wilderness after their plane crash.The hope for an early return/rescue is dashed by the misleading spaces and a huge and determined Kodiak bear.One man, played by Harry Perrineau gets to know first hand about this determination,leaving Hopkins and Baldwin, bewildered, and weary,to try and escape with their lives.

This is when the film really starts. It becomes a journey of incredible hardship that will strip both men of their 'social' selves and replace it with the need to survive that will take them to the 'Edge' of endurance on one hand, and the depths of their own souls on the other. The animosities, tension and grudges that laid hidden between the two men emerge as a powerful and consistent force that mark their relationship from then on.

David Mamet has managed to write the 'Edge' that any human being can face whether lost in an unforgiving wilderness or anywhere else for that matter.It is simply how human beings change,and how social niceties is slowly eroded when the need to survive becomes the single driving force. This is a fine piece of writing!

Of course there is the thriller angle in the film..the bear, the master and primary predator of its environment,chasing two men that have been stripped from all the power and control they once possessed and taken for granted.

The direction and cinematography of these scenes are of top quality.

So if you want to watch gorgeous scenery, be scared of this huge and beautiful animal,or witness the changes incredible circumstances that trigger in men, then the Edge is the film for you eyes and mind, a journey that can easily be revisited in the safety of your own home.

Read Best Reviews of The Edge (2010) Here

As character portraits go, this movie is a tour de force. The plot may be predictable, but the character drawn by Anthony Hopkins is masterful. A likeable, if self-effacing, intellectual in the beginning of the movie, Hopkins finds himself and learns that his true riches reside within himself. We see his bravado grow into genuine confidence as he comes to recognize that his resourcefulness really is unique. Shedding unnecessary layers of his life along the way, Hopkins walks out of the wilderness of Alaska and the wilderness of his self. He emerges as a transformed version of himself, having added wisdom to knowledge and courage to assurance while retaining the basic decency that characterized him from the beginning.

Alex Baldwin's portrait of Robert, the photographer, is equally competent. It is not possible to admire his character, but one must applaud his portrayal.

The supporting roles are at least adequate, and in some cases, more than adequate, but the real standouts are Hopkins, Baldwin, and the wonderful wilderness scenery.

This review would not be complete without naming a favorite scene in the film: near the end, Hopkins disembarks from the rescue helicopter and receives recognition and acknowledgement from two backwoodmen in the form of a subtle nod. Very nice!

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When famed writer David Mamet turns his attention to the fascinating subject of man's nature and his struggle to survive in the wilderness, the likelihood is that a fascinating movie will result. And with this depiction of a small group of men, including a reclusive and introspective fifty-something tycoon (Sir Anthony Hopkins), a shifty and conniving fashion photographer (Alec Baldwin), Mamet sets the stage for a mammoth struggle for the survival of the fittest as he pits the men against both a wily Kodiak bear as well as against each other. The other members of the stranded party is killed by the bear in quick fashion, leaving only Hopkins and Baldwin try to improvise some way to figure out how to get back to civilization and outrun this bear with an appetite for humans.

There are a number of subplots running through the action sequences, and a number of plot twists that serve to illustrate that it isn't necessarily the strongest that survive so much as it is the smartest and most adaptable of the antagonists. Yet this is not merely a testosterone-enriched script, for there are a number of elements in the story that lend themselves to viewing the characters (including the bear) with compassion and understanding of the complex ways in which the way we behave both actively and indirectly influences our chances at surviving.

In the midst of all this action and plot activity remains the singular beauty of the landscape, and in all their travails the characters are consistently outshadowed by the sheer scope of the topography, climate and setting of the great Alaskan wilderness. It is almost as if the director is suggesting we get ourselves sand our petty personal concerns in context and perspective, and seen against the shadow of the great outdoors, their troubles seem much smaller and more manageable indeed. This is a great movie, a film with a great story, interesting dialogue, and a terrific ensemble of actors supporting the thrust of the tale. Enjoy!

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Le Havre (The Criterion Collection) (2011)

In 1992 Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki made his first French movie, "La Vie de Bohème", and now almost 20 years later he returns with a second French-language movie.

"Le Havre" (93 min.) centers around the ordinary lives of people like Marcel Marx (which character incidentally also appears in La Vie de Boheme and where he also was played by André Wilms). Marx tries to get by as a shoe-shiner, but life is hard. The house he and his wife Arletty have is modest at best. Then one day a group of illegal immigrants from Gabon are found in a container waiting to be shipped to London. A teenage boy manages to escape the police and eventually the boy and Marcel Marx link up. I don't want to spoil the plot any further than this, you'll just have to see how it all plays out for yourself.

This is not an "action" movie. Instead, it observes the ordinary lives of ordinary people, and in addition it is a love note of sorts to the city of Le Havre, which, like the characters in this movie, has seen better days but remains resilient. This movie was very well received at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, and it is easy to see why. The acting is superb throughout, none better than by lead actor André Wilms. I enjoyed this movie from start to finish, but obviously this is not for anyone in a hurry or looking for the next Harry Potter franchise. Highly recommended!

Director Kaurismäki has created a story that is appealing as you watch it, but whose images and motifs will linger with you for days after you see it. His use of colour and lighting makes this visually alluring and his choices in casting have given him a pallet of wonderful faces to explore in his artistic manner. I had the impression at times of seeing a series of paintings of the Old Masters in an Art Gallery.In addition, there is a gentleness and a timelessness about this film which lifts it beyond the confines of its plot and setting. As other reviewers have stated this is not an action film as its plot is neither frenetic, nor full of the normal thrills many movie goers seek in such films.Another strength of this film is the strong acting from all members of the cast. There is a wonderful French feel about this film and many of the shots of the port city are quite lovely. I highly recommend it to those who are seeking more than simple entertainment and who would like to have a beautiful artistic experience.

Buy Le Havre (The Criterion Collection) (2011) Now

Criterion has done another great job rescuing a little seen gem from Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki. Set on the French coastal port of Le Havre, an aging Marcel (Andre Wilms) ekes out a living on the street as a shoe shiner. He lives in a small apartment in a poor neighborhood with several small markets nearby.

A cargo ship unloads a container ultimately headed for London. Authorities discover it contains 20 or so people from North Africa. One teen age boy (Blondin Miguel) manages to get away and finds his way to Marcel while he is having his lunch. Marcel shelters and feeds the boy even though he worries about the authorities ultimately catching him and deporting him back to Africa. He also has to contend with his wife (Kati Outinen) who is in the hospital for what appears to be stomach cancer. Her prognosis is grim but she hides the probable outcome from Marcel.

Using his sympathetic neighbors and an unlikely police detective (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) for support, Marcel finds out that young Idrissa was enroute to London to reunite with his mother. He manages to get a neighbor and former headliner rock musician Little Bob to hold a fund raiser in order to pay to have the boy smuggled into England. Kaurismaki, who also wrote the script, never plays this too serious. But it's not a comedy either. You really have to think of it more as a fantasy. And a good one it is. The film ends with an unexpected surprise. Check it out.

Read Best Reviews of Le Havre (The Criterion Collection) (2011) Here

This film shows the best of the 'heart' of the French people under the onslaught of African immigration. It is both beautiful in its atmospheric cinematography and classically well-acted as well. A humble man with a very sick wife has the chance to rescue a wonderful young boy. Well...the wife is too sick to know anything about what happens... but in this script her husband is superb in his humanity. This is so different than the 'hip' and 'cynical' French films we are used to admiring! I can't believe how often I plan to use 'superb' in this review. The cinematographyand the sets are as evocative as any Francophile could wish. The characters are 'true to life', not the least because this is a French film for a French audience. The ensemble is beautiful, marvelous and genuinely heart-warming. I have rarely seen a film as worthy of viewing as is this one.

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The story of Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki's latest work takes place in Le Havre, a port city in north-western France. A former Bohemian artist Marcel Marx (Andre Wilms) makes a living as a shoeshine with his Vietnamese assistance Chang (Quoc Dung Nguyen). He may not be rich, but with his loving wife Arletty (Kati Outinen) his life is not bad.

One day Marcel meets Idrissa (Blondin Miguel), a young refugee boy from Gabon running away from the police. While Marcel decides to raise money so that the boy can meet his mother in London, Arletty, ill and now in the hospital, conceals a fact that she knows would shock her husband.

The theme of "Le Havre" overlaps that of a 2009 French film "Welcome," but Kaurismäki's approach is less political, focusing the everyday life of ordinary people, described with Kaurismäki's deadpan humor/sentimentality. Kaurismäki's longtime photographer Timo Salminen's careful use of muted colors is another plus, adding a realistic touch to the modern-day fable.

André Wilms (who 20 years ago played "Marcel," a down-and-out artist in Paris in Kaurismäki's "La Vie de Bohème") turns in quiet and understated performance as the aged shoe shiner determined to do something for the boy. Kati Outinen, the director's muse since the 1980s, is also outstanding as the protagonist's ailing wife, and so is Jean-Pierre Darroussin as Monet, softer version of Inspector Javert trying to catch the boy.

I like the film for its positive, life-affirming message, though I for one prefer such films as "The Man without a Past" and "Ariel," in which darker events happen and characters have to struggle more. Perhaps with an exception of cameo Jean-Pierre Léaud, there is no "villain" in "Le Havre," which marks a new phase in the respected director's long career.

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Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis: Special Edition (1984)

Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS was very successful with both critics and audiences when it debuted in 1927 Berlin--but it was thereafter edited for distribution by Channing Pollock, who disliked it and removed great chunks of the film and substantially altered the storyline. The resulting film was admired for its visual style, but it proved a critical and box office disappointment. Neglected in the wake of sound, surviving prints of the film were left to corrode and decay--and when it began to reach the home market via VHS and DVD the results were very hit or miss; Blackhawk released a fairly credible version of the truncated film to home video, but for the most part the quality of these releases varied from barely mediocre to downright unwatchable.

Until now.

A great chunk of METROPOLIS--perhaps as much a quarter of more--has been forever lost, but this Kino Video DVD release offers the single best version of the film available. The previously cut footage that still exists has been restored; gaps in the film have been bridged by the occasional use of stills and explanatory title cards; the film itself has been painstakingly and digitally restored; and the soundtrack is the Gottfried Huppertz original created for the film's 1927 Berlin debut. In seeing this version of METROPOLIS, I was struck by how very differently it reads from the previously available truncated version. The visual style and the story itself are much more exciting and cohesive, and in the wake of this restoration it becomes impossible to deny the film status as landmark of international cinema.

Freder Fredersen (Gustav Frohlich) is the son of Joh Fredersen (Alfred Able), who reigns over the great city of Metropolis. Freder is surprised to discover his lifestyle has been built on the unseen but backbreaking labor of an entire class of unseen workers who tend the machines that make the city run--and he descends to the subterranean levels of Metropolis in an effort to understand their lives... and, not incidentally, to find the mysterious but beautiful woman Maria (Brigitta Helm) who has inspired his interest in the workers' plight. But his father is concerned by both Freder's interest and Maria's activities among the workers, and he turns to scientist C.A. Rotwang (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) for aid. Rotwang has created a robot, and he agrees to give it the likeness of Maria in order to undermine both Freder's love for the girl and her own activities. But Rotwang has a hidden agenda of his own: once the robot has been unleashed, he will use her to destroy Metropolis and thereby exact revenge on Joh Fredersen for past transgressions against him.

In many respects the story is simplistic, but the film's visual style and connotations are anything but. Deeply influenced by such art movements as Expressionism, Objectivism, Art Deco, and Bauhaus, the film is visually fascinating--not only in its scenic designs, but in director Lang's famous skill at creating the powerful crowd scenes that dominate the film and building the pace and tension of the film as it moves toward an intense climax. But while one can--and many do--admire the film purely at this level, there is quite a lot going on in terms of philosophical content as well: while it offers few viable solutions, the film raises such issues as the relationship between capital and labor, the place of religion in modern society, human reaction to overwhelming technology, and (perhaps most interestingly) the drift of government into a class-conscious corporate entity. And religious motifs abound in the film: a largely deserted cathedral; Moloch; the Tower of Babel; and crosses--intriguingly juxtaposed with a repeating motif of the pentagram-like designs associated with the robot. It is fascinating stuff.

There has been complaint that this restoration runs at incorrect speed and the performances are therefore unnecessarily jerky. I did not find this to be the case. In certain instances the movement is deliberately jerky and mechanical--the workers are a case in point--but beyond this there is nothing for which the difference between silent acting and modern acting techniques cannot account. There has also been some complaint that the title cards should have been left in their original German and translated via subtitle. There is a certain validity to this, but it seems a minor quibble; title cards were typically translated in the silent era itself. The DVD includes a number of extras, including still photographs, biographies of the major figures involved in the film, and two interesting documentaries-one on the restoration process and one on the creation of the film itself. Both are interesting; the audio commentary track by film historian Enno Patalas, however, is mildly disappointing. But when all is said and done, it is the film that counts. And this restoration is a remarkable achievement, to say the least, a project which brings a great landmark of world cinema back from the edge of the abyss. Indispensible; a must-own.

--GFT (Amazon Reviewer)--

**EDIT 1/5/13: ADDED REVIEW OF 2011 KINO "GIORGIO MORODER PRESENTS METROPOLIS" BLU-RAY/DVD**

**EDIT 12/9/10: ADDED REVIEW OF 2010 KINO "THE COMPLETE METROPOLIS" BLU-RAY/DVD**

**EDIT 12/9/10: ADDED REVIEW OF 2010 REGION-B EUREKA "METROPOLIS" BLU-RAY**

**ORIGINAL REVIEW 2/24/03: REVIEW OF 2003 KINO "METROPOLIS" DVD

I'm lumping my reviews together, just like what Amazon is doing! The above 4 video editions of the German silent classic will be covered in this review. Also, see my video clip on the left to see disc covers, film clip comparisons, etc. (Those who can't see my video clip, especially iOS users who can't see flash video, please go to Amazon's FULL site and look under my review for the comment section, where I posted an external link to the video.)

Released in 1927, amid the golden age of the silent film era, Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS is a stylistic tour-de-force that has remained influential for the rest of the century, inspiring films from "Frankenstein" in 1931, "Bladerunner" in 1982, to "Dark City" in 1997. With its imaginative set design, elaborate photography, bold editing, and its then groundbreaking special effects, this German sci-fi silent classic exemplifies the highly inventive period of German Expressionism, which also include such film masterworks as "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligaru", "Nosferatu", "The Last Laugh", and Lang's "Die Nibelungen".

In 2011, Kino released the 1984 "Giorgio Moroder" version of the classic on Blu-ray and DVD. This version controversially contains a rock score accompaniment which, to many people, myself included, is quite inappropriate for the film. Moroder, a record producer and an Oscar-winning songwriter ("Take My Breath Away", "Flashdance... What a Feeling"), deserves credit for restoring the previously butchered film to a presentable 82-minute version, but he added a few butcherings of his own. Intertitles were replaced with subtitles. Additional special effects were added. And instead of a traditional score, Moroder naturally used what he knew best: a pop rock score with pop rhythm and beats that don't really mesh with the images. His score is not just intrumental, but it comprises of fully-written songs sung by Pat Benatar, Freddie Mercury, and others, essentially turning the film into one big music video. What Moroder didn't understand was that in a music video, the song is the centerpiece; but in a film, the IMAGE has to be the center. A piece of film has its own rhythm and beats too. Every cut, motion, close-up, etc, gives the image its rhythm, which Moroder has to understand is not always four-quarter time. There are a few instrumental passages in the score, and they fare better and are less detrimental to the flow of the images. But most of the score are songs. The chapter listing shows the song titles and artists' names, but no subtitles are offered for the lyrics. The quality of the songs vary, with Benatar's "Here's My Heart" seemingly the most effective, showing that Moroder at least paid attention to the movie's theme about the heart being the mediator in any struggle. The picture quality is presentable, but Kino makes it clear on the back cover that this is an unrestored, straight transfer from an old print. The Blu-ray does not look as good as other Blu-ray editions. There are a fair amount of print damages and the picture looks a bit dark at times. But the details of the high-def 1080p picture does come through, making this Blu-ray the best-looking edition of Moroder's Metropolis. The score is offered in lossless DTS 5.1 on the Blu-ray (Dolby 5.1 on the DVD) and it sounds fine. The Blu-ray also offers a lossless LPCM stereo track for those with legacy equipments. Bonus features include a 17-minute documentary (in English with no subtitles) that provides a cursory coverage of the German silent film history, the history of "Metroplis", and Moroder's restoration. Two trailers and 11 high-quality scans of publicity stills are also included.

Currently, the "go-to" version of the Lang classic is the 2010 Kino Region-A Blu-ray edition and its corresponding Region-1 DVD edition. They are titled "The Complete Metropolis" to avoid confusion with other editions. They contain, to date, the most complete, two-and-a-half-hour cut of the film, combining the two-hour version from the monumental 2001 restoration effort by Germany's F.W. Murnau Foundation (previously released as the 2003 Kino DVD), and about half-hour of footage discovered at Museo del Cine in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2008 that had been unseen for decades. This previously lost footage has been edited back into the film to create this new "Complete Metropolis" edition. The added scenes are sprinkled all over the film, improving continuity, clarifying storytelling, and thus heightening the impact and yielding a result that is greater than the sum of its parts, as they finally restore Lang's full vision to its near complete form.

The HD picture quality of the Blu-ray ranges from sparklingly clear in some footage, slightly softer in others (especially the special fx shots), to severely battered and damaged as in those newly-discovered shots. All the "good-looking" footage came from the 2001 restoration. With the upgrade to HD, the sharpness and the clarity over the DVD counterpart is readily apparent, and therefore this Blu-ray represents the best that the film has ever looked on home video. Unfortunately, the half hour of new-found footage, originated from 16mm film, looks severely damaged and sometimes barely watchable, and it doesn't benefit much from the HD picture. As the new footage is sprinkled all over the film, the picture quality oscillates between good and bad, normally an uncomfortable experience but a small price to pay for finally watching the most complete version yet of the classic.

The Blu-ray disc contains a lossless DTS 5.1 audio track of the original orchestral score by Gottfried Huppertz, performed by Berlin's Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra. Many people would have preferred the newly-composed score by the Alloy Orchestra, who have actually toured North America with their excellent live accompaniment of the complete "Metropolis". I contacted Alloy Orchestra and they said the German distributors would not allow Kino to use their score on the new edition. Thus, Alloy Orchestra is selling their score on a CD disc, albeit in lossy MP3 format with only a 192 kbps bit rate. Google "alloy metropolis order" to order it.

The intertitles for the 2010 Kino edition, just like in the 2003 edition, are in English only. Whenever there is on-screen German text, English subtitles are provided and not removable.

If you are a purist who wants to see original German intertitles, the same thing German audiences saw back in 1927, you need to get the British Region-B "Masters of Cinema" Blu-ray or its corresponding Region-2 DVD edition by Eureka, titled "Metropolis". They can be ordered at Amazon UK. North American viewers would need a multi-region player to play Region-B or 2 discs, however. The intertitles on these discs are in German only and supported by optional English subtitles.

Supplements on Kino's 2010 edition do not contain any from the 2003 edition (so save that disc). Instead, we have a pretty good 50-minute documentary titled "Voyage to Metropolis", shown in HD on the Blu-ray and narrated in German with optional English subtitles, about the dramatic history of "Metropolis" up to its re-discovery in Argentina.

The TCM channel has also broadcast another excellent, 50-min documentary on the same subject titled "Metropolis Refound", but it is not available on any home video.

The Eureka Region-B Blu-ray's HD picture quality is virtually identical to the Kino Blu-ray edition. Both editions have the same Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra score in lossless DTS. Both have the "Voyage to Metropolis" documentary (shown in HD on Blu-ray). The Eureka disc also contains an excellent full-length audio commentary by David Kalat and Jonathan Rosenbaum, while the Kino disc has a 9-minute interview with Paula Felix-Didier, curator of the Museo del Cine in Buenos Aires. The Eureka disc also comes with a 56-page booklet of essays, interviews, and restoration notes.

**BELOW IS MY REVIEW OF THE KINO 2003 DVD EDITION, originally posted Feb-24-2003**

This Kino Region 1-only DVD offers an almost pristine-looking video transfer of the film. The untinted, black-and-white image is clean and sharp throughout, the result of a mostly manual frame-by-frame restoration started in 1998 by Germany's F.W. Murnau Foundation. The included jacket essay gives a brief account of its efforts, as well as the work of other restorationists in the past, notably Munich Filmmuseum and film historian Enno Patalas. The DVD supplements also include an excellent mini-documentary that explains some of the technical details in the restoration.

The film's running time on this DVD is 118 minutes (not 124 as printed on the case). It is shown at the speed of 24 frames per second, an unusual frame rate for a silent film. But according to F.W. Murnau Foundation, this was the projection speed used at the film's premiere in 1927. Some viewers may find the motion a bit too fast at times due to the high frame rate. But some believe this was director Fritz Lang's way to intensify some of the action. (For those who want to watch METROPOLIS at a slower speed, there is a PC DVD player called WinDVD 4.0, which lets you extend or shorten a DVD's running time without affecting the pitch of the audio.)

This DVD only has English intertitles (supported by French and Spanish subtitles). The style, typeface, and the occasional animation in the intertitles were all re-created according to the original film. The original score by Gottfried Huppertz was also "adapted" from its 153-minute original length to the current, shorter length. This is the first time I have a chance to listen to Huppertz's elaborately orchestrated score, and it sounds terrific.

This latest restoration, unfortunately, did not recover a lot of film footage that had been missing over the years. Major sequences that were lost, such as Maria's escape from Rotwang, are still lost. To make up for this, and to make the film's plot more coherent, new intertitles were inserted to summarize the story lines of the missing footage. These intertitles are frequently seen in this restored version, a constant reminder of the large amount (a quarter of the film) of lost footage.

I did a brief side-by-side comparison between the Kino DVD and a few old video versions, and discovered the DVD actually has "alternate scenes" that were utilized for this restoration. In other words, Lang apparently shot some of the scenes *twice* (probably for domestic theaters and abroad), resulting in two versions of a scene looking slightly different. For instance, in the running competition early in the film, the winner wins by a bigger distance in all older video versions that I have seen than he does on the Kino DVD.

The DVD's audio commentary by Enno Patalas is mild disappointment. As in the Kino DVD of THE BLUE ANGEL, the comments are too sparse and not too in-depth. And long stretches of silence are frequent. The commentary is largely analytical, and it points out some of the key themes and visual motifs of the film.

The other DVD supplements include an involving 45-minute documentary that covers the making of the film, the German Expressionist period, the "unmaking" of METROPOLIS by censors and Hollywood, and a few interview segments of Lang. The still gallery contains about 90 production photos and design sketches, including about 27 photos taken from missing scenes.

Buy Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis: Special Edition (1984) Now

Austrian director Fritz Lang and his wife, Thea Von Harbou, made this first-ever science fiction film in Germany in 1926. While all extant copies are in poor to bad condition, the story and cinematography are so wonderful as to still hold the interest of a large audience.

There are many versions of this film on the market, with running times anywhere from 63 to 139 minutes, but this is by far my favorite. While it only has an 81 minute running time, it is actually one of the most complete versions available, because Georgio Moroder went back to the original script, and using still photos from the production, reinserted scenes that were cut from the film for it's American release. (The Nazis destroyed all original German prints of the film, as well as the negative.) The intertitles, which accounted for about 20 minutes of the film's running time, were replaced with subtitles, and his version uses the 24-frames-per-second projector speed that modern films are shown at, while the longer versions are shown at the historically correct 18-frames-per-second. He trimmed more time off by careful editing, to give the film a more contemporary pacing.

He also added a "contemporary" score, as well as subtle washes of color, which actually aids in understanding the film, while not detracting from Karl Fruend and Guenther Rittau's marvelous b&w cinematography. In fact, in some of the scenes where the film has been severely damaged, it helps accentuate the contrast.

There are many classic images in this film, including shots of the city (where monorails and bi-planes coexist), but the best known is probably Brigitte Helm as "Hel" the robot. In fact, people who have never seen, or even heard of the film have seen clips of Rotwang (Hel's creator) and Hel in the laboratory. Brigitte Helm also stars as Maria, the film's heroine, and hers is a standout performance.

Also of interest is the similarity between the character, Joh Frederson (the "master" of the city of Metropolis, played by Alfred Abel), to Adolph Hitler and his Third Reich. Combined with the workers, whose underground city seems like a concentration camp, and whose uniforms bear a startling resemblance to the ones worn in the Nazi concentration camps. This is especially odd considering that the film predates Hitler's rise by almost a decade. Those similarities are just one reason that the Nazis were so keen to destroy any trace of the film. It is truly a shame that Lang did not bring the negative when he escaped from Germany to the USA in the thirties.

In most science fiction, the message is about the human condition, and Metropolis is no exception; the moral is that the brain that plans and the hands that build need a mediator: the heart. That's as true today as it was in 1926.

At this writing, this version is no longer in print, which is a crying shame. Other versions are available, and I can recommend many of them, although some are made from prints that are in horrendous condition, but if you can find an affordable copy of the Moroder version, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Read Best Reviews of Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis: Special Edition (1984) Here

Kino's Restored Authorized Edition of Metropolis is undoubtedly the most superb restoration of a film ever executed. However, as of July 1st, 2008, this is no longer the most complete version of the film available. Metropolis was originally a 130 minute film which was mercilessly chopped down to an overly simplified 80 minutes. Archivists across Europe worked tirelessly to restore Metropolis to the best of their ability, producing this 124 minute version as a result -the longest version of Metropolis to date, containing scenes and subplots that don't appear in any other version.

However, it's now been twice verified that a complete 130 minute version of the film (which wasn't supposed to exist) has been discovered in Buenos Aires and is the real thing. This Holy Grail of classic film is in poor condition and will, no doubt, take time to restore, but you can bet that restoration will begin immediately.

The point of all this: If you want to watch Metropolis NOW, then this is the version to get. However, if you're willing to wait, a perfect "Ultimate Edition" will eventually be on the way.

Want Giorgio Moroder Presents Metropolis: Special Edition (1984) Discount?

I used to have a friend who let me borrow his Laserdisc copy of Giorgio Moroder's version of Metropolis. I thought that was a better copy than VHS. Moroder's version was never to be found again in print, and I was hoping for a DVD release, Now it's on Blu-ray ! Thank you, thank you!!! I already own the restored black and white version DVD, but Moroder's music score and color tinting, fits with the futuristic ideas of the movie, IMHO. The sound effects are not bad too, like when Freder stumbles into Rotwang's lab. Actually, I saw a screening of Moroder's version first before the classic B&W. I'm happy now that I'll own both versions. Thanks again.

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Saawariya (2007)

Note: Hindi with English subtitles.

The '07 Bollywood film `Saawariya' (i.e.: Beloved) is one of the most visually stunning films I've seen in quite some time. The storyline is one of those unrequited love themes that we're all familiar with; Raj (Ranbir Kapoor) falls in love with Sakina (Sonam Kapoor) who is in love with Imman (Salman Khan). While Imaan is away Raj attempts to win his way into Sakina's heart while another woman, a local prostitute played by Rani Mukherjee both narrates the love story as an objective observer and plays the part of a forlorn lover who hopes to win Raj for herself.

Though the tale unfolding is as old as time the presentation is inventive magical and totally mesmerizing. The soundtrack is also quite good though not quite your usual Bollywood faire, drift back and forth between festive and upbeat to melancholy and haunting. Well worth a watch for the visuals and music alone. If you enjoyed `Moulin Rouge' than you should certainly appreciate this film too.

Saawariya (meaning "Beloved") is director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's adaptation of Dostoevsky's short story "White Nights". The body of the film is decidedly Bollywood with all of the vibrant colors (the color blue has never looked so good) while the core remains true to Dostoevsky. Bhansali had expressed in an interview that he made this movie in part inspired by watching his grandmother waiting on the balcony every evening for his grandfather to come home from work. How deep is that love? Can it ever be distracted, even temporarily, from its long-standing object of affection? This movie meditates on some of these aspects of love. Saawariya is a musical and should be experienced as such. Here are some reasons why I fell in love with this movie:

1) Beautiful evocative sets that depict a syncretic town visited by different ages and cultures. A town that exists nowhere and yet everywhere. I was initially skeptical of Bhansali's choice of shooting this movie entirely on sets. But after watching the dreamscape of Saawariya unfold, I applaud his choice.

2) The beautiful and innocent Sakina as portrayed by Sonam Kapoor. Her emotive power is expressed through her eyes and she pervades the film as a lone angel awaiting her distant lover. Sonam will go far in filmdom with the right roles.

3) The exuberance of Ranbir Kapoor. Though he tends to overreach himself in some frames, he is mostly pleasant and sympathetic throughout the movie.

4) Excellent supporting and memorable performances by Zohra Sehgal and Rani Mukherjee. Salman Khan is remarkably restrained here and does justice to his brief role.

5) The music, O the music! Haunting, evocative, mesmerizing! After a long gap have I heard such beautiful melody pour forth from a Bollywood film.

6) People watching this movie in theaters were critical of the overtly blue hues that pervade the entire movie. But I just fell in love with the blue theme.

7) A few magnificent scenes like (a) Zohra Sehgal's dialogue with Raj (Ranbir) on forgiveness, (b) A mesmerizing shot of Sakina's playful beating of the carpets, (c) The song "Yoon Shabnami" wherein the faithful are awaiting a glimpse of the moon so that they may break their Id fast whilst Raj gazes away in the other direction at his "moon" Sakina.

I could go on and on but will stop here. Suffice to say that every frame of this movie is rich and I personally consider this movie a classic in the long run.

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I watched "Saawariya" at the cinema and I though it was just amazing.

The best thing about this movie is the amazing sets and landscapes.It's pure art, and what better way to experiance it than 1080p ! Most of the songs are great and mesmerizing, the plot is great although the script could have been better.

All in all this Bluray is a must have for all Bollywood fans who want to experiance a little "masala" in high defenition for the very first time !

Read Best Reviews of Saawariya (2007) Here

My life has changed after seeing this movie. I'd forgotten all about magical places until I watched this movie, why?

First, the music is exquisite, lyrics, musicians, compositions, I understand the music was specifically written after the movie was made and therefore it fits like a glove. You will be transported to this wonderland, where beauty and magic converge. Equipped with a family heritage of talented movie makers and actors comes the genius of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I'm going to follow his productions from here on out. He introduces two fresh heavily talented actors, Sonam Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor, (both are fabulously good looking) and not related or married to each other as of this writing, they meet and deliver pure magic weaving a story of many dimensions.

A special guest appearance by Salman Khan playing "Imaan", Khan is recognized as the 7th most handsome man in the world, please don't let me see numbers 1 thru 6, I don't want a heart attack. His portrayal is mysterious as he appears in the movie one thunderous night with lighting flashing and thunder roaring, as Sakina (the fragile beauty) who is hypnotized by the very sight of this masculine man who appears like a vision and says: "We have a lifetime to gaze into each others eyes." If you're a woman watching this scene you either faint or scream, like I (and my daughter) did.

Ranbir Kapoor as a new comer seals the deal as one great up and coming actor, he dances, with moves like greased lightening, (his dance moves would make our own Elvis proud). Also Rani Mukherjee, as Gulabji the street wise and lovely woman of the night who tenderly recognizes the love struck "Rock Star" angel in Ranbir Raj and she seems to fall in love herself.

I loved the part Zohra Sehgal plays as "Lilipop," she starred in "The Jewel in the Crown" a PBS production about India's relationship with England leading up to India's Independence. The set designs are beautiful as we are transported through the "blue" streets and canals of this fantastic city of secret meeting places, the music is wonderful, and the actors are exquisite; a veritable feast for the senses. I loved Begum Para's portrayal as the blind grandmother who safety-penned Sakina to her, she reminded me of my own grandmother who happened to be blind and who was more aware of things going on than anyone imagined.

I immediately bought the dvd, and three cds of music, one for my auto, one for home and one I'm saving in case I wear one out! This is a beautiful love story, and what I immediately noticed was the great difference between American movies where French kissing is the least lustiness you see, in Saawariya there is no-kissing and no-hint pornography of any kind to weigh down this wonderful cinematic treasure. You are in for a treat with this magnificent production, and you don't have to worry about borderline porn, which is so overused in western cinema that it has become a total bore.

Treat yourself to some great cinema and take in this delightful movie, you'll be happy you did so. Saawariya is "Top Notch," in my books! Thank you to Bollywood and Sony entertainment.

Want Saawariya (2007) Discount?

This movie was well worth the buy. The only thing I didn't like were the special features. I would have liked to see the making of the set. Director/actor interviews. Other than that the movie was outstanding, the picture quality was insane. So far this has been the best bluray movie I have purchased, picture wise. Ranbir & Sonam did a great job for their first movie, hopefully they will have many more huge hits in the future.

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Citizen Kane (70th Anniversary Blu-ray Book) (1941)

Probably the most unfortunate thing that ever happened to `Citizen Kane' was that it found itself atop the AFI top film list. Now, no one can simply enjoy the film. Everyone feels compelled to scrutinize it and make a decision about its greatness. Asking whether `Citizen Kane' is the best film of the century is like asking if Marilyn Monroe was the most beautiful woman. It depends on whom you ask.

`Citizen Kane' is not the most entertaining film I've ever seen, but it is certainly one of the most important. It is a vanguard motion picture and a gargantuan achievement for Orson Welles. If you consider the fact that Welles was a 24 year old Hollywood outsider who had only done radio and theater when he landed the contract for this film, you begin to appreciate what a big deal it was. This was during a time when a few studios controlled every film that was made. How many 24 year old actor/directors can you name today, even in a world where independents abound?

The story is based on the life of William Randolph Hearst. Writer Herman Mankiewicz had an up-close look at Hearst as he had been an occasional house guest at the Hearst mansion. The similarities were striking, right down to the paramour whose career Hearst promoted, who loved to do jigsaw puzzles. The fact that this film was released at all is a marvel in itself. Hearst went on a personal campaign to crush the film and enlisted every powerful friend he had to stop it. Louis B. Mayer offered RKO $800,000 to destroy the print. John D. Rockefeller ordered the Radio City premier cancelled. All of Hearst's newspapers were forbidden to mention the film.

Hollywood was uniformly against it and Welles was branded an insolent maverick. The film was snubbed by the Academy. It was nominated for 9 Oscars and won only best screenplay. The film turned out to be a commercial failure, losing $150,000. With all the forces stacked against it, we are lucky to be having this best film debate at all.

The story has a simple moral; that money and power can't buy happiness. We see Kane's progress from a happy child, to an idealistic young journalist intent on helping the common man, and finally to a bitter and angry old man whose innocence has slipped from him. One of the most effective scenes that illustrated this was the two minute overlay of breakfast conversations with his wife. It starts with cooing lovers and progresses through increasing levels of discord. It ends in silence with the two reading separate newspapers, her disdain for him subtly indicated by her choice of the hated Chronicle as her newspaper.

What is so remarkable about this film is the filmmaking. Director after director has pointed to some aspect of this film as having influenced them. The use of shadows and various perspective shots was not unprecedented in 1941, but never before had they been used with so much dramatic impact. What was unprecedented was that `Citizen Kane' was the first film ever to depart from the strict narrative format, which moves forward chronologically. The film starts at the end and jumps around in time based upon the perspective of the person who is telling his or her story about Kane. So the next time you see a flashback, remember it started here.

The makeup was revolutionary. Welles often went through four hours or more of makeup to be properly aged for each scene. The film also launched a number of brilliant careers. Besides Welles, Joseph Cotton and Agnes Moorehead went on to long and prominent film careers.

If `Citizen Kane' is not the best film of the century it is certainly one of them. Its influence on a generation of filmmakers cannot be ignored in the equation. People who watch this film and ask, "What's the big deal?" are comparing it with modern films that have borrowed from this film's techniques and undergone 60 years of evolution. It's like going back to Kitty Hawk and saying, "What's the big deal, the flight only lasted a few seconds."

There is only one rating to give to a film of such monumental importance. It is the consummate 10.

This 70th Anniversary Blu-ray release of arguably the best film of all time is a bit of a mixed bag especially for those who already have the standard disc version Citizen Kane (Two-Disc Special Edition). My copy of the standard disc upscales very well in 1080p on my blu-ray player and while the picture quality is very good and bright, there are still very faint white spots in some frames for example in the scene where the reporter is reviewing the manuscript in the vault. The sound quality is also good there but this blu ray version has a vastly superior sound quality coming in DTS mono. The strange thing is that when it comes to the picture quality, the blu-ray shows a lot more grain when compared with the vault scene in the standard version and while the white spots are virtually a thing of the past, the lighting is pretty dark and at the end when the reporters leave Xanadu, you can hardly see a thing on the blu-ray while you can still make out the faces on the upscaled standard disc. As the second disc on the "Battle for Citizen Kane" is virtually identical to the one on the standard release there is nothing to compare among the two here. The booklet packaging with the colour photos and pages is nice but other than that, there is nothing really to distinguish between the blu-ray and the standard dvd release.

Better sound quality but arguably slightly better picture quality when compared to the upscaled standard disc and equal special features except for the better blu-ray book packaging makes it a tough call on whether or not to double dip. For me, I kinda regret doing it as the improvements do not "wow" me enough.

You will have to decide about "upgrading" but if you don't already have this film in any form, you might as well get this blu-ray. As for me, I wish I didn't as my Special Edition 2-disc Standard DVD release upscales well enough so much so that I don't feel ready to part with it the way I do with other blu-ray upgrades that I have done.

Buy Citizen Kane (70th Anniversary Blu-ray Book) (1941) Now

By all accounts this appears to be a wonderful reissue and collector's edition. However, one "little" problem remains. And it will remain forever. A clue to this problem is found in a comment from the product description:

"Presented here in a magnificent 70th anniversary digital transfer with revitalized digital audio from the highest quality surviving elements ..."

What that means is the original negative of "Citizen Kane" was destroyed years ago. Lost forever by an RKO executive's mistake to slate the negative for silver reclamation, the "highest quality surviving elements" are basically cannibalized intermediate negatives of fair to poor quality. I know, because I was given the job of assembling the best possible negative to strike new prints from for the 50th anniversary theatrical release. In the 20 years since, there is a remote possibility that better elements have been found. However, I seriously doubt any cleaner elements were discovered since RKO provided me with every positive master and intermediate negative they could find in their library.

I did the best job I could given the circumstances and I was able to deliver a decent negative to strike new prints from. Still, one segment of the negative proved impossible to fix. Near the end of one reel, permanent emulsion scratches appear for several seconds. They are thick and white and impossible to miss. At the time, there was no replacement footage available.

I am eagerly awaiting the release of this new edition to check and see if others were able to fix what I could not and to see if some how, some way, better "quality" elements were found in the interim. When I have a chance to screen this edition I will report back on what I see.

However, know this: No new print or DVD will ever be struck from the original negative.

Read Best Reviews of Citizen Kane (70th Anniversary Blu-ray Book) (1941) Here

Add five stars for the quality of the two films, take one star away for the failure to do either of them justice. More could and should have been done in the case of both films. In fact, in the past, more HAS been done:

ABOUT CITIZEN KANE:

In 1984, The Criterion Collection issued their first title ever, a CAV laserdisc of Citizen Kane, spread out over five disc sides (spine number CC101). It was wondrous, because it allowed full-frame access (30 frames per second) to the montage-work in the film. Never before seen, there were extras--a visual essay of over 100 production photos, plus the theatrical trailer! The back jacket named the people who made this release possible--Film Negative Transfer by Alexander Lobel and Ronald Haver; premastering at Devlin Productions, manufactured by 3M in St Paul, Minnesota. Video Review published the critique: "has opened a door to a kind of movie viewing that has never been accessible to consumers before."

Seven years later, in 1991, on the 50th anniversary of the film's premiere, Criterion reissued the title, again as a CAV laserdisc (spine number 147), adding two more extras -an interactive documentary with 35 leading film figures, and the early Welles film "Hearts of Age." The film was entirely retransferred, using newer technology that had become available. The jacket credits Maria Groumbos and Gregg Garvin for the film-to-video transfer this time. The transfer results are much improved over the first laserdisc.

Ten years after that, in 2001, on the 60th anniversary of the premiere, Warner released the two-disc Special Edition DVD, with loads of extras, including two excellent full-length audio commentaries, by Roger Ebert and Peter Bogdanovich, and the film "The Battle over Citizen Kane" on a second disc. There are no transfer credits listed, but clearly a lot of love was put into the transfer from the original film elements. This is one of the better DVD releases of all time.

Now, ten years after that, in 2011, on the 70th anniversary of the film, we have the Blu-Ray. Everything is the same as the Special Edition DVD except the following add-ons: a souvenir book, a collection of miniature posters, and a third disc containing the film "RKO 281," all contained in a very lovely box with "CITIZEN KANE" in big white letters on a black background. Again there are no transfer credits for "Citizen Kane" but the blu-ray seems to use the same digital master as the DVD. Oh, there has been alteration of that master, in the darkening of the whole film which is obvious from the first frame. The "No Trespassing" signs that bookend the entire film are much darker overall than on the DVD. There is excessive DNR employed in that stage of remastering, because the fog that drifts back and forth over the matte paintings in the opening sequences is mottled, clearly confusing the computer that was entrusted with the task of reducing video noise. There are a lot of faces in the foreground of this movie, usually as the commentators point out being an observer in the right foreground of the screen. On the DVD the left face of that observer looks like a normal face, but on the bluy-ray there is the appearance of sand-paper. That is a frequent artifact of black-and-white films released on blu-ray. As a result of these things, the 1991 DVD is still preferable viewing for me.

So how can we assess thirty years of Citizen Kane on home video? The years 1984, 1991 and 2001 were great steps forward in bringing us into the presence of the film as such, and in each of those cases there was a return to the mother lode, the original film negative, to make a transfer using the best methods available at the time. The year 2011 has not been a great step forward. One suspects that there was no return to the mother lode, and that the remastering process was entrusted to a computer chip. Perhaps ten years from now, for the 80th anniversary, the film will reappear, on the head of a pin or whatever the greatest technology since baked bread will be at that time.

ABOUT MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS

In 1986 The Criterion Collection released a CAV laserdisc of Magnificent Ambersons (spine number 9), loaded with extras including storyboards, reconstruction of Welles' original ending, the radio play version of 1939, surviving fragments from the lost silent film version of 1925, and an audio commentary by Robert Carringer, who also produced the disc together with Robert Stein. Film-Negative to Tape Transfer is credited on the jacket to Alex Lobel. Video Review awarded this the prize for "Best Interactive Disc" of 1986. This was widely regarded as one of the best laserdiscs ever produced. Mysteriously, the film never appeared on DVD until now, attached modestly to the side of the blu-ray box of Citizen Kane in the Amazon exclusive. The DVD advertises itself as "newly remastered" but what could that possibly mean when the picture quality is identical to that on the laserdisc of 25 years ago? Was the laserdisc picture so good that it can't be bettered? In any event, there are no extras at all to the DVD, no commentary, no anything. If one would like something tangential, a good buy would be the DVD "It's All True," a nice film about Welles in South America at the time Ambersons was being edited without him. While Ambersons is a welcome addition to the DVD inventory, the no-frills DVD cannot hold a candle to the magnificence of the laserdisc. No one owning the laserdisc would have any reason to consider the DVD an upgrade.

Again, add five stars for the quality of the two films, take one star away for the failure to do them justice.

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This isn't my personal favorite film, but I certainly understand why many people revere it as the greatest. There's no denying the expressive way it uses the resources of the medium, the great power of the tragic story (which penetrates deeply into both human nature and American civilization), and the film's tremendous influence on other directors. As an example of the last point, think of how Lawrence of Arabia is structured: it begins with the protagonist's death, then jumps to a reporter trying to reconstruct the great but flawed man's story, and finally works its way at the end back to the man's death. Sound familiar? Yes, there are good reasons why professional directors and critics have voted this the greatest film, not only in the AFI poll, but also in the international Sight & Sound poll in 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002 . . .