Reason I removed this from my List, is that purchasing each separately is considerably cheaper than purchasing this triple pack. Usually its the other way around.
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Showing posts with label dvds and blu rays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dvds and blu rays. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Ice Age Triple Pack (Ice Age / Ice Age: The Meltdown / Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs) (2009)
Reason I removed this from my List, is that purchasing each separately is considerably cheaper than purchasing this triple pack. Usually its the other way around.
Friday, October 10, 2014
El Topo (1970)
I recently saw El Topo at the IFC Theater in NYC, and the restoration was beautiful. This film has only been available in North America in bootleg form, and these bootlegs ran from from passable to abominable. My personal copy was a VHS dub of a Japanese laserdisc, which had the film optically censored (you can't show pubic hair in Japan, but just about everything else), Japanese subtitles, and it was dubbed in English (it is supposed to be in Spanish). Now we will get it as the great Alejandro meant it to be seen. This film is really astounding at times, considering Jodorowsky was mainly known as a theater director, and he had only directed one previous feature (the little seen and frequently banned Fando y Lis). His films have a truly hallucinatory quality that is magnificent to behold. This was reportedly John and Yoko's favorite movie. They recommended that Allen Klein pick up the rights to it, and he did. Allen and Alejandro have been feuding for the last 30 years over this film and who owns the rights, but luckily, they've made peace (let's hope it stays that way). El Topo, along with The Holy Mountain, are Jodorowsky's best films. Many thanks to ABKCO films for finally releasing this masterpiece.Just to let you know, the above is a review of El Topo. This review is also appearing for some reason under the box set of The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky. The box set is magnificent, by the way...
There's something for everyone in this film. The alternative, cultist crowd will enjoy the striking, often daring, imagery--the nude child who accompanies the mole, the wife impaled on a lofty stake towering over a pool of blood, the lust in the dust scenes, the mutilated bodies, the homoerotic images, etc. The philosophic and theologic-minded will have a field day with the film, drawing as it does on all three of the world's major religions with a good deal of "magic realism" thrown in. (El Topo's mortification and transformation into a clown recalls both St. Paul's "you must become a fool for Christ" and the privileged and sacred role of the clown in Eastern religions; his self-immolation summons up television imagery of Buddhist monks in Viet Nam during the time of the film's production.) The archetypologists will no doubt interpret the film as a variation on the Campbell monomyth, beginning with the hero's departure and--following numerous tests, descent into the belly of the whale, and resurrection--concluding with his return home.
But for a true film buff, "El Topo" deserves to stay around because of its clear indebtedness to a film tradition of cutting-edge, innovative movies--Bunuel's surrealist "Un Chien Andalou," "Simon of the Desert," and "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie"; Godard's ellipsist editing in "Breathless" and "Contempt"; Peckinpah's over-the-top, cleansing violence in "Straw Dogs" and "The Wild Bunch."
My major problem with the film concerns the ubiquitous, practically non-stop gun play. At some moments the story makes it clear that "El Topo" cannot be a master of selfish fear until he renounces the gun, but more often than not the gun serves the cause of both justice and the assertion of personal will. When even as a clown he returns to the gun, I find it difficult to muster any sympathy for him. Perhaps the final image of his self-demise (a return to the earth echoing and building on the opening image of interment) is meant to be the story's major apocalypse, but I doubt that most of the 1970's' "midnight movie" crowd ever saw it that way.El Topo is the classic Mexican film hailed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono enough that it was shown at midnight in many cinemas for years. It is often credited as starting the midnight movie countercultural that helped bring attention to, and build cult film audiences for movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and David Lynch's Eraserhead. In that respect it is far from a mainstream film but it got enough attention that it is celebrated even today. I feel that this is with good reason, as El Topo is one of best films ever made. Alejandro Jodorowsky directs and stars as the title character.
El Topo begins with its eponymous character in the desert with his son. He tells the boy to bury a picture of his mother and his toy in the sand as now it is time for him to become a man. The boy is vulnerable but El Topo leads him by example while protecting him in their various interactions with others. The film understands the western genre and the machismo that often accompanies it. El Topo is one bad cowboy who can guarantee protection for anyone he cares about. So it really sucks when he soon leaves his son behind with a bunch of monks after emasculating some evil banditos. He leaves with a girl he saved and he names her Mara. Mara loves El Topo for being the alpha male that he is, so she convinces him to kill the four best gunslingers so he can be baddest cowboy of them all. He manages to defeat them in various significant ways. These scenes are rich in biblical and other religious references and operate allegorically to show that being a bad cowboy isn't really all it's cracked up to be. Nevertheless, for better or worse, El Topo kills all four of them and begins to learn four specific lessons along the way. He begins to feel guilty and while he is caught off guard during the beginning stages of his enlightenment, he is defeated by the unknown woman who followed El Topo and Mara during their journey. Viewing El Topo as vulnerable, Mara betrays him and leaves with this unknown woman gunslinger. El Topo's battered and shot up body is taken away to a cave by a multitude of unseemly characters.
Macrocosmically, the journey for El Topo overall suggests that his travels represent the rise and trials of Judeo-Christian theologies, with the son representing new Judeo-Christianity and El Topo representing the old philosphies. The second half of the film seems to comment on more contemporary dealings and even anticipates what will happen in the future. How will El Topo's son grow? How will he react to the father who abandoned him but who has himself grown? How will the dominant faith evolve? How will it maintain its truth and purity with humanity at the wheel?
In the literal sense, the second half of El Topo forwards to a few years later after he is brought to a cave by this band of deformed pariahs. When he wakes up we soon realize that El Topo is a different man. He shaves off his beard and head and dresses as a monk. He makes a plan to free these people from their cave so they can join the community outside. He plans to fund the building of a tunnel to free these people. He does this by going to the town with his dwarven girlfriend to entertain them with comedy and dancing, among other small jobs. The town itself is by no means a utopia as it is wrought with slavery and violence. A new priest at the church in town is revealed to be El Topo's own son who he abandoned years earlier. El Topo's son plans to kill him but he decides not to do so until the tunnel is complete. The tunnel gets finished and El Topo's son decides not to kill him. Meanwhile, the deformed people are free and as they head to the town the villagers there begin to shoot and kill all of them, to El Topo's dismay. El Topo unleashes his vengeance on the villagers, killing them all and in the process freeing their slaves. El Topo then lights himself on fire, which was a timely parallel to the Buddhist monks who did the same in protest of the Vietnam War. During his death, El Topo's new son is born to his dwarven girlfriend. If the Buddhist references are consistent then this would suggest that El Topo is reincarnated as his own son and religious truth will continue to surface again.
I think it is important to note that the content in El Topo could be perceived as both perplexing and offensive to many movie-goers. Alejandro Jodorowsky kills real animals, uses real deformed and dwarfed people, and liberally applies nudity and violence throughout. It doesn't offend me at all but I knew my wife wouldn't like it and I understand why, so I mention it here just in case.
El Topo is a complex story with many odd details as well as many religious references and metaphors that comment on a larger scale as I noted earlier. I've seen it many times and in my first few viewings I didn't understand it and thought it was entertaining but pretentious. It is not pretentious. Microcosmically, El Topo is a film about a human being finding himself, and finding out all alone what it means to be alive. It is about independently becoming a good man as a good man is defined in the eyes of Alejandro Jodorowsky. It is obviously a deeply personal film for its director and it may not touch on elements personal to everyone in its audience, but it definitely did for me. Jodorowsky invokes religious references as a vehicle to express his own torments and challenges and how the enlightment experience for El Topo is merely mirroring his own experiences. It's commentary addresses oceans of issues in many layers. Conjuring up the imagination to produce this web of ideas so alive is indeed an ambitious undertaking. I find El Topo to be profoundly inspiring in a way that few films are. Its significance alone should at least justify one viewing for you and I hope you get the same satisfaction that I did. Perhaps you will like it enough to enjoy El Topo again and again.
Read Best Reviews of El Topo (1970) Here
NOTE: For the purpose of this review, I will be addressing the new Blu-Ray editions of "El Topo" and its sequel "The Holy Mountain" together. I viewed them back to back and feel that it is easy to see the two films as one experience.Blu-Ray specs: If all you care about is how the new discs stack up, let's get that out of the way. Both films have received new HD transfers and look better and crisper than any other version that I've seen. That day-glo blood is potently orange! El Topo is in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio (won't be in widescreen), while The Holy Mountain is anamorphic. Most notable special features on El Topo are Jodorowsky commentary and an additional interview. Most notable special features on The Holy Mountain are a commentary track, deleted scenes, and insight into the film restoration. Both have traditional extras like the trailer, photo gallery, and script excerpts.
Madman or genius? Pretentious hokum or revolutionary cinema? Alejandro Jodorowsky is a film maker whose vision brooks very little middle ground. It seems to be a love it or hate it proposition. In truth, I'm a fan--but his work is definitely not for everyone. I may get into trouble with the most ardent of Jodorowsky enthusiasts when I say that I get more visceral satisfaction from the madcap imagery in his films than to any purported deep meaning. As two of his trademark films hit Blu-Ray, I was pleased to get an opportunity to check out his landmark films "El Topo" and "The Holy Mountain" again after about ten years. Experimental, controversial, provocative, disturbing--these demented films helped define the cult movie scene in the early seventies. "El Topo," in fact, played as a midnight movie in New York City for seven straight months. Today, they are still bizarrely fascinating but, once again, their divisive nature is likely to garner as many (if not more) detractors than admirers.
Of the two films, El Topo is closer to my heart. Starting out as a deranged western, the film morphs into a bloody existential quest, and ends as a struggle for redemption. The early scenes of this film always trap me into a full viewing! The central hero, played by Jodorowsky himself, is a gunfighter who becomes corrupted. Searching for meaning within his new existence, he tracks down four opponents with advanced battle skills and enlightened viewpoints. But these battles don't offer the solutions he had hoped for. Another chance at salvation comes about with a clan of misfits, but do they really require saving? Absurd, funny, and always intriguing--this is an incredible journey to nowhere and I love it!
The Holy Mountain has much loftier goals--but, to my mind, bigger isn't always better. A direct sequel, although relatively unrelated except for the central character, it picks up in the aftermath of the first film. Our hero now embraces a Christ-like countenance and the first third of the film presents some of the grimmest religion related spectacles you're likely to encounter on film. (In fact, the was a huge uproar at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival). Achieving a heightened state of being, he assembles a collection of powerful individuals--each representing a different planet. Stripping them down, the gang embarks on a lengthy existential quest to take a place among the gods. Strong religious allegory, mystical symbolism, and ideological iconography are brought together and are inherent parts of this film--but philosophical points tend to be hammered home. Sometimes "The Holy Mountain" loses me, it can be very heavy handed and message oriented. But still, an intriguing example of avant garde film making.
Again, the most arresting aspects of both films for me are most assuredly the visual qualities. If you like the gruesome and provocative imagery of Bunuel or Pasolini, you'll definitely want to check the films out. For entertainment, my easy choice is "El Topo." (4 stars) If you're searching for something fraught with meaning, try "The Holy Mountain." (3 1/2 stars) Or catch them together as I did. KGHarris, 4/11."El Topo," long enmeshed in litigation, finally makes its bow on Blu-ray. Originally released in 1971, the strange Western "El Topo" perplexed moviegoers and still will cause some head scratching, though the movie has become a huge cult classic over the past 40 years. The film pays homage to the spaghetti Westerns of the late 60's/early 70's while incorporating a great deal of curious religious symbolism and grotesque imagery. It is definitely not a movie for everyone.
Alejandro Jodorowsky directed, wrote the screenplay, composed the music, and stars as the title character, a mysterious gunfighter in black who roams the Mexican desert. El Topo is accompanied for much of the film by his son, who learns several brutal lessons about growing up. Among other things, the boy witnesses firsthand how his father deals with a corrupt Mexican army colonel (David Silva), who's been terrorizing local villages.
"El Topo" is unrated and contains scenes of extreme violence, violence against women, blood and gore, male and female nudity, strong language, and simulated sex. The movie ran a full year in New York at midnight showings. Bonus Blu-ray features include commentary and on-camera interview with director Jodorowsky, and a photo gallery with original script excerpts.
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Saturday, August 16, 2014
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (Extreme Unrated) (2008)
I just got through watching this movie and I have to say that "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is one of the greatest films ever made. You read that right. There have been other reviews on this site comparing "Harold and Kumar" to Cheech and Chong films, "American Pie", etc. All those people miss the point. Yes, this movie is about young people and, yes, this movie is about stoners, but, strictly speaking, those things are incidental. "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is a classic and this movie is a classic because this movie "gets it"; it "gets it" like no other movie in the history of filmdom has ever gotten it. From the moment these two brilliant potheads see an advertisment on TV for White Castle they are on a quest, a quest for burgers. They go through a series of escapades involving racist cops, stolen marijuana, jailbreaks, junkyard freaks, Doogie Howser stealing Harold's car and so on and so on, each episode more insane than the last and everything screamingly funny. And through it all they persevere because they're on a quest. You see, "Harold and Kumar" is unique in the history of film because it understands that the point of cruising ... is cruising itself!!!! In what other country in the world can you hop onto an Interstate and then, 45 minutes later, you can buy these cheap little burgers with the little onions on them, 6 for $2.99 plus fries and a soda? Only in America!!! That's what the American Dream is all about: White Castle Burgers!!!! The point of the journey ... is the journey itself. There is so much sage wisdom in this movie: that "the universe has a tendency to balance itself out" (not unlike the Hindu principle of Karmic realignment?), that what a man wants is that feeling of satisfaction when he gets what he most desires (said by Harold while observing their two Jewish friends fulfilling their own quest at Hot Dog Heaven) or Kumar's observation that their parents came to this country because they were poor and oppressed ... and hungry. I'm not Asian, and I couldn't care less if Harold is Korean and Kumar is Indian; personally, I found Harold and Kumar to be two of the most quintessentially American characters I've ever encountered in a movie. And that's the genius of this film: this movie realizes that being an American isn't about race or ethnicity: being an American is a state of mind. I truly believe "Harold an Kumar Go to White Castle" will go down as one of the classics of cinema. And, no, I was not stoned when I wrote this.
The second menu, the Special Features menu, has Harold and Kumar in the car after going over the embankment. The car won't start, and Kumar keeps trying it, and trying it, for probably up to 10 minutes or so. All throughout it, he's talking and trying to get Harold to respond. They eventually try to get some sleep, in the car.
All in all, very funny stuff... Enjoy the movie, but don't forget to sit through those two menus! They are one of the most interesting and innovative ideas I've seen on a DVD in some time.
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Every once in awhile, a person becomes witness to a movie with no real point, but rather is driven by its dialogue and the characters within the film. A vast number of these movies fall into the comedy genre, because if a movie is funny, it doesn't require a powerful plot, but it anchors on the humor it expresses. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is one of these movies. And, I believe it to be a success at what it attempts. Like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Dazed and Confused, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, this movie will become a modern stoner classic, but I feel it can be enjoyed by a vast number of viewers; this movie was downright funny.Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is the hilarious tale about the two title characters Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn). In fact, the entire movie's plot is in the title. These two stoners get the munchies one night, and while debating what to eat, see a television commercial for the one place that seems to hit the spot and satisfy all of their cravings and desires: White Castle. After this, the film is nothing but our hilarious heroes coming across a wild amount of mishaps and numerous funny situations. The film even has a hilarious cameo by Neil Patrick Harris, whom many of us know as Doogie Houser M.D., playing himself all messed up on ecstasy. This movie is a d**n good time.
At first, I was very skeptical about this movie. I mean, it looked funny, but I still wasn't sure. I kind of got the same vibe for this as I did for Dude, Where's My Car?, and that turned out awful. It is strange too, because this movie happened to be directed by the same guy as Dude, Where's My Car?: Danny Leiner. However, this time, Leiner hit the genre on the head, creating a comical success. Maybe it was the R rating. I recall thinking back to Dude, Where's My Car?, knowing how bad it sucked. Could some of that badness have been erased, had an R rating opened up more possibilities for crude humor? I think the answer to that question is yes, and it is evident in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.
John Cho and Kal Penn carry this movie very well. I had seen John Cho in the American Pie movies before, but I never got around to seeing Van Wilder with Kal Penn. Either way, this is the first starring role movie for both of these guys or I think they did wonders with it. They have great onscreen chemistry and provide some really great dialogue exchanges. The rest of the acting was good too. Neil Patrick Harris was hilarious as himself and there were numerous other good performances, including Anthony Anderson, playing a Burger Shack Employee who delivers a monologue about why Harold and Kumar should go to White Castle.
The soundtrack is also worth noting. A lot of the songs fit well, and I especially enjoyed a sequence where Harold and Kumar just let loose and start singing this soft song from 1991. It really is funny.
Overall, I was very pleased with my experience seeing this picture. Of course, I was with three friends, which always helps the comedic experience. Call me crazy, but if at some parts where you aren't laughing and your friend does, you might catch the humor and join in. So it's a good buddy flick to see. Of course, the plot is thin (if any plot at all), but who needs plot? This is just a movie about two stoners and their misadventures along the way of finding a White Castle. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is very simple and very fun. Recommended.
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Read Best Reviews of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (Extreme Unrated) (2008) Here
It seems like a lot of people are saying this is a comedy about nothing, or that it's just a road movie. It's more than that: It's a really good road movie, it's very funny, and it adds to a tradition that includes both Huckleberry Finn and The Heart of Darkness. It's stinging social commentary.Harold and Kumar are both upwardly mobile second-generation Americans of immigrant parents. They're fighting against type in a world of stereotypes--Harold struggles not to be the number-loving, quiet asian and Kumar avoids the med-school path of his father and older brother. And yet, that's where they find they have placed themselves. Harold is an investment banker and Kumar is a skilled doctor despite his reluctance to go to medical school. They spend their free time getting high and laughing at antidrug commercials. On weekends they allow themselves to rebel comfortably, but it's clear they are dependent upon the rewards of following society's script--they share a nice apartment, they have other good friends (stereotypes, all), a love interest of color, and they travel in a new car toward their ultimate goal of eating several tiny hamburgers.
But when they leave the safety of their multicultural civic center and venture into the hinterlands of the American countryside, they fully begin their odyssey through the strata of the American class pyramid. Above them are the wealthy gatekeepers, like Harold's bullying preppy co-workers and Kumar's med school admissions dean. Below them are the embittered whites who feel like they are losing opportunities one after another, and further below are the imigrants and blacks who must suffer daily at the hands of this anger.
The comedy comes from the clashing of stereotypes, in how they are all simultaneously true and false. The "extreme" mountain dew guys who are sold as he-men with surplus bravado are outed here as being also nihilistic zombie bullies. NPH turns out to be a self-absorbed, self-destructive star on his way to supernova. The horribly disfigured rural white "Freakshow" turns out not to be a psychotic sex killer but rather just a garden-variety pervert (and their modern take on the old traveling salesman joke pushes against the heartland's rep as the home of family values). The one-note cops, however, only get to sell the white anger.
What's most interesting about the movie is how H&K react to the plight of blacks and immigrants. They recognize their lower-class dopplegangers walking together down a dark sidewalk and watch passively as those stand-ins get jumped and beaten to a pulp. The scene is played for a laugh (and laughing is appropriate in a comedy), but it's also the first defining moment in their journey. Do they call the police? An ambulance? Stop the car and help the poor guys? No. They drive on.
There are plenty of run-ins. They're witness to the extreme dudes ruining the immigrant's store, and they're powerless to stop it. They're not from here, you see, they're just stopping for gas, they can't get involved, they can't help. Sorry. They can't upset the order that rewards them so well. Likewise, the extreme dudes let them pass because hurting them would in and of itself upset that same order and rouse Johnny Law. The immigrant owner pleads to Harold and Kumar with his eyes, but it's as if the extreme leader tells them straight on: Look, you're powerless to stop this and so am I. Basically, "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown" or if you'd rather, it's the Matrix.
When Harold gets to jail, we meet a black buddah who has come to enlightenment as much through book-learning as from night-stick blows. Incredibly, he tells them they can't change the world and that they should essentially turn the other cheek. And when the prisoner is again abused in their presence, they gladly accept the advice of another black prisoner. "If I were you," he tells them, "I would get the hell out of here." He might as well have said, "If I were of your class, I would get the hell out of here."
And they do. They realize, and become grateful for, their status in society, they 'live and let live', and they trust that their universe--the deus ex machina of this story--will resolve things comically before the credits. By supporting the system, they are amply rewarded.
Near the climax, Kumar delivers a patriotic speech that salutes America not as the land of opportunity, but of consumer choice--the last tangible measure of our collective freedom (much as a 'social safety net' and 'access to health care' used to be). The boys make it to White Castle, and there they gorge themselves in a commercial ritual of assimilation. In an absurd gesture of quantity over quality, manufacturing over cooking, flavor over nutrition, and form over function, they each eat dozens of tiny hamburger "sliders" as they slide further into the melting pot.
It's hard to divine a moral to this story beyond, "Nothing is as it should be, but everything is as it is." I can believe that Hollywood would create and disseminate that message, but this movie was conspicuously too smart and too countercultural to deliver that GOP payload. I've been thinking about it for days and I just can't figure it out.
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We have all known that feeling: wanting a particular meal, unwilling to rest until we get it. Those of us who attended college will attest to the fact that after you smoke, a certain urge will soon overtake you. An urge to gorge yourself on some random food that may otherwise disgust you. Harold and Kumar are overtaken by this feeling and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get that food (in this case, White Castle) into their stomachs.During their quest, they encounter a host of hilarious characters. Their neighborsGoldstein & Rosenberg, the Xtreme crew, Brad the business-suave hippie, the taco-sh** girls, Freakshow, the racist cop, Tarik the cellmate, Doogie Howser! Neil Patrick Harris makes one of the funniest cameo appearances I've ever seen. It will completely ruin any innocent memories you may have had about Doogie, the boy doctor.
I thought this movie was hilarious... The story is almost arbitrary, as the characters are so funny, it wouldn't really matter what the point of the movie was. It's also cool that it all takes place along the New Jersey Turnpike, because I actually went to school along the same stretch of road. New Jersey residents will have an added appreciation for the adventure for that reason. But, whatever state you live in, you should be able to relate to aspects of both characters' personalities. Harold is responsible and "grown-up", while Kumar is a free spirit who doesn't seem to give a damn about anything. They make for a very funny pairing, even though we've all seen it before.
There is a ton of great bonus material on this DVD edition. The extended/deleted scenes are awesome and the featurettes and interviews are also entertaining. It's worth checking it all out, most definitely.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy ridiculous and filthy humor.
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Saturday, August 9, 2014
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)
There are a few conditions required for "getting" this movie. You have to understand a few things before getting the jokes. Probably the most important thing is that you've seen Boys 'N The Hood and/or Menace II Society. These two movies contain the majority of the spoofs seen in Don't Be A Menace... There are also references to Poetic Justice, Juice, and Higher Learning. Without having seen the first two, most people will probably not get the jokes. Secondly, if you're into the hip hop culture, this movie will be a lot funnier. There's a lot of play on words from the rap lingo that you won't get if you haven't listened to it.I really enjoyed this movie. It's a hilarious spoof of gangsta movies and gangsta rap. Keenan Ivory Wayans' cameos were hilarious. Shawn and Marlon make a great comedy team. It's just too bad they don't get more exposure (they're TV show on WB is hilarious, too). It's all tongue in cheek fun pointed at the harsher looks at inner city life that we get from movies and music.
If you're one of those people that hates movies like Naked Gun, Airplane, and Spaceballs, this movie is definitely not for you. Otherwise, pick it up and try not to fall off the couch :)
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MY GOD! You have absolutely no sense of humor whatsoever if you didn't find at LEAST one part of this movie hysterical! I was rollin from the opening part! Who is anyone to say that I have a shallow sense of humor just because I liked it? You have to know how to laugh at certain things and everyone these days are so "politically correct" and "edgy" that they forget the funny things and don't keep it real! Obviously they've never been in the hood or known anyone like the characters in Don't Be A Menace, because there really are people like that! I think it's most likely a movie that only blacks will understand. If you're white and you loved, more power to ya. This movie is just wayy too funny!`Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood' is an hilarious take on all the hood type movies and surprising it does come off really funny. Just as funny as `Friday' and such movies. Brothers, Marlon and Shawn Wayans, don't have any problem making fun of the typical ghetto life that a lot of Afro-Americans might have to experience. The thought of this might not be too appealing at first but give it a try and you should end up laughing without a doubt. Some viewers have said that you need to be a black person to find this movie funny, or you need to have lived in the hood, which, in my opinion, is not true, I'm white, I live in England and my face was so sore after laughing at this. The only thing that helps is if you've seen the movies that this is parodying, and then you should certainly have no problem finding this film hilarious. Just like I did.To say, `Don't Be A Menace...' is a comedy classic is quiet the understatement. All the characters in this movie provide laugh after laugh. It's the practice run for Wayans movies to be made years later on. `Scary Movie 1 & 2' clearly have borrowed the mold from `Don't Be A Menace...' More films should be as funny as this one. Marlon's character `Loc Dog' certainly squares up to `Smokey' from the `Friday' anyday. Marlon's dialogue/appearance is cleverly written to poke fun at the stereotypical male you've seen in any John Singleton film. The cast is strong, good comedic performances come from the Wayans brothers (although, Marlon is the much better of the two), Suli McCullough, and Lahmard J. Tate, playing Ashtray's father, the second funniest character in this movie. The script is almost faultless in its field, and the jokes come quick and they don't let up until the end. This all helps to make this an addictive comedy classic. This truly is TOTALLY GHETTO FABULOUS!
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This is a great parody of all the hood movies that came out in the early 90's. "Don't Be a Menace" throws laughs at Hood Flicks such as "Juice", "Menace To Society", & "Boyz In Da Hood". So if u haven't seen those movies, you might not understand a lot of the comedy in this....but if u have seen em, check this out!Save 24% Off
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Avengers Illuminated 3D Lenticular Gift Set - Best Buy Exclusive (2012)
$19.99 the week of March 17th 23rd, 2013 in Best Buy stores! Get them while you can and don't pay these crazy prices on here.
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This really is a step up: the box is made of some sort of rubber which sets it apart. And the illuminated lenticular, once lit, looks awsome.The book offered about Marvel's characters is also a good adition to have around with all the new stuff coming...
Read Best Reviews of Avengers Illuminated 3D Lenticular Gift Set - Best Buy Exclusive (2012) Here
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2011)
Long, long, long time Gundam fan here, . I have the honor of being born the same year (actually one week before) the first Gundam series premiered in Japan. I have been a huge fan since I was a wee tyke. I was very impressed with Gundam Seed and Gundam 00 (we won't mention Gundam Seed Destiny which was pretty much a nearly exact repeat of Seed, just with a few new faces). I actually hesitate to give this three stars, because I think that is too high of a rating. But being that it still holds true to the Gundam roots, I'll keep it at 3.To give a little back story to the production; Seiji Mizushima, the regular director of Gundam 00 and Fullmetal Alchemist was brought in to write and direct this film. Sunrise gave him license to do what he thought best as long as he kept true to the anti-war message of the series and used the characters that were still around at the end of the series. Perhaps Sunrise forgot that Bones let him have free reign for a Fullmetal Alchemist film and we were given the awfulness that was Conqueror of Shamballa.
In this film, a ship from Jupiter is headed towards a crash landing on Earth. The new Earth Federation forces destroy it, but fragments crash to Earth and begin taking over machines, trying to kill anyone who has Quantum brain waves. Ala Maximum Overdrive (terrible 80s flick with killer machines led by Optimus Prime I mean a big, killer 18 wheeler). Then we see a zombie version of an early Innovator (who looks like Ribbons). Then we find out that the fragments actually contained alien life forms from Jupiter. They get pissed and amass a fleet to conquer Earth. First wave is stopped and so a second, meaner fleet comes from Jupiter towards Earth. Since they are seemingly brainless, all they do is kill. But wait, they're misunderstood and all we need is Setsuna to talk with them, then all will be well.
The problem is that this film never really becomes cohesive. One of the brilliant aspects of ANY and EVERY Gundam series is that it comes together nicely in the end. Everything ends up weaving together. The characters end up pivotal to the story. The viewer roots for them. In this film we never really get that feeling of 'everything coming together'. I'll elaborate in a second.
The second main issue, which stems from the first issue is the lack of a central villain. Gundam has ALWAYS featured insanely maniacal and really interesting villains. From Char to Rau Le Creuset (whose family was in the pots and pans business Le Creuset! but j/k). In this series I actually thought Shaman might end up as the 'villain' but alas... instead we have the Borg like metal lifeforms which seem to act as a hive mind and don't really communicate. At least not to the extent to where the viewer gets treated to insane monologues like Rau or Ribbons give as they try to eradicate all life. The lack of entertaining villains is a huge minus for me.
The other issue with the 'villain' from this film is that when your favorite supporting characters start dying, you think "well crap, they outlasted the Innovators and survived against insane villains such as Ali-Al-Saachez but they got owned by unexciting little metal cones". And what's even a greater transgression is when some of these characters show up then get killed right away. It really does lessen the impact of the death of a character you knew for several dozen episodes of the main season. In fact, we hear that over 70% of the fleet is taken out by the midway of the battle. And against little metal aliens. The most interesting part is when the aliens actually start forming Gundam shaped entities to better combat the Federation.
But most of the battles consist of hundreds of CG cones following a Gundam in a row, looking a lot like the line of seagulls from Finding Nemo chasing a fish. When there are multiple mobile suits on screen and hundreds of these aliens, the battles form a mish mash of lasers, streams of aliens, and explosions. I would have preferred the battles to run more like the amazing Zaft vs Earth Forces battles in SEED (like the one where Flay's dad gets it) or the battles between Celestial Being and the A-Laws in 00. Even the finale battle in 00 was watchable, despite the high number of objects.
I won't spoil what happens, but the ending is kind of disappointing, though if you roll through the credits you get the anti-war message. Which is actually printed on screen. Something like "Peace cannot be maintained through force, but only by understanding". I loved the message, I just wish that I had enjoyed getting there a bit more.
The mobile suit designs are hit and miss. Celestial Being's suits are rather lackluster. The idea of the 'rifle bits' for Lockon's new suit was good, but the weird floating wing was odd. Hallelujah's Gundam was interesting with the double cockpit, but it was a boxy version of Kyrios and Arios. Setsuna gets 00 for most of the series, and his new suit looks like a copy of Exia with a small backpack. It seems the more creative suits are being designed for Gundam AGE (though not character design apparently zing!).
The intro song is amazing. I would expect nothing less from UVERworld. Then ending song is... eh. It seems the singer rushes the song to cram in too many syllables. But there is a pretty good insert song near the end of the series. I did enjoy that.
Now it seems I am bashing the film, but I'm not completely. It is still an entertaining film, albeit it deviates from the 'style' of Gundam. It does remind me quite a bit of what the director did with the Fullmetal film, just going off on a weird tangent. Perhaps a plot with dissidents planning to overthrow the Federation government and acquiring a new Gundam (piloted by an evil and maniacal Innovator) would have been interesting. Hell, they could have cloned an evil Aeolia Schenberg and put him in a new Gundam and I would have been more impressed. It was just hard to watch my favorite characters battling a lackluster enemy.
I do also understand that the message was about gaining 'understanding' with beings completely different than humans. But by the end of the film I didn't care anymore. The 'villains' were so lackluster that as a viewer I just wanted them all dead. I didn't want understanding.
Oh, by the way, for the 'misunderstood life form' style anime, Eureka Seven pulls it off PERFECTLY.
All in all a decent Gundam flick with plenty of action but very little plot. As a sequel to Gundam 00 it fails on many levels. It seemed to drag down the high we all had when Celestial Being destroyed Ribbons and the false Innovators. Perhaps this director should stick to directing series and stay out of the feature length animated film segment. I feel that might be best. But if you liked Gundam 00, you might want to watch it. If you would hate to see a few good characters get killed in silly battles then you might not want to watch it.
----
Update: I just read Ender's Game, and this movie seems to have borrowed liberally from that novel. Just sayin!
Musically, it has one of the best scores I've heard in a movie in long time and the fight scenes are amazing, if a few are a tad short, with some of the best mech a design in the series. Unfortunately, if you are expecting anything in the way of bonus features, you will be sadly disappointed, as the disc contains the movie, at about 2 hours long, chapter select, audio options, and a few trailers.
If you watch and enjoyed the series, I fully recommend this movie as a great conclusion to it.
Buy Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2011) Now
As of the writing of this review, the Gundam 00 movie is not yet released on bluray, so I will review the movie itself.I managed to see a copy of the orignal film in english subtitles a few months after it was released in theatres in Japan. This film follows up directly after the 2nd season of the 00 TV series bringing back all the characters you know & love/hate from the TV series to follow a new threat.
This section is spoilers so if you don't want to read, then close this review.
While the first and second seasons of Gundam 00 focused on the efforts of the Gundam Meisters to end all conflict between nations on Earth and unify humanity for the 'dialogues to come' (I put this is quotes because it's referenced several times in the TV series) the film fast forwards a couple years in the future and addresses the true purpose behind these 'dialogues'.
Following the conclusion of the 00 TV series, humanity is starting to manifest it's next stage of evolution, namely the Innovators, of which Setsuna was one of the first. With the human population showing signs of next stage humanity, it attracts the attention of long dormant alien lifeforms of unknown origin and purpose, who seemingly attack humanity for no reason. Dubbed the 'ELS' the unifed Earth Federation forces ready themselves for an upcoming war with these mysterious alien life forms with whom communication seems impossible but the Gundam Meisters, now reunited with the Ptolemias crew seek to combat and find the truth behind the meaning of this new alien presence.
Yes so its a Gundam story that features aliens and long time or even recent fans of the Gundam franchise might get their otaku undies in a bunch because Gundam has always been about people vs people, not people vs space aliens. Still as non-traditional Gundam 00 has been, I thought this was a fine and original direction for the story to go and while the plot is not without it's faults I felt it to be a solid story with more development of existing characters that you know and love and interestingly, minimal introduction of brand new characters. Most interesting I found was the evolution of Graham Acker from loser villian, to masked obsessed rival, to finally a sempai character of sorts especially to Setsuna and it's touching where his character arch leads to.
Animation quality, it's simply gorgeous if lacking in details but that's always been the visual design aesthetic of 00 and consistent with the TV series, just done with a higher budget, so I'll give it a pass. In addition to the cel animation, this film uses extensive CG animation which melds pretty well with the cel
Soundtrack and music was solid befitting a theatrical release.
Introduction of new Gundam mobile suits are done, but frankly these designs just get weirder and more alien with each iteration, so mecha fans maybe a little dissapointed.
Still it's a good story that provides a solid and satisfying conclusion to the Gundam 00 Universe and has a more hopeful and optimistic tone than a lot of Gundam chapters of late. This is a very sci-fi Gundams series and the film captures this tone well.
I'm definitely buying this film once it's released on bluray
For a solid and comprehensive fan review of the Gundam 00 TV series and film, check out the anime mecha podcast Gundam! @ MAHQ with SBR & the Crew, you won't regret it.
Edit: I've now received an advance sale copy of the bluray disc from Bandai Ent at the Anime Expo convention and sat down and watched the disc:
Video: Excellent 1080p video transfer, as expected for such a new film.
Audio: Both Japanese (which I prefer) and English (for those who can't read subtitles) audio tracks and both languages have separate 5.1 ch Dolby True HD and Dolby Digital 2.0 tracks making for a total of 4 selectable audio tracks. Great dynamic range on my home theater system and voices for both languages same cast as the TV series.
BluRay extras: Special annoucement video, Extra Promo video, Theatrical and TV trailers (all japanese with english subs) and the mock trailer for the fake 'Celestial Being' movie shown in the movie (both english and japanese audio tracks).
Overall a great bluray release for a pretty good movie.
Read Best Reviews of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2011) Here
Lets get something out of the way right now this is a review of this product, not the film that is on the product. There are already other reviews of the film, That say great conclusion to Gundam 00, or Gundam and Aliens say it isn't so! What I am reviewing is a Blu-Ray release of Gundam 00 in the US, First off being that this release was the first G00 title for the states to be released in HD by Bandai entertainment I was very excited and extremely skeptical at the same time. I was very cautous because of past Bandai Blu-ray releases in the states where poorly excuted ( cough, Escaflownea, cough ). Thankfully Bandai has learned from there past releases and actually delivered a decent product. The video quality of this release will show high detail and clairty for which HD video was created for, meaning no pixelation or audio flubs. The disc has a fair amount of extras so when you are done with the movie you have extra content to watch. My only real complaint with this product is the cost, apairently Bandai of America Beleaves that it's American audence will gladly fork over the Japanese Blu-Ray price of $40-$50 for a single disc release. Even the current Amazon sale price of $27.99 is a bit much, this title should realy be selling for about $20.00( as Best Buy did during it's intial release, and they sold out of 2 truckfulls at every store). Now other then the over priced cost it is an exelent realease as for the film itself I will some of the other reviews dive into that. Personally I enjoyed the film that gave a conclusion to the series and if you watch the whole series with this film ending it you will see that the film was planned from the very beggening of the series. Bottom line if you can find a good deal on this film for $20.00 or less I would say buy otherwise it is a bit too pricy for time being.Want Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2011) Discount?
This is the best gundam movie ever u most buy in blue ray or dvd u most have it its wroth buying itTuesday, April 1, 2014
Labyrinth (1986)
In the early 80's Jim Henson created one of the most ambitious fantasy films ever: The Dark Crystal. It was a movie that had a completely realized world with its own creatures and flora... and it was performed entirely by puppets. Not the Muppet kind that Henson is famous for, mind you. These were serious creations that involved serious innovations in animatronics. While many loved the movie and it was critically acclaimed many others didn't "get it". There was no human interaction in the movie whatsoever and that put off people. Also the movie was serious with none of that Muppet mayhem Henson fans are so used to. That put off a few more people.The next evolutionary step in Jim's grand scheme of fantasy puppetry was Labyrinth, and they filled in the gaps that The Dark Crystal left for those who couldn't (or wouldn't) "get" the concept of a fully realized fantasy setting that is outside of our own. How does he do it? Let me tell you...
Step One Human actors. Labyrinth included the young, yet already talented Jennifer Connelly as their heroine and well-established musician and actor David Bowie as her nemesis. Now you get the fun of a complete puppet world while at the same time you have human characters that interact in that same environment. Thus giving the viewer a better connection to the puppet characters.
Step Two Better puppets. The Dark Crystal is a masterpiece in of itself, however the technology used to animate the puppets was in its infancy and if you had to be picky about it you can pick away at the limitations of the puppets in that movie. With Labyrinth you get updated technology, which gives you puppets who can show emotions better. Case in point is the goblin Hoggle, who is the starring puppet. So much attention to detail went into his facial expressions that you can actually see the fear, disgust, anger, and joy in his eyes. Add to that other puppetry innovations and you have a world of cool puppets.
Step Three Keep it fun. The Dark Crystal was a grandiose and serious film that included some funny moments now and then. Labyrinth is the opposite. Is a fun film where the characters meet up with unexpected and often times crazy situations. Makes this fantasy adventure feel more comical in the same way it would reading a fun bedtime story.
Step Four Keep the original concept. Jim Henson did The Dark Crystal with the thought that he wanted to create a whole different world inhabited by beings and creatures portrayed entirely by puppets. Labyrinth is essentially the same thing, but done in a different way. Walking through the movie's namesake (the maze that leads to the goblin city) is definitely like being in another world that's both fascinating and fun. Much of what you see is visually impressive and essentially relish in the fact your eyes can play tricks on you. Brian Froud is again signed on as the conceptual designer and his work shines just as well in this iteration as it did with Dark Crystal.
Labyrinth also has the destinction of having songs specially written for the movie by David Bowie. Keep in mind this movie was in the 80's so what you get is 80's Bowie, and there are a couple scenes that flow more like music videos (or musical numbers) than standard scenes.
You might get the impression I am dogging on Dark Crystal in order to lift up Labyrinth. Can't be farther from the truth. However I do know the differences between the two films and how the other was made in response to the first. Labyrinth is the folk tale while Dark Crystal is the fantasy book. I believe both are fantastic movies.
The original DVD for Labyrinth was a good compilation right from the start, and was superseded with the Anniversary Edition having remastered visuals and a couple new featurettes. Now we have the movie on Blu-Ray, and boy I thought the Anniversay Edition looked good. I was worried when this movie went high definition that a lot of the original film grain was going to be lost in the digital cleaning that's popular with some companies with older films. Luckily what you end up with is the best looking picture to date. I'm not going to say this movie is presented in supersharp crystal clarity, but then again that would ruin it. The movie look as true to the original theatrical release as you can get. Details really pop out without looking antiseptic. Visually the Blu-Ray does breath new life into this classic. The extras are pretty much identical to what was offered on the Anniversary Edition with one exception. Here's what you get:
Documentary Making of the Labyrinth Has interviews with actors, puppet performers and production staff including Jim Henson, Brian Henson, David Bowie (who gives us some insight on his character) and Jennifer Connelly as well as lots of details on design and production of the movie. This documentary is a gem for those of you want solid behind-the-scenes details and was in the original DVD and is included on the Anniversary Edition.
Journey Through the Labyrinth: Kingdom of Characters and The Quest for Golden City These two featurettes from the Anniversary Edition include updated interviews with the cast and crew and never before seen footage from the Jim Henson archives. Kingdom of Characters focuses on... you guessed it... the main characters in the movie including conceptual design for the puppets (although Hoggle seems to be mostly left out, likely because there is so much of him in the original documentary) and background info on the actors. The Quest for the Golden City is mostly design details on the labyrinth, Goblin City and castle itself. These featurettes do well to fill in the gaps left by the original documentary. The extra footage is test footage of the puppets and such, with some production footage as well. I noticed some of the production footage was a rehash of what's on Making of the Labyrinth, but the crosstalk is few and far between.
The Storytellers Picture-in-Picture: This is the Blu-Ray exclusive featurette. When you turn it on while watching the movie occasionally a window pops up with an interview with one of the crew members speaking some interesting anecdote about the film. There isn't a whole lot of these that pop up in the movie, but when they do you get some rather interesting and entertaining production and behind the scenes information. Hearing about the casting call for the Helping Hands scene and the interview with Warwick Davis are alone worth checking out the feature.
Commentary by Brian Froud
You also get Dolby True HD Surround in English, French, Portugese with a Dolby Digigal Spanish track (how many movies have a Portugese dub?) with subtitles in all. Kind of strange they left out the Japanese audio that the Anniversary Edition had. I recall hearing improvements from the previous release's Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, but nothing groundbreaking.
Every release of Labyrinth has been impressive from the very first DVD, and with each new release it gets even better. So is it worth the double/triple dip? Well just like how the Anniversary Edition gave you a better picture with more extras the Blu-Ray ups the ante. I say if you want to enjoy this movie in the best way visually then yes. The new extras are nice, but to be honest as long as they original making of documentary is in there everything else will always come in second.
Labyrinth is a wonderful movie for all ages. The visuals will impress and the hijinks will entertain. If you are a Muppet fan this movie will be much more accessable than the Dark Crystal, and if you like The Storyteller then you have abolustely no choice but to get this (it's like a full length Storyteller movie sans John Hurt).
Sarah is an easy to relate to teen. She is part child part woman, one foot in each world and truly not belonging to either. Added to this, her father has remarried and has little time to spend on his growing daughter. We are not told, but it's clear her mother is dead. Mom was an actress and lover of the magic and she passed this on to her lovely daughter. It's very hard to believe Jennifer Connelly is only 12 years old here!!! She is the perfect Sarah, the beautiful woman-child that has no sense of her place in the world. Too grown for childish things, too young for boys and dating. Her cherished childhood toys are giving carelessly to her new baby stepbrother, again emphasizing her feelings of alienation. Her new mother has little patience, and even when she tries, she meets with a hostile resentful woman-child. Sarah pain at feeling as if she is not wanted anywhere is so heartbreaking.
Left with the crying baby, and feeling that her world is slowly crumbling around her (reflected in Bowie's "As the World Falls Down"), the child side takes control and spitefully wishes the baby to be taken away from the Goblins. In true Muppet fashion, they promptly and cheerful comply. Sarah faces the Goblin King Jareth perfectly brought to life by Bowie and demands he return her brother. When Jareth says he will only return her brother if she finds her way to the Goblin City, Sarah sucks in her courage and goes after him.
Along the way she meets wonderful friends such as Hoggle and Sir Didymous, and finds out her own inner value and worth. Something we all have to do in growing up.
A true faerytale for the little girl in us, wonderfully realized through the magic of the Muppets, Connelly and Bowie. This set is laced with all the wonderful goodies that will thrill all the many lovers of the film.
Kudos for the super repackage.I first saw Labyrinth when I was about ten years old and it has been my dream fairytale ever since.
The story was simple -big sister has to grow up, learn her responsibilities and rescue little brother from becoming a goblin.
But what was magical about the whole show was the brilliant M.C Escher sets, marvelously entertaining puppets created by the father of all puppets, Jim Henson, and the beautifully romantic interludes between Jennifer Connelly (Sarah) and David Bowie (Goblin King).
Present-day computer animation can make dinosaurs almost real but I preferred the cute and adorable puppets that created my own make-believe of a world of magic, fantasy and adventure. I could almost see myself running around in that maze, dodging the boobie traps and having great companions like Hoggle, Ludo and Ambrocious with me.
I admit I was pretty charmed by David Bowie's portrayal of the Goblin King but who wouldn't be? Powerful, mysterious and not bad-looking, he seemed to be in the classic Prince Charming genre, except that he was also a little diabolical compared to those in Cinderella and Snow White etc.
Labyrinth is a classic and will always be my dream fairytale, and I am still watching it over and over every now and then. Most of all, like Dark Crystal, it is one of the signature performances by the late Jim Henson and his wonderful family of puppets.
Read Best Reviews of Labyrinth (1986) Here
"Labyrinth", directed by Jim Henson, is one of my all-time favorite children's fantasies. It's about teenage aspiring actress, Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), who's sick and tired of being mistreated by her parents (Shelley Thompson and Christopher Malcolm) because she thinks her baby brother gets all the attention. Sarah soon begins to hate her baby brother and wishes that he would be taken away by evil goblins. Miraculously, Sarah's wish comes true...but now she's afraid of what might happen to her brother and wants him back. So to get him back, she must embark on a journey through an enchanted labyrinth maze to get her brother back from the evil king goblin (David Bowie). Along the way, she meets many magical creatures and defeats dangerous tasks as she learns what's really important about family.The film's special effects were done by the Lucasfilm company (yes, George Lucas's effects company). The acting is superb from the entire cast, especially a very young Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie. The storyline is wonderful, but the DVD is lacking, with only trailers, production notes, and one documentary on the making of the film. "Labyrinth" might actually not be for all ages, since it can be a little scary...esepcially the goblins might creep some young children out. But it is still a must.
I highly recommend "Labyrinth".
Score:
100/100
A+
Want Labyrinth (1986) Discount?
It's hard to believe that when Labyrinth was released in June of '86 it didn't do well. People weren't impressed. Some people say that things get better with age. Maybe this is also true with films.Labyrinth is the ultimate fantasy adventure story. Sarah, the heroine, has to find her way through the magical labyrinth to get her baby brother back from the evil Goblin King. Along the way she makes friends and enemies as she fights temptation and reminds us what is truly important.
The release of this DVD was a long-time coming. It was worth the wait. Presented in wide-screen, that means we can see all of the goblins in hidden in the drawers and not just the one speaking, and Dolby Surround. The picture quality is good and the hauting soundtrack has been captured excellently.
Also included on the disc is the original cinema trailer and the original production featurette "Inside the Labyrinth". Probably as valuable, if not more, as the film itself. It's a facinating glimpse into the making of a masterpiece. Including interviews from the cast and crew and, more importantly, the Muppet master himself, Jim Henson.
This movie is probably more popular now than it has ever been and for good reason. And for just over ... bucks it's a movie must for anyone who is young or just young at heart.
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Friday, January 3, 2014
Misery (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1990)
Misery is an exceedingly good adaptation of the original novel by Stephen King. The novel features one of King's most tightly-wound, increasingly suspenseful tales, and this movie faithfully brings the novel to life on the big screen. Paul Sheldon, America's best selling writer, creator of Misery Chastain and chronicler of her romantic and human struggles and successes, has just finished writing a "serious" novel he hopes will give him the stature he desires. On his trip home with the manuscript, a fierce blizzard causes him to lose control of his car. Annie Wilkes, his number one fan, finds his car at the bottom of a hill, pulls Sheldon out of it, and takes him home to nurse back to health. As Sheldon begins to adjust to his new surroundings, he is increasingly bothered by his caregiver's erratic mood swings. He soon finds himself a virtual prisoner in her house, essentially unable to move with his two mangled legs. When Annie reads his brand new book, she is exceedingly unhappy with it. When she gets the newly published Misery Chastain novel and finds out that her beloved Misty is dead, she begins unleashing her fury on Sheldon and insisting he resurrect Misty in a new novel written especially for her. All this time, the small mountain town's husband-and-wife police force search for any sign of the missing author (albeit halfheartedly). Eventually, Sheldon realizes escape is something only he can achieve for himself.James Caan is quite good as Paul Sheldon, but Kathy Bates simply is Annie Wilkes. Her performance as this complicated, mentally disturbed super-fan broods over this entire movie, making it the riveting thriller it is. Lauren Bacall, in what is an overlooked but rather amazing casting coup, lends her talents to the movie in the role of Sheldon's literary agent, while Richard Farnsworth and perennial King favorite Frances Sternhagen round out a truly excellent cast. King actually held out on this project until such time as it could be placed in the more than capable hands of director Rob Reiner. King had a special affection for this particular story, and he was not going to allow a second-rate adaptation of it to come to the big screen.
The suspense of this story is basically psychological in nature, but there are two scenes of far more physical suffering. The hobbling scene is memorable to say the least, and another incident toward the end introduces a little blood to the film, but overall this is a movie that all lovers of suspense and human drama can appreciate. There are a lot of bad movies based on terrific Stephen King stories and novels, but this movie captures the powerful magic of the original novel as effectively as any King movie ever has.
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Widescreen 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital Surround Spanish
Dolby Digital 5.1 English, French
Subtitles English, Spanish Optional
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentaries 1. Rob Reiner Director
2. William Goldman Screenwriter
Featurettes 1. "Misery Loves Company"
2. "Marc Shaiman's Musical Misery Tour"
3. "Diagnosing Annie Wilkes"
4. "Advice for the Stalked"
5. "Profile of a Stalker"
6. "Celebrity Stalkers"
7. "Anti-Stalking Laws"
Trailers 1. Original Theatrical Trailer
2. Original Theatrical Teaser
Buy Misery (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1990) Now
This 2-disc bundle is an interesting edition in the sense that you get the movie twice, on Blu AND on DVD.DISC ONE
The Blu-ray disc has the movie only in beautiful 1080p Blu resolution, of course, and featuring DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound plus French and Spanish audio tracks and English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Disc one is why I bought THIS Misery I already have a DVD edition and, at this price, I'm glad I did it. Misery's Blu treatment is nothing short of spectacular. Since I was able to compare the 2 versions, with the DVD and the Blu playing simultaneously, it was easy to see the difference. It's not only Blu's higher resolution that reveals more detail James Caan's 5 o'clock shade anyone? but the colors are brighter and the picture overall is crisper. Same for the sound. The lossless (uncompressed) audio is a big plus even on a movie like this where most of the sound is dialog and creepy music.
DISC TWO
Is the 'curious' one, featuring the entire movie as a DVD and a relative large number of featurettes. I call it 'curious' because there is no mention on the back of the box of the movie's duplicate on the second disc a mistake?
Anyways, besides the movie there's the obligatory 'this is how we made this and we had so much fun making it' featurette, named 'Misery Loves Company'. We get to hear from James Caan, the always lovely and talented Kathy Bates, director Rob Reiner and so on.
In addition, there is a SERIES of featurettes discussing 'stalking' which I will list because they are fun to watch:
Advice for the Stalked
Profile of a Stalker
Celebrity Stalkers
Anti-Stalking Laws
This is interesting because Annie (Kathy Bates) is not really a stalker. She is sick and she is Sheldon's (Caan) biggest fan but she's not stalking him, she only takes advantage of an opportunity.
Also good is the "Diagnosing Annie Wilkes" featurette where a psychiatrist explains that Annie was:
psychotic
bi-polar
delusional
paranoid
abused as a child
and a few more other defects that I can't remember now.
THE MOVIE
I love Stephen King, I've read a lot of his work and watched nearly all King-inspired movies but I'm not his biggest fan. While a fan, I am objective enough to admit that not all of the King movies are great and some are quite terrible. It's not the case with Misery. Thanks to Kathy Bates (Oscar for best actress) incredible performance, Caan's showing that he can act and inspired work from director Reiner and photography wizard Sonnenfeld, Misery is one of those few movies that you can watch again and again and never get tired of it. I do watch it every couple of years and, thanks to the Blu edition now, I will enjoy watching the movie even more.
RATING THIS EDITION
This Misery earns high grades for the Blu version. While inside a cheap plastic case the kind that has holes cut in it to save a few pennies the 2 discs feature enough quality and content to qualify this as the best Misery so far:
superior Blu rendering of the movie
unexpected second copy as a DVD
interesting, informative, actually watchable featurettes
reasonable price
The 5 stars are well earned.
Read Best Reviews of Misery (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1990) Here
Misery is one of the best in the horror/suspense genre. I have to say I don't think I've seen a better movie that was based off of a book. Usually the book is so good and the movie is sub par, but this one is the exception.The story begins as writer Paul Sheldon(James Cann)crashes in car while driving in a blizzard. He awakes from being unconscious to find himself in the home and care of a very obsessed fan(Kathy Bates). As he gets better he begins to realize his caretaker has no intention on letting him go anywhere.
Exceptional thriller which anyone would enjoy. I completely recommend Misery especially if you are a Steven King fan.
Want Misery (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1990) Discount?
In my opinion The Shining is the greatest of all Stephen King adaptations and then Misery. There are actually a lot of similarities between Misery and The Shining. There both about writers, in secluded locations, who are deserted at some point due to a snow storm. They both have characters that aren't all there mentally and we are witness to their descent into madness and loss of reality. Both Bates and Nicholson have a way with tools, whether it be an axe or a sledge hammer, and with these tools they have cut and hobbled their way into our memories and into film history.Kathy Bates is the star of this film and deserves her Oscar win as the at times lovable Annie Wilkes, the obsessed fan of author Paul Sheldon played by James Caan. Annie goes from saving Paul to keeping him hostage for her own agenda. The "shining" beacon of this film is without a doubt Kathy Bates who for me is one of the most memorable and witty villains of modern horror film up there with Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. With that said Caan is there like a dance partner for Bates every step of the way, he is like John Stockton to her Karl Malone always ready to assist her in enhancing the dark comedy throughout with his reactions by facial expression or perfect delivery of his lines. Caan's non verbal reactions to Annie's tirades are priceless and only enhance her dialouge. Pay attention to Caan's facial expressions during the scene when Annie explains about "chapter plays" and don't call them cliffhangers.
So getting back to the king and queen of horror, I had an idea, what if Bate's character Annie Wilkes had rescued/kidnapped Jack Nicholson's character Jack Torrance and what would that dialouge be like. I think it would go something like this:
JACK: "Annie, let me explain something to you. Whenever you come in here and interrupt me, you're breaking my concentration. You're distracting me. And it will then take me time to get back to where I was. You understand?"
ANNIE: "Understand? UNDERSTAND? I will tell you "what I understand!" I go out of my way for you! I do everything to try and make you happy. I feed you, I clean you, I dress you, and what thanks do I get? "Oh, you bought the wrong paper, Annie, I can't write on this paper, Annie!" Well, I'll get your stupid paper but you just better start showing me a little appreciation around here, Mr. MAN!"
JACK: "Now, we're going to make a new rule. When you come in here and you hear me typing
[types]
or whether you DON'T hear me typing, or whatever the F you hear me doing; when I'm in here, it means that I am working, THAT means don't come in. Now, do you think you can handle that?"
ANNIE: "I thought you were good Jack... but you're not good. You're just another lying ol' dirty birdy."
Just a thought, forgive me for prattling away and making everything all oogy, here's the dvd features.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION DVD FEATURES:
(A reviewer listed them above but in case they got lost in the review shuffle here they are again)
First if your like me and like a nice pristine transfer and good sound the dvd is a definite and worthwhile upgrade. The picture quality far surpassed the older version on dvd and I own both. Also on the sound there was no Dolby Digital 5.1 on the old version and on the Collector's edition there is.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Audio Commnt by Rob Reiner and screenwriter William Goldman
Misery loves company featurette, Marc Shaiman's musical Misery tour featurette
Diagnosing Annie Wilkes featurette, Advice for stalked feature, profile of a stalker feature, celebrity stalker feature and anti stalking laws feature.
This is a must for any horror fan to add to their collection. It is already a classic and is the type of horror that gives you that warm, glad to be inside, tucked into bed feeling if you can avoid getting hobbled.
A great watch for Halloween. Enjoy!
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Sunday, December 15, 2013
Jubal (Criterion Collection) (1956)
Jubal is the kind of adult western that was rare even in the heyday of Western production in Hollywood. A great cast, strong writing, and beautiful scenery makes it that much more enjoyable.Jubal is a luckless drifter, played by Ford who is rescued from exposure and starvation by wealthy rancher Ernest Borgnine. Borgnine soons put Jubal to work as a ranch hand. Borgnine has a very young and beautiful wife, played by Valerie French. She takes a strong liking to Jubal, which not only complicates his relationship with Borgnine, but further strains his dealings with a jealous fellow ranch hand Pinky, played by Rod Steiger. Things go downhill from there.
Add Felicia Farr playing her normal stalwart Western beauty and Charles Bronson as a friend of Jubal's, and you have the making of a great film. It's way past time that this was on DVD.
Add to this mix a group of trespassing Mennonites (or perhaps Quakers) who have in their company Felicia Farr, a godly woman that attracts Ford's romantic interests, and Charles Bronson, another drifter who befriends Ford.
WHAT WORKS: For the first hour and ten minutes or so "Jubal" is captivating cinema of the highest order. Borgnine is simpleminded & naive but likable and full of mirth. Valerie French is fully clothed at all times, yet somehow oozes sexuality with every simple glance or word (proving that sexiness involves way more than merely showing skin). Rod Steiger is perfect as the villainous Southerner-turned-Westerner "Pinky." Felicia Farr is an interesting addition to the story: her godly purity attracts Ford just as much as French's adulterous tactics turn him off.
As for the young Charles Bronson, how can you go wrong? And, lastly, Glenn Ford is perfect as the tragedy-laden drifter.
A big bonus is that the film was shot on location with the mighty Grand Tetons as a backdrop for the entire story. These magnificent Wyoming mountains are nothing short of breathtaking!
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: A little after the hour mark a major character buys the farm, resulting in the last half-hour tying up loose ends and somehow losing the yarn's ultra-captivating charm. I'm not saying the ending is bad, not at all, just that it's mediocre compared to the rest of the film. This is the only reason the flick rates 4-Stars instead of 5-Stars in my mind.
Also, although the opening credits score is understandably dated, the rest of the film is not.
CONCLUSION: Make no mistake, "Jubal" is a powerful psychological Western; there's thankfully no Disney-like unrealistic vibe anywhere to be found. It expertly touches on issues of friendship, envy, jealousy, competition, lust, hate, love, and hope. In light of this, I'm genuinely surprised at how underrated "Jubal" is in the Western genre.
Let me add that Jubal is a man of fascinatingly noble character: he amazingly resists the skilled sexual advances of the luscious Valerie French. Kinda reminds me of Joseph and Potiphar's wife.
"Jubal" is a MUST for every person's Western film library.
Buy Jubal (Criterion Collection) (1956) Now
In the mid-1950's writer-director Delmer Daves made a series of superior westerns for Columbia studios. Too bad these films have not gotten their critical due from movie historians or critics. Perhaps it's because they lack the thematic continuity of a Buddy Boetticher or a John Ford to tie them together. Still each entry presents its own distinct virtues and all are greatly entertaining. If the compact, and tautly told "3:10 to Yuma" is the best of the lot, the scenic and sprawling "Jubal" runs a close second. This mid-series film features Glenn Ford's easy-going charm, a rowdy Earnest Borgnine, a luscious Valerie French, and the panoramic backdrop of Jackson Hole Wyoming. And in an odd piece of casting, which Daves seems fond of, method actor extrordinaire Rod Steiger appears as a treacherous ranch hand named of all things, Pinky! Following the dueling styles of Ford vs. Steiger is at least as interesting as the otherwise well-staged outbursts of gunplay.Judging from other entries, such as 1958's "Cowboy", Daves seems genuinely intrigued by the real life of cowhands. Thus the cowhands in Jubal are more vividly drawn and distinctively presented than their usual role as faceless stage props. The story itself features a fairly explicit (for its time) woman in heat (French), whose scheming shenanigans set off a plot-driving chain of events, while shifting alliances among ranch hands and settlers round out a sprawling and sometimes over-generous plot. And, oh yes, making a sudden appearance half way through, a lonesome Charles Bronson in a tacked on role that perhaps provided a needed payday, (Daves and Bronson had been together in the earlier, oddball essay "Drumbeat".) If none of this sounds good, then just sit back and take in the beautifully photographed alpine landscape that has salvaged many a western much less worthy than "Jubal".
Read Best Reviews of Jubal (Criterion Collection) (1956) Here
Seems I agree with critic anne on just about anything where this actor is concerned! But in addition to his prowess as a fast gun, watch for the fleeting camera moments that distinguish his acting from others...after he is trapped into shooting his best friend, watch the body language as he bends over the friend, but particularly when he raises his head to look at Bronson and note the shock, pain and grief in his eyes. Also, compare the facial expressions when he is talking to the rancher's wife and when he is talking to his new-found girlfriend. In the former scenes, it appears that he is trying not to be rude, but can't stand her; and in the latter, there is a tenderness that is also seldom seen on the screen. Don't miss this film! It is an above ordinary western!Want Jubal (Criterion Collection) (1956) Discount?
When a Wyoming cattle king, Shep Horgan (Ernest Borgnine), receives Jubal Troop (Glenn Ford) in his ranch, his presence arouses strong emotions for his attractive young Canadian wife Mae...Shep, a friendly good-natured husband and the best loved man in the territory, offers his help and trust to Jubal and names him his foreman... Shep was proud of the "sheep-herding friend" who got lost in the blizzard, and came over the pass from Montana, running from "bad luck."
Mae (Valerie French), a rancher's wanton wife, spins the plot by her attentions to the disinterested cowboy Jubal, which further stirs up the surly range rider (Rod Steiger) with whom she had previously been carrying on an affair, unknown to her genteel husband...
Truthful and straightforward, Jubal is caught between a loyal friend and an insistent desirous unfaithful wife who considers her husband's fine ranch a "10,000 acres of lonesomeness."
Mae was not in love with her unattractive husband... She thought she just picked the right guy to patch it up with... She even considered an evil plan in her mind... Maybe another affair, a new love, a murder...
One night, she went crazy... She lied to Shep telling him that Jubal was here in their room, in their bed... She yelled angrily in pain: "I'm sick to my stomach every time you kiss me. Let go of me. I hate you. I hate the way you look at me. I hate every single thing about you. I love him. Do you hear? I love Jube."
In that moment, Mae inflames a torrid fuse of sex, jealousy and revenge which make of Delmer Daves' "Jubal" a rather engrossing piece of adult entertainment...
Glenn Ford was honest in his feelings toward his boss ("Shep made me feel like somebody. Shep gave me a reason for living.") ignoring that he was caught in a net of lies, murder, and uncontrolled passions...
Rod Steiger was exceptional as the sadistic top hand who strongly disliked Jubal's gizzard... Pinky spots Mae's sights on Jubal... His jealous was so great as his strong sexual desire for the ex-lover...
In her film debut, Felicia Far was the radiant and beautiful as the little Rawhider responding to expert handling...
"Jubal" returned Charles Bronson to the West and to the company of director Delmer Daves, with whom he had made "Drum Beat." Cast as a ranch-hand friend of Ford's in the employ of Borgnine, Bronson contributes his natural masculine presence to this psychological Western...
Set against the mountainous fertile valley of the Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, and beautifully photographed in CinemaScope and Technicolor, "Jubal" is a powerful adult Western in constant suspense...
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Monday, December 2, 2013
The Great Dictator (The Criterion Collection) (1940)
Without a doubt, Charlie Chaplin is the reigning king of silent comedy. His impeccibly limber gesturing, sense of timing and evocative facial features have made him a landmark artist, a masterful film maker and one of the greatest talents to ever grace the silver screen. What more can be said; does it get any better than the little tramp?!? And now, Warner Home Video proves that it does, indeed get better; a lot, lot better. Having had to contend with poorly transferred, badly worn VHS and primative bootlegged DVD copies for years, the home video audience at last gets to witness Charlie in his best video incarnation ever! This box set features four classics from the Chaplin legacy; Modern Times, The Gold Rush, The Great Dictator and Limelight. In each case, Chaplin illustrates the art of making movies as no one before or since. Great fun!THE TRANSFER: No expense has been spared in making each film sparkle as never before. The gray scale is incredibly rich and beautifully balanced. Blacks are deep. Contrast levels show off Charlie's make up. Fine detail is gloriously realized. Minor edge enhancement and some pixelization do occur but nothing to distract or even hint that anything but absolute care has been taken to make these films look as good as they possibly can. Almost all age related artifacts are gone. Truly, I can't say enough to recommend these transfers. The audio is mono and nicely balanced.
EXTRAS: Each disc comes with a brief featurette on Chaplin's legacy and some interesting supplimental extras including outtakes in some cases and interviews in others.
BOTTOM LINE: No more to be said: don't walk RUN to your nearest video retailer and make the Chaplin Collection a part of your home video library!
The facts, however, say it all.
This film was made at a time when most of America was anti-semitic, when no one wanted to think of getting involved with Europe's affairs, and when Chaplin's own art of pantomime had been lost in the onslaught of 'talkies'.
And for Chaplin to choose *this* premise for his farewell to the little Tramp-turning his Tramp into a Jew and turning himself into Adolf Hitler-well, it's nothing short of daring.
For those that prefer Charlie as just the funny little fellow, and not his serious side, there's enough slapstick in this film to satisfy even them: the comedic highs are the moments when no words are needed-the misplaced grenade, the dance with the globe, or the shaving scene to Brahm's Hungarian Dance. But the film IS at its best when Chaplin's Adenoid Hynkel is shown as a stark raving madman, and he with Jack Oakie's 'Napaloni' expose the true ridiculousness and lunacy of it all.
Cynics have been known to call this film 'preachy', but as far as I'm concerned, it was awful gutsy of Chaplin to speak out on the issue-and not just speak out, but to point a finger right in the face of Fascism and to charge it as a 'blunder' of humanity. For him to be *successful* in making us laugh on a subject that, in its essence, is not funny in the least really is a testimony to his abilities as an actor.
His other films may be better than this one, and it's not my personal favorite of his work, BUT: **this** is the film that made Charlie a hero in my eyes. And that sort of passion for speaking out in what you believe deserves Five stars anyday!
Buy The Great Dictator (The Criterion Collection) (1940) Now
One of the greatest satires ever filmed and Chaplin's most fully realized comedy. A beautiful blend of the usual Chaplin slapstick and pathos along with a very effective social and political commentary. Charlie is Adenoid Hynckle, dictator of an only slightly fictional country of Tomania. He also plays a Jewish ghetto barber. Both are played with such impeccable accuracy that to distinguish between them is extremely easy.Names are changed but this film is still the most effective film of Nazi Germany and Hitler's thankfully aborted attempt to take over the world. Chaplin's script never gets too preachy at least without an equal dose of satire. His approach is to make people laugh while teaching them at the same time. Nowhere is this more apparent than in his final monologue. After a predictable mistaken identity episode, Chaplin as the unnamed Jewish barber speaks of the horrors of Nazism. This climazes what may be the greatest performance in the history of comedy films. The greatest because it does more than simply make us laugh-it makes us think. The film earned Chaplin well deserved Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Screenplay and Actor. This is a film you must see.Read Best Reviews of The Great Dictator (The Criterion Collection) (1940) Here
My grandfather, as big a Chaplin fan as they came, never got over the narrated version of The Gold Rush. It wasn't the narration that bothered him as much as the way that "they had to change the ending." A romantic at heart, he missed the original's softer closing. Every time the film aired on television or was re-released at the theater, he looked for the silent version with the original ending. He never found it. The re-release seemed to be a constant thorn in his side. Sort of like the 1940's version of Greedo shooting first. I hope my grandpa is looking down from above, because the original version of the film is included in this standout DVD collection. If you liked Charlie's light-hearted narration, that version's here too (I think both versions are great). And so are four beautifully restored Charlie Chaplin films. The hilarious Modern Times. The controversial The Great Dictator (Chaplin's first "talkie"). The oftentimes overlooked -and underrated -Limelight. And quite possibly the most well-liked film of Chaplin's career, The Gold Rush. There aren't as many outtakes as a Chaplin fan would want, but that's because most were lost or destroyed. The outtakes that are included are as fun as the "little fellow" himself. I'm guessing the films look nearly as good as they did when they were first projected onto the gigantic movie house screens of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. This collection takes you back to the early days of film and reminds you that when most were taking baby steps, Mr. Chaplin was moving cinematic storytelling ahead by leaps and bounds. My grandfather would be proud.Want The Great Dictator (The Criterion Collection) (1940) Discount?
When Chaplin began planning his next film in 1937, criticizing the rise of fascism in Europe and condemning the treatment of the Jewish people under Adolf Hitler were controversial ideas, although they would become more accepted by the time of the film's eventual release in 1940. Chaplin stated in later years that he would not -could not -have joked about conditions in Germany had he known the full extent of the Holocaust. But this was an important film to be made. When the world was hemming and hawing over what to do about this great evil, Chaplin didn't back down. Maybe not all of the comedy is as successful as it could have been, but the movie's heart is definitely in the right place.The film is divided roughly in half, with Chaplin playing the starring role in each segment (I've never understood the opening disclaimer stating that the resemblance of the dictator and the Jewish barber is entirely coincidental; the final portion of the film depends precisely on their similarity). The first role is the most obvious, given Chaplin's familiar mustache and general appearance. He plays Adenoid Hynkel, a very thinly veiled impersonation of Adolf Hitler. Chaplin's motivation appears to make Hitler look like a goofball -the target of ridicule. He falls down stairs, he flies into a rage when his office supplies don't function correctly, and he plays a childish game of one-upmanship with his "brother dictator", Benzino Napaloni of Bacteria. In one of the film's most memorable sequences, he performs a dance with a globe of the Earth, happily gazing at all which he hopes to conquer. It's a bizarrely wonderful moment -funny, frightening and beautifully directed. And it surely can't be by chance that in the first shot of the globe itself, the Western Hemisphere -the United States of America -is what is pointed at the camera.
The other part of the film is ultimately the most moving, especially from a modern day perspective. Chaplin's tramp had always been the everyman -the little guy up against the world. Surely there had not been a more beloved character in the history of film than the diminutive beggar with his ill-fitting costume. Gaining sympathy for his cause is simplicity itself; take this adored tramp who has entertained millions and turn him into a Jewish barber living in central Europe. Seeing this wonderful and charming character thrown into the horrors of a ghetto in Germany during WWII is shocking. It's almost inconceivable to imagine the fictional tramp existing in the same world as the horrors of Nazi Germany. In earlier films, we never really feared for the tramp's safety; we always knew he'd figure some way out of trouble. But here, he's powerless. He must run away. He can't simply kick the policeman in the butt and scamper to victory. It's a subtle but important difference from his other films. His adversaries until now had been easily defeated heavies. But now he's up against something horrible and real. He's dragged across a street, beaten and almost hanged by stormtroopers. The word "Jew" is painted on the front of his shop. His home is burnt to the ground. He retains his humor, his hope and his will to fight, but he needs the world's help -which is one of the movie's messages.
Chaplin's final speech, where he breaks character and vehemently decries fascism, hate and bigotry, has been called overwrought and schmaltzy. I disagree. I get goose bumps every time I hear it. As one of the interviewees on the DVD documentary states, "He said what had to be said." It's fascinating from a historical point of view. There are plenty of propaganda films from WWII (which is what this basically is when you boil down to it), but how many of them appeal to basic human decency instead of blunt patriotism?
One of the DVD extras is a documentary, THE TRAMP AND THE DICTATOR, produced by Turner Classic Movies. This is actually really good. Showing footage from the movie next to newsreels of Hitler just goes to demonstrate how spot-on Chaplin's impersonation was. Fascinating is the inclusion of excerpts from one of the worst Nazi propaganda films ("The Eternal Jew" -a hateful piece of appalling racism) which features Chaplin's 1931 visit to Berlin and denouncing him in a series of racial epitaphs. The discussion as to the appropriateness of laughing about something evil as Hitler is touched on and the topic is worthy of debate.
Also included is some recently discovered color footage shot on the set of the film by Charlie's brother, Sydney. It's also included in its entirety as an extra, but it works better when excerpts are seen in the documentary. The footage by itself is relatively boring for most of the time; the documentary uses the most interesting material. On the other hand, I was amused by Sydney Chaplin's focusing in on seemingly every woman present during the filming of the ballroom dance scene.
The movie does have its weak points. The WWI portions are more silly than genuinely funny (though I've mellowed to the upside-down airplane gag the more times I've seen it). And although Jack Oakie's performance as a Mussolini-clone was inspired, one feels that the movie is biting off more than it can chew by including both dictators. As a result, some portions dealing with their relationship drags. So too does the whole Commander Schultz subplot. Additionally, a lot of the humor seems somewhat stuck between being silent and being talkie. But for all of the flaws, this is still an excellent movie that I appreciate it a little more on each viewing. Perhaps not the best Chaplin film, but it definitely has something to say.
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