Aisle Seat Halloween Treats THE OMEN, POLTERGEIST & more in HD Plus: Shyamalan's Horrid HAPPENING
This Halloween is shaping up to be a tasty one for high-definition
enthusiasts, thanks to a number of exciting new Blu-Ray releases.
Leading the way is Fox’s four-disc THE OMEN COLLECTION,
sporting the original chronicles of Damien Thorn, aka the Anti-Christ,
as well as John Moore’s okay 2006 remake (at least it’s a
better inclusion than the horrid TV movie “Omen IV: The
Awakening,” which thankfully has been left out of this anthology).
In spite of its flaws, the original OMEN (***, 111 mins., 1976, R; Fox)
and its sequels form a trilogy that’s a rarity in the horror
genre: glossy “A-list” studio productions with outstanding
Jerry Goldsmith scores, effective Panavision cinematography, and a
compelling story line that runs through all three pictures. The pay off
may not be worth the wait, and some narrative opportunities are fumbled
in the sequels, but with Goldsmith’s symphony of horror carrying
the viewer through effortlessly, it’s still an annual viewing
experience for this critic around this time of year.
Concerning director Richard Donner’s 1976 original, it's still
hard to believe Gregory Peck and Lee Remick attached themselves to such
a piece of pulp-horror nonsense, but the picture is so well-made --
expertly directed by Donner, atmospherically shot by Gilbert Taylor --
that it remains something of a genre favorite, if not a classic. The
widescreen images and use of music are quite unsettling, even if the
film's satanic-oriented plot has been copied so often by now that the
picture has lost some of its original punch. Goldsmith's soundtrack,
which certainly established itself as a bona-fide masterpiece of genre
music, does wonders for the film, which moves at a steady pace,
accentuating psychological horror almost as much as it does the
outright apocalyptic elements in David Seltzer's screenplay.
The AVC-encoded HD transfer in Fox’s Blu-Ray disc (the only of
the original "Omen" films to get a standalone release outside the
box-set) is superb, adding a layer of sharpness and clarity to the
cinematography we haven’t seen since its original theatrical
release. Some grain remains, and the print isn’t blemish-free,
but it’s certainly a huge upgrade on the standard-definition
release and fans will appreciate the additional detail only the Blu-Ray
affords. On the audio side, the DTS Master Audio track is comprised of
the remixed 5.1 track from the last DVD release, and sounds superior to
the original mono mix, which is also included here for purists.
For extras, Fox has wisely culled together all the extras from a number
of prior DVD editions, sweetening the pot by including a new commentary
from Nick Redman, Lem Dobbs and Jeff Bond, and restoring Jerry
Goldsmith’s isolated score in 5.1 along the way (note that the
late '90s laserdisc also offered a stereophonic isolated score track as
well, though the Blu-Ray's 5.1 mix comes from superior elements,
producer Mike Matessino tells me).
Redman, Dobbs and Bond offer an interesting account of the film’s
production, with plenty of attention given to Goldsmith’s
Oscar-winning score and how it functions so brilliantly in the movie.
Two other commentaries have been reprieved from earlier DVDs, including
a 2006 talk with Richard Donner and screenwriter (and, obviously,
“Omen” fan) Brian Helgeland, as well as an earlier (and
often hilarious) discussion with Donner and editor Stuart Baird. Donner
and Helgeland’s talk covers some of the same terrain as the
Baird-Donner commentary, though it’s amusing how Donner has some
variations on the same anecdotes he discussed previously (then again,
the movie WAS produced over 30 years ago!). While all three tracks will
be of interest for fans, the Donner-Baird discussion is the most
consistently engaging of the bunch, while more production detail is
relayed in the Redman-moderated 2008 track, which is exclusive to the
Blu-Ray platter.
Additional extras include the hugely entertaining, feature-length AMC
documentary “The Omen Legacy,” which Image released in its
own DVD back in 2001 (with a vintage “Damien: Omen II”
featurette still exclusive to that disc), plus Donner’s
introductions from preceding releases, a “Bonus View”
picture-in-picture track mainly comprised of rehashed interviews from
other featurettes and “The Omen Legacy,” and a brief talk
with filmmaker Wes Craven discussing his fondness for the picture.
Also on-hand is the 45-minute “666: The Omen Revealed”
documentary, plus lengthy interviews with Jerry Goldsmith and David
Seltzer, along with a deleted scene that was added to the 2006 DVD
platter. That sequence -- showing Mrs. Blaylock’s original demise
-- is presented in rough workprint form and offers commentary by Donner
and Baird as well.
Goldsmith’s
interview segments include the composer’s views on how Donner
wanted the sequence where Damien panics outside the church to echo the
throbbing, primal sound of John Williams's "Jaws" theme; about winning
his Oscar (calling himself "familiar with losing"); how his wife Carol
came to sang "The Piper Dreams," and about working within the confines
of the film's stringent budget. In fact, the producers coughed up an
additional $25,000 to hire Goldsmith at the time, since he was
initially outside the realm of the picture’s then-miniscule
studio budget! (The film cost $2 million without the composer's
services).
During the other documentary materials, it’s also interesting to
hear how Donner stripped a good deal of the overtly horrific elements
out of the picture (he and Baird talk about how they cut out Billie
Whitelaw's extended fight with Gregory Peck from the final cut because
it was too excessive), and one of the biggest revelations comes when
they talk about the movie's original ending -- where Peck, Remick, and
Damien are dead, ending the film on an ambiguous note and asking the
audience to question if Peck wasn't simply insane.
Alan Ladd, Jr. (who seemed to add a good deal of his own input into
now-classic '70s films like this and a little movie that followed
called "Star Wars"), then-bigwig at Fox, asked Donner if Damien
couldn't be alive at the end of the movie, and the filmmakers agreed to
shoot the now-famous final sequence, where the demonic little tyke
smiles at the camera while holding the President's hand at his adopted
parents' funeral. The disparity between Donner wanting the film to be a
psychological thriller and Seltzer’s original intent of creating
a supernatural horror movie comes through quite clearly here, both in
the finished product and the various extras housed on this essential
Blu-Ray release.
Both DAMIEN OMEN II (**½, 107 mins., 1978, R) and THE FINAL CONFLICT (**½, 108 mins., 1981, R)
continued to chart Damien’s apocalyptic rise, first as a young
teen unaware initially of his heritage, and later -- as portrayed by
Sam Neill in “The Final Conflict” -- a political prodigy
newly appointed U.S. ambassador to England.
The AVC-encoded transfers on the sequels are superior to “The
Omen” only in that the elements appear to be in healthier
condition; “The Final Conflict” in particular looks
exceptionally good here. As with before, DTS Master Audio sound is the
default listening option, offering a pleasing, if not quite enveloping,
sound stage for Goldsmith’s marvelous soundtracks, which only
improve as the series progresses in their thematic depth and dramatic
effectiveness. Each film also offers previously-available commentary
tracks (from producer Harvey Bernhard on “Damien” and
director Graham Baker on “The Final Conflict”) plus
trailers.
Bernhard’s
commentary on the 1978 sequel “Damien: Omen II” does go
into some detail about the sequel’s woes, including the early
firing of Mike Hodges -- whom the producer blames for taking too much
time filming establishing shots -- and the general problems involving
the rather pedestrian screenplay of the first “Omen”
follow-up.
“Damien” isn’t a bad movie by any means, but it is a
disappointing one considering the potential of the project.
Damien’s growth and understanding of his demonic background could
have made for a richly dramatic and eerie tale, but the resulting film
is rather simplistic and by-the-numbers, playing out like a rehash of
its predecessor. There are still many elements about the movie that are
worth recommending: Goldsmith’s score, Gil Taylor and Bill
Butler’s cinematography, and several crackerjack death sequences
(gotta love Lew Ayres’ demise!) make the movie entertaining in
spite of its near constant predictability.
Though “The Omen” was initially slated to chart
Damien’s life in four installments (note Leo McKern’s line
about the “four faces” of the Anti-Christ early in
“Omen II”), declining box-office revenues on “Damien:
Omen II” cut the series down to a trilogy, which was concluded in
1981's “The Final Conflict.”
Regarded by most viewers as the weakest entry of the three films,
“The Final Conflict” is a problematic movie still worthy of
re-evaluation: Sam Neill’s performance as the adult Thorn, the
vivid photography of Phil Meheux and Robert Paynter, and another
outstanding Goldsmith score -- for many his finest of the series and
one of his strongest of the 1980s -- make the finale an interesting
variant on its predecessors. There’s more of a mature,
apocalyptic tone to the film, and several marvelous moments -- namely,
the terrific, wordless opening, underscored only with Goldsmith’s
accompaniment -- help to compensate for the tepid, anti-climactic
finale, which works only because of the music...and for Damien meeting
his demise at long last.
Director Graham Baker’s DVD commentary is, at best, weak -- Baker
has little to say about the movie and the result is one of the least
satisfying and sporadic commentaries I’ve ever heard on DVD. (If
you’re looking for more substantial supplements on the sequels,
you can find them in “The Omen Legacy” documentary, which
includes a wealth of interviews and production detail on the entire
series).
Fox has rounded out the set with a reprisal of the THE OMEN (**½, 110 mins., 2006, R) remake’s previously available Blu-Ray disc.
This straightforward re-do from director John Moore (“Behind
Enemy Lines”) met with moderate box-office results in June of
2006. Here, Liev Schrieber and Julia Stiles are the not-so fun couple
who find out too late that their child Damien isn’t really their
son and really IS the Anti-Christ.
I had mixed feelings while watching the 2006 “Omen.” On the
one hand, the film is reasonably well-produced and Moore adds a few
visual twists (namely, a number of nightmarish dream sequences) that
truly surprise since they’re unexpected. Sadly, the film
otherwise is so bland, banging all the same notes as the original but
with less style and inferior production values. Whatever deviations are
made from David Seltzer’s original script (an additional death
sequence at the beginning; less of a reliance on biblical prophecy) are
also ill-advised and Stiles seems far too young to carry off her part.
The Blu-Ray edition contains a commentary track, a few extended scenes
and an alternate ending that’s not a whole lot different than
what ended up in the final cut. Of the few Making Of featurettes,
there’s a fairly lengthy look at Marco Beltrami’s music,
while the MPEG-2 transfer is fine and DTS Master Audio sound rounds out
the disc.
Overall, Beltrami’s score sums up the whole movie: it’s
perfectly serviceable, but it doesn’t hold a candle to
Goldsmith’s original ‘76 soundtrack, primarily because
there’s no memorable thematic material in it. The rest of the new
“Omen” basically conveys a similar sentiment --
there’s nothing “wrong” with the film per se, but why
watch a John Moore version of this story when you can see Richard
Donner’s rendition...and with Gregory Peck and Lee Remick in
place of Schrieber and Stiles. As I mentioned before, though, at least
it’s superior to “The Omen IV”!
Overall, this is a terrific Blu-Ray box-set marred only by its
packaging: the feeble cardboard box is awfully slender to house a
four-disc release like this, with the individual discs being attached
-- barely -- by a single sticky “spindle holder” on the
center of each pane. In other words, there’s no hard casing here
at all, making this a perfect candidate for being crushed en route to
your home. Needless to say a release of this caliber deserves better. Brilliantly
scored by Jerry Goldsmith, memorably shot by Matthew F. Leonetti and
backed by a script -- credited to Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais and
Mark Victor -- that features an identifiable, likeable family at its
core, POLTERGEIST (****, 114 mins., 1982, PG; Warner) has lost little of its appeal since its original 1982 release.
This Spielberg-produced, Tobe Hooper “directed” tale of a
suburban family (father Craig T. Nelson, mom JoBeth Williams, and kids
Heather O’Rourke, Oliver Robbins and Dominique Dunne) haunted by
spirits in their California home has its “shock” moments,
but also an effective depiction of an otherworldly “other
side” that few supernatural films have so successfully evoked --
even with all the technical advancements that have occurred in genre
films since its original release. The story, a variant on the old
“Twilight Zone” episode “Little Girl Lost,” has
moments of humor and warmth interspersed at various points, as well as
suspense and “roller coaster” like thrills provided by
superb ILM special effects and a pace that never flags throughout its
114-minute running time. At its core, though, are the natural
performances of Nelson, Williams, and the young cast members, who come
off as real people and make you care about their plight throughout.
After being available only in a weak 1998 DVD from MGM, Warner Home
Video issued a 25th Anniversary Edition last year with remastered
visuals. Regrettably, while Warner’s restored and remastered new
Blu-Ray platter does boast a vivid new HD transfer (VC-1 encoded) with
eye-popping colors and an enveloping Dolby TrueHD soundtrack that
provides an effective soundstage for Goldsmith’s classic score,
the disc -- like its standard-def predecessor -- comes up empty when it
comes to meaningful extras.
Shockingly, not even the trailer is included here -- in fact,
there’s nothing at all related to the movie itself in the entire
package. No Making Of featurette (remember the vintage 1982 segment,
seen on TCM and the 1994 laserdisc, that showed Spielberg instructing
actors and establishing camera angles while credited director Hooper
stood by, silently, on the sidelines?), no discussion about its
production...the lone supplement is a simplistic, two-part featurette
on real-life paranormal investigators that’s nowhere near as
entertaining as your average “Ghost Hunters” episode on the
Sci-Fi Channel.
All of this is perhaps unsurprising -- the issue over the creative
involvement of writer-producer Spielberg and the debated contributions
of Hooper has been hotly contested even prior to the film’s
theatrical release in June of 1982 (check Aint It Cool News for a 2007
interview with Zelda “Tangina” Rubinstein, who implies that
Tobe Hooper was basically under the influence and states that Spielberg
handled directing chores on all six days of her shooting).
Yet after all this time, it’s disappointing Warner couldn’t
have assembled a package that danced around the sensitive elements and
given us as thorough a history of the film’s production as
possible -- along with some deleted scenes and, at the least, its
original advertising materials. Considering the studio’s
outstanding track record with special editions, you'd have to assume
that long-standing "controversy" between Spielberg and Hooper was
undoubtedly the reason for this disc's lack of content. And it's a
shame, because “Poltergeist” -- still a perfect mix of
thrills, chills, humor, and warm, likeable characters a quarter-century
after its debut -- deserves more.
That said, the movie has never looked nor sounded better, and Warner
has housed the disc in another of their terrific “Digipack”
hard-bound book cases featuring color stills and production notes.
It’s a nice looking package and a dynamic presentation of the
movie that, even in spite of its lack of extras, should satisfy all
“Poltergeist” fans.
CARRIE (***, 98 mins., 1976, R; MGM/Fox):
Brian DePalma's visceral take on Stephen King's novel is
well-remembered for its blood-bath climax, as well as its interesting
cast of young, future stars, from Sissy Spacek to John Travolta. As a
movie, “Carrie” relies heavily on big shock moments,
chronicling how a tortured teen with ESP (and a religious fanatic mom
played by Piper Laurie) comes to take revenge on her classmates'
repugnant behavior. Nancy Allen, Amy Irving, and William Katt are among
the faces you'll spot in the terrific ensemble, which was assembled
concurrently with the casting call for "Star Wars"! Like a lot of
DePalma's early work, there are countless Hitchcock homages in both the
movie and Pino Donaggio's score, but the movie is still one of the
filmmaker's better films all around. “Carrie” set the
standard for countless genre "revenge" films that followed, and it
still poignantly taps into timeless themes of teenage alienation and
acceptance, the gore notwithstanding.
MGM’s Blu-Ray edition of “Carrie” resembles an early
format release with its MPEG-2 encoded transfer and lack of extras save
for a trailer. The single-layer 25gb platter also includes a decent DTS
Master Audio soundtrack, and while the transfer is attractive enough
(particularly given the movie’s soft focus photography and the
age of the source elements), it’s a disappointment that the
documentaries produced for the 2001 DVD Special Edition weren’t
retained here.
THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (**½, 119 mins., 1979, R; MGM/Fox):
Never regarded as a classic, even of the cult variety, the original
“Amityville Horror” nevertheless became one of the biggest
independent hits of all-time. Produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff’s
American-International Pictures, the pulpy adaptation of Jay
Anson’s supposed “true story” of the infamous haunted
house provides plenty of cheap thrills and a few unintentional yucks to
go along with it.
James Brolin and Margot Kidder essay George and Kathy Lutz, who move
into the quiet Long Island community of Amityville. Unbeknownst to
them, their new home was previously occupied by a family that was slain
by their teenage son in a series of brutal shootings. Whether or not
the teenager was driven mad by the house (or something in it), the
Lutzes soon find themselves being barraged by a variety of haunted
house cliches: slime flowing out of toilets, glowing eyes in the
upstairs bedroom, invisible play pals of their young children telling
them secrets, and George being taken over by some kind of entity from
another dimension. Even a local priest (Rod Steiger) fails to clean the
house of its inherent evil after giving it the old Father Merrin try.
Directed by Stuart Rosenberg, “The Amityville Horror” is
standard but competent ‘late 70s horror. The performances are
solid but the movie has that “plastic” kind of look so many
films of its era do. It’s like watching an “Eight Is
Enough” episode crossed with “The Exorcist.” More
effective is Lalo Schifrin’s score, which unfortunately was
copied in so many other genre films (and used in even more trailers)
that it’s then-unique mix of child chorus and creepy orchestral
arrangements also seems well-worn.
MGM’s Blu-Ray edition of “The Amityville Horror,”
like “Carrie” above, contains no special features of any
kind -- a disappointment given that the 2005 Special Edition DVD of the
film offered documentaries, a commentary from paranormal expert Dr.
Hans Holzer, and additional History Channel specials on the
“Amityville” house itself. All of these extras have been
excised from the single-layer 25gb Blu-Ray release in favor of a
decent, but not spectacular, AVC-encoded transfer of the movie with DTS
Master Audio sound. Visually there’s more depth to the picture
than the prior DVD, but the film’s plastic cinematography can
only be enhanced so much, while the sound is equally modest in its
effectiveness.
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (****, 105 mins., 1974, PG; Fox):
Mel Brooks’ classic comedy hits Blu-Ray in a marvelous release
from Fox that, fortunately, doesn’t cut any corners when it comes
to special features. The movie itself remains a marvelous
entertainment, a spoof of and homage to the Universal Golden Age
monster efforts, with pitch-perfect performances from Gene Wilder,
Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, Madeline Kahn
and Kenneth Mars. Fox’s 50gb Blu-Ray edition includes extras
cobbled together from prior releases plus some new goodies, from
Brooks’ commentary track to a Making Of documentary and trivia
track, interviews with John Morris and vintage conversations with
Feldman, Leachman and others, plus outtakes, deleted scenes, photo
galleries, Morris' isolated score and other extras. The AVC encoded B&W transfer is
excellent and the DTS Master Audio sound just potent enough in doing
justice to Morris’ beautiful, haunting original score.
THE HAPPENING (*½, 90 mins., 2008, R; Fox):
Unintentionally funny, mind-blowingly static “apocalyptic
thriller” from writer-director M. Night Shyamalan fails on the
level of serious drama but works if you view it as a competition
between stars Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel as to who gives the
worse performance.
A PG-rated story “jacked up” to R-rated proportions by its
studio for the sake of garnering additional box-office dollars,
“The Happening” starts off with New York City residents
killing themselves, and each other, with no rhyme or reason. Thinking
that terrorists have dumped a chemical into the air causing the
tragedies, Philadelphia high school teacher Wahlberg (really?) finds
wife Deschanel and tries to get out of the city. There they attempt to
navigate with other survivors in a rural landscape where nothing is
certain -- except for the hot-dog munching guy they meet who tells them
plants are behind it all. And no, I’m not kidding!
Any movie that includes a scene where Mark Wahlberg apologies to a
plant and asks its permission to “go to the bathroom” is
ripe for ribbing, and “The Happening” is a total disaster
from the second it starts. Shyamalan’s penchant for minimalist
performances only enhances the comedy inherent in the picture’s
completely awkward delivery, depicted no more effectively than in the
performances of Wahlberg and Deschanel.
In fact, the typically cute and appealing Deschanel is so awful here
that you’d think she was in an Ed Wood movie -- her reactions are
so at odds with what’s going on that you basically feel her
performance was shaped by the director screaming “Zooey,
laugh!” “Zooey, act scared!” “Zooey,
cry!” in a completely random fashion. Certainly the way in which
the film is edited does little to dispel that notion.
No more effective is Wahlberg in the least convincing performance by an
actor in the role of an educator you are ever likely to see. Like
Deschanel, Wahlberg’s awkward facial expressions and reaction
shots almost seem like they’re better suited to an episode of
“Mr. Belvedere” than a drama supposedly about the end of
the world.
“The Happening” is total and complete misfire on every conceivable level, but thankfully it’s so...well...wrong,
for lack of a better term, that it crosses the threshold from the realm
of merely boring (like “Lady in the Water”) into
unintentional yuck territory. If you’re in the mood and have
enough friends over to join in the fun, this is certainly one of the
livelier films Shyamalan has made -- even if it’s for all the
wrong reasons.
Fox’s Blu-Ray disc includes a solid, but not spectacular,
AVC-encoded transfer with 5.1 DTS Master Audio sound. Ample extras
include a wealth of deleted scenes with Shyamalan introductions, Making
Of featurettes, a gag reel (and I thought the whole movie was a gag
reel!) and a digital copy of the movie for portable media players.
SWEENEY TODD (***½, 116 mins., 2007, R; Dreamworks):
Finally out on Blu-Ray domestically, this spellbinding adaptation of
the Stephen Sondheim musical from director Tim Burton is highly
entertaining, if a bit more graphic and less humorous than its source
material.
Johnny
Depp is superb as the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, who returns to his
grimy London home to seek vengeance on the magistrate (Alan Rickman)
who imprisoned him, taking his wife and young daughter in the process.
Helena Bonham Carter is the unhinged Mrs. Lovett, whose floundering pie
shop proves to give Todd -- the former Benjamin Barker -- a
“unique” means of disposing of those who stand in his way.
With a few musical exceptions (the opening and closing “Ballad of
Sweeney Todd” has been reduced to an orchestral overture), the
film is faithful to the show and stylishly assembled with the creative
input of Burton’s creative team (cinematographer Dariusz Wolski,
production designer Dante Ferretti, costume designer Colleen Atwood).
Depp’s singing voice matches the intensity of his performance,
and he’s well complimented by Bonham Carter, even if her
performance is more psychotic than prior stage renderings by Angela
Lansbury among others. The supporting cast is likewise exceptional,
with Rickman turning in strong work as the villainous Judge, Timothy
Spall as his cohort, and Sacha Baron Cohen in a highly amusing turn as
the fraudulent hairdresser Adolfo Pirelli.
The subject matter is perfect for Burton’s cinematic
sensibilities, though it’s somewhat surprising that the
show’s black humor has been toned down while the violence and
gore have been raised up several notches. Some of the latter is due to
the very nature of the cinematic medium, yet I couldn’t help but
think a less graphic interpretation wouldn’t have served the
picture more effectively, as the gore can be off-putting to mainstream
audiences (and likely might’ve been the reason for the
film’s somewhat disappointing box-office in-take).
That said, “Sweeney Todd” is still a symphony of great
filmmaking and one of the finest cinematic musicals to come our way in
many years.
Dreamworks’ Blu-Ray disc, distributed by Paramount, has been
eagerly awaited by the movie’s fans since its release last year
and does not disappoint. The VC-1 encoded transfer is superb and the
Dolby TrueHD is forceful when called upon. Extras (in HD) are ample,
including a number of featurettes examining the production from its
origins, with copious interviews with Sondheim, Burton, and the stars
on-hand. The trailer and a look at the actual historical events that
formed the basis for the Todd legend round out the package.
Fans should note that Warner Home Video issued the film on Blu-Ray
overseas last spring in a nearly identical package, save for a pair of
supplements (Depp & Burton “Moviefone Unscripted” and
the original trailer) which are exclusive to the U.S. Blu-Ray platter.
THE INCREDIBLE HULK (***, 113 mins., 2008, PG-13; Universal):
Interesting “re-boot” of the Marvel Comics character comes
across as a sequel to an origin movie that was never made!
Pretending that Ang Lee’s interesting but bonkers
“Hulk” movie never happened, director Louis
Leterrier’s colorful comic-book saga brings us a kinder, more
identifiable Bruce Banner in the form of Edward Norton. Intentionally
channeling the Bill Bixby series more than its predecessor, this
“Hulk” finds Banner on the run in South America, still
trying to find a cure for his transformations into the Big Green One.
Circumstances, of course, get in the way, with the military --
including General Ross (William Hurt) -- in hot pursuit of Banner,
going so far as to send a newly Gamma-infused soldier (Tim Roth) into
the fray in order to stop the Hulk from causing further damage. Banner,
meanwhile, seeks help from old love Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), who
hasn’t spoken to her military dad since Banner’s accident,
as well as a scientist (Tim Blake Nelson) who hopes to provide a serum
to help our hero at least control his transformations.
Loaded with effects and chase sequences, this “Incredible
Hulk” is a lot more faithful in spirit and execution to the
Marvel comics -- as well as the old CBS series -- than its predecessor,
no question. In-jokes and references for fans abound, from a quote of
Joe Harnell’s series theme to Lou Ferringo’s cameo and
vocal performances of the Hulk’s dialogue as well (there’s
no mistaking Big Lou’s “Hulk SMASH!” line). The Zak
Penn script (which Norton rewrote, though without final credit)
doesn’t aim to be anything other than a basic, straight-ahead
action movie, but the set-pieces are well-executed and the final brawl
between the Hulk and the Abomination -- with splendid Rhythm & Hues
effects -- is something that kids and comic book fans ought to find
perfectly satisfying.
The performances are all fine, and although one wishes there was more
of a human element to this “Hulk” (something that Norton
lamented was lost in Marvel’s final cut, and could possibly be
rectified by a future DVD down the line), it’s still an
entertaining fantasy that finally does the Incredible one justice on
the big screen.
Universal’s 50gb Blu-Ray edition, out next week, doesn’t
contain the rumored longer cut of the movie, but does offer a
spectacular 1080p HD transfer with rock-solid DTS Master Audio sound.
Numerous extras include an odd alternate opening (in HD) plus
picture-in-picture goodies, Making Of featurettes, commentary from
Leterrier and Tim Roth, and 43 minutes of deleted scenes (albeit in
standard-def).
HALLOWEEN (**, 121 mins., 2007, Unrated; Dimension/Genius): Rob
Zombie’s graphic “reworking” of John
Carpenter’s seminal 1978 horror classic is a little better than
the franchise’s last few sequels, though that’s faint
praise given how low the series has fallen since the days of Donald
Pleasance and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Zombie here tries to tap into the psychological, white-trash origins of
masked killer Michael Myers, who as a kid enjoyed torturing animals
before slaying most of his family. As you might expect, those
revelations aren’t especially shocking, the film not especially
scary, and the performances all just kind of bland (even Malcolm
McDowell’s Doc Loomis seems muted, lacking the unhinged vivacity
of Pleasance’s performance). Tyler Bates’ score reuses John
Carpenter’s classic theme but for the most part
“Halloween” 2007 shows how more is less, especially when
compared to the relative subtlety of the original.
Dimension’s double-disc Blu-Ray edition of Zombie’s
“Halloween” includes a four-plus hour (!) documentary on
the production of the film by the director, comprising all of the
second platter. The film itself is presented in its 121-minute Unrated
cut with loads of extras including deleted scenes, an alternate ending,
the trailer, interviews, screen tests, and additional Blu-Ray Live
functions. The 1080p transfer is excellent, as is the Dolby TrueHD
audio.
DIARY OF THE DEAD (**½, 96 mins., 2007, R; Dimension/Genius):
George Romero’s latest attempt at resurrecting his zombie
franchise is an interesting, if minor, retelling of his original tale,
this time capturing the horrific rise of the undead through the lens of
college students with a camera. As usual, social commentary is thrown
into the mix, though despite the thoughtfulness (relatively speaking)
of “Diary of the Dead,” the film’s thrills and
novelty factor aren’t exactly fresh these days. Genius’
Blu-Ray edition offers a fine 1080p transfer with Dolby TrueHD audio
and extras including commentary from Romero, a feature-length doc on
the film’s production, outtakes and other goodies.
ZOMBIE STRIPPERS (*½, 94 mins., 2008, Unrated; Sony):
Witless comedy from writer-director Jay Lee finds Jenna Jameson as a
stripper (talk about typecasting!) who turns into a zombie. Rather than
close his club down, though, owner Robert Englund opts to keep his
ghoulish attraction going...and going! A few laughs can’t
compensate for a threadbare production with brainless gags and not
really enough gore to satisfy hard-core horror fanatics. Sony’s
Unrated Blu-Ray disc includes a format-exclusive trivia track and gory
scenes not shown in theaters (did this movie actually play in
theaters?) plus behind-the-scenes featurettes, other deleted scenes and
commentary with the cast and director. Terrors in Standard Definition
ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE PREMIERE COLLECTION (Fox/MGM):
It’s been a fantastic month to be a fan of Alfred Hitchcock.
Between last week’s double-disc “Legacy Special
Edition” releases of “Psycho,” “Rear
Window” and “Vertigo” from Universal and now MGM and
Fox’s lavish eight-disc “Premiere Collection,” Hitch
fans have plenty to celebrate.
A perfect compliment to the already-available Warner and Universal
Hitchcock box-sets, this beautifully assembled package (retailing
between $80-$100 in most outlets) features all-new Special Editions of
some of Hitchcock’s early British works, licensed through Grenada
International, as well as his first American efforts for David O.
Selznick and RKO.
Bound in a terrific, hardbound spiral “notebook” with
colorful packaging and booklet notes, the set offers the following:
-The 1927 silent THE LODGER: A STORY OF THE LONDON FOG,
sporting commentary with historian Patrick McGilligan, a retrospective
featurette on its production, a 1940 radio play adaptation directed by
Hitchcock, plus audio extracts from interviews the director conducted
with Peter Bogdanovich and Francois Trauffaut. The restored B&W
transfer is as satisfying as one would hope, while two different
soundtracks are on-hand: a 1999 score by Ashley Irwin (in 5.0 Dolby
Digital) as well as a 1997 score by composer Paul Zaza (“A
Christmas Story”) in mono.
-1936's SABOTAGE with Sylvia
Sydney and Oscar Homolka, offering commentary with historian Leonard
Leff; more of the Bogdanovich-Hitchcock interviews; a crisp B&W
remastered transfer and a still gallery.
-YOUNG AND INNOCENT (1937) with
commentary from critics Stephen Rebello and Bill Krohn; an isolated
music and effects track; more director interviews with Bogdanovich and
Truffaut; a restoration comparison; and a fine B&W transfer in its
original British (83-minute) version (the U.S. version was trimmed upon
its original release).
-The director’s classic REBECCA
(1940), Hitchcock’s first American film produced by David O.
Selznick, a memorable adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s novel
with Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier. Previously available in a
fantastic, out-of-print Criterion release, MGM and Fox’s new DVD
includes a fresh commentary track with Richard Schickel, a Making Of
featurette, a profile on Du Maurier, screen tests, radio plays, the
trailer, an isolated music and effects track, and still galleries. Note
that while many of the extras were included on the Criterion release
(which offered even more supplements than are on-hand here), the
B&W transfer isn’t quite as satisfying, exhibiting a bit more
grain and artifacting than the discontinued Criterion set.
-Hitchcock’s 1944 adaptation of John Steinbeck’s LIFEBOAT for 20th Century Fox, here offered with commentary by critic Drew Casper and a Making Of featurette, plus a still gallery.
-Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck in another memorable Hitchcock-Selznick production, 1945's SPELLBOUND,
featuring a new commentary with historians Thomas Schatz and Charles
Ramirez Berg; featurettes on the production and the dream sequence
created by Salvador Dalli; a 1948 radio adaptation; and the trailer.
Once again, though the B&W transfer is pleasing on its own terms,
the out-of-print Criterion release is a tad more satisfying.
-The 1946 classic NOTORIOUS
with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, featuring two different audio
commentaries (one by historian Rick Jewell, another with Drew Casper),
Making Of featurettes; a 1948 radio play adaptation; another isolated
music and effects track, still galleries and other extras. The B&W
transfer is fine but once again, when compared to the discontinued
Criterion edition, does not quite compare as favorably.
-1947's THE PARADINE CASE with
Gregory Peck, Ann Todd, Charles Laughton and Charles Coburn, presented
in a crisp B&W transfer with commentaries from Stephen Rebello and
Bill Krohn; an isolated music and effects track; a 1949 radio play with
Joseph Cotten; the original trailer; and other goodies.
Note that all of the respective documentaries include new interviews
with Hitchcock’s granddaughter Mary Stone plus Peter Bogdanovich
and critics like Rudy Behlmer, and are presented in 16:9 widescreen.
Overall this set is a must for all Hitchcock aficionados, even though
die-hards who have retained the Criterion editions of
“Rebecca,” “Notorious” and
“Spellbound” are advised to hang on to them for their
slightly superior transfers and additional extras.
HAMMER FILMS: ICONS OF HORROR (Sony):
Excellent assembly of four Hammer entries from the Columbia catalog hit
DVD at long last stateside. Included in the unholy quartet are the
Peter Cushing-led “The Gorgon”; the first
“Mummy” sequel “The Curse of the Mummy’s
Tomb,” presented in full Hammerscope; the so-so “The Two
Faces of Dr. Jekyll,” likewise offered here in anamorphic
widescreen; and the strange mystery “Scream of Fear”
starring Susan Strasberg, which is less a horror effort than it is a
decent psychological thriller. The films all appear to be in good
condition for their age in this two-disc set, each platter housing two
features. Regrettably, unlike Sony’s prior “Icons of
Adventure” Hammer release, supplements here are limited to the
original trailers. Still, the attractive price and packaging make this
a fun ride for Hammer enthusiasts.
MAUSOLEUM/BLOOD SONG: Exploitation Cinema Double Feature (BCI):
Engaging pair of early ‘80s drive-in B movies is highlighted by
the gleefully bad “Blood Song,” offering Frankie Avalon --
going against type -- as a bloodthirsty killer and “Jaws 2" and
“Angel” ingenue Donna Wilkes as the young woman who shares
a blood transfusion with him. Gore and laughs in this half-hearted
self-parody are complimented by BCI’s inclusion of the memorable
Bobbie Bresee-Marjoe Gortner offering “Masuoleum,” topped
off with a commentary by Bresee herself! BCI’s anamorphic (16:9)
transfer on “Mauseoleum” is excellent while “Blood
Song” includes a decent full-screen presentation with no extras.
Recommended for nostalgic Halloween fun!
JOY RIDE 2 (**, 91 mins., 2008, Unrated; Fox):
Not-bad small-screen sequel to the entertaining sleeper “Joy
Ride” finds killer trucker “Rusty Nail” again chasing
down helpless young people en route to Vegas. Director Louis Morneau
and writers James Robert Johnston and Bennett Yellin have done little
here but rehash John Dahl’s original movie, but the film is
fairly well-executed as direct-to-video efforts go, and offers the
regulation “Unrated” gore for the gross-out crowd.
Fox’s DVD includes a fine 16:9 (1.85) transfer with 5.1 Dolby
Digital sound, two Making Of featurettes and a storyboard comparison
reel. Also on Blu-Ray
ROMANCING THE STONE (***, 106 mins., 1984, PG; Fox) JEWEL OF THE NILE (***, 106 mins., 1985, PG; Fox)
Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner’s palpable chemistry turned
these highly entertaining romantic adventures into certifiable
box-office hits for Twentieth Century Fox during the mid ‘80s.
Both
1984's “Romancing the Stone” (directed by Robert Zemeckis
prior to “Back to the Future”) and its entertaining 1985
follow-up “Jewel of the Nile” offer engaging performances
from both Turner and Douglas, with Danny DeVito as the comic relief, in
a pair of “Raiders”-inspired larks with an accent on
romance. Each film has its own merits (Alan Silvestri’s score for
“Romancing the Stone” is quite enjoyable and the scope
cinematography is superb in each), and both pictures basically grossed
the same amount at the box-office.
Fox has treated both films to superb Blu-Ray packages: each film looks
flat-out gorgeous in new AVC-encoded transfers, while DTS Master Audio
tracks -- limited in their fidelity -- are also on-hand. Featurettes
culled from the 2006 Special Edition DVDs offer recent comments from
Douglas, Turner, and DeVito, while an ample amount of deleted scenes
are included on each disc. Additional featurettes examine the work of
the late Diane Thomas, who wrote the original picture, while
“Nile” director Lewis Teague discusses his work in the
sequel’s commentary track. Trailers round out the separate 50gb
Blu-Ray releases. Recommended!
SHREK THE THIRD (**, 87 mins., 2007, PG; Dreamworks/Paramount):
Gorgeous animation and a spectacular high-definition transfer (new to
Blu-Ray) can only partially enhance this tepid third entry in
Dreamworks’ fractured-fairly tale series. This time out, Shrek
and friends venture across the kingdom to find a successor to the
throne, while Fiona back home gets ready to deliver her first child.
The laughs are less frequent and the story more labored in “Shrek
the Third,” which trots out the requisite pop tunes (“Live
and Let Die” is used for the king’s funeral!) and visual
gags, but ends up missing the mark more than nailing it. Still, young
kids ought to enjoy the shenanigans and the animation is simply
outstanding: the AVC-encoded 1080p Blu-Ray transfer, which was
available on HD-DVD last year, is as impressive as any I’ve seen
in either format, while the Dolby TrueHD “lossless” sound
does have more of a kick than the HD-DVD’s Dolby Digital Plus
mix. Extras include numerous short featurettes and asides for kids,
including a Blu-Ray exclusive trivia track, customizable menus and
“The World of Shrek.”
MADAGASCAR (**½, 86 mins., 2005, PG; Dreamworks/Paramount):
Cute Dreamworks effort, a 2005 box-office hit, follows four animals
from the Central Park Zoo who find the “real” jungle of
Madagascar not quite as much fun after they end up shipwrecked. The
usual in-jokes and film parodies -- the kind that separate Dreamworks
fare from Pixar’s (and as such date these films more than their
genre brethren) -- make for an enjoyable enough 85 minutes,
though kids will take to the colorful animation more than adults.
Dreamworks’ Blu-Ray platter includes a format-exclusive pop-up
trivia track and numerous games in HD. The 1080p transfer is top-notch
and a rollicking Dolby TrueHD soundtrack rounds out the fun.
WHEN WE LEFT EARTH: THE NASA MISSIONS (258 mins., 2008; Discovery/Image):
Outstanding documentary series narrated by Gary Sinise profiles the
50th Anniversary of NASA and recounts all the missions, misfires,
tragedies and triumphs of our country's push into outer space.
This real-life "Right Stuff" is packed with marvelous interviews and
archival footage from the NASA vaults, some of which has never been
seen -- and none of which has been viewed in the kind of outstanding
high-definition detail that Discovery's Blu-Ray box-set affords. The
four-platter, six-episode set -- which begins with the earliest days of
astronaut recruiting and traces NASA's work through the Hubble
telescope debacle -- offers vivid HD transfers and Dolby Digital
soundtracks, as well as a number of compelling extras, from bonus NASA
film highlights to astronaut interviews, individual mission clips, and
five full-length additional NASA movies (on the bonus fourth disc).
Needless to say this is a rich, involving and enormously rewarding
series that ought to recapture one's interest in the space program,
remembering its infancy and examining the challenges it faces ahead. Coming from Criterion
Costa-Gavras’ taut, compelling 1982 film MISSING (***, 122 mins., 1982, PG)
tells the true story of Charles Horman, an American
journalist/filmmaker who became a political prisoner during a 1973 coup
in Chile. His father (Jack Lemmon) and wife (Sissy Spacek) try and find
answers to his disappearance but run up against red tape and government
bureaucracy in a pitch-perfect and brilliantly acted
“message” movie with superb work from both leads and a
haunting Vangelis score.
Criterion’s double-disc edition of the movie (which is available
separately as a no-frills, single disc package from Universal) includes
a newly restored 16:9 (1.85) transfer with mono sound and the trailer;
brand-new video interviews with Costa-Gavras, Joyce Horman (Charles
Horman’s widow), producers Edward and Mildred Lewis and Sean
Daniel; 1982 vintage interviews with the director, Lemmon, Ed Horman
(Charles’ father) and Joyce Horman; a video interview with author
Peter Kornbluh, an authority on the 1973 Chile coup and the Horman
case; and highlights from the 2002 “Charles Horman Truth
Project” honoring the film with interviews with Spacek and
co-stars John Shea and Melanie Mayron.
Extensive booklet notes include essays and the U.S. State Department’s official response to the picture. Also New & Coming on DVD
QUARK: THE COMPLETE SERIES (1977, Sony):
Richard Benjamin starred in this short-lived NBC series which attempted
to do for the blossoming sci-fi genre of the ‘70s what “Get
Smart” did for the espionage world back in the ‘60s. And
with “Get Smart”’s Buck Henry on-board, expectations
were high that “Quark” would become more than just another
of the decade’s fads.
As
it turns out, “Quark” -- which premiered as a one-shot
pilot in May of 1977 before returning as a mid-season replacement the
following year -- would never reach the comedic heights of its
creator’s esteemed predecessor, yet it’s still an amusing
romp with Benjamin leading a fine supporting cast (Conrad Janis, Tim
Thomerson, Tricia and Cyb Barnstable, Richard Kelton, and Alan Caillou
among them) in a scattershot yet amiable series that’s developed
a cult following among sci-fi fans over the years.
Sony’s DVD seems to include uncut episodes (at least there are no
disclaimers about edits) with clear mono soundtracks. Extra features
include “minisodes” from “I Dream of Jeannie”
and “Island of Horrors.”
ULTRAMAN: THE COMPLETE SERIES (880 mins., BCI):
Colorful, goofy, supremely memorable Japanese TV series which aired in
syndication in the U.S. during the ‘70s and ‘80s is back on
DVD in a mammoth, nicely packaged release from BCI. If you have any
fond memories of watching “Ultraman” growing up then
you’ll get a big kick out of BCI’s complete
“Ultraman” series box-set which offers the original
episodes in both English and Japanese – viewers will note,
though, that no matter which language track you select, the shows will
drop into Japanese with English subs at times during sequences which
were cut during American broadcasts. Extras include U.S. opening
credits, interviews with the original American dubbing team, episode
guide booklets, collectible cards, and a Kajiu encyclopedia (sharp-eyed
viewers will notice some very recognizable monster suits during some of
the fight sequences!).
GAME SHOW MOMENTS GONE BANANAS (2005, BCI): Extremely
funny short-run series, which aired initially on VH1 and was hosted by
the always droll Ben Stein, arrives on DVD courtesy of BCI. “Game
Show Moments Gone Bananas” does exactly what its title implies:
present a stream of clips, many hilarious ones, from shows ranging from
“The Price is Right” to “Password,” from the
‘50s through the present. The way in which the clips are edited
only magnifies the fun. BCI’s single-disc DVD set offers no
extras but game show fans are urged to check it out.
GIRLFRIENDS: Season 5 (2004-05, aprx. 7 hours; CBS/Paramount):
Fifth season of the long-running WB comedic drama includes all 22
episodes from its 2004-05 campaign, including “L.A. Bound,”
“The Rabbit Died,” “A Mile in Her Loubus,”
“The J-Spot,” “Maybe Baby,” “Too Big For
Her Britches,” “The Mother of All Episodes,”
“When Hearts Attac,” “Who’s Your Daddy,”
“Porn to Write,” “All the Creatures Were
Stirring,” “P.D.A.-D.O.A.,” “All in a
Panic,” “Great Sexpectations,” “The Way We
Were,” “See J-Spot Run,” “Good News, Bad
News,” “Kids Say the Darndest Things,”
“Finn-ished,” “The Bridges of Fresno County,”
“Wedding on the Rocks,” and the fifth-season finale,
“...With a Twist.” Full-screen transfers and 5.1 stereo
soundtracks are all excellent across the board, though the usual
disclaimer remains about possible edits from their original broadcast
versions.
CARLOS MENCIA: PERFORMANCE ENHANCED (66 mins., 2008, Unrated; Paramount): The
popular comedian returns with another Comedy Central special, this time
touching upon topical subjects ranging from gays in the military to his
trip to Iraq. Over 20 minutes of bonus footage has been included on
this hour-plus DVD, with special features including Mencia’s
appearance on an episode of “MTV Cribs” and a bonus segment
from the “Mind of Mencia” series. NEXT
TIME: The fifth and final season of THE INCREDIBLE HULK! Until
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