TWIN PEAKS
-- David Lynch and Mark Frost's groundbreaking series which debuted to
controversy, acclaim and big ratings in the spring of 1990 -- has
returned to DVD in a sparkling new “Gold Box” DVD
collection courtesy of Paramount. I was in high school at the time of
its premiere and became thoroughly captivated, like most of the nation,
by the series’ first eight episodes, which quickly established
the program as a cultural phenomenon.
Regrettably,
few series have ever risen and then fallen as quickly as “Twin
Peaks” (its second season went totally off the tracks, resulting
in one of the most unsatisfying endings of a series in TV history), and
Paramount’s DVD box-set (1990-91)
-- produced by Charlie de Lauzirika -- brilliantly recounts its
history, ranking as one of the finest video releases of the year. David
Lynch personally oversaw the digitally remastered transfers and remixed
Angelo Badalamenti's supremely memorable, haunting soundtracks for 5.1
Dolby Digital, resulting in a crisp and enormously satisfying technical
presentation.
For the most part, “Twin Peaks” has held up well -- its
misguided second season notwithstanding. Lynch and co-creator/producer
Mark Frost established an off-beat, at-times disturbing, at-times
mysterious, at-times hilarious crime drama/prime-time soap that broke
the rules of standard TV dramas in its day. Kyle MacLachlan stars in
the role of his career as FBI agent Dale Cooper, who travels to the
sleepy Pacific Northwest town of Twin Peaks to investigate the murder
of high school sweetheart Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). Of course, not
everything in this quiet small-town is as picaresque as it seems, with
Cooper and Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael Ontkean) uncovering a seedy
murder plot, a variety of suspects and colorful characters who populate
a world that’s undeniably Lynch-ian, but held in check somewhat
due to the confines of network TV -- resulting in a more satisfying
series than what likely would’ve transpired if Lynch had no
boundaries (for the latter, check out the bloated mess that was 1992's
Lynch-directed “prequel” feature “Twin Peaks: Fire
Walk With Me”). The series is quirky yet serious, comical yet
foreboding -- more so than numerous other “offbeat”
prime-time dramas (like “Northern Exposure” and even the
recent “Desperate Housewives”) that tried to mimic the
series’ essential premise to some degree.
While the DVD transfers are superb, even better are the extras: de
Lauzirika, one of the top producers working today in assembling DVD
supplemental content, offers a heaping of cherry pie, jelly donuts and
coffee -- and then some! A lengthy documentary examines the show's
production and meteoric rise to the top of the charts and critical
“Best” lists. People tend to forget how groundbreaking
“Twin Peaks” was for its time -- the cast appeared on a
variety of talk shows, graced the covers of magazines, garnered
enormous ratings (at least during its first season) and influenced an
entire generation of series and films produced in its wake.
“Secrets From Another Place,” the nearly two-hour long
production documentary, dives into all of this, from what make the show
so compelling in its beginnings, to Badalamenti's brilliant scoring and
then -- candidly at that -- dissects how the series went wrong...very
wrong...in its second season. And make no mistake, viewers new to
“Twin Peaks” and discovering it on DVD here for the first
time may be shocked at how self-indulgent, unfocused and disappointing
the series' second season is -- especially coming off the first season.
It was an unfortunate comedown that resulted in viewers quickly exiting
and the series being likewise canceled (I was so shocked with the
series' unsatisfying cliffhanger conclusion that I sent off an angry
letter to TV Guide, which was printed in June of 1991 -- thereby
marking the unofficial beginning of “The Aisle Seat”!).
Mark Frost is on-hand along with a number of cast members (including
the still-gorgeous Madchen Amick and Sherilyn Fenn, Kyle MacLachlan,
Ray Wise, and others) in the 105-minute production overview, and their
comments about what went awry during Season 2 results in one of the
most honest and satisfying DVD documentaries you'll find. It's
understandable that the creators had problems trying to figure out how
to extend the original "who killed Laura Palmer?" mystery, but their
solution is close to an unmitigated disaster that also offered a more
serious and pretentious tone, making it downright difficult at times to
watch (part of the problem is that Lynch and Frost had both gone off to
make their own movies, a clear sign of waning interest on the part of
both parties).
Lynch fans and die-hard Peaks devotees will still find these
second-season episodes to be intriguing if nothing else, though as a
major fan of the series' first eight shows, it's still like swallowing
a bitter pill when you re-watch misguided avenues the program went down
-- all the while losing its weird and wonderful charm from its origins.
It's a feeling that seems to be universally shared by everyone involved
with the production -- as cast member Kimmy Robertson herself
confesses, "the second season sucked! I stopped watching it!"
In addition to the straightforward documentary there's a half-hour,
enjoyable segment directed by de Lauzirika, "A Slice of Lynch," which
is the only place where you'll find comments from Lynch himself. Set in
a Peaks-ian diner, Lynch "finds" Kyle MacLachlan, Madchen Amick and
John Wentworth, all of whom discuss their recollections about
“Twin Peaks” in a satisfying 30-minute segment.
Additional extras include a few surviving deleted scenes, the "Log
Lady" introductions Lynch shot for the series' Bravo airings,
MacLachlan's hilarious parody from "Saturday Night Live" (from
September 29, 1990), a "Return to Twin Peaks" look at a series fan
festival and an interactive map of the show's shooting locales, and a
"Black Lodge Archive" packed with promotional materials. Among the
latter are Julee Cruise's "Falling" music video, on-air ABC promos,
Japanese TV commercials (talk about rare!) for "Georgia Coffee," image
galleries, ads for the old "Twin Peaks" 900 number ($2 for the first
minute!), and "Lucy Bumpers" from the initial ABC broadcasts.
It’s a sensational package that’s capped by the inclusion
of the series’ European “pilot”, which Lynch and
Frost became involved with when Warner Bros. offered the duo money in
advance of the pilot’s production -- so long as they produced an
ending (which resolved the Laura Palmer mystery) for European
theatrical exhibition, which Warner would handle.
Since this episode was owned and distributed outside the parameters of
the regular series, it has been out-of-circulation for some time and
left off most prior video releases of “Twin Peaks.”
Thankfully, though, it has been included in the “Gold Box”
package, alongside the series’ original U.S. broadcast version,
which leaves the door open for the mystery that captivated a nation of
viewers and carried “Twin Peaks” to the forefront of
cultural consciousness -- at least for a short while.
Also newly available on DVD is the third and final season of Rob Thomas’ marvelous, criminally under-watched series
VERONICA MARS (2006-07; Warner),
starring the irrepressible Kristen Bell as the smart, sexy, sassy teen
detective, who here heads off for college but can’t leave trouble
behind.
Though adorned by critical raves, “Veronica Mars” struggled
to find viewers on the little-seen CW Network (formerly the WB) during
its first two seasons. Thinking that its highly-involved, episodic
structure didn’t lend itself to the nature of broadcast repeats
and hiatuses, Thomas -- likely under marching orders from the network
-- decided to shift gears a little during VM’s third season.
The result was a more fragmented, and less satisfying, season with some
mysteries that carried over from week to week, but also a number of
self-contained story lines that would be started, and concluded, in the
space of one episode.
Though still well-acted and written, there’s no question Season 3
of “Veronica Mars” was compromised by network interference,
while the bizarre “revolving door” of numerous cast members
(weeks go by without seeing familiar faces, who then mysterious
re-appear as if they never vanished) only adds to the frustration. This
was one of the smartest, freshest television series in recent memory,
and seeing it intentionally “tinkered” with during its
third (and ultimately final) season is nothing short of disheartening,
even if it was still one of TV’s best shows in spite of its
shortcomings.
Warner’s DVD box-set preserves the concluding year of
“Veronica Mars” in excellent 16:9 (1.78) widescreen
transfers and 2.0 Dolby Digital audio.
Extras will prove to be of chief interest for series fans: in addition
to a look behind the scenes, Warner’s has also included the
never-before-seen “mini pilot” that tried to sell clueless
CW executives on a prospective Fourth Season. Set several years in the
future with Veronica in her first days as an FBI agent, the footage
illustrates Thomas’ game attempt at keeping the series going by
retaining Bell’s beloved heroine and re-introducing her with a
new cast and surroundings that, presumably, would make the show
“new” to the mass audience that always eluded the series.
It’s bittersweet to see, since even in its few fragmented minutes
I could tell the potential was here to resurrect “Veronica”
in a brand-new format that still would’ve felt familiar to fans.
Sadly we’ll never know, though fans are still hopeful that we
haven’t seen the last of Veronica Mars -- a sentiment I certainly
share.
New on Blu Ray and HD-DVD
MR. BROOKS: Blu Ray (*½, 120 mins., 2007, R; MGM/Fox):
Dismal, if well-acted, thriller with Kevin Costner as a schizophrenic
businessman with another personality: that of a cunning killer embodied
on-screen by William Hurt. Demi Moore (looking good) is the cop on his
trail, but a conniving on-looker (Dane Cook) tips Costner off to her
role in the investigation, leading to a cat-and-mouse game...of death!
Director Bruce Evans and his co-writer Raynold Gideon (who together
wrote “Stand By Me” and “Starman” back in the
‘80s) have fashioned a slow, depressing psychological study of a
killer with decent performances, but once you get past the film’s
central conceit, “Mr. Brooks” brings little else to the
table and misfires particularly at the end. There’s plenty of
blood and grime on-hand, but outside of the fine cast, little to
distinguish it from most of today’s similarly grizzly genre
offerings. Fox’s Blu Ray release does sport a splendid 1080p
transfer with a low-key, albeit effective, DTS-HD Master Audio track. A
decent supplemental package includes commentary from Evans and Gideon,
deleted scenes, a trailer, and several Making Of featurettes.
HOME OF THE BRAVE: Blu Ray (**, 106 mins., 2006, R; MGM/Fox):
Little-seen chronicle of a group of U.S. soldiers returning home from
Iraq and trying to re-adjust to their “normal” lives after
being ambushed in combat. Irwin Winkler’s well-intentioned but
meandering film offers good performances from Samuel L. Jackson,
Jessica Biel and Chad Michael Murray, but the film’s sentiments
tend to run all over the place, serving up a pretentious yet weirdly
patriotic message in a movie that’s often tediously paced.
Fox’s Blu Ray transfer captures the nuances of Tony
Pierce-Roberts’ cinematography in a capable 1080p transfer while
5.1 DTS-MA audio conveys the explosions of the movie’s Iraq-set
sequences effectively. Extras are limited to a commentary and an
on-screen trivia track.
THE HILLS HAVE EYES 2: Blu Ray (*, 89 mins., 2007, Unrated; Fox): Wes
Craven’s tepid remake of his ‘70s horror favorite became an
even weaker sequel, released to diminishing box-office returns this
past spring. This less-of-the-same rehash follows a group of National
Guard trainees who run afoul of the New Mexico desert’s in-bred
mutants; what little character development there is on-hand takes a
back seat to would-be scares and gore, not to mention some
unpleasantries in regards to how the mutants reproduce. Yawn!
Fox’s Blu Ray disc does include an excellent AVC-encoded transfer
and DTS-MA lossless audio, plus deleted scenes, an alternate ending,
and Making Of featurettes.
TALK TO ME: HD-DVD (***, 119 mins., 2007, R; Universal): Don
Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor are terrific in this fine period drama,
based on the life of outspoken Washington D.J. Ralph Waldo
“Petey” Greene, Jr., an ex-con who took to the airwaves and
became a radio legend during the turbulent ‘60s. Director Kasi
Lemmons has fashioned a mostly straightforward biopic that really
clicks due to the conviction of Cheadle and Ejiofor’s
performances -- in yet another year of mainly mediocre films justice
would be served if both were rightly honored at Oscar time for their
work here. Universal’s HD-DVD release presents “Talk To
Me” in an excellent 1080p, VC-1 encoded transfer with Dolby
TrueHD sound and extras including deleted scenes and two Making Of
featurettes.
Recently Released
THE PRINCESS BRIDE: 20th Anniversary Edition (**½, 1987, 98 mins., PG; MGM/Fox):
Hugely disappointing new release (the third by my count on DVD) of Rob
Reiner’s 1987 adaptation of William Goldman's book offers three
relatively brief new featurettes recounting the production, as well as
the “official” DVD game. Regrettably, it drops nearly all
the extras from the prior Special Edition DVD, including two
commentaries, the “As You Wish” documentary, trailers, Cary
Elwes’ home movies and other, vintage advertising materials. The
transfer (16:9, 1.85) and 5.1 sound here are fine but the loss of
numerous supplements makes this one for completists only; fans are
advised to track down that prior 2001 Special Edition DVD instead.
1408: 2-Disc Edition (**½, 104 and 112 mins., PG-13; Genius):
John Cusack here gives one of his strongest performances in recent
memory as a B-list writer who specializes in the paranormal but
doesn’t believe the supernatural actually exists. One day he
receives a mysterious invitation to check into room 1408 in NewYork
City’s swank Dolphin Hotel, much to the chagrin of manager Samuel
L. Jackson. Seems that the room is packed with more ghostly activity
than all of the Overlook Hotel itself, something that takes Cusack only
a few minutes to realize.
Director Mikael Hafstrom does an effective job moving this Stephen King
adaptation along, the script by Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander and
Larry Karaszewski effectively developing Cusack’s mounting
paranoia as other “guests” of room 1408 manifest
themselves, not to mention our protagonist’s deceased young
daughter.
The first hour of “1408" works just fine, but things fall apart
once Hafstrom and the writers try and pull an obvious “false
ending” trick that doesn’t work at all. The movie never
recovers from this “twist,” either, limping weakly to an
unsatisfying climax and concluding sequence that left me thinking
“who cares?”
Like a “Twilight Zone” episode stretched out to feature
length, “1408" isn’t all that bad, and Cusack’s
performance alone makes this worth a rental. Yet at the same time, one
feels that a missed opportunity to deliver a genre classic a la
“Poltergeist” was missed here, with the movie’s
botched final act putting the final nail in the film’s coffin.
Genius Products’ 2-Disc Special Edition includes a longer
Director’s Cut (112 mins.) edit of the film offering about 10
minutes of extra footage as well as an alternate ending which works a
little bit better than the released version, though not enough to save
the film’s fumbled final third. Deleted scenes, director
commentary, numerous featurettes, a strong 16:9 (2.35) transfer and 5.1
Dolby Digital sound round out the package; fans should note a
Blockbuster-exclusive version (available only for rental) offers two
OTHER alternate endings not included in any other DVD edition!
New Animation & Holiday Fare on DVD
RATATOUILLE: DVD [Coming on Blu Ray] (***, 111 mins., 2007, G; Disney)
PIXAR: Short Films Collection Vol. 1 DVD and Blu Ray (54 mins., Disney): Animator-director
Brad Bird’s latest effort didn’t quite break through to
“Cars” or “Incredibles”-like box-office
numbers, but truth be told, “Ratatouille” -- the latest
from Bird and Pixar Animation Studios -- is a good deal more satisfying
than most of Pixar’s more recent efforts. Outstanding character
design and appropriate Parisian flavor make this tale of an unlikely
alliance between a rat named Remy and a restaurant bus boy named
Linguini a tasty treat with gorgeous colors and rich comic timing,
perhaps not as “moving” as other Disney-Pixar offerings but
still satisfying for both kids and adults alike.
Disney’s DVD cooks up a robust 2.35 (16:9) transfer with 5.1
Dolby Digital sound, deleted scenes, a new animated short with Remy and
Emile, the theatrically-released “Lifted” short, and a
featurette with Bird and chef Thomas Keller.
Also newly available on DVD and Blu Ray this week is the first
anthology of Pixar’s self-contained (and often award-winning)
shorts, dating back to the company’s first work with Lucasfilm
(1984's “The Adventures of Andre & Wally B”) to more
recent efforts. If you’re a Pixar fan there’s some
repetition on-hand here (as in, recent shorts like “Jack-Jack
Attack” and “Mater and the Ghost Light,” produced for
the video releases of “The Incredibles” and
“Cars,” respectively), but the vintage goodies will prove
to be of enormous interest for animation devotees just the same. Adding
a little bang for your buck are the disc’s extras, including
animation tests and commentaries, with transfers appearing spectacular -- especially on Blu Ray.
CARS: Blu Ray (***, 2006, 116 mins., G; Disney): Disney/Pixar's 2006 box-office hit arrives on Blu Ray in a spectacular new HD transfer, as you might anticipate.
Visually, at least, “Cars” is just as much of a feast as
other Pixar works. This tale of a universe where autos exist in
a world of their own offers beautifully rendered backdrops and
characters, all in wide scope dimensions. The story involves a hot-rod
racin’ prima donna (voiced by Owen Wilson) who ends up in a
forgotten, rural ghost town with all kinds of vintage autos en route to
a racing championship. “Lightning McQueen” eventually
learns life lessons from his new pals -- including a sage veteran
voiced by Paul Newman and a saucy female with the strains of Bonnie
Hunt -- before making it back to the big-time NASCAR circuit.
The film’s gentle humor and well-developed characters make
“Cars” perfect for kids, and it’s on that level that
I can recommend the picture. It’s true that the movie isn’t
as sophisticated as its other Pixar peers, and the lengthy running time
for an animated feature (116 minutes here) that suited “The
Incredibles” so well seems inappropriate given the somewhat basic
story of “Cars.” Nevertheless, even as a tad-underwhelming
Pixar feature goes, “Cars” is top entertainment and
perfectly suited for family audiences.
Disney's Blu Ray release sports most of the extras from the prior DVD
-- including deleted scenes and the "Mater and the Ghostlight" short --
and adds an interactive game, a never-before-seen deleted scene, and
additional featurettes, all exclusive to the BD release. The 1080p
transfer is just as phenomenal as you'd anticipate while PCM and 5.1
Dolby Digital sound round out the audio options.
LOONEY TUNES: GOLDEN COLLECTION Volume 5 (Warner):
The latest outstanding anthology of classic Warner Bros. animated
shorts offers four discs chock full of vintage WB goodness, plus an
ample gold mine of extras.
Disc
one centers on classic “Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck” shorts,
including “Transylvania 6-5000,” “Ali Baby
Bunny,” “Stupor Duck” and “You Were Never
Duckier,” with corresponding commentaries and selected isolated
music and/or music-and-effects tracks on-hand for most of the shorts.
“Fun-Filled Fairy Tales” like “Bewitched
Bunny,” “Holiday for Shoestrings,” “Little Red
Walking Hood,” “Tweety and the Beanstalk” and
“Tom Thumb In Trouble” adorn disc two, while veteran WB
animator Robert Clampett receives his own tribute on disc three. The
disc is capped by “Early Daze,” a self-described assortment
of pre-1950s shorts, while extras include a documentary on Chuck Jones,
vintage “Private SNAFU” and “Mr. Hook” WWII
cartoons, three different network specials (“Carnival of the
Animals,” “Bugs Bunny’s Looney Christmas
Tales,” and “Bugs Bunny’s Bustin’ Out All
Over”), Milt Franklin’s alternate opening music theme,
recording sessions, other commentaries and interviews.
For fans this is another essential must-have release; for the more
casual viewer, the two-disc “Spotlight Collection Volume 5" might
suffice, offering here 30 of the shorts from the Volume 5 box-set.
THE PINK PANTHER: A PINK CHRISTMAS (1978-81, 80 mins., MGM/Fox):
Three late ‘70s animated TV specials starring the Pink Panther at
last hit DVD. Fox’s single-disc anthology includes the charming
“A Pink Christmas” (1978) holiday special along with
“Olym-Pinks” (which aired the night before the closing
ceremony of the 1980 Lake Placid games) and “Pink at First
Sight,” a 1981 Valentine’s special. Transfers and
soundtracks are just fine, making this a must for Pink Panther fans.
CHUCK JONES COLLECTION (1973-75, 150 mins.; Lionsgate):
After departing from Warner Bros., animator Chuck Jones produced a
variety of network TV specials, several of which are being brought to
DVD in a pleasing, affordable new DVD anthology from Lionsgate.
Included in this 150-minute single-disc package are “A Cricket in
Times Square” (1973), “A Very Merry Cricket” (1973),
“Yankee Doodle Cricket” (1975),
“Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” (1975), “The White Seal”
(1975) and “Mowgli’s Brothers” (1977). Though the
animation of these CBS and ABC-broadcast specials isn’t on the
level of Jones’ best work, there are amusing and heartwarming
moments interspersed throughout these half-hour shows, best enjoyed by
young children and Jones devotees. Lionsgate’s transfers are in
solid condition given their age and a bonus 15-minute featurette
examines Jones’ legacy sporting interviews with June Foray among
others.
AQUAMAN: The Complete Collection (1967-68, 264 mins., Warner)
THE SUPER FRIENDS TEAM: Galactic Guardians (1985, 170 mins., Warner): More classic Saturday morning nostalgia hits DVD in a pair of releases eagerly anticipated by DC Comics fans.
Filmation’s 1967 adaptation of “Aquaman” is arguably
the best (faint praise as that may be) adaptation of Atlantis’
guardian hero, with Warner’s two-disc set sporting all 36
cartoons from its late ‘60s, pre-Super Friends incarnation (fans
may note these episodes have been culled from their longer, original
presentation as the “Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure”;
the Superman episodes have been previously released, separately, a year
ago). Solid transfers and a retrospective look at the series’
creation makes this a must-have for all Aqua-fans.
Hanna-Barbera, meanwhile, concluded their long run of “Super
Friends” adventures with the 1985 “Galactic
Guardians” variant, offering Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman,
Superman, Firestorm, Aquaman and new member Cyborg taking on a fuller
run of villains from the DC universe. Fans consider this to be a
superior effort to most prior “Superfriends” series from
the ‘70s and ‘80s, with Warner again offering a double-disc
set with a retrospective documentary. Recommended for all pajama-clad
super-heroes...or for those who used to don such garb when they were
younger tykes.
A FLINTSTONES CHRISTMAS CAROL (1994, 69 mins., Warner)
TOM AND JERRY: A NUTCRACKER TALE (2007, 49 mins., Warner):
Cute made-for-video holiday offerings (yep, it’s November 1st, so
it’s officially “the holiday season,” right?) from
Warner hit DVD for the first time.
“A Flintstones Christmas Carol” is a pleasant enough 1994
production with Fred understanding the meaning of the holiday while the
new “Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale” includes a fun
animated variant on the timeless tale with a particularly vibrant
soundtrack supervised by John Mauceri. Full-screen transfers and stereo
(2.0 on “Flinstones”; 5.1 on “Tom and Jerry”)
soundtracks are all fine, with the latter release also including
interactive games for the little ones.
Vintage TV on DVD & More From Paramount
LOVE, AMERICAN STYLE: Season 1, Vol. 1 (1969, 10 hours, CBS/Paramount): Dated but enjoyable pop-culture relic from the late ‘60s makes for colorful sitcom fun on DVD.
This anthology series offers either two or three self-contained stories
of dating and relationships with a wide assortment of the era’s
stars. Included in these first 17 episodes from the series’
debut season are Bill Bixby, Yvonne Craig, Flip Wilson, Arte
Johnson, Margaret O’Brien, E.J. Peaker, Dwayne Hickman, Gary
Lockwood, Barry Nelson, Sid Ceasar, Tina Louise, Ozzie and Harriet
Nelson, Broderick Crawford, Richard Deacon, Phyllis Diller, Bob Crane,
Carolyn Jones, Red Buttons, John Beck, Ted Bessell, Peter Palmer, Rich
Little, Jessica Walter, Morey Amsterdam, Shari Lewis, Scatman Crothers,
Joe Flynn, Stefanie Powers, Leslie Parrish, Jackie Joseph, Lesley Ann
Warren, Regis Philbin, David Hedison and a young Harrison Ford!
Transfers and soundtracks are all in good shape, with even shorter comical vignettes interspersed between the separate stories.
PERRY MASON: Season 2, Vol. 2 (1959, aprx. 13 hours, CBS/Paramount):
The final 15 episodes from Season 2 of the long-running Raymond Burr
series hit DVD at last this November. The full-screen transfers and
Dolby Digital mono soundtracks are all just fine.
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: 2-Disc Special Edition (1946, 130 mins., Paramount):
The perennial Frank Capra drama (I admit it, it’s not one of my
favorites) returns to DVD in a new Special Edition from Paramount.
Included are dual restored and colorized versions of the film, along
with a Making Of narrated by Tom Bosley, the original trailer, and a
tribute to Capra narrated by his son Frank Jr.
NEXT
TIME: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Debuts in High-Definition on Blu Ray and more! Until
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