Memorial Day Edition RAMBO & WWII Classics Hit Blu-Ray Plus: INDIANA JONES Returns!
The one nagging thought I had running through my mind while watching INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL was that they waited almost 20 years to produce it, and this is what they came up with?!?
This belated entry in a series that seemed as if it concluded its final
chapter with “Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade” in 1989
ranks as one of the most disposable films in director Steven
Spielberg’s canon; a lightly entertaining but forgettable fantasy
with a script nearly completely devoid of interesting characters, wit
or innovation.
Yes, Harrison Ford still fits comfortably into his iconic role as an
older Indy coerced into helping a group of nefarious Russians search
for an ancient relic that possesses a supernatural power. Soon after
fleeing from villainess Cate Blanchett (one of many thankless roles in
David Koepp’s uninteresting and one-dimensional script), Indy
meets up with a young greaser (Shia LaBeouf) who needs his help finding
a lost archeologist (John Hurt) and his kidnapped mom -- who turns out
to be none other than Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) herself.
Indy and Mutt head off on their trail to Peru, and uncover what the
Russians had been seeking all along: a crystal skull that enables those
who peer into its eyes to gain psychic abilities. Blanchett and her
minions want it for global conquest; Indy wants to return it to its
rightful place in the Amazon, and also uncover just who -- or what --
created it.
David Koepp has never been one of my favorite screenwriters, having
penned the original “Jurassic Park” as well as two of the
weakest films of Spielberg’s career -- the recent “War of
the Worlds” and the unforgivable travesty that was “The
Lost World.” Koepp can now
make it a trio of missteps thanks to this thoroughly uninspired
narrative, which overdoses on plot exposition (the mid-section of the
picture is crushingly dull, bogged down in endless babble about the
skull and its power) and fails to give its terrific cast much to do;
Ford is as amiable as ever but even he seems a little ill at ease with
some of the leaden dialogue, which doesn’t exactly crackle the
way Lawrence Kasdan, Jeffrey Boam or even Willard Huyck and Gloria
Katz’s work did in this film’s far superior predecessors.
The over-the-top Blanchett, meanwhile, is completely non-threatening as
the heavy, vamping it up but failing to be sexy or appealing in any
real regard, while Jim Broadbent is completely wasted as Indy’s
university colleague (a statute of the late Denholm Elliott appears in
one amusing bit) and Ray Winestone serves as the Indy series’
equivalent of Kevin J. O’Connor in “The Mummy” (right
down to the same fate of his character!). LaBeouf exhibits some decent
chemistry with Ford but the movie, ultimately, doesn’t give
either of them a chance to really shine. And as far as Allen goes, she
basically gets about five total minutes of dialogue time -- something
that will come as a massive letdown for series fans.
Recalling the sluggish pacing of “The Lost World” (I cringe
even writing that statement), little in Spielberg’s direction
clicks either: would-be comedic moments fall flat, while action scenes
tend to exhibit a “been there, done that” feel at every
turn. There’s no tension or suspense in the movie, to the degree
where you never feel that there are any crucial stakes in its outcome.
Meanwhile, a wild jungle chase is the only set-piece where “Indy
IV” really comes to life, with effective cross-cutting and action
choreography reminding you that, yes, you’re really watching an
actual “Indiana Jones” film and not just the Cannon version
of “King Solomon’s Mines.” However, even that
sequence’s impact is undercut by an infusion of CGI, an element
-- heavily used in the movie, as it turns out -- that seems in stark
contrast with the prior films in the series (as does Janusz
Kaminski’s overly stylized cinematography, which does no favors
for the picture either. It’s amazing how claustrophobic and
unappealing this movie looks, the bulk of it all too obviously having
been shot on soundstages).
The picture also greatly misses Sean Connery’s warmth and humor
as Indy’s dad -- so much that it’s unsurprising the few
times “Indy IV” manages to strike an emotional chord is in
its pair of direct references to Indy’s late father (Connery was
contacted to appear in the film but ultimately passed on it -- a wise
maneuver in hindsight, particularly considering how well the third
movie turned out).
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is a
movie I wanted to like, as I grew up on the originals throughout the
‘80s and, like many individuals my age, still consider them to be
some of my all-time personal favorites. This isn’t a bad film, by any means, but it does not seem to have
been a necessary one. In the end, it commits the worst sin of all:
it’s completely forgettable. Five minutes after the film was over
I struggled to recall the specifics of the plot or individual sequences
in it, feeling as if the series truly finished with the ride off into
the sunset at the end of “The Last Crusade.” Everything
about this entry, ultimately, screams too little, too late.
(**½, 124 mins., PG-13).
New on Blu-Ray
Whenever you think of big-time summer blockbusters, the name Rambo
instantly comes to mind. After all, Sylvester Stallone's Vietnam
vet/super-hero single-handedly ignited the whole run of gargantuan '80s
action films with “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” which
became a mega-blockbuster in 1985 and set the standard for many an
idiotic-yet-gleefully-entertaining carnage epic that followed.
As the years have gone by, talk of resurrecting of the character came
and went -- until earlier this winter, when the muscle-bound
man-of-few-words returned to the screen to decent reviews and healthy,
if not spectacular, box-office receipts.
In fact, even if this second leg of the Sylvester Stallone Comeback
Tour isn’t as successful as "Rocky Balboa," the latest adventures
of John RAMBO (***, 93 mins., 2008, R) still make for a gripping visceral ride that showcases its actor-director’s maturation as a filmmaker.
This fourth outing (which curiously shares the same title as its second
installment) in the “First Blood” series finds Rambo making
a living by hunting and selling cobras in Thailand until a group of
American missionaries come looking for help. Needing Rambo’s boat
in order to take them up river into Burma where the Karen people (many
of which are Christian) are routinely slaughtered in a still on-going
genocide, the missionaries (including cute Julie Benz and former
“24" co-star Paul Schulze) think they’re going to make a
difference. To Rambo, their naivite is surpassed only by their lack of
weaponry -- and our gruff hero ends up unsurprised once the group is
captured in a brutal attack that slaughters nearly the entire village
they were providing relief for.
“Rambo” doesn’t offer much plot (is there ever?) but
the picture works due to its gut-punching action sequences, and make no
mistake, this is a violent, graphic film that -- quite unlike its
second and third installments of some 20-plus years ago -- shows the
consequence of said violence, as well as takes a firm stand that there
are times when it is necessary. None of it has the comic book feel of
“Rambo II” or III and while this new “Rambo”
doesn't have the strong character development of the original
“First Blood” either, it’s surprising how well the
film comes together. Stallone’s performance is more in-line with
the John Rambo seen in the original “First Blood,” making
this feel like a natural conclusion to Ted Kotcheff’s 1982 action
classic instead of a re-run of the more outlandish, bigger-budgeted
comic books that its sequels turned out to be.
The film also illustrates that Stallone has progressed enormously as a
filmmaker -- like “Rocky Balboa,” the actor clearly has a
strong take on his lead character, and provides a realistic
continuation of where its hero would be in the present day. The film
moves along at an economically brisk pace and offers a succession of
excellent set-pieces, as well as a brief flashback to the first movie
(even with, oddly enough, the discarded footage of its alternate ending
where Col. Trautman shoots Rambo!). More over, Stallone’s script
(co-written with Art Monterastelli) is equally less long-winded than
the prior “Rambo” films -- there are no lengthy exchanges
between the missionaries and Rambo at the end, no concluding
preachiness about their mission nor a lengthy thanks to Rambo for
saving their skin. Instead, a few glances exchanged between the
survivors says it all, and it’s perfectly handled by Stallone at
every turn.
Speaking of the end, “Rambo” culminates in a wild, raucous
and graphic conclusion that’s worth the price of admission for
action fans, as well as a gorgeously lyrical final shot that recalls
the end of the first movie, from the credits rolling on the left-hand
edge of the frame to a full reprise of Jerry Goldsmith’s
“It’s a Long Road.”
“Rambo” may not end up being a classic, but it’s a
potent piece of filmmaking through and through -- a gritty and
satisfying ride that proves Stallone’s critics wrong (again) and
ought to provide the goods for action fans on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Lionsgate’s new Blu-Ray release of “Rambo” is
likewise dynamite, offering a number of special features including
featurettes that do a fair job of analyzing the production -- from its
origins years ago to how the picture was funded (the Weinsteins
eventually sold the property off, resulting in a purely
“independent,” non-studio film), released and received (the
filmmakers believe “Meet the Spartans” received a bump in
box-office revenues from under-age kids who used that PG-13 ticket to
sneak into the R-rated “Rambo” instead!).
There are comments from Brian Tyler and Stallone discussing
Goldsmith’s musical legacy and how the score was conceived, talk
about the actual situation in Burma, how the MPAA gave their first
version of the movie an R rating (even though the filmmakers were
prepared for an NC-17), a good amount of deleted scenes, and a trailer
gallery with the original ads for all four “Rambo” films
(note the other “Rambo” Blu-Rays are trailer-free).
Stallone also provides an insightful commentary while a
picture-in-picture track (with more Stallone video commentary and
behind-the-scenes footage) runs during the picture itself, presented
here in a superlative AVC-encoded 1080p transfer with DTS-Master Audio
sound. A second platter, meanwhile, includes a downloadable
standard-def digital copy of the picture for your portable media
player.
Lionsgate’s Blu-Ray edition of “Rambo” is being complimented this week by a separate, three-disc BD box-set, THE RAMBO COLLECTION,
offering the first Blu-Ray high-def versions of “Rambo: First
Blood Part II” and “Rambo III,” along with the
original “First Blood” (which had been issued on Blu-Ray
last year).
In the context of the entire series, easily the best of the bunch is Ted Kotcheff's 1982 introduction to the Rambo character, FIRST BLOOD (***½, 95 mins., 1982, R),
which is lower-key and far more believable than the comic-book
shenanigans that followed in its sequels. Here, Stallone plays Rambo as
a disgruntled vet who drifts into a Pacific Northwest town overseen by
a dictatorial sheriff (Brian Dennehy, in an excellent performance
capturing both the character's antagonistic yet sometimes sympathetic
traits). The two come to blows, but Rambo ultimately escapes from the
sheriff's clutches and hides out in the woods, where Dennehy and
company are treated to a display of Rambo's incredible survival skills
and self-defense tactics.
Based on the novel by David Morrell, “First Blood” is just
a dynamite action flick, backed by one of Jerry Goldsmith’s
greatest scores. Stallone's Rambo isn't so much a killing machine here
but a survivalist, which Dennehy's team (including a young David
Caruso) learn first-hand as Rambo dismantles the authorities one by
one. William Sackheim and Stallone's script is well-written and allows
Stallone, Dennehy, and Richard Crenna -- as Rambo's sympathetic Army
colonel -- the ability to flesh out their characters while
simultaneously enabling Kotcheff to carve out some terrific action
set-pieces.
“First Blood” was written in the early '70s and was
originally developed for a handful of actors and directors -- from
Steve McQueen to Sam Peckinpah and Sydney Pollock -- as it passed
through Hollywood development hell. Finally, in the early '80s, it fell
into the lap of future Carolco heads Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar, who
intended for the film to star Stallone and Kirk Douglas (in the Crenna
role of Col. Trautman). Promotional campaigns vigorously promoted
Douglas' starring role, but after being on the set for a few days, the
actor insisted on extensive script revisions and the filmmakers
reluctantly showed Douglas the door.
The film's intriguing behind-the-scenes history is discussed in an
excellent 2002 documentary included on the “First Blood” BD
extras. Then-recent interviews with Stallone, Kotcheff, Crenna, and
producers Vajna and Kassar are included, along with author David
Morrell, whose excellent commentary track (one of my all-time
favorites) from the previous DVD is reprieved here, along with
Stallone’s commentary from a later release. Several deleted
scenes including the original ending are also on-hand, plus a Blu-Ray
trivia track that offers intermittent anecdotes on the film’s
history.
Visually, the AVC-encoded transfer appears to have a bit of
“softness” or noise-reduction in comparison with the VC-1
encoded transfer that was available on HD-DVD in international markets;
generally, though, the film looks extremely satisfying, given some of
the low light the picture was shot in originally. The DTS-HD sound
isn’t “high res” but is likely as effective as the
picture’s early ‘80s sound design will ever fare in the
digital realm.
Though a favorite of action fans and a financial blockbuster, I've never been a big admirer of RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II (**½, 97 mins., 1985, R),
which takes Rambo, turns him into a one-man wrecking crew, and
accentuates all of the outlandish comic-book elements inherent in the
material while abandoning reality altogether. The James
Cameron-Stallone script (from a Kevin Jarre story) sends Rambo back to
Vietnam to rescue a handful of living American POWs still interred in
prison camps.
With credibility and the strong characterizations of "First Blood"
thrown out the window here, “Rambo II” is a silly guilty
pleasure all the way, sustained by Jack Cardiff's widescreen
cinematography and another marvelous Goldsmith score. The maestro's
kinetic action cues are stunning and represent some of his strongest
work written during one of his most productive periods.
The movie's no-brain script notwithstanding, Rambo nevertheless became
a cultural phenomenon thanks to the film, and that aspect of the
character is addressed in another strong 2002 documentary with
interviews with the cast and crew, which has been ported over here for
the Blu-Ray release. The late George P. Cosmatos also provides a
commentary that becomes a bit tedious, but will still be worth it for
die-hard fans, while another optional trivia track can be accessed
during the picture. The VC-1 encoded transfer, meanwhile, is
solid, again
appearing to have just a bit of softness to it, while the DTS Master
Audio sound is effective.
The developments in Afghanistan and the world post-9/11 have given the somewhat underrated RAMBO III (**½, 102 mins., 1988, R) a reason for rediscovery.
The troubled 1988 sequel (and box-office under-achiever) has Rambo
venturing into war-torn Afghanistan in a one-man attempt to find Col.
Trautman, who has been captured by the Soviets. In the Stallone-Sheldon
Lettich script, Rambo allies himself with Afghan freedom fighters as he
tracks down and wipes out the Russians -- a story line that was already
dated by the time the movie was released (with the U.S. and Russia
having established a diplomatic line of communication), and is, of
course, even more dated now, since the kind of freedom fighters
portrayed here ended up becoming part of the Taliban regime many years
later.
As purely a piece of action filmmaking, “Rambo III” is
certainly no worse than its predecessor and is actually an improvement
in terms of pacing. Russell Mulcahy ("Highlander") was the film's
original director but was fired a few days into shooting, replaced by
then-newcomer Peter MacDonald. Despite the friction behind the scenes,
and some haphazard editing (which does no favors for Jerry Goldsmith's
heavily-truncated score), “Rambo III” is still solid
entertainment, a nice farewell (or so it seemed) to the character and
an unofficial end-of-an-era for one-man-wrecking-crew, '80s action
filmmaking -- a genre that would be altered, and revived, with the
release of "Die Hard" a few months after the picture’s opening.
The half-hour, 2002 documentary on “Rambo III” --
thankfully carried over to Lionsgate’s Blu-Ray release -- is
excellent since it not only touches upon the logistical nightmares of
the film's production, but also the historical aspect of the setting,
featuring interviews with historians and professors, all of whom
discuss how the 1988 film relates to Afghanistan in the 21st century.
One professor talks about how none of the movie's Afghan accents are
realistic, while there's some enlightening discussion about how the
film's Afghan protagonists would have fit into the Taliban some time
later. Peter MacDonald also contributes a commentary track ported over
from prior releases, though a host of deleted scenes (many of them
quite interesting) have failed to make the transition from the last,
“Ultimate” edition DVD package. Another trivia track rounds out the extras.
The VC-1 encoded transfer still seems to include maybe a bit too much
noise reduction but is, on the whole, superior to “Rambo
II” while an active DTS-MA audio track is sure to give your audio
system a proper shakedown.
At just about $30 and change, this is a hugely recommended set for all
Rambo fans, displaying the series in top-quality shape in HD, with only
a few small omissions (trailers, the “Rambo III” cut
sequences) failing to make the transition to Blu-Ray.
New From Fox on Blu-Ray
Originally announced a year ago, a handful of WWII films from the Fox
and MGM libraries are at last headed to Blu-Ray high-definition disc,
just in time for Father’s Day.
Francis Ford Coppola’s commentary provides some fascinating
insights into Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1970 Oscar-winning triumphPATTON (****, 171 mins., 1970, PG), which debuts on Blu-Ray following
three appearances on DVD (including a 2006 Special Edition, a two-disc,
1998 release and a stripped-down, single-disc re-issue).
Coppola penned his then-unorthodox script for the Fox biopic about
General George S. Patton years before the film had been made, and a
combination of powers-at-be -- including then producer David Brown and
star Burt Lancaster -- shot Coppola’s screenplay down and took
the later auteur off the project entirely.
It was much to Coppola’s surprise that when Schaffner eventually
produced the film, most of Coppola’s screenplay remained intact
-- including the now-famous, then-audacious, opening with George C.
Scott’s Patton addressing his troops and the audience directly in
a classic film moment. That “prologue” was initially
derided by studio honchos and Lancaster as being too odd, a fact which
Coppola points to today as something he was criticized for at the time,
but widely celebrated later in his life.
Though writer Edmund H. North worked with Schaffner on-set,
Coppola’s contribution to “Patton” was still a
substantial one, giving this epic its own unique, at-times poetic feel
that separates it from the hordes of standard WWII films produced over
the decades. Its look into Patton’s personal make-up, his quirks
and controversial decisions, its positive portrayal of his military
prowess, Scott’s performance and Jerry Goldsmith’s
unforgettable, seminal score place the film on a pedestal few other
military films have ever matched.
Fox’s Blu-Ray disc offers a gorgeous AVC-encoded transfer that
ranks among the elite when it comes to “catalog” movies in
high-definition: strong colors, excellent compression and barely an
artifact on-hand make for a stellar presentation all around. On the
audio end, the DTS-MA audio is more than sufficient, even if there are
limitations to how elaborate this remix of an early ‘70s audio
track can be.
For extras, Fox has included -- from the prior DVD edition -- a
sporadic but intriguing commentary and on-screen introduction from
Coppola. Though there are long gaps between the filmmaker’s
comments (as you may expect with a 171 minute film that he was never
present on-set for), Coppola’s discussion of his script’s
origins will make for fascinating listening for buffs, and the director
is more than complimentary of the work of Scott, Schaffner and
Goldsmith, whom he praises at various points throughout.
In addition to Coppola’s contributions, Fox has included
literally the same Disc 2 from the prior DVD release in this package: a
standard-definition platter offering a lengthy History Channel
documentary, “Patton: A Rebel Revisited,” plus a relatively
recent 45-minute special, “Patton’s Ghost Corps,”
which adds interviews with veterans and lends further historical
insight. The “Making of ‘Patton’” documentary
and still galleries -- accompanied by Goldsmith’s full score and
an audio essay -- are reprieved from the previous two-disc DVD and
laserdisc editions. Needless to say this is one of Fox’s best
Blu-Ray releases to date and comes highly recommended!
Tons of supplements, another superb AVC-encoded transfer, and
commentaries from historian Mary Corey and director Ken Annakin provide
the highlights of Fox’s Blu-Ray release of THE LONGEST DAY (***½, 178 mins., 1962).
Darryl F. Zanuck’s all-star D-Day production makes for another
strong high-definition release, the AVC-encoded transfer doing a fine
job enhancing the details of this Oscar-winning B&W WWII
blockbuster. Due to the film’s age and nature of the
cinematography this isn’t quite as overpowering a transfer as
“Patton,” but it’s nevertheless crisp and highly
satisfying, and again DTS-MA audio compliments the aural package.
For
extras, Fox’s 50GB Blu-Ray disc includes Corey and
Annakin’s commentaries, which were superb new inclusions into the
prior 2005 DVD package (though Annakin’s comments are brief). As
with “Patton,” Fox has included the same second disc from
its previous DVD edition, offering numerous historical documentaries
from the AMC Backstory profile of the film to the History
Channel’s excellent “History Through The Lens: Longest Day,
A Salute To Courage” documentary; a vintage 1968 “D-Day
Revisited” featurette with Darryl F. Zanuck; the
recently-produced “A Day To Remember” featurette with
real-life survivor stories; and, last but not least, Richard
Zanuck’s memories of the film. The original trailer and a still
photo gallery round out the package.
Needless to say this edition ranks as an essential title for WWII buffs
and a substantial upgrade on the previous standard-definition release.
Making its Blu-Ray debut following a hugely successful DVD release last year is THE SAND PEBBLES (***, 183 mins., 1966, PG-13),
Robert Wise’s epic starring Steve McQueen (never better), Richard
Attenborough, Richard Crenna and Candice Bergen in a story -- set in
1926 China -- that drew close parallels to the U.S.’ then-recent
involvement in Vietnam but offers numerous pleasures (McQueen’s
performance, its wide scope lensing and, of course, Jerry
Goldsmith’s score) to counteract its somewhat clunky pacing and
uneven script.
Fox’s Blu-Ray release of “The Sand Pebbles” is almost
the definitive word on the film, offering an MPEG-2 transfer that falls
somewhere between “Patton” and “The Longest
Day” in terms of its HD presentation, but overall is spectacular
when compared to any prior version of the movie you might’ve seen
outside of a theater. The DTS-MA audio, meanwhile, does a fine job
balancing Goldsmith’s classic score with the dialogue.
When I say this release is “almost” definitive, it’s
because only the theatrical release edit (183 minutes) of the picture
has been included here, while the prior DVD featured both that cut plus
the premiere of the Roadshow presentation, offering 13 minutes of added
footage that did appear faded in relation to the pristine quality of
the theatrical print. Perhaps it’s because of the latter that the
decision was made to include only the theatrical version in HD, and
offer the Roadshow scenes in the supplemental section. Either way, fans
of “The Sand Pebbles” may want to hang onto their Special
Edition DVD versions for that reason.
Extras, culled from that superb prior release, are on-hand in
abundance. An isolated score track also includes comments from Nick
Redman, Jon Burlingame, and veteran screenwriter/movie buff/historian
Lem Dobbs, who rightly regard Goldsmith’s score as one of his
all-time finest, and intersperse Goldsmith’s music with
commentary on its creation (and even fragments of a 2000 interview with
the great composer). An older audio commentary featuring Robert Wise,
Candice Bergen, Richard Crenna and Mako is also on-hand.
Numerous featurettes comprise a detailed “Making Of”
section while a slew of vintage materials (advertising reels, radio
documentaries, TV spots, trailers) and additional “side
bars” (a featurette remembering McQueen among those) round out a
marvelous Blu-Ray disc -- a must for all “Sand Pebbles”
fans.
In addition to the three Fox BD efforts, a pair of MGM catalog titles
are also making their belated Blu-Ray debuts, albeit in plain, 25GB
single-layer Blu-Ray releases that offer no extras whatsoever -- even
though each has been given the same “deluxe” treatment as
“Patton,” “The Sand Pebbles” and “The
Longest Day” on standard DVD.
It’s especially disappointing because BATTLE OF BRITAIN (**½, 132 mins., 1969, G)
was recently issued on DVD in a package that enabled viewers to choose
between either Ron Goodwin's score from its original theatrical
release, or William Walton's original music, which was -- with the
exception of the climactic "Battle In the Air" cue -- entirely
discarded.
That two-disc set also offered a number of other special features -- a
commentary track with director Guy Hamilton, aerial sequence director
Bernard Williams and historian Paul Annett; a “Battle For The
Battle of Britain” documentary, and three featurettes plus an
animated photo gallery -- and none of them, sadly, have been ported
over for this release.
What we’re left with is a good-looking, no-frills presentation of
the picture in MPEG-2 high definition with DTS-MA sound, which is fine
on its own terms (though I wouldn’t say the transfer is on the
same level as the new Fox releases), just not as satisfying as might
have been.
A similar scenario exists on A BRIDGE TOO FAR (**½, 175 mins., 1977, PG),
Richard Attenborough’s somewhat tedious, uneven, massively
produced, all-star (is there a major ‘70s actor NOT in this
movie?) chronicle of the doomed Allied mission to capture German
bridges known as Operation Market Garden.
MGM’s previous Special Edition DVD contained commentaries by
Attenborough and screenwriter William Goldman plus a number of
documentaries on its production, and just like “Battle of
Britain,” none of those have been carried over to the Blu-Ray
side (save for a theatrical trailer).
Instead, we get a MPEG-2 transfer on a single-layer 25GB Blu-Ray disc,
which -- for a three-hour movie like this one -- means viewers are also
getting a lower bit-rate transfer, while the DTS-MA audio is only
stereophonic during the various explosions and John Addison’s
overly cheery score. Visually the film is quite grainy as well, at its
worst resembling an upconverted standard-definition DVD, thanks to
source material that looks like it’s not in the greatest shape to
begin with. Also On Blu-Ray
ANGER MANAGEMENT (*½, 106 mins., 2003, PG-13; Sony):
Dismal 2003 Adam Sandler comedy manages to be even worse than his prior
effort "Mr. Deeds," though teaming the comedian with Jack Nicholson
still proved to be a box-office hit in theaters.
As seen in the infinitely more amusing trailers, Sandler plays a
nebbish who ends up being sentenced to anger management therapy after
an unlikely incident on a plane. In charge of the sessions is Dr. Buddy
Rydell (Nicholson), whose methods are, of course, a little unorthodox,
leading Sandler to meet up with Rydell's other patients (including John
Turturro and Luis Guzman), a cross-dressing hooker (the increasingly
scary Woody Harrelson), and other misadventures on the way to his
"recovery."
After a rough start, “Anger Management” marches on with
failed gags in David Dorfman's script, only to take a somewhat dramatic
turn -- like most Sandler vehicles -- in its final third. The only
problem is that it's impossible to take the movie seriously, and with
the movie's scattershot laughs being few and far between in the bloated
106 minute running time, there's little reason to recommend it (and
especially not with Marisa Tomei being completely wasted as the female
lead).
Columbia TriStar's DVD looks terrific in its AVC encoded 1080 transfer,
the Dolby TrueHD audio sporting an overly zany score by Teddy
Castellucci. Special features include a generic commentary track by
director Peter Segal and Sandler, basically saying how much fun making
the movie was (well, at least someone got something out of it!);
several deleted scenes, a pair of fluffy featurettes, and the requisite
gag reel.
JUMPER (**, 88 mins., 2008, PG-13; Fox):
Slick but slight youth sci-fi flick stars Hayden Christensen as a
“jumper,” a teen with the ability to transport himself
anywhere around the world at any time. He finds out his gift is as much
a curse as it is a blessing, since “jumpers” have been
around for centuries with as many villains trying to stop them as there
are individuals who have the talent -- including a government agent
(Samuel L. Jackson) who isn’t as friendly as he first appears.
Coming off his box-office hits “The Bourne Identity” and
“Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” Doug Liman didn’t quite lay an
egg with “Jumper,” but this only modest success is
nevertheless a mild disappointment, with a skeletal narrative that
plays like a movie trailer more than a fully formed picture.
There’s action and effects to spare, but the film loses momentum
as it moves along, and Christensen still seems to be lacking a certain
“star quality” as a leading man. Fox’s Blu-Ray disc
certainly looks spectacular, with a high-bit rate AVC encode and DTS-MA
audio, and loads of extras, including commentary, documentaries,
deleted scenes and other goodies. New on DVD
ICONS OF ADVENTURE: 4-Film Set (Sony):
Hammer fans can rejoice thanks to the upcoming release of Sony’s
two-disc, four-film box set dubbed “Icons of Adventure.”
This release offers four Hammer productions that Columbia distributed
back in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, including:
-“The Pirates of Blood River” (1961): Silly
but good-looking pirate fun with Kerwin Mathews an ostracized Huguenot
who returns to the community that banished him along with a scalawag
(Christopher Lee, wearing an eye-patch of course) searching for lost
loot. Oliver Reed, Desmond Llewelyn and a host of familiar Hammer stock
players (Andrew Keir among others) co-star in this spectacularly
ridiculous but engaging Saturday matinee effort, presented here in 16:9
(2.35) widescreen and with mono sound.
-“The Devil Ship Pirates” (1964):
More entertaining, equally robust pirate yarn again stars Christopher
Lee, this time as the Captain of a Spanish ship that grounds ashore on
the English coast during the late 16th century. More good-looking scope
cinematography, engaging performances and a decent amount of action
make for a colorful time, Columbia’s presentation again
containing a very satisfying 16:9 (2.35) presentation preserving the
film’s original “Megascope” ratio.
-“The Stranglers of Bombay” (1960): Screenwriter
David Zelag Goodman, who would later go on to write a handful of
seminal ‘70s films (“Logan’s Run,” “Straw
Dogs,” “Farewell My Lovely”), began his career by
penning this 1960 Hammer tale of a real-life cult of religious fanatics
in India who murder for pleasure. Guy Rolfe is the British captain who
helps track them down in this taut Terence Fisher programmer, a
rarely-seen Hammer film that’s quite atmospheric and suspenseful,
not to mention a bit violent even by today’s standards. The 16:9
(2.35) transfer adds immeasurably to the entertainment.
-“Terror of the Tongs” (1961):
First of what would be several Fu Manchu movies starring Christopher
Lee was the only entry produced with a decent budget, having been
backed by Hammer and released by Columbia. Sony’s DVD
presentation here sports another fine 16:9 (1.66) transfer with mono
sound.
The two-disc set includes commentaries on each film from the likes of
Hammer’s Jimmy Sangster, David Zelag Goodman, Chris Barnes and
others, while original trailers, various cartoon and short subjects,
and other goodies make this a real treat for movie buffs, and obviously
Hammer fans in particular.
CITY SLICKERS: Special Edition (***½, 114 mins., 1991, PG-13; MGM/Fox):
Sterling Special Edition of the 1991 blockbuster comedy, a hilarious
western spoof with Billy Crystal, Bruno Kirby and Daniel Stern heading
west to break up their typical middle-age existence by playing cowboys.
They end up meeting a cow named Norman and Jack Palance as
“Curly” in a hilarious, spot-on performance that won him an
Oscar. Fox’s new DVD edition -- the first-ever Special Edition
release of the picture, surprisingly -- includes a fresh commentary
with Crystal, Stern, and director Ron Underwood, plus three Making Of
featurettes that revisit the production and several never-before-seen
deleted scenes.
DIVA: Special Edition (117 mins., 1981, R; Lionsgate):
Fully remastered edition of the early ‘80s international hit from
Lionsgate offers a new 16:9 (1.66) transfer plus commentary and
interviews with director Jean-Jacques Beineix, cinematographer Philippe
Rousselot and others.
THE RED VIOLIN: Special Edition (130 mins., 1998, R; Lionsgate):
Francois Girard’s uneven 1998 anthology film returns to DVD in a
new edition sporting commentary from Girard and writer Don McKellar,
plus a featurette with composer John Corigliano and another segment on
Stradivarius violins. The 16:9 (1.85) transfer and 5.1 audio are both
fine, though Universal’s earlier, out-of-print disc boasted a
vibrant DTS track. New TV on DVD
Big hair, loud clothes, “new wave” music -- sound like it’s time for another trip back to the ‘80s!
Sarah Jessica Parker may be best known around the world for her role in
“Sex and the City” (which hits the big screen, not
coincidentally, this week), but for some of us who grew up in the
‘80s she first gained major stardom on the CBS comedy SQUARE PEGS (1982-83, 491 mins., Sony).
This high school comedy presaged the John Hughes pictures by a couple
of years, coming after Amy Heckerling’s spirited “Fast
Times at Ridgemont High” and helping to usher in a decade full of
teen-centric tales of dating, dorks, and general unruliness.
Not that “Square Pegs” is entirely brainless: former
“Saturday Night Live” writer Anne Beatts created this tale
of two freshmen (Parker and Amy Linker) trying to fit into Weemawee
High School and its popular clique, including trendy Tracy Nelson, her
boyfriend Jon Caliri, pal Claudette Wells, and preppy Jami Gertz.
Merrit Butrick (David, Kirk’s son, in “Star Trek” II
and III) is also on-hand as part of the gang, while guest stars include
a hilarious turn from Bill Murray, Martin Mull, and perhaps most
memorably, the cult group Devo as themselves.
Sony’s DVD box-set preserves the entire run of “Square
Pegs”’ lone season on the air in fine full-screen transfers
and with solid mono soundtracks. The 19 shows look to be in fine shape
for their age, while a slew of new interviews includes comments (mostly
between 10-15 minutes each) from Parker, Linker, Beatts, Gertz,
co-stars John Femia and Steven Peterman; there’s also a nice
tribute to Butrick as well, who died tragically at the age of 30 from
AIDS.
“Square Pegs” isn’t particularly funny but it’s
at least energetic and vibrantly performed by a young cast, several of
whom went onto stardom. For a blast of ‘80s nostalgia
Sony’s DVD comes well worth the price.
With Alan Silvestri re-arranging John Parker’s original theme song, the NBC crime drama CHIPS (1978-79, aprx 1100 minutes; Warner) similarly became a more confident and successful series in its second year.
Ponch
and Jon -- as embodied by Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox –
returned for another 22 episodes of fun in the California sun, with
action, romance, tuneful, driving disco underscore, and -- once in a
while -- hot highway pursuits too. Nobody ever called
“Chips” realistic, but the show provided solid escapist
fare week after week, a series that never demanded your full attention
yet was still solidly produced and engagingly performed.
Warner’s Season 2 DVD edition of “Chips” presents its
full second-season in crisp full-screen transfers, including some of my
favorite episodes of the series, most notably “Neighborhood
Watch,” in which a group of crazy kids take their parents’
wagon for a joyride, getting wrapped up in all kinds of trouble along
the way. Nothing spells good o’l ‘70s TV than the opening
of this particular episode when the tykes (including Robbie Rist, aka
Cousin Oliver from “The Brady Bunch”) start cruising down
the road to a throbbing disco beat...it’s pretty much
“classic” for its time!
In addition to the 22 shows (which also feature the enjoyable Halloween
tale “Trick or Treat” and the fan-favorite episode
“Supercycle”), Warner has also included, as a bonus,
“The Greatest Adventures of Chips,” the season-concluding
“highlight” movie that culls together portions of various
episodes. That, plus bonus interviews with Estrada, round out the
package. Loads of fun!
THE DUKES OF HAZZARD: Movie Double Feature (1997-2000, Warner): A
pair of reunion movies featuring the original “Dukes”
triumvirate (John Schneider, Tom Wopat, Catherine Bach), written by
series creator Gy Waldron, hit DVD for the first time courtesy of
Warner Home Video. The double-disc set includes both “The Dukes
of Hazzard: Reunion!” and “Hazzard in Hollywood,”
both presented in full-screen transfers and with Dolby Stereo sound.
BURN NOTICE: Season 1 (2007, 532 mins., Fox):
USA Network spy series starring Jeffrey Donovan, with a decent sense of
humor and a terrific supporting cast (Gabrielle Anwar, Sharon Gless,
Bruce Campbell), hits DVD in a four-disc set, containing all 11
first-season episodes. Copious special features include commentaries on
each episode, a gag reel, audition footage and other extras; the 16:9
(1.78) transfers are top-notch and 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtracks round
out the package.
FANTASTIC FOUR: The Complete First Season (2006-07, Fox):
Recent animated adaptation of the “Fantastic Four” hits DVD
in a Fox box-set preserving 26 episodes from its first season –
all but nine of which aired on the Cartoon Network. A bit goofier than
even “FF” purists might hope (the Thing has a “4"
spraypainted on his chest for crying out loud!), this is a reasonably
well-executed series from what I sampled, with Fox’s DVD offering
terrific 16:9 (1.78) transfers, 5.1 Dolby Digital audio tracks,
commentaries from the head writer and producer, and four featurettes on
its production.
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