August
Arrival
Edition Shout! Brings Corman Classics in HD Plus:
KICK-ASS
and
More!
One of this year’s happiest occurrences to date on Blu-Ray has been
Shout! Factory’s new line of releases from the Roger Corman vaults.
Offering fully remastered transfers with loads of new extras, B-movie
fans have had reason to celebrate thanks to a slew of titles that made
Corman’s “economical” production values appear spiffier than ever, with
more to come in the month of August. I briefly wrote up the July titles
a couple of weeks ago -- here’s a more in-depth examination of those,
along with a sneak peek at Shout’s August Corman line-up.
And, whether you go with DVD or Blu-Ray (though I would heartily
recommend the crisp, noise-reduction free High-Definition transfers the
label has produced), Shout’s engaging quartet of late ‘70s/early ‘80s
sci-fi/horrors offer amusing genre thrills plus early work from
behind-the-scenes talent James Cameron (production design on “Galaxy of
Terror”), composer James Horner, editor Mark Goldblatt, and effects
masters Chris Walas and Rob Bottin (“Humanoids of the Deep”), visual
effects artists Robert and Dennis Skotak, Tony Randel and John Carl
Buechler (“Forbidden World”), and F/X artist Phil Tippet, writer John
Sayles and director Joe Dante (“Piranha”) among others.
GALAXY OF
TERROR (81 mins., 1981, R) offers the one-of-a-kind cast of
Edward Albert (sporting a nefarious ‘stache), Erin Moran (Joanie from
“Happy Days”), Ray Walston and Robert Englund, starring as the crew of
a spaceship that locks onto a lost vessel’s distress signal, only to
find they’ve been brought there for other, more sinister purposes.
“Galaxy of Terror,” which boasts one of Corman’s more sizable cult
followings and was released (like “Humanoids From the Deep” and
“Piranha”) internationally by UA, is partially an “Alien” ripoff and is
mostly horrendous from a dramatic standpoint, yet a crisp pace and some
solid visuals considering the budget (kudos to Cameron and his crew)
ought to make it palatable for genre buffs. Shout!’s superlative
collection of supplements includes commentary with cast and crew
members, Making Of featurettes, remembrances of working with Cameron,
trailers, the screenplay in PDF format and a trivia track; the DVD’s
16:9 transfer is good, but the Blu-Ray presentation is even better,
with 2.0 DTS Master Audio sound enhancing the visuals.
FORBIDDEN WORLD
(77/82 mins., 1982, R), which was released theatrically as
“Mutant” (but not the same 1983 “Mutant” with Wings Hauser that Richard
Band scored), followed shortly thereafter and is even more entertaining
(particularly from an unintended comedy angle) with bounty hunter
Jessie Vint investigating a series of deaths on a far-off planet.
Both the movie’s original theatrical cut and a 82-minute Director’s
Edition (boasting five minutes of mostly intentionally-comedic
material) are on-hand here (though only the theatrical version is in
newly remastered 16:9 widescreen), plus commentary with director Allan
Holzman, a Corman interview, other conversations with crew members
including composer Susan Justin, special effects profiles with the
Skotak and Buechler brothers, trailers and other extras. The Blu-Ray
package again sports a crisp AVC-encoded transfer, 2.0 DTS Master
stereo audio, plus the “Mutant” Director’s Cut only on DVD in 4:3
full-screen.
Both of these Corman sci-fi efforts were presaged in the late ‘70s by a
pair of aquatic horrors, each produced in the wake of “Jaws” I and II.
PIRANHA (92
mins., 1978, R) may be the best-loved of all of Corman’s
productions, particularly since director Joe Dante’s penchant for
mixing thrills with black comedy and the occasional offbeat flourish
(such as Phil Tippett’s stop-motion creatures, briefly glimpsed at the
beginning) makes the film more durable than its fellow “Jaws”
imitators’ straight-faced efforts from the same period (i.e. junk like
“Orca” and “Tentacles”). With an engaging cast (Bradford Dillman,
Heather Menzies, Kevin McCarthy, Barbara Steele, Keenan Wynn, Paul
Bartel plus Dante regulars Dick Miller and Belinda Balaski), Pino
Donaggio’s score and Dante’s endlessly entertaining shots of the
piranhas swimming about, frantically searching for unsuspecting
swimmers, “Piranha” is as good as it gets for late ‘70s B-moviemaking;
here’s hoping the upcoming “Piranha 3-D” mines similar pleasures,
though I’m not holding my breath (at least it does star Richard
Dreyfuss, Christopher Lloyd and Elisabeth Shue).
Shout’s remastered DVD includes a good array of extras both new and
carried over from New Horizon’s late ‘90s DVD release. The latter
include commentary from Dante and producer Jon Davison, plus bloopers
and outtakes; new additions include scenes that were added to NBC’s
network TV showings of the picture, a fresh retrospective documentary
boasting interviews with Dante, Miller, Corman, Balaski and others;
trailers, radio and TV spots; behind-the-scenes footage and still
galleries; and a particularly nice 3-D lenticular cover gracing the
disc itself. (The Blu-Ray was not sent for review but I’ll update this
space should it come in prior to street date).
Following on the heels of “Piranha” was the highly entertaining HUMANOIDS FROM THE
DEEP (82 mins., 1980, Unrated), a film that was initially shot
by director Barbara Peeters, then re-edited by Corman, Jimmy T.
Murakami and editor Mark Goldblatt after it was completed, adding
copious amounts of nudity and gore to a film that apparently had been
fairly low-key during its initial production.
It’s certainly an odd marriage since the scenes involving local
fishermen Doug McClure and Vic Morrow feel like they’re out of a
different film than sequences wherein salmon-mutated monsters run amok,
raping local women who are all too eager to rip their tops off prior to
the fact.
Nevertheless, that disparity is, at least for me, part of the charm of
this atmospheric monster shlock-fest, which boasts a fairly nondescript
James Horner score (there’s hardly any music over the film’s climactic
“dock destruction” finale) and a few undeniably gory sequences -- even
bloodier now that Shout has released the film on Blu-Ray and DVD in its
unexpurgated international cut, with the on-screen title “Monster”
reflecting its brief (but noticeable) alterations.
“Humanoids”’ supplemental section is, comparatively speaking, the most
lightweight of these four Shout Corman offerings, though a new,
20-minute documentary offers fresh recollections about the film –
including comments from James Horner, who recalls scrambling to find a
recording studio late in the day so his union musicians could be paid
at non-union rates.
Nearly 10 minutes of deleted scenes (with a couple lacking their
soundtrack), discovered in the MGM vaults (due to UA having released
the film overseas), offer a few amusing extra jolts, while a full range
of trailers and a vintage Corman-Leonard Maltin interview complete the
release.
The AVC-encoded 1080p transfer is quite pleasing, offering a big-time
upgrade in its transfer from prior, full-screen only DVD and VHS
releases. Even better, Shout included a note about the transfer,
specifically stating that the label “chose not to use any noise
reduction since it would end up softening the picture,” noting that
they “didn’t want to lose any of the detail or improved color.” If only
every studio took this approach with their HD transfers (are you
listening, guys at Fox who just ruined “Predator”?).
It should be noted that all of the Corman-Shout DVD and Blu-Ray
releases offer reversible covers, often incorporating alternate or
international production artwork (or, in the case of “Forbidden World,”
its theatrical release title “Mutant”), adding further value to a set
of discs that simply shouldn’t be missed for nostalgic genre fans.
Also new on DVD only this month is the first Corman-Shout Double
Feature release, pairing the terrible 1978 David Carradine futuristic
actioner DEATHSPORT
(82
mins.,
R),
a feeble follow-up to “Death Race 2000,” with
the more entertaining BATTLE TRUCK (91
mins., 1982, PG), a typical “Mad Max”-inspired rip-off with
Michael Beck taking Mel Gibson’s role in a film some may remember under
its alternate (on-screen) title, “Warlords of the 21st Century.”
“Deathsport” is here presented in 16:9 (1.85) widescreen with extras
including commentary from co-director Allan Arkush and editor Larry
Bock, plus trailers and TV spots, while “Battle Truck” also sports
commentary by director Harley Cokliss and a stills gallery, but is only
offered in 4:3 full-screen. Shout also offers a disclaimer that
“Deathsport”’s best available source was the movie’s TV version, which
meant they had to splice back in R-rated footage from an inferior print
(with a noticeable shift in those sequences apparent in the transfer).
Finally, Shout brings G.I. JOE THE MOVIE
(93 mins., 1987) to Blu-Ray this month as well.
Fans mostly enjoyed this feature-length conclusion (kind of) to
Marvel’s classic ‘80s “G.I. Joe” cartoon, boasting a few celebrity
voices (including Burgess Meredith and Don Johnson’s Lt. Falcon) and
PG-level violence that’s a bit more intense than its small-screen
predecessor. The story feels a bit stretched-out considering the film’s
93 minute length, but it’s nevertheless an enjoyably nostalgic affair
for those of us who grew up with the toys and the cartoon, complete
with a marvelously tuneful soundtrack.
Shout’s remastered Blu-Ray disc looks as vibrant and detailed as this
Marvel/Sunbow Productions affair ever could appear, with an PCM
soundtrack offering a fair amount of stereophonic separation. Extras
include commentary with writer Buzz Dixon plus more of those classic
Public Service Announcements, a printable script and art gallery; the
standard DVD (which I reviewed a couple of weeks ago) is also on-hand
here sporting the same extras as well as a printable screenplay. New on Blu-Ray
CLASH OF THE TITANS
Blu-Ray (**½, 106 mins., 2010, PG-13; Warner): Call me
old-fashioned but there’s just something undeniably romantic about the
original “Clash of the Titans,” which Warner released on Blu-Ray in a
package I reviewed last winter. Even if the Ray Harryhausen-MGM
production came across as a “throwback” fantasy when it was first
released in 1981, there’s no denying the picture’s strong sense of
romance and heartfelt emotion – elements which, predictably, are the
ones stripped out of the movie’s recent big-budget remake, which
generated solid grosses (with the help of a reportedly poor 3-D
post-production “conversion”) last spring.
Louis Leterrier, who did a
respectable job helming “The Incredible Hulk,” here puts in a similarly
workmanlike performance with this effects-laden production, which once
again follows the noble Perseus (Sam Worthington) on a journey to
preserve the balance of good and evil both on earth and in the heavens
above, where Perseus’ father (Liam Neeson) battles the vile Hades
(Ralph Fiennes) for control of the universe. En route our hero
encounters all of the memorable fantastic creatures from the original
film -- from the Kraken to Medusa, the Stygian Witches and Pegasus --
while trying to save the life of princess Andromeda (a thankless role
for Alexa Davalos) and prevent the destruction of Argos, all the while
receiving help from the mysterious Io (Gemma Arterton).
Perhaps if there wasn’t any prior
“Clash of the Titans” it might have been easier to forgive this picture
for its lack of emotion and dramatic interest, but having seen its
predecessor it’s all too obvious what’s lacking in this new version.
It’s a staple of modern studio
moviemaking that films tend to be cut too close, with no time for
elements to breathe or, consequently, sink in with viewers. The 2010
“Clash” follows this model – the movie is all business, all effects,
with little time for romance or poignant moments. It’s very much a
machine that “delivers the goods” for genre viewers but fades quickly
from memory after it’s over, and because there’s no connection between
Perseus and Andromeda – the very core of the original film’s quest –
this “Titans” ultimately feels hollow, a great-looking modern film
lacking the emotional aspects its dated but more satisfying predecessor
offered.
Warner’s Blu-Ray disc does serve up
a marvelous VC-1 encoded 1080p transfer with an active DTS Master Audio
soundtrack. Ramin Djawadi, whose work has yet to really enhance a film
I’ve seen, composed a forgettable score that’s a far cry from the
orchestral grandeur of Laurence Rosenthal’s original, and his music
runs endlessly under a barrage of sound effects. Extras include a BD
exclusive alternate ending while a number of alternate scenes,
picture-in-picture “Maximum Movie Mode” vignettes and a featurette on
Worthington round out the package, which also comes with a digital
copy/standard DVD combo disc.
COP OUT Blu-Ray
(*½, 107 mins., 2010, R; Warner): Stale buddy-cop comedy
from director Kevin Smith, who strikes out in his “studio” film
directorial debut.
Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan essay
the mismatched cops dealing with criminals both large and small, while
Seann William Scott and Kevin Pollak try (but mostly fail) to provide
much in the way of support to this winter-time box-office underachiever.
Smith can be forgiven only in that
he didn’t write this dismal affair; instead, blame writers Robb and
Mark Cullen for crafting a limp script that comes across as simply
tired on-screen. Even the amusing decision to bring on Harold
Faltermeyer to write the film’s “retro” ‘80s score comes up short in a
film that ultimately ranks with Willis’ worst films (and that says
something!).
Warner’s Blu-Ray disc offers a
generous group of extras, including over an hour of extended scenes and
outtakes, plus a picture-in-picture mode sporting numerous vignettes
and additional featurettes. The BD is technically graced by a fine VC-1
encoded transfer with DTS Master sound and a digital copy/DVD combo
disc bundled within.
KICK-ASS
Blu-Ray (***½, 117 mins., 2010, R; Lionsgate): One of the
most cinematically vibrant, purely entertaining “comic book movies”
since the genre was essentially restarted nearly a decade ago with the
release of the first “Spider-Man,” “Kick-Ass” is a blast of colorful
action, violence, outlandish characters and comedy -- a mix that comes
together splendidly under the direction of director Matthew Vaughn
(“Stardust”), who has already parlayed this film’s success into a job
helming next year’s “X-Men: First Class.”
In its own alternate universe where super-heroes can take just a
“reasonable” amount of physical damage, Aaron Johnson plays a high
schooler who decides to take up the cause of being a “real” costumed
crusader. Little does Johnson know that his efforts to curtail crime in
the community are being matched by even tougher justice served up by
former cop Nicolas Cage and his street-wise young daughter Chloe
Moretz, who dispatch criminals in more of a vigilante style. Together
the group eventually team up to take down a local mobster whose son
(Christopher Mintz-Plasse) has his own designs on helping out dear old
dad.
Vaughn and co-writer Jane Goldman adapted Mark Millar and John Romita,
Jr.’s cult comic book, and their blend of humor and hard-edged action
makes for a thrilling ride – at least for adult viewers old enough not
to take the film literally (that said, even certain critics including
Roger Ebert reacted vehemently to the film’s portrayal of Moretz’s
young heroine getting punched and thrown). It’s an R-rated environment,
to be sure, but for those who understand that they’re still watching a
comic book film in spite of its own genre self-awareness, “Kick-Ass” is
pure and unadulterated fun -- Vaughn’s staging of the picture’s action
sequences is gleefully gory and packed with more energy than most of
his genre contemporaries, while the performances, special effects, and
even its hodge-podge of a soundtrack (incorporating everything from
original score, to temp-tracked cues, to Morricone and a punk rendition
of the “Banana Splits” theme song) breathe new life into what could
have been just another “brooding” comic book film where the hero spends
half of the time moping about, contemplating his existence. “Kick-Ass”
has no such pretensions, and Vaughn gets nearly everything right in
terms of style and tone -- while not a work of art, “Kick-Ass” is still
one of the year’s most entertaining films to date.
Lionsgate’s Blu-Ray package is a winner. The AVC encoded 1080p transfer
is spectacular, while DTS Master Audio sound is active at every turn.
Surprisingly the set isn’t as packed with extras as you might
anticipate (perhaps they’re being saved for a double-dip Special
Edition), but does offer commentary from Vaughn, a BD-exclusive
two-hour documentary, a 20-minute profile of the comic book’s history,
artwork galleries, a promotional archive, and both a digital copy and
the standard-def DVD bundled in the three-disc set.
JAMES AND THE
GIANT PEACH Blu-Ray (**½, 79 mins., 1996, G; Disney): I
can’t say I’ve ever been a big fan of this underwhelming 1996 Disney
stop-motion fantasy, a box-office disappointment that reunited most of
the creative team behind “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” including
producers Tim Burton and Denise Di Novi, along with director Henry
Selick.
An uneven adaptation of Rolad Dahl’s children’s book, “James” is a part
live-action/mostly-animated fantasy following a young boy who takes to
the skies along with a group of colorful insects to escape his unhappy
childhood. Even though the film runs a scant 79 minutes, “James and the
Giant Peach” takes what feels like forever to get going and then offers
only fleeting pleasures during its protagonist’s skyward journey. Chief
among the latter is Selick’s lovingly crafted stop-motion, which ought
to enchant animation buffs now that the picture is presented in HD, but
the film’s weaknesses remain, particularly its pedestrian screenplay
(credited to Karey Kirkpatrick, Jonathan Roberts and Steve Bloom) which
is never as heartwarming, funny or captivating as it ought to be. Randy
Newman’s forgettable songs stop the film dead in its tracks, while the
live-action bookending sequences (with over-the-top performances from
Joanna Lumly and Miriam Margolyes as James’ aunts) don’t quite work
either.
That said, for those who enjoyed the film, Disney’s Blu-Ray edition
does offer a pleasingly crisp rendition of the picture’s visuals in a
new AVC encoded 1080p transfer. DTS Master Audio sound and an
interactive game round out the BD portion, while a standard DVD boasts
a behind-the-scenes look at the film, the trailer, and a music video of
Newman’s unmemorable “Good News.”
TO SAVE A LIFE
Blu-Ray (**, 120 mins., 2009, PG-13; Sony): Well-intentioned
yet static “inspirational” movie about a high school jock who struggles
to deal with the death of his childhood friend, who instigates a tragic
school shooting because of his banishment from certain social cliques.
In response, Jake Taylor (Randy Wayne) reaches out to other outcasts at
his school, but soon finds his life equally spiraling out of control.
Jim Britts wrote and Brian Baugh directed this “faith-based” film which
falls short in the acting department, as well as its over-the-top
script, which pales in comparison to superior Christian cinematic fare
like “Fireproof.”
Sony’s Blu-Ray at least presents a colorful AVC encoded 1080p transfer
with DTS Master Audio sound and numerous extras, including deleted
scenes, music videos, a gag reel, and behind-the-scenes content.
STARGATE SG-U
1.5 Blu-Ray (438 mins., 2010; MGM/Fox): Robert Carlyle, Ming Na
and Lou Diamond Phillips are back in this second batch of episodes from
the most recent continuation of the “Stargate” franchise, which has so
far been met with mostly derisive reaction from fans, most of whom have
criticized the series for its weak story lines and lack of resemblance
to prior “Stargate” entries. That said, this back-end of the series’
first season wraps up the show’s story lines more satisfyingly than it
began at least (or so my avid-episode viewing friend tells me), with
cameos from Richard Dean Anderson, Michael Shanks and Julia Benson
around for good measure. Fox’s Blu-Ray package of “SG-U 1.5" includes
terrific AVC encoded 1080p transfers with DTS Master Audio sound and a
number of extras. Among the supplements are featurettes, commentaries
on each episode, a BD exclusive interactive game, video diaries and
more.
A PROPHET
Blu-Ray (***, 155 mins., 2009, R; Sony): Exciting, lengthy but
engrossing drama from Jacques Audiard follows an illiterate 19-year-old
named Malik who’s coerced into murdering a witness about to testify
against a Corsican gang. After carrying out the hit, and following
through on a number of other tasks, Malik emerges as a cunning killer
who ultimately plays off all sides with a vested interest in him. Well
over two hours long, “A Prophet” does feel like something that might’ve
been cut down even further in the editing room, yet it’s a
well-crafted, compelling picture with excellent performances and
direction from Audiard that keeps you hooked. Sony’s Blu-Ray of this
2009 Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film features deleted scenes,
rehearsal footage, other behind-the-scenes content, a 1080p (1.85)
transfer and DTS Master Audio sound. ACCIDENTS
HAPPEN Blu-Ray (**, 92 mins., 2009, R; Image): Ever wondered
where Geena Davis went? OK, maybe the thought hasn’t crossed your mind,
but the one-time A-lister who became an action heroine for a time back
in the ‘90s is back in this tepid Australian film, which goes to great
lengths to pretend that it’s set in New England...but will fail to
convince anyone living here that it’s not Down Under. Davis plays the
matriarch of a family that endures a succession of tragic circumstances
in this would-be black comedy from director Andrew Lancaster, which
tries to coast along on Davis’ name since the supporting cast is a
group of unknowns (at least on this side of the pond). The end result
is pretty lousy, recommended only for Davis completists, who are likely
still holding out hope for “Cutthroat Island 2: The Search for Matthew
Modine.” Image’s Blu-Ray does offer a nice 1080p transfer with DTS
Master Audio sound and extras comprised of two featurettes, cast/crew
interviews, and trailers. MULTIPLE
SARCASMS Blu-Ray (*½, 97 mins., 2007, R; Image): Borderline-painful
tale
of
a
guy
who’s
“got it all,” yet is perpetually unhappy, forms the
basis of this tedious, self-indulgent indie drama from
director/co-writer Brooks Branch. Timothy Hutton plays an architect
searching for meaning in late ‘70s NYC – a setting that seems to have
been employed solely so that co-star Mario Van Peebles can sport an
afro. Mira Sorvino, Dana Delany, and Stockard Channing are a few of the
talented actresses who should’ve known better than to topline this
barely-seen 2007 drama, which Image brings to Blu-Ray in a perfectly
acceptable 1080p transfer with DTS Master Audio and extras including
director/cast interviews, the trailer, and one Making Of featurette.
AFTER. LIFE
Blu-Ray (**, 103 mins., 2009, R; Anchor Bay): Slow-moving,
unsatisfying thriller flames out under the direction of Agnieszka
Wojtowicz-Vosloo, who (along with fellow writers Paul Vosloo and Jakub
Korolczuk) fails to mix ersatz supernatural thrills with a
Shyamalan-like succession of “twists.” Christina Ricci (looking
unhealthily thin these days) plays a young woman who wakes up after an
accident and is informed by funeral home director Liam Neeson that
she’s dead; “After.Life” spends the next 100 minutes or so trying to
get viewers to believe Neeson’s story one way or the other, but some
may want to bail out on the picture long before it reaches its final
resolution. Anchor Bay’s Blu-Ray includes an acceptable 1080p transfer
with uncompressed PCM audio and extras including director commentary, a
Making Of featurette, and the trailer.
New on DVD
HENSON’S PLACE
DVD (52 mins., 1984; Lionsgate): Engaging 1984 behind-the-scenes
documentary profiling Jim Henson’s past and then-current film projects
finally lands a domestic DVD release. “Henson’s Place” sports ample
backstage footage of the “Man Behind the Muppets” at work, with
interviews featuring Henson, his wife, Frank Oz and others; chronicling
Henson’s work on “Sesame Street” as well as “The Muppets,” leading up
to “Labyrinth” (then in production), this is a short but insightful
profile of the late, great artist. Lionsgate’s DVD includes one bonus
feature, “The Amphibian 1985/86,” a “Jim Henson Comany Yearbook” with
an introduction from Michael Frith, plus a full-screen transfer and
mono sound.
KEEPING UP WITH
THE KARDASHIANS DVD Season 3 (264 mins., 2009; Lionsgate): More
craziness with Khloe, Kim and Kourtney in this third season of E!’s hit
reality show. Lionsgate’s two-disc DVD set offers non-anamorphic 1.78
transfers, stereo soundtracks, and extras including deleted scenes and
even a few audio commentaries.
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