DVD Playhouse--May 2012

DVD PLAYHOUSE – MAY 2012
By Allen Gardner

SHAME (20th Century Fox) Director Steve McQueen’s harrowing portrait of a Manhattan sex addict (Michael Fassbender, in the year’s most riveting performance) whose psyche goes into overload when his equally-troubled sister (Carey Mulligan) visits unexpectedly. Exquisitely-made on every level, save for the screenplay, which makes its point after about thirty minutes. While it tries hard to be a modern-day Last Tango in Paris, this fatal flaw makes it fall somewhat short. The much- ballyhooed sex scenes and frontal nudity are the least-interesting things about the film, incidentally, which is still a must-see for discriminating adults who seek out challenging material. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (Criterion) Spike Jonze’s madcap film of Charlie Kaufman’s script, regarding a socially-disenfranchised puppeteer (John Cusack) who finds a portal into the mind of actor John Malkovich that allows a fifteen minute per day visit before being spat out onto the New Jersey Turnpike. Wonderfully odd, completely original and sometimes maddeningly obtuse, this landmark film of the 20th century’s final year is also one of its most polarizing, with people either hailing it as a visionary comic masterpiece or excoriating it as incomprehensible and pretentious. Do yourself a favor and view this gorgeous transfer, then draw your own conclusions . Fine support from Catherine Keener, Orson Bean, Mary Kay Place, and the eponymous gent in question. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Selected scene commentary by Jonze and Michel Gondry; Documentaries; Interviews; Featurettes; Trailers and TV spots. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
LA HAINE (Criterion) Stunning look at juvenile delinquency and social ennui from writer/director Mathieu Kassovitz, following three teenage punks: one Jew (Vincent Cassel), one African (Hubert Kounde) and one Arab (Said Taghmaoui) who exist in Paris’ suburban slums. The boys spend a day raising hell, creating havoc and generally lashing out against their marginalization by a seemingly indifferent society. Low budget gem packs a wallop and is stunningly shot in black & white. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Kassovitz; Introduction by Jodie Foster; Documentary; Featurettes; Deleted and extended scenes; Photo gallery; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE JOHN WAYNE FILM COLLECTION (20th Century Fox) Ten disc set offering some the Duke’s finest cinematic hours: THE BIG TRAIL, offers Wayne in his first starring role in director Raoul Walsh’s early widescreen epic about early homesteaders making their way west; RED RIVER is Howard Hawks’ classic western featuring Duke and Montgomery Clift as a rancher and his stepson locking horns during a treacherous cattle drive; LEGEND OF THE LOST pairs Wayne with Sophia Loren as treasure hunters searching for a lost city in the Sahara; THE BARBARIAN AND THE GEISHA is John Huston’s saga of a diplomat (Wayne) who falls for a beautiful Japanese geisha; THE HORSE SOLDIERS is a muscular war picture helmed by Duke’s longtime collaborator/mentor John Ford, set during the Civil War; THE ALAMO features Wayne (who also directed) as Davy Crockett, defending the Alamo from the Mexican army. Turgid up to the finale, which is one of the great movie spectacles ever filmed; NORTH TO ALASKA features Duke and Stewart Granger in a rousing action/comedy set during the Alaskan gold rush; THE COMANCHEROS features Wayne as a Texas Ranger who forms a shaky alliance with an outlaw; THE LONGEST DAY is Ken Annakin’s sprawling epic of the D-Day invasion at Normandy, featuring Duke and one of the greatest all-star casts assembled in one of the greatest war movies ever made; THE UNDFEATED teams Wayne with Rock Hudson as former enemies who must team up to survive the aftermath of the Civil War. Full and widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono, 2.0 surround and 5.1 surround.
TIM & ERIC’S BILLION DOLLAR MOVIE (Magnet) Internet comedy icons Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim helm and star in this broad comedy about two schlubs who are given a billion dollars to make a movie only to lose the astronomical sum through a series of mishaps. In order to recoup their losses, they try to revitalize a faded shopping mall. Heidecker and Wareheim have made a name for themselves by doing comedy sketches that are self-consciously inept and unfunny. What seems to work (for some) in a sketch format goes horribly awry in a 90 minute movie, in which the words “inept” and “unfunny” should not exist if you are attempting to make a comedy that people will laugh at (or with). Chock full of poop jokes, sophomoric crudity and celebration of deliberate stupidity (all of which can be side-splitting in the right hands), it anything good can come out of this train wreck, perhaps it will serve as a warning to other unfunny aspiring comic filmmakers: if you ain’t got the goods, stay home (or at least don’t quit that job at Tastee-Freez)! William Atherton, Jeff Goldblum, Robert Loggia and Ray Wise appear in support, but God knows why…Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by filmmakers; Deleted and extended scenes; Featurettes; Interviews; Poster and photo galleries; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE FRANK SINATRA FILM COLLECTION (20th Century Fox) Ten of ol’ blue eyes’ finest hours on celluloid arrive in one set. THE PRIDE AND THE PASSION has Sinatra competing with Cary Grant for the affections of luscious Sophia Loren in this historical epic; KINGS GO FORTH teams Frank up with Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood, in this WW II tale of war and romance; A HOLE IN THE HEAD is director Frank Capra’s comedy featuring Sinatra as a small-time hotel owner with big dreams; CAN-CAN joins Frank with Shirley MacLaine in this classic tale of turn-of-the-century France; THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE is John Frankenheimer’s landmark thriller starring Sinatra as an army Major who suspects his former commanding officer (Laurence Harvey) may have been brainwashed to commit a political assassination. Terrific support from Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury and Henry Silva. One of the ‘60s’ great films; VON RYAN’S EXPRESS stars Frank as an American POW in Italy during WW II who plots a daring escape; CAST A GIANT SHADOW is an all-star epic about an American commander (Kirk Douglas) who helps the fledgling state of Israel assemble an army to fight hostile Arabs. Sinatra co-stars along with John Wayne and many others; TONY ROME features Sinatra as the two-fisted detective of the title, investigating a missing diamond brooch, deception and murder in Miami Beach. Fine support from Gena Rowlands, Jill St. John, Richard Conte; LADY IN CEMENT finds Tony Rome (Sinatra) still knocking ‘em dead in Miami, this time investigating the case of a lovely girl found drowned in the bay. Raquel Welch offers fine scenic support. All are widescreen, Dolby 2.0 mono, 5.1 surround.
A HOLLIS FRAMPTON ODYSSEY (Criterion) Stunning collection of 24 short films from avant-garde filmmaking pioneer Hollis Frampton made between 1966-79. The 16mm films, many well-known such as Surface Tension, Zorus Lemma, Critic Mass and the massive, uncompleted Magellan cycle, which was cut short by Frampton’s death from cancer, aged 48. Stunning, audacious and quite thrilling films fill this DVD, works that are sure to please the most selective cinefile, as well as leave the viewer with a sad aftertaste over what might have been had Frampton not left us so soon. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Selective commentary by Frampton; Interview with Frampton from 1978; 1968 performance piece; Gallery of works from Frampton’s xerographic series By Any Other Name. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
TRAVELLER/TELLING LIES IN AMERICA (Shout Factory) Odd, but still enjoyable double feature on Blu-ray. Traveller stars Bill Paxton as a con artist extraordinaire who works his scam with the Travellers, a group of modern day gypsies. When one of their clan (Mark Wahlberg, in an early turn) returns to claim his birthright, a wrench is thrown into the works. Julianna Margulies, James Gammon and Luke Askew co-star. Telling Lies in America is screenwriter Joe Eszterhas’ autobiographical tale of a kid (Brad Renfro) in early 1960s Cleveland who falls under the spell of a charismatic disc jockey (Kevin Bacon, in one of his best turns) , who is up to his eyes in payola. Calista Flockhart scores in one of her first feature roles as the older woman who catches Renfro’s eye. Both are widescreen, Dolby 5.1 surround.
A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL (Blue Underground) Spaghetti western classic starring genre staple Gian Maria Volante as a Mexican rebel who recruits a young American (Lou Castel) to help steal weapons for the self-proclaimed general he serves. When the Yank brings his own brand of ideology to the party, Volante finds his power being challenged. Odd combination of radical politics, graphic violence and dark humor, available for the first time on Blu-ray. Klaus Kinski and former Bond girl Martine Beswick offer nice support. Bonuses: U.S. and international versions of the film; Interview with director Damiano Damiani; Trailers; Poster and still gallery. Widescreen. DTS-HD 1.0 mono.
THE ORGANIZER (Criterion) Marcello Mastroianni stars as a travelling professor who encourages a group of striking factory workers in early 20th century Italy to unite and fight for their rights. Co-writer/director Mario Monicelli’s 1963 film was nominated for Best Screenplay, and not surprisingly is brimming with fine characterizations, keen observations on human nature and gentle humor. Beautifully shot by legendary Italian lenser Giuseppe Rotunno. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Introduction by Monicelli from 2006; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
ALAMBRISTA! (Criterion) Indie stalwart Robert M. Young won the Cannes Film Festival’s inaugural Camera d’Or award in 1978 in this impressive directorial debut, telling the story of a Mexican laborer who sneaks across the border into California to earn wages that he can’t make at home. Spare, fly-on-the-wall realism abounds where other films with similar themes might wallow in sentimentality or melodrama. Powerful and unforgettable with just enough ambiguity to make it honest. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Young, co-producer Michael Hausman; Interview with Edward James Olmos; Children of the Fields, short documentary by Young from 1973; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
LATE SPRING (Criterion) Classic of Japanese post-war cinema, helmed by one of its masters, Yasujiro Ozu, tells the story of a widowed father who feels compelled to marry off his beloved only daughter. Stunningly photographed, acted and directed, a classic tale of love and loss and one of the most important films to come out of Asia. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Richard Pena; Tokyo-ga, Wim Wenders’ 1985 documentary on Ozu. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
STONY ISLAND (Cinema Libre) Andrew Davis made his directing debut with this charmer from 1978 about a white kid (Richard Davis, the director’s younger brother) trying to assemble an R&B group with his best friend (the late Edward “Stony” Robinson) under the watchful eye of a legendary sax player (Gene “Daddy G” Barge). Gentle little film is a real time capsule, effortlessly capturing Chicago on the cusp of a new era. Features film debuts of Dennis Franz, Susannah Hoffs, and many other soon-to-be-familiar faces from Chicago’s theater scene. Bonuses: Documentary on the film’s production, Music Makes Us One; Alternate ending. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE FRONT LINE (Well Go USA) Riveting war film, set during the final battle of the Korean War, which will determine how the north and south are divided. But when the South Korean commanding officer is found dead, from one of his own men’s bullets, the remaining officers must decide whether to investigate the crime, or end the fighting for the greater good. Powerful, straightforward war drama is a nice blend of well-staged battle scenes and detective story. Fine cast of impressive young actors helps raise the bar even further. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses; Featurettes; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE INNKEEPERS (Dark Sky Films) A venerable New England inn is about to shut its doors after over 100 years of service. The last remaining employees, Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) are determined to find evidence that a legendary ghost that supposedly has haunted the hotel for years is, in fact, real. Writer/director Ti West has fashioned an elegantly-made film, thankfully lacking the buckets of blood, CGI, and sophomoric humor that has come to bog the horror genre down seemingly into oblivion. That said, while the film holds the viewer’s interest, it’s never very scary, surprising or even suspenseful, and the ending lands with what can only be described as a thud. The young leads are excellent, particularly young Paxton, and Kelly McGillis, almost unrecognizable from her Top Gun days, scores as an alcoholic actress way past her prime. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by West, cast and crew; Featurette; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
RETURN (Focus Features) Linda Cardellini, who’s come a long way from her “Freaks & Geeks” days, is spellbinding as an Iraq war veteran, who returns home to her loving husband (Michael Shannon) and children, only to find that the world and life she remembered no longer exists. Finding comfort in the arms of another veteran (John Slattery), she struggles to come to terms with her life and herself. While it treads familiar territory, writer/director Liza Johnson makes her film feel completely fresh and honest. A winner and a film that needs to be seen. Bonuses: Commentary by Johnson, cinematographer Anne Etheridge; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.

DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL!

HELL ON WHEELS: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (eOne) AMC’s latest offering in original series is a rip-snortin’, post-Civil War western tale revolving around the construction of the railroads that carried settlers (and their money) westward. Terrific ensemble cast led by Anson Mount as a haunted Confederate veteran, plus careful attention to period detail and well-drawn characters make this a pleasure to watch. Also stars Colm Meany, Dominique McElligott, Common, Tom Noonan and Wes Studi. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
BOBCAT (eOne) Comic Bobcat Goldthwait returns to Showtime with this inspired and hilarious special entitled “You Don’t Look the Same Either.” Filmed live, Bobcat takes the audience on a 30 year journey through his career as an ‘80s comedy icon to the guy who infamously set “The Tonight Show” on fire! Tackling diverse subjects as politics, divorce and his career as a filmmaker, Bobcat is sure to tickle the most cynical funnybone with this terrific comedic mélange. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
TITANIC (eOne) Julian Fellowes, the gifted actor and writer (Gosford Park, Downton Abbey) pens this epic four-part miniseries about the nautical world’s most infamous voyage. Lush, literate and filled with intricately drawn characters and characterizations from a fine cast (including Toby Jones, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Geraldine Sommerville), this is the Titanic story done “Masterpiece Theater” style, long on story and shorter on spectacle, quite different from James Cameron’s uber-blockbuster (which we’re great fans of, for the record). Watch for this one come next year’s Emmy Awards. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (PBS) “Masterpiece Theater” production of Charles Dickens’ unfinished final novel is a fitting swan song for the prolific author, his darkest tale, involving obsession, addiction, and darkness that lurks in the hearts of men. Matthew Rhys is superb as the tragic John Jasper, a small town choirmaster whose obsessive love for Rosa, his prized pupil, is hampered only by her engagement to Edwin Drood, Jasper’s nephew. Fine support from Tamzin Merchant, Rory Kinnear, and Freddie Fox. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
GIRLFIGHT (Lifetime/NewVideo) Anne Heche and James Tupper star in this true story of a high school girl who is the target of a vengeful clique of popular girls at her school, who savagely beat her when they discover negative remarks she posted about them on social media sites. Not only are the girls not remorseful of their brutality, they post a video of the beating which quickly goes viral on the Internet. Harrowing drama, well-executed by writer/director Stephen Gyllenhaal. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
THE BLING RING (Lifetime/NewVideo) A group of middle class teens breaks into the homes of the wealthy and famous, stealing “souvenirs,” which escalates in terms of the number and value of the items. Jennifer Grey stars as the mother of one of the kids who is blissfully unaware of her son’s actions until it’s nearly too late. Solid storytelling, told with straightforward precision. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.

DOCUMENTARY DAYS

PBS leads the pack with host of new doc titles:
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE BUDDHIST WORLD takes a look at some of the most spectacular monuments, spread across Asia, to one of the world’s most fascinating philosophies. Hosted by historian Bettany Hughes. Also available on Blu-ray disc.
MARGARET MITCHELL: AMERICAN REBEL offers a fascinating portrait of the woman who gave birth to Gone with the Wind, a Southern belle who in life was a force to be reckoned with. Told through dramatic reenactments and interviews with top Mitchell scholars, it offers a tremendous portrait of a woman who had much in common with her heroine, Scarlett O’Hara. Bonuses: Interview with author Pat Conroy; Newsreel footage of Gone with the Wind movie premiere, Pulitzer Prize night.
ART: 21 takes a look at the history of contemporary art and the relevant questions the work addresses, such as what is the nature of reality? How do we respond to a world in flux? Why do some historical events shape the way we think while others are forgotten? Fascinating study of a complex subject, featuring interviews with some of the world’s leaders in the field.
GRAND COULEE DAM is a document of the conception, planning and construction of an architectural wonder, erected during the height of the Great Depression and completed just before the United States’ entry into WW II. Along with a wealth of positive contributions, such as being the largest hydroelectric power-producing facility in the world, it also brought with it a host of negatives, including threatening huge populations of water life with extinction. Fascinating, and loaded with archival footage, photos , interviews. Narrated by Michael Murphy.
SECRETS OF THE SUN is a “Nova” special that takes an in-depth look at how the sun was formed, performs, provides and how new scientific technology is allowing us to understand this most crucial of stars as never before. Also available on Blu-ray disc.
JESSE OWENS is a superb “American Experience” episode that looks at the life of the first African-American sports celebrity, a champion runner who, during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, blew Hitler’s theory of Aryan supremacy out of the water by winning gold medals in all his events. After triumph against the racists overseas, Owens returned to an America that almost immediately forced him to sit in back of the bus. Stunning look at the fickle nature of celebrity and America’s shameful past of discrimination. All are widescreen, Dolby 2.0 stereo.
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL COMICS (MVD) Documentary looks at the life of controversial comics publisher Todd Loren, whose scandalous series of unauthorized autobiographical rock star comics both charmed his subjects and hammered him with numerous lawsuits by those who were not amused. In the midst of fighting a landmark First Amendment case, Loren was brutally murdered in 1992. Blending animation, home video and interviews with rock luminaries such as Alice Cooper, Gary Groth, Ian Shirley and Mojo Nixon, this is a fascinating look into the life of a mercurial and mysterious figure. Bonuses: Altered and extended interviews; TV clips; Commercials; Featurettes; Trailers. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
DAWN OF THE DEAD: THE GRATEFUL DEAD & THE RISE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO UNDERGROUND (Sexy Intellectual) Tremendous portrait of the Grateful Dead, arguably San Francisco and Haight-Ashbury’s most influential exports during the Flower Power 1960s. In addition to exploring the band’s formation and what generated their universal appeal, filmmakers also take a close look at how the counterculture movement in San Francisco spread across the globe, with the Dead in the eye of the hurricane. Loaded with archival footage, interviews and, of course, great music, this is a must-see for all ‘60s music aficionados. Bonuses: Extra interviews; Biographies; Featurette. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
NORMAN MAILER: THE AMERICAN (Cinema Libre) A no-holds-barred examination of post-war America’s most controversial, and many would argue, most influential author, outspoken public figure and renaissance man. Filmmaker Joseph Mantegna paints an intimate portrait of an endlessly complex and mercurial man, drawn through archival footage, interviews with family, friends (and enemies) and colleagues and an examination of Mailer’s unforgettable prose. Bonuses: Bonus interviews; Mailer’s letters to Adele Morales Mailer. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
History Channel releases two Blu-ray titles: HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN TWO HOURS is the landmark television special that distills 13.7 billion years of history down to size in just two hours, which gives us the story of where we came from, who we are, and how we got here. Stunningly produced, with state-of-the art graphics and CGI, this amazing title is also offered in 3D, which literally jumps off the screen!
THE UNIVERSE is a three-disc set on Blu-ray that offers the entire sixth season of the landmark History Channel series that ventures beyond our own solar system, in addition to looking at earth-bound events, such as some of the chaos and catastrophe that led to our planet’s most harrowing days. Featuring astounding NASA footage and interviews with leading astrophysicists, as well as gorgeous animation and recreations. Both are widescreen, DTS-HD 5.1 surround.

ANIMATION NATION/KID’S KORNER

BOB’S BURGERS: THE COMPLETE 1st SEASON (20th Century Fox) All 13 episodes from the inaugural season of Fox’s irreverent look at one family’s fast food joint and how their monumentally dysfunctional brood manages to make Bob’s Burgers as messy an enterprise as they are. Imagine if The Simpsons opened a burger stand and you get the idea of where this very funny, very edgy comedy is coming from. Great fun. Bonuses: Audio commentary by cast and crew; Music video; Audio outtakes; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
AMERICAN DAD: VOLUME 7 (20th Century Fox) Offers uncensored episodes of the hit Fox series from the twisted minds of Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, these 19 episodes bring us into the lives of CIA agent Stan Smith and his justifiably nutty family. Features the series’ 100th episode, an especially irreverent and wonderfully tasteless romp involving Haley eloping with Jeff. Bonuses: Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Select episode commentary; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
STORYCORPS (PBS) Offers ten great children’s stories brought to life through animation, pulled from the over 40,000 audio interviews recorded by StoryCorps and archived in the American Folklife Center and The Library of Congress, with each story capturing the poetry, grace and wisdom found all around us. Bonuses: Interviews with the animators. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Warner Bros. releases two “Sesame Street” titles: SINGING WITH THE STARS features top vocalists like Jason Mraz, Andrea Bocelli, Alicia Keys, the Dixie Chicks and Sheryl Crow joining the Muppets in terrific sing-alongs. Adam Sandler even stops by for a tune! Bonuses: Karaoke sing-along; Featurettes.
BIG ELMO FUN follows the trials and tribulations of Elmo’s adventures when he accidentally is turned into a giant and towers over Sesame Street, while Abby frantically tries to find out how to shrink Elmo back to normal size again. Bonuses: 3 bonus “Sesame Street” stories; Animated book; New song; Activity book. Both are Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
BUBBLE GUPPIES (Paramount/Nickelodeon) TV movie about the BG gang and their adventures when beloved pet Bubble Puppy is turned into a frog by an evil witch. Great fun for very young children, pre-school aged. Bonuses: Two bonus episodes; Karaoke music videos; DVD game; Song selection. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
MO WILLEMS’ PIGEON AND PALS COMPLETE CARTOON COLLECTION VOL. 1 & 2 (Scholastic) Six stories from acclaimed children’s author Mo Willems, including “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus,” “Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale,” and “Leonardo the Terrible Monster.” Delightful animation and very clever storytelling are sure to please kids and adults alike. Bonuses: Spanish version of “Knuffle Bunny”; Featurettes; Read-along. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.