Harry's DVD PICKS AND PEEKS Does The First Week of February 2007 - Lots of Great Titles!

Hey folks, Harry here – Here’s the first week of this VERY busy February of DVD releases. This is an exceptional month as you’ll see by this first week. Soon I’ll have the rest of the month – I’m just trying to get through more of the advance discs to do a better job for y’all. Till later – here’s week one. As always feel free to click and order the DVDs via the Amazon Links by the DVD art – or by clicking the titles. Or just use this feature to guide you through the busy busy month that will have TONS more coming. Enjoy as many as you can.




Tuesday, Feb. 6th, 2007



FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS

The lesser of the Eastwood Iwo Jima two-pack cinematic event is still nothing to sneeze at. I find it less involving, less visceral… yet I love the character work of Adam Beach absolutely riveting. And the invasion of Iwo Jima is stunningly photographed, along with much of the film. It’s a solid film, but most importantly, it’s the companion piece to the far better LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA which this deserves to sit by. To just complete that story from the American perspective.

EDDIE MURPHY – DELIRIOUS

It is possible that a great majority of you only know Eddie Murphy from the downward spiral of his career – and that you may consider him as edgy and daring as Rich Little. But once upon a time, Eddie Murphy was one of the funniest fucking comedians around. With charisma the likes of which, I just don’t see from anyone. It seemed effortlessly hysterical. And it still is. I have watched this 3 times since the DVD came – oh and be sure to check out the second “EXTRAS” disc – it’s priceless.

HOLLYWOODLAND

Had you told me that this film would kick BLACK DAHLIA’s ass in my eyes before I’d seen the films, I would have had you horsewhipped. Having seen both, I just want to use my horsewhip on a selection of willing victims in a dank basement owned by Moriarty’s writing partner… not far from where the incidents in this movie take place. HOLLYWOODLAND very nearly made my top ten of last year. I love the film. Love how while it explores the various theories, it kinda settles in my mind on the sad, less romantic reality, that perhaps… George Reeves killed himself… but that any number of people coulda killed him. Because that’s probably what happened. The acting is top notch across the board and Ben Affleck’s sad sad eyes just sell this character and his eventual end. If you didn’t see this film in theaters – be sure to check it out.

THE HEIRESS

Ah… Olivia de Havilland, one of my favorite actresses of all time. Mainly for her work with Errol Flynn… although I’ll admit that her non-Flynn work is usually her best work – it’s just her eyes were never more lively than when she was opposite that swashbuckler. Based on the Henry James WASHINGTON SQUARE – this is a masterful film from William Wyler – with an amazing cast including Ralph Richardson (impossibly young in this film) and Montgomery Clift. It picked up 4 Academy Awards and this has been a remarkable digital restoration – of a film that is too often forgotten. Great work!

THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP

God Bless Michel Gondry. His films are lucid cinematic dreams and never moreso than in THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP. This disc is loaded with commentary, making of, a featurette on the lady that made the amazing artistic pieces, the music video and more. Then you have this wonderful film that just continues to illustrate why Gael Garcia Bernal is one of the most amazing actors that we have today! Check this out – it’s the most pure Gondry we’ve seen yet!

HELLBOY – SWORD OF STORMS

It’s HELLBOY – which means it rocks like the mighty stone glove upon his crimson hand! With the voices of Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and John Hurt… how can you not be climing over yourself to get this. There’s commentary by Mike Mignola. TONS OF FEATURETTES and a 32 page Hellboy Comic Book. OH – and one of the best superhero animated films out there. I really really love this sucker. It’s what keeps me happy pending the next HELLBOY by Guillermo. Can’t wait!

TEEN TITANS – TROUBLE IN TOKYO

Anime TEEN TITANS vs MANINSUIT! Kinda. Check it out – if you like the animated series, which I know has its audience. Of which my nephew and I are members – we had a blast watching this at my house about two weeks ago. I didn’t check out the bonus episode or the game on the disc, but that’s mainly because my nephew stole the dvd and won’t give it back… the little cur.

HERE COMES MR JORDAN

Now I know – a lot of you folks love Warren Beatty’s HEAVEN CAN WAIT… but as much as I like that movie, I love HERE COMES MR JORDAN. And most of that love comes from the only man that could possibly outshine James Mason… and that’s CLAUDE RAINS – the Invisible Man, Prince John and countless awesome characters. He’s great in this film as the angel that oversees Robert Montgomery’s placement back into a body. I’m so glad this is on DVD and if you love HEAVEN CAN WAIT, I don’t blame you – but check out the original – this is a remarkable romantic comedy. Outstanding!

ROMEO & JULIET – THE MUSIC EDITION

Ok – this is the “party disc” version of ROMEO & JULIET. I love Baz Luhrmann. And I completely get the appeal of being able to have a Juke Box feature that allows you to leap from favorite song to favorite song in this film. This is a wonderful film and the middle of that amazing RED CURTAIN trilogy. You should only get this if you’re gay for the music of the film – or if you like the fact that this disc has 3 commentaries – two of which are from the music perspective – and has two music featurettes for the film.

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

In many ways – the original Anti-War film… Lewis Milestone’s ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT is an incredibly haunting tale of World War 1. Lew Ayres’ eyes and face – in moments of this film are nothing short of haunting. Haunting in the way that marble statues are frozen at a moment of poignancy. Just fantastic. There was a terrible disc out on this film before. Robert Osborne handles the introduction as wonderfully as he does his work on the fantastic TCM. I wish there was a really great documentary here – but this is the best transfer I’ve ever seen on this classic must have Best Picture.

MIRACLE IN THE RAIN

Ronald Reagan’s first wife… Jane Wyman was a hottie! And in MIRACLE IN THE RAIN – you’ll cry like Ned Beatty over a log… minus the “Suuuueeeeyyyyy” This all comes from Ben Hecht’s awesome script. They really don’t make tear jerkers like this anymore. Shame. Films should make us feel this human from time to time.

LAST UNICORN

I honestly don’t feel there’s nearly enough features on this 25th Anniversary edition of THE LAST UNICORN – and that this is that old – makes me feel ancient. I absolutely love this film – and would kill for a really great cel set up of the unicorn and the red bull. I really feel the Red Bull is one of the great designs in animation. Really love that creature – especially when he’s being backed into the ocean. LOVE IT! Of the Rankin Bass animated features – this is easily my favorite. That said – this is the best disc on LAST UNICORN thus far – if it sells well, Lions Gate is sure to do a bang up edition at some point!

ARABIAN NIGHTS

Ahhhh… Jon Hall…. Maria Montez and SABU! This makes me feel like 6 years old again. Around that age, I discovered THIEF OF BAGHDAD, ALI BABA AND THE 40 THIEVES, WHITE SAVAGE and this… ARABIAN NIGHTS. Nothing tops THIEF OF BAGHDAD – but there’s something wonderful about ARABIAN NIGHTS that makes it the closest of these films to THIEF – which is still pretty far off. I think it’s the Technicolor – it just instantly makes the film magical and unreal.

SHINOBI – HEART UNDER BLADE

Ah – one of our FANTASTIC FEST films. Really breathtaking film that I only got to see pieces of at FANTASTIC FEST – due to my responsibilities as a programmer – having to handle a minor/major emergency. Now with SHINOBI – I’m so very glad I have the screen and the projector that I watched it on all at once. This isn’t a great martial arts epic. What it is – is a minor one – with some MAJORLY cool sequences and ideas. The CG is more cartoonish, but has more pure fun and imagination in it than any of the mainstream bamboo and sword – fantasy flicks of the recent day. But don’t expect their level of production. Great B film, not an A one.

AMAZING SCREW ON HEAD

There’s something so very right with the universe that we have TWO Mike Mignola DVDs on the same day. First was the more well known HELLBOY animated film – here – you have a… dare I say it? I dare I dare. A screwier tale. In fact it’s THE AMAZING SCREW-ON HEAD featuring the voices of Paul Giamatti, David Hyde Pierce and Molly Shannon. OH – and then there’s comedy god PATTON OSWALT! Doesn’t that get the toes to curl? This is – the MOST Mignola-styled animated film in history. How amazing. This is a blissful film… short at 42 minutes, but ya know what – it’s worth every penny.

BROTHER

In 2002, I discovered Russian Director Aleksei Balabanov’s VOYNA (WAR) – which by the way is still not on DVD in the United States! This is one of the best foreign films I’ve seen over the course of my 11 years doing AICN. As I always do, when I “discover” a foreign filmmaker that I don’t know much about – I find their other films. Other than WAR, my favorite is BROTHER or “BRAT” as it was known in Russia. This is an awesome Russian Gangster film – I can not recommend it higher. It is a treat that we’re even getting to see this in this country – and I hope that it means that we’ll soon be getting Balabanov’s VOYNA released here in this country. Find it if you can!