Hey folks, Harry here with yesterday’s DVD column finished in time for Hawaii. Heh. As usual the images and titles link you to Amazon, where a purchase will help keep the efforts of this column swinging. For all of those that write me personally to bitch at me for being late, or simply to tell me how much this column means to you. Thank you. Yes, even the bitchers help, because well. It is easy to put the column off, especially when you’re in the midst of the week I’m involved in right now. But in the last 22 hours, I’ve been contacted by so many folks letting me know how much they’re missing the column, berating me for being late, and I get it. I do. So instead of sleeping like I should, I’m here to serve you. I hope you enjoy…
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD
When does a release become an absolute roadblock to getting anything done? When it is a movie that you love to the core. I love SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD! It isn’t a mild flirtation, it’s full-blown obsessive love. If I could stalk a movie, I’d stalk SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD. Now that I have it at home, I find myself watching it multiple times a day, multiple days a week – and while it plays… I’m useless. I sit there with Teenage Girl crush eyes staring at it – and I get that there’s some of you out there, that just don’t get it. I’m fine with that. Just as you should be fine with the fact that INCEPTION and I never really got past first base. Different movies hit different people in radically different ways, but the one thing that can not be denied is this… The people that LOVE this movie… Saw it upwards of 5-15 times in theaters. Those people are so ecstatic about today, because today – they got to take Edgar Wright’s love letter to a culture of love that dreams in pop culture expressions that can be a sound effect, a certain kind of zoom, the way blows are exchanged – and that absolutely believe that Michael Cera is Bugs Bunny – and everyone else… well can kiss his ass, because Bugs Bunny is going to win… with his wits, an extra life and a flaming sword! And Knives Chau? I married her. I did. That’s Yoko in cinematic terms that are so accurate that both she and I can not fucking believe it.
OMG – the extras on this kill me. I love the alternate ending dearly, but prefer the ending on the film, though my heart wishes that Knives… well, you’ll have to see for yourself. This is one of those films that I’ll never stop campaigning for – in the same ways I never stopped campaigning for BIG LEBOWSKI, FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS & SKY CAPTAIN & THE WORLD OF TOMORROW. These are the movies that I watch a lot of shit to find. And when I find a film like SCOTT PILGRIM that so feels as though it gets me in a way that regular conversation, or simply handing someone a mix tape can’t. I watched the film 7 times in the first 3 days I had this Blu Ray. I’ve watched it 6 times since then. I really hate it isn’t on my iPad, but ya know… I wouldn’t be getting this column done if I had it with me. My very favorite film of 2010. Massive Love & Recommendation! If you didn’t see it in theaters, shame on you. Catch up!
SHERLOCK: SEASON ONE
Fucking Brilliant! If you haven’t seen the BBC SHERLOCK starring Benedict Cumberbath as a modern day Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson… I envy you. If you’ve seen all 3 of the season one episodes/features… I hate you, as I’ve only seen the first two. Because that’s what the BBC sent me. And I didn’t get sent the BluRay which I’m sure is just gorgeous, but to give you an idea… I put this on for Yoko, because she love Martin Freeman, and I had my iPod Nano blaring in my ears, but as the opening shots from the first episode began… I turned the music off… stopped work on the DVD column – and was completely mesmerized by everything that followed. This is a thoroughly modern updating of the entire Sherlock Holmes mythology. Set in London of Today. Doing exactly the right things with the characters, with Holmes’ amazing mind & vision. And when you see Martin Freeman’s Watson… I believe you’ll get approximately 2000 times more jazzed to see his Bilbo Baggins. Watching Freeman in this has convinced me beyond any hesitation, that Freeman is brilliant casting for Bilbo. And I hear the best episode is the one I’ve yet to see. I’m very much looking forward to getting home and catching it!
DOCTOR WHO: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SERIES
Question to fans. I’m not a Dr Who follower. Can I watch this fifth series without having any real understanding of what has come immediately before? If so, when I return home, I’ll put the BluRays on and give it the old geek try. They sent some kind of screwdriver with the BluRay – but it doesn’t like it’ll work on any of the screws I have loose. But maybe I’m just not using it right.
SUPERMAN / SHAZAM: THE RETURN OF BLACK ADAM
I wish this had been a feature length story. As a short, it is probably the best of the DC SHOWCASE shorts, but then I am a Captain Marvel superfreak. I actually possess Shazam (the wizard’s) actual sword that was forged by the hands of C.C. Beck himself. The sword never appeared in the comics, but Beck said it was always there under Shazam’s robes. Paul Dini tells me that if I struck someone with it they would turn to stone – as that’s how Dini believes Shazam overpowered the 7 Deadly Sins. ANYWAY – that’s got nothing to do with this particular adventure onto the streets of Fawcett City. Clark Kent is doing a story on a young orphan boy on the streets of Fawcett, in his pre-Big Red Cheese days. However, Black Adam returns to Earth to put an end to lil Billy’s life as he has the touch of Shazam’s magic upon him. Superman begins fighting Black Adam in a really great fight, then this turns into the first Captain Marvel adventure! And I love it. Though I really want Mr Mind stories! But when Tawny appears – ACK! I seriously geeked. I really wish that Alex Ross’ CAPTAIN MARVEL animated series had gotten made. Loved his designs. Also on this BluRay are slightly enhanced and longer versions of the Green Arrow, Spectre and Jonah Hex animated shorts, but really – what you’re plunking your money down for is the SUPERMAN/SHAZAM short – and for me… I thought the short was absolutely worth picking up, but then, I love me some Fawcett Funnies!
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: Vol. XIX (Limited Edition)
In terms of great bad movies… ROBOT MONSTER, BRIDE OF THE MONSTER and DEVIL DOLL are fan-fucking-tastic. I have these films in their non-MST3K forms because I genuinely love these 3 movies. I’ve never been a fan of MST3K because… well mainly, I wish they offered on these sets the films without the MST3K business… but I know that’s completely missing the point of MST3K, but that’s me. I completely feel it is pointless. As for DEVIL FISH, I haven’t seen that film – and I won’t watch it this way for the first time, so now I have to track it down and see if it is up to par with the other 3 titles here. Here’s the extras that you maniacs that love this show get with this limited edition box set:
Exclusive Limited-Edition Gypsy Figurine
New Introduction By J. Elvis Weinstein
Larry Blamire Reflects On Robot Monster
Brand-New Featurettes On Bride Of The Monster And Devil Doll
MST3K: Origins And Beyond:CONvergence 2009 Panel
Original Trailers
4 Exclusive Mini-Posters
METALOCALYPSE: SEASON THREE
This is the first METALOCALYPSE season to get the BluRay treatment, which means – hopefully, Cartoon Network is planning on releasing the 1st 2 seasons on Blu at some point in the future. PEOPLE – BUY THIS SO THAT HAPPENS!
This is where I admit that Yoko and I are hopeless METALOCALYPSE fans. This show makes me laugh & rock at the same time – I find it to be genuinely brilliant often. This season, I’m about halfway through, with Yoko and I having a plan to sit down the moment I get back to Austin to finish the rest of this. Unless she’s cheating on me with the set, in which case her punishment will be legendary.
METALOCALYPSE isn’t just a cartoon or heavy metal… it’s an attitude and a warped perspective that you have to take on too. You have to be able to imagine a universe where this Metal band is the reason the economy of the world still functions. Whose followers are semi-death-cult members who get slaughtered at concerts – and that’s alright, because… it is expected. Dethklok is the best Death Metal group ever. And I will worship them until they suck, which I pray is never.
SECRET ORIGIN: THE STORY OF DC COMICS
If you’re a geek and you’re worried that your children are not being given the proper education at school. Or maybe you’re a geek and sometimes you feel you need to bone up on the history of the things we dearly love about DC Comics… I recommend Mac Carter’s documentary, SECRET ORIGIN: THE STORY OF DC COMICS… There’s very little here I didn’t know, but then I was raised by parents that ran one of the first Comic shops in Texas in the 70s. I learned how to alphabetize by cataloguing comics. But for most, this information is a bit harder to find access to, so having a feature length doc that sort of holds your hand and takes you through the history of DC COMICS and what it has grown to become in the modern age… well, it is all good. Great interviews – and the whole thing is narrated by Hal Jordan himself, Ryan Reynolds. Very enjoyable.
ANTICHRIST (Criterion BLU)
Must be seen, so you can understand where people are coming from that shout with mad abandon, “CHAOS REIGNS!!!!” Criterion’s transfer of this deeply disturbing film from Lars Von Trier starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg – is beautiful. Truly. As for extras, I actually feel Criterion came up a little short, I wish they had had room for the madness that surrounded this film at FANTASTIC FEST. Some of the craziest shit I’ve ever seen and it was documented. Maybe for the next release. Here’s what you do get though:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
Audio commentary by von Trier and professor Murray Smith
Video interviews with von Trier and actors Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg
A collection of video pieces delving into the production of Antichrist
"Chaos Reigns at the Cannes Film Festival 2009," a documentary
Three theatrical trailers
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Ian Christie
SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU!: THE COMPLETE SERIES
Ok – the award for best packaging of the week goes to SCOOBY DOO, WHERE ARE YOU! THE COMPLETE SERIES. I just love my Mystery Machine I have sitting on my desk, that contains the entire original series of SCOOBY DOO cartoons. It feels complete, because it looks so awesome. I love SCOOBY DOO – if you’re human, you should too. Here’s what you get on this great set, besides the awesomely perfect Mystery Machine:
41 episodes on seven discs plus a bonus eighth disc
Limited-edition Mystery Machine packaging
Featurette: Scooby-Doo's Ultimate Fans
Funky Fashions
Scooby-Doo Street
Music Video: America Loves Scooby-Doo
Other: Get The Picture: How to Draw Scooby-Doo and the Gang
Take The Scooby Challenge Trivia
THE ELIA KAZAN COLLECTION ( A LETTER TO ELIA / A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN / BOOMERANG! / GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT / PINKY / PANIC IN THE STREETS / A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE / VIVA ZAPATA! / MAN ON A TIGHTROPE / ON THE WATERFRONT / EAST OF EDEN / BABY DOLL / A FACE IN THE CROWD / WILD RIVER / SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS and AMERICA,AMERICA )
In American film history, there is probably no director that causes near the firestorm of passionate love and passionate hatred as the name of Elia Kazan. What you think of the man, might be fairly brutal, but his films… Elia Kazan could arguably be credited with being the greatest actors’ director in film history. The performances he got out of Brando, Andy Griffith, Gregory Peck, James Dean, Fredric March, Carroll Baker and Karl Malden… and well, every actor in every film that he made… it’s just brilliant what he got out of them. Just watch A FACE IN THE CROWD and try to look at Andy Griffith the same. Or the modern media for that matter. This was fucking 1957 when he made A FACE IN THE CROWD – and now it is 100 times more poignant! I actually believe A FACE IN THE CROWD is my favorite of Kazan’s entire brilliant turn as director.
This is a great set. The reason for it is that Martin Scorsese put together a feature length Documentary called A LETTER TO ELIA, which Scorsese directed about the life and work of Elia Kazan. It, like everything else on this set is great. For lovers of cinema, this set is the buy of the week. It is pricey, but they did a great job with it. Really outstanding!
TREMORS (Blu Ray)
It is actually funny that I’m writing about TREMORS tonight. I just came from dinner with Jim Jacks, whom I’m producing a group of films with, and totally by chance, we found ourselves talking about TREMORS, which he produced 20 years ago – and the next thing we knew, we started quoting lines and scenes from the film like we’d seen it yesterday. Actually, I saw the Blu Ray last week. Jim reminded me that the film wasn’t at all successful at the box office, but once it got discovered on home video and cable tv, the film found amazing legs. Can you believe that the monkeys that went to theaters in 1990 didn’t go nuts for TREMORS. I mean, who doesn’t love this film? Seriously? They even made a lot of sequels to it, though they weren’t nearly as sharp & hilarious as this original. Yet another reason to love Kevin Bacon! The BluRay looked great
OCEAN’S 11
You know what I really love about OCEAN’S 11? The original 50 year old movie now? I love Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. I love that these two men sing with a complete sense of machismo. They are men as they sing. And you know Frank can belt a tune. Then there’s Angie Dickinson who is so young and gorgeous here. But mostly it comes down to Vegas of 1960. It was just a whole different universe back then. This Blu Ray really makes you long for the era of Vegas when these guys ruled it. Ya know? The transfer is very very nice. And am I the only one that giggles that Lewis Milestone directed this?
I KNEW IT WAS YOU: REDISCOVERING JOHN CAZALE
As soon as I opened the box and saw this DVD cover, I was sold. Who doesn’t love Fredo? Poor guy. And in DOG DAY AFTERNOON and in THE DEER HUNTER. Cazale was one of those lives that Roy Batty explained so brilliantly in BLADE RUNNER. He burned so brightly, but for such a short period – and then he vanished, he died. This isn’t a feature length documentary, but a 40 minute one. Which is the right time for the doc, but you do get about an hour of bonus features that you can dig through. I’m happy this is coming out, if for no other reason than to remind people just how great John Cazale was – and what an incredible blow it was when he left us. One of the great cinematic what ifs…
DAMNED BY DAWN (Blu Ray)
Two weeks ago I watched this on Movie Night with my friend Diana and my wife Yoko – and we were all pleasantly surprised. This is a very atmospheric ancient Irish myth gone horribly wrong. But this is one of those lesson movies. When your ancient grandmother gives you instructions on how to deal with the supernatural thing coming for her soul… DO NOT DEVIATE ONE IOTA!!! Because if you do… you have seriously fucked everything up. The only drawback is some funky CG, but overall – the film works and works very well. It isn’t up to the EVIL DEAD comparisons that are on the cover, but it is a very good and creepy movie. And if nothing else… listen carefully to your dying or near dying grandmother – and BELIEVE HER! It is important!
TICKED-OFF TRANNIES WITH KNIVES
You see that epic title. It delivers on that and a lot more. I know you think you’re not curious, but you really are and you’ll probably have a whole lot of fun with this, unless you’re just… really a miserable sort. Totally played for exploitive fun and should be taken as such.
ZOMBIE GIRL: THE MOVIE
I find it very weird to comment on this film. I’m in it, most of my family is in it, it’s about a little girl that I’ve helped in tiny ways, who has given new meaning to tenacity in my mind. Watching 18 year old Emily Hagins at my Halloween Party punching the boob out of a zombie Diana was about my favorite memory of my Halloween Party – but this doc and I have some rough history that I won’t dredge up here. I’ve never seen ZOMBIE GIRL, and I won’t, for personal reasons. I’m told I’m shown quite favorably in the film, but I just have issues with the filmmakers of the doc. That said, I highly encourage you to checking the film out, especially because PATHOGEN is on here, though I would recommend buying that film directly from Emily Hagins at this link as 100% of your money will go to help Emily finish her new film, MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE! Which I’m quite excited about.
DEATH OF A SNOWMAN
I haven’t seen this yet, which has me bummed as I usually see everything that Synapse puts out early. But the box art, that it is a South African Exploitation Classic allegedly? Awesome. Plus it has the great Nigel Davenport in it? Can’t wait to see it!
NIKKATSU ROMAN PORNO TRAILER COLLECTION
These trailers kind of must be seen to be believed… and the good news is, Impulse is set to release over 25 Nikkatsu films, many of which are featured trailers on this dvd. This stuff is very perverse and disturbing. Not for all tastes. And the disc even has extras:
Digitally Mastered Theatrical Trailers, Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen, Liner notes from Behind The Pink Curtain author, Jasper Sharp, Newly Translated Removable English Subtitles, Individual Trailer Selection, BONUS SHORT FILM: Ryoko's Lesbian Flight (30 minutes)
Alright! Caught up! Here’s what is coming next on next week’s column: The super amazing really outstanding AVATAR 3 BLU RAY Set that I dislike the packaging on, Disney’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE LAST AIRBENDER, MICHAEL JACKSON’S VISION, POLAR EXPRESS Blu 3D, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, THE COMPLETE METROPOLIS!!!! CLASH OF THE TITANS (Crappy remake in 3D Blu), IMAX films in 3D BLU, OPEN SEASON in 3D BLU, Volume 2 of Bing Crosby TV Specials, THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (Criterion Blu), MODERN TIMES (Criterion Blu), GLEE Season 1 Giftset, MONTE WALSH, MR MAGOO’S CHRISTMAS CAROL BluRay, TWILIGHT ZONE Season 2 BluRay, BEST WORST MOVIE, The Laughton/Gable MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY BluRay, SHERLOCK JR/THREE AGES BluRay, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION BluRay, THE TOURNAMENT BluRay, THE WORLD AT WAR BluRay, DON’T LOOK BACK, ROBOGEISHA Blu, FALLING DOWN BluRay, METROPIA, VENGEANCE, WHO?, THE GIRL FROM CORTINA and more…
