September 2007: Kino International

	Septmeber 2007: Kino Internatioinal by John Gallagher KINO: On behalf of the NBR, Jeanine Basinger presented Donald Krim with the 2006 William K. Everson Film History Award at last January’s NBR gala. Krim’s Kino Video has been a leader in preserving and preserving classic and contemporary cinema, and their current slate of releases perfectly represents their extensive catalogue. SHE (1935), based on the H. Rider Haggard novel about an expedition to a subterranean kingdom ruled by an ageless queen (“She Who Must Be Obeyed”), is classic high adventure from the creators of KING KONG (1933). Merian C. Cooper produced this elaborate version, reteaming with KONG writer Ruth Rose, composer Max Steiner, and many of the technical crew; Randolph Scott, Helen Gahagan, Nigel Bruce and Helen Mack star. SHE was unavailable for years due to rights issues, and Kino has produced a deluxe two-disc edition in association with Legend Films and the great special effects master Ray Harryhausen. Two versions are included, colorized and the original black-and-white, with restored footage. There’s audio commentary by Harryhausen and Cooper biographer Mark Cotta Vaz, an interview with Harryhausen, an interview with James D’Arc (curator of the Merian Cooper papers at Brigham Young University), an interview with composer John Morgan discussing Max Steiner, production stills, promotional artwork, and comparisons of the movie with silent versions from 1911 and 1925. Kino has also released three rare early talkies, originally produced by mogul Joseph M. Schenck and released through United Artists. THE LOTTERY BRIDE (1930) is a Rudolf Friml operetta, a format very popular during the early days of sound, directed by the obscure Paul Stein, about a singer who becomes a lottery bride for the brother of the man she loves. The picture is interesting as a vehicle for Jeanette MacDonald during her Lubitsch-Mamoulian era prior to massive stardom at MGM with singing partner Nelson Eddy, and as an early appearance by Joe E. Brown before his move to Warners, where he became one of the most popular comedians of the early 30s. BE YOURSELF (1930), directed by Thornton Freeland (WHOOPEE!, FLYING DOWN TO RIO), is fascinating as one of the few chances to see Ziegfeld superstar Fannie Brice (later the subject of FUNNY GIRL and FUNNY LADY) on film (she only made three films between 1928 and 1930; this was her last). Fannie plays a nightclub singer in love with a has-been boxer, played by Robert Armstrong, a couple of years away from his turn as Carl Denham in KING KONG. BE YOURSELF, and especially THE LOTTERY BRIDE, are creaky curios; not so with ALIBI (1929), a dynamic early gangster film that earned three Oscar nominations (Picture, Actor, Art Direction) in the second year of Academy Awards. Chester Morris plays a mob boss who resumes his criminal activities after being released from prison; director Roland West is one of the most curious filmmakers in American cinema – after directing three impressive talkies in 1929-31 (ALIBI, THE BAT WHISPERS, CORSAIR), he retired a wealthy man, making it back in the news when his girlfriend Thelma Todd was found dead in his garage, an apparent suicide in a case that has never truly been solved. West’s trademarks include his imaginative compositions, heavily influenced by German expressionism, photographed by Ray June, and fantastic sets and editing by two future contributors to GONE WITH THE WIND (1939), William Cameron Menzies and Hal Kern, respectively. Kino’s contemporary releases are just as significant. Andre Techine’s LE LIEU DU CRIME/SCENE OF THE CRIME (1986) was selected for both the Cannes and New York festivals; it’s an exquisite French psychological thriller starring Catherine Deneuve in one of her best roles as a young mother who gets involved with a criminal. Techine brings a haunting and literate quality to the melodramatic proceedings, virtues that inform his best known works, WILD REEDS (1994) and LES VOLEURS (1996). The only extras are a director’s bio/filmography. Michael Haneke has won distinction as one of the most interesting directors in international cinema. The Austrian filmmaker is celebrated in one of the most outstanding DVD releases of the year, THE FILMS OF MICHAEL HANEKE, a seven-disc collection from Kino. The 65-year-old director has just completed his first English-language film, a remake of his FUNNY GAMES, which is included in this set (the new version stars Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Michael Pitt); his previous film, CACHE (2005), won three major prizes at Cannes, including Best Director. The Kino box set begins with Haneke’s feature debut, THE SEVENTH CONTINENT (1989), an Antonioni-inspired study of a dysfunctional Austrian family’s descent into total malaise, the first in his post-modern trilogy; a 2005 interview with Hankeke is included on the disc. The second film in the trilogy, BENNY’S VIDEO (1992), is an unforgettable portrait of a teenage boy and his video camera; I won’t spoil it for you, but the film contains one of the most shocking, unpredictable scenes I’ve ever scene, a stunning indictment of contemporary apathy. The last installment, 71 FRAGMENTS OF A CHRONOLOGY OF CHANCE (1994), continues Haneke’s disturbing vision of 90s Europe and the desensitizing effects of television. Haneke was the ideal director for an adaptation of Franz Kafka’s dystopian THE CASTLE (1997), perfect material for his stern, severe direction and painterly visual style. FUNNY GAMES (1997) may be Haneke’s masterwork to date, a modern horror film about a home invasion (not for the faint of heart), called by the New York Times a “beautifully acted and paced German variant of CAPE FEAR.” Nominated for a Golden Palm at Cannes, FUNNY GAMES is essential viewing. CODE UNKNOWN : INCOMPLETE TALES OF SEVERAL JOURNEYS (2001) is another modern Euro classic, with Haneke weaving together the stories of four diverse characters in Paris, including a young actress played by Juliette Binoche. It’s cinematically, emotionally and intellectually stimulating, like all of Haneke’s work. THE PIANO TEACHER (2001) won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes, as well as Best Actress (Isabelle Huppert) and Best Actor (Benoit Magimel); the film is an intense drama of loneliness and sexual obsession. The DVD includes an interview with Huppert. WARNER HOME VIDEO: Wolfgang Petersen has had an interesting if uneven career. In Germany, he made a name for himself with the small, compelling gay-themed drama THE CONSEQUENCE (1977), then burst onto the international scene with the brilliant and much revered World War Two epic DAS BOOT (1981). Hollywood beckoned, and he balanced the good (THE NEVER ENDING STORY, 1984; ENEMY MINE, 1985) with the not-so-good (SHATTERED, 1991; OUTBREAK, 1995) and the downright bad (POSEIDON, 2006). He directed three excellent box-office blockbusters (IN THE LINE OF FIRE, 1993; AIR FORCE ONE, 1997; THE PERFECT STORM, 2000), and the epic TROY (2004), which earned mixed reviews on its way to a half-billion dollar international gross on a $175 million estimated budget. Inspired by Homer’s The Iliad, it is of course the story of the 12th Century B.C. Trojan Wars, with legendary characters like Achilles, Hector and Helen of Troy. The movie as released in theatres is a well-done, well-acted colossus of a film but TROY: DIRECTOR’S CUT is a great film, the best movie of its kind since BRAVEHEART a decade ago. Petersen has added 30 minutes of footage, enhancing the violence and nudity, and especially injecting an emotional resonance missing from the theatrical release that fulfills the vision of David Benioff’s screenplay. TROY boasts a powerhouse cast – Brad Pitt in one of his best performances as Achilles, the greatest warrior of the ancient world; Eric Bana as Hector, Prince of Troy; Orlando Bloom as his brother Paris; Diane Kruger (NATIONAL TREASURE) as Helen; Sean Bean (LORD OF THE RINGS) as Odysseus; Brendan Gleeson (BRAVEHEART) as Menelaus; Brian Cox (BRAVEHEART) as the Greek King Agamemnon; Saffron Burrows (BOSTON LEGAL) as Andromache; 6’8” Tyler Mane (Michael Myers in Rob Zombie’s new HALLOWEEN) as Ajax; and the always riveting Peter O’Toole as King Priam of Troy. The scope of the production is staggering, from the sets and costumes to the thousands of Greek galleys massing against Troy to the kick-ass battle sequences. With all that, the best action scenes are not the hordes of clashing Greeks and Trojans (both real and CGI-generated), but the one-on-one fights between Bloom and Gleeson, and especially Pitt versus Bana. James Horner (BRAVEHEART, TITANIC) contributes an appropriately stirring score. The director’s cut DVD (which runs 192 minutes) is introduced by Wolfgang Petersen and includes six excellent featurettes about the making of the film. This double disc set is retailing at a consumer friendly $20.97; WHV is also releasing an Ultimate Collector’s Edition that includes a photo book, The Art of Troy; behind-the-scenes photos; and pages from Petersen’s shooting script, priced at $39.98. John Boorman’s DELIVERANCE (1972) is still a powerful film experience 35 years after its first release. WHV has released a newly remastered anniversary edition that commemorates this milestone movie. Adapted by James Dickey from his novel, DELIVERANCE stars Jon Voight (two years after MIDNIGHT COWBOY), Burt Reynolds (in his star-making role), and newcomers Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox as four suburban Atlanta friends who go on a canoeing expedition in the wild Appalachian foothills. The trip quickly becomes a tension-filled struggle for survival, dark, disturbing stuff set against the rugged natural beauty of northeastern Georgia, with lots of “How-the-hell-did-they-get-that-shot?” cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond. Boorman offers audio commentary, and there are new documentaries with interviews by the principals as well as a vintage featurette. This bonus material is must-viewing for aspiring filmmakers, as Boorman describes how he battled executives on his casting choices, his filmmaking style, and virtually every aspect of a production that has become a modern classic … and earned three Oscar nominations (Picture, Director, Editing) and 22 million 1972 dollars in theatrical rentals. A month doesn’t pass without another great box set from WHV. This time it’s THE SHAKESPEARE COLLECTION, four of the Bard’s most enduring plays adapted to film. German impresario Max Reinhardt’s Hollywood Bowl production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM caused a sensation in 1934, and the unlikely Jack Warner grabbed the rights to the production as well as the director for a stunning 1935 film. Warners was best known at the time for topical gangster flicks and Busby Berkeley musicals; teaming Reinhardt with the experienced filmmaker William Dieterle, the studio made the best Shakespeare film to date. The Felix Mendelssohn music was arranged by the legendary Erich Maria Korngold, with Bronislova Nijinska and Nini Theilade staging the ballets and Max Ree designed the memorable costumes. The original roadshow version has been fully restored to gauzy, glittery black-and-white perfection (digitally remastered from the original nitrate camera negative), highlighting Hal Mohr’s dazzling cinematography. Mohr won an Oscar for it, the only time a write-in vote earned an Academy Award. The film also won for editing, and was nominated for Best Picture. The casting is especially fascinating, with Warners contractees James Cagney (as Bottom), Joe E. Brown (as Flute), Dick Powell (Lysander), Hugh Herbert (Snout), and Frank McHugh (Quince) cast way against their normal types, 15-year-old Mickey Rooney as Puck, and Olivia deHavilland in her third film as Hermia. The DVD contains knowledgeable commentary by historian Scott MacQueen, Olivia DeHavilland’s screen test, a vintage making-of featurette, and a musical short, SHAKE MR. SHAKESPEARE. George Cukor’s ROMEO AND JULIET (1936) was MGM’s prestige picture of the year, personally supervised by Irving Thalberg, directed by George Cukor. It’s been somewhat slighted for the casting of 35-year-old Norma Shearer (Mrs. Thalberg) and 42-year-old Leslie Howard as the doomed teen lovers but the pair handle themselves well and are ably supported by Basil Rathbone as Tybalt, Edna May Oliver as the Nurse, C. Aubrey Smith as Lord Capulet and especially John Barrymore as Mercutio. Thalberg used all of Metro’s many resources to make this an exceedingly lavish production and the picture made the National Board of Review’s Top Ten list, and earned Oscar nominations for Picture, Shearer, Supporting Actor (Rathbone) and the art direction. Extras include a vintage cartoon, LITTLE CHEESER, and an MGM short, MASTER WILL SHAKESPEARE (1936), directed by Jacques Tourneur (later the maker of CAT PEOPLE, CANYON PASSAGE, OUT OF THE PAST and CURSE OF THE DEMON). OTHELLO (1965), directed by Stuart Byrge, recreates the staging of the National Theatre of Great Britain, with Laurence Olivier simply incredible as the Moor in a performance considered one of the greatest of all time by many critics and actors. All four leading actors were nominated for Oscars -- Olivier, Maggie Smith (Desdemona), Joyce Redman (Emilia), and Frank Finlay (Iago). A vintage featurette, OLIVIER TALKS ABOUT OTHELLO, is included. Kenneth Branagh’s epic adaptation of HAMLET (1996) was the first-ever full-text film version of Shakespeare’s greatest work (Olivier won a Best Picture Oscar in 1948 for his version and Franco Zeffirelli’s 1990 version was also very good), and it’s a beautiful work of art, with Blenheim Palace standing in for Elsinore. Branagh (directing and playing the title role) put together a powerhouse cast for the picture – Kate Winslet, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie, Robin Williams, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal and Charlton Heston. Branagh introduces the two-disc DVD, and does a commentary with Shakespearean scholar Russell Jackson. This is a new digital transfer from original 70mm elements, with the soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1. A featurette is included, TO BE ON CAMERA: A HISTORY WITH HAMLET, and a gallery of Shakespeare trailers: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (1935), ROMEO AND JULIET (1936), JULIUS CAESAR (1953), OTHELLO (1965), HAMLET (1990), HAMLET (1996) and OTHELLO (1995). There’s a whole lotta Shakespeare goin’ on here – ROMEO AND JULIET runs 124 minutes, MIDSUMMER 143 minutes, OTHELLO 167 minutes, and HAMLET 242 minutes. This is a collection that should be acquired by English and drama departments, to be enjoyed by students, scholars, and movie fans. In the words of Othello, “May the goodness of the night be with you, my friend!” SONY: French writer-director Francois Veber crafts a romantic comedy gem in THE VALET/LE DOUBLURE (2006). Daniel Auteuil plays a billionaire who sets up supermodel mistress Alice Taglioni with a homely valet (Gad Elmaleh) to fool wife Kristen Scott Thomas. This delightful Gallic farce is hilarious and fast-paced, and highly recommended. Special features include a charming director’s commentary and a making-of featurette. The 70- year-old Veber has been directing wonderful films since 1976, and several of his previous films have been remade by Hollywood – LE CHEVRE as PURE LUCK, LES FUGITIFS as THREE FUGITIVES, his screenplay for LA CAGE AUX FOLLLES as THE BIRDCAGE, LES COMPERES as FATHER’S DAY and now he is in development with The Farrelly Brothers to direct an American version of THE VALET. Adam Rifkin’s THE DARK BACKWARD (1991), one of the most bizarre American movies ever made, is available now in a special edition. In this cult classic comedy/fantasy, Judd Nelson plays Marty Malt, an aspiring stand-up comedian who grows a third arm on his back. Supported by his insane accordion-playing friend Gus (Bill Paxton) and sleazy agents Jackie Chrome (Wayne Newton) and Dirk Delta (Rob Lowe), Marty becomes a success. Lara Flynn Boyle is on hand (no pun intended) as Marty’s girlfriend, as well as James Caan as kooky Doctor Scurvy. THE DARK BACKWARD is most assuredly a love-it-or-hate-it movie – personally I applaud its originality and uniqueness. The DVD includes audio commentary from Rifkin, deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, and a q-and-a with Nelson, Paxton, and Rifkin. Nicole Kidman narrates the moving documentary GOD GREW TIRED OF US: THE STORY OF LOST BOYS OF SUDAN (2006), directed by Christopher Dillon Quinn and co-director Tommy Walker. When the radical Muslim Sudanese government pronounced a death sentence on all Christian males in 1987, 27,000 boys, aged three to thirteen, fled on foot to Ethiopia, fighting the elements, famine, wild animals and rebel soldiers. A journalist tagged them the “Lost Boys,” a reference to the orphans of PETER PAN, as they formed surrogate families for protection. Four years later, they were forced to flee to a United Nations camp in Kenya; only 12,000 survived. This film follows three of the refugees chosen to re-locate to the United States, and documents their acclimation to American life in Syracuse and Pittsburgh. It’s a remarkable saga, as heart-wrenching as the Cherokee Trail of Tears. GOD GREW TIRED OF US won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, and the Canal Plus Prize at the 32nd Deauville Festival of American Film, and is recommended family “entertainment” – if that’s the word for it – by the Dove Foundation. The DVD includes commentary with Quinn and the Lost Boys; a featurette on the Lost Girls of Sudan; deleted scenes and outtakes; and a Lost Boys update: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? FOX/MGM: Danny Boyle’s low-budget hit 28 DAYS LATER (2002) transformed the zombie film; the director of TRAINSPOTTING brought his kinetic style and a new approach to the sub-genre – instead of slow, lumbering George Romero living dead, Boyle’s creatures were hyper-fast, victims of an uber-rage virus. Boyle executive produced the sequel, 28 WEEKS LATER (2007), directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (INTACTO), and it’s a worthy, satisfying follow-up, produced at many times the cost of the original. While 28 DAYS LATER started in the city and progressed to the British countryside, the sequel inverts the locations, and introduces a strong new cast, including Robert Carlyle (TRAINSPOTTING, THE FULL MONTY), Catherine McCormack (BRAVEHEART), Jeremy Renner (12 AND HOLDING, NORTH FORK), Harold Perrineau (LOST), Rose Byrne (TROY), Imogen Poots (V FOR VENDETTA) and Idris Elba (THE WIRE). John Murphy’s score is brilliant, never more so than in the incredible opening sequence. Extras include 13 minutes of deleted scenes, three behind-the-scenes featurettes, director commentary, and “29 Days Later: The Aftermath” flash-animated segments, based on the Fox Atomic Comics graphic novel, bridging the storyline between the two films. Fox/MGM celebrates the 40th anniversary of Mike Nichol’s landmark comedy THE GRADUATE (1967) with a two-disc special edition. Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin, Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson, Katherine Ross as Elaine, Nichols’ Oscar-winning direction, the Calder Willingham/Buck Henry screenplay, and of course the Simon and Garfunkel songs – THE GRADUATE is one of the greats. In its day it broke new ground in romantic comedy and was nominated for seven Oscars – today it’s still eminently watchable and entertaining. Lots of extras are included – audio commentary by Hoffman and Ross, audio commentary by Nichols and Steven Soderbergh, four featurettes (including a one-on-one with Hoffman), and a soundtrack CD with four Simon and Garfunkel tunes – “The Sound of Silence,” “Scarborough Fair/Canticle,” “April Come She Will,” and of course, “Mrs. Robinson.” As Robert Osborne says on TCM, THE GRADUATE is one of the essentials. The DVD release of the year promises to be FORD AT FOX. I’ll be covering it extensively in the December column but in the meantime here’s the press release announcing the much anticipated contents: John Ford is considered by many to be one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. His sphere of influence touched contemporaries such as Ingmar Bergman and Orson Welles; as well as George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. For much of his early career, Ford’s home was Twentieth Century Fox where he made more than 50 films for the studio from 1920 through 1952, including such classics as The Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, Drums Along The Mohawk and How Green Was My Valley. It was one of the most productive director/studio relationships in the history of American film. Now, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents a collection spanning the career of this remarkable visionary with FORD AT FOX, available December 4. Celebrating the legacy of the collected works of John Ford and their part in the Studio’s heritage and pedigree, FORD AT FOX features 24 films as well as the new documentary “Becoming John Ford” by Academy Award nominated documentary maker and Ford historian Nick Redman. The beautifully packaged collection also includes an exclusive hard-cover book which features rare, unpublished photographs from Ford’s career, lobby card reproductions, production stills and an in-depth look at this maverick’s work. The premiere FORD AT FOX DVD collection will be available for a suggested retail price of $299.98. Three mini-collections will also be available including The Essential John Ford, John Ford’s American Comedies and John Ford’s Silent Epics, all for a suggested retail price of $49.98. Single discs of selected films from the collection will be available for $19.98. Ford’s career began at Fox with Just Pals (1920), a rustic silent comedy set in rural America and starring cowboy actor Buck Jones. Other silent epics followed including the seminal film The Iron Horse (1924) which was the biggest grossing film of its day, the revenge tale 3 Bad Men (1926), family saga Four Sons (1928) and the redemption story Hangman’s House (1928) which features the screen debut of John Wayne; all of which are included in the FORD AT FOX collection completely restored and remastered and featuring all-new orchestral scores created specifically for each film. While revered for his contributions to the Western genre, the collection also features some of Ford’s classic American comedies including three pairings with cowboy hero Will Rogers in Doctor Bull (1933), Judge Priest (1934) and Steamboat Round The Bend (1935), the legendary Dan Dailey in When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950) and the incomparable James Cagney in What Price Glory (1952). No cinephile collection would be complete without Ford’s masterpieces, three of which feature one of his longtime friends and collaborators, Henry Fonda in Drums Along The Mohawk (1940), The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and My Darling Clementine (1946). The set also features How Green Was My Valley (1941), winner of five Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director, a category for which Ford took home the statue four times in his career. Rounding out the collection is Seas Beneath (1931), Up The River (1931), Pilgrimage (1934), The World Moves On (1934), The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936), Wee Willie Winkie (1937), Four Men and a Prayer (1938), Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), Tobacco Road (1941) and Born Reckless (1950). Ford At Fox DVD Collection Special Features & Disc Specifics Just Pals (1920) Feature film with Dolby 5.0 Surround Sound and Spanish/French subtitles The Iron Horse (1924) Two versions – U.K. and United States Feature film with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound and Spanish/French subtitles Commentary by Author & Film Historian Robert Birchard (International only) “Scoring The Past: The Iron Horse Sessions with Christopher Caliendo” featurette (International only) Restoration comparison (International only) Vintage program (International only) Advertising gallery (International only) 3 Bad Men (1926) Feature film with Dolby 5.0 Surround Sound and Spanish/French subtitles Four Sons (1928) Feature film with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound and Spanish/French subtitles Hangman’s House (1928) Feature film with Dolby 5.0 Surround Sound and Spanish/French subtitles Born Reckless (1930) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Up The River (1930) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Theatrical trailer Still gallery Seas Beneath (1931) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Doctor Bull (1933) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Pilgrimage (1933) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Commentary by Biographer & Film Historian Joseph McBride Restoration comparison Judge Priest (1934) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles The World Moves On (1934) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Steamboat Round The Bend (1935) Feature film with English Stereo and English Mono and Spanish subtitles Commentary by Author Scott Eyman Restoration comparison Theatrical trailer Will Rogers Theater Doubting Thomas In Old Kentucky Life Begins at 40 The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Restoration comparison Interactive pressbook gallery Advertising gallery Still gallery Wee Willie Winkie (1937) Feature film (tinted version) in English Stereo or English Mono, Spanish Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Feature film (black & white) in English Stereo or English Mono, Spanish Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Restoration comparison Four Men and a Prayer (1938) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Drums Along The Mohawk (1939) Feature film with English Stereo or English Mono, Spanish/French Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Commentary by Film Historians Julie Kirgo & Nick Redman Theatrical trailer Still galleries Advertising Lobby cards Studio portraits Behind the scenes Production stills Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) Feature film with English Dolby Digital 1.0 The Grapes of Wrath (1940) Feature film with English Stereo or English Mono, Spanish Mono and Spanish subtitles Commentary by Biographer & Film Historian Joseph McBride U.K. prologue Biography: Darryl Zanuck: 20th Century Filmmaker Restoration comparison Theatrical trailer Movie Tone News 1934: “First Drought In Many Years Hits Mid-West” 1934: “Drought Distress Is Increasing In The Mid-West” 1934: “Mid-West Drought Distress Becomes National Disaster” 1934: “Outtakes” 1941: “Roosevelt Lauds Motion Pictures At Academy Fete” Still gallery Tobacco Road (1941) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Interactive press book Poster gallery How Green Was My Valley (1941) Feature film with English Stereo or English Mono, Spanish/French Mono and Spanish subtitles Commentary by Anna Lee Nathan and Biographer & Film Historian Joseph McBride Backstory: How Green Was My Valley Still gallery Theatrical trailer My Darling Clementine (1946) Disc One Feature film with English Stereo or English Mono, Spanish/French Mono and Spanish subtitles Commentary by Wyatt Earp III Disc Two Alternate pre-release version (Ford’s cut) What is the pre-release version featurette Theatrical trailer Behind the scenes When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950) Feature film with English Mono and Spanish/French subtitles Restoration comparison Advertising gallery What Price Glory (1952) Feature film with English Stereo or English Mono, Spanish Mono and Spanish subtitles Two theatrical trailers Fox Flix Crash Dive The Hunters Morituri Becoming John Ford (2007) Feature-length documentary with English Stereo and Spanish/French subtitles Wow! This is how you should say Happy Holidays to your favorite film fan … and hats off to Fox for stepping up their catalogue releases this year. MIRAMAX: Screenwriter Scott Frank (GET SHORTY, MINORITY REPORT and his Oscar-nominated OUT OF SIGHT) makes his directorial debut with THE LOOKOUT (2007), a stunning take on the heist genre that benefits from fine performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, and Matthew Goode. Levitt plays a young hockey star in a small Midwest town; after suffering a head injury in a car accident, he’s been reduced to a lonely job as a night janitor at a bank. Seduced by Goode’s line of con, he finds himself an integral part of a planned bank heist. Frank weaves a thoroughly engrossing tale, one of the best films of the year. Levitt has became one of the best actors of his generation, after growing up before our eyes on THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN and making his mark in the indie world with BRICK and MYSTERIOUS SKIN. He does a dazzling job with a highly complex role, crediting the fact (on a making-of featurette) that he had 11 months to work with the material. Extras include audio commentary from Frank and cinematographer Alar Kivilo (Sam Raimi’s A SIMPLE PLAN). Dino De Laurentiis’ elaborate production of FLASH GORDON (1980), directed by Mike Hodges (CROUPIER, GET CARTER) comes to DVD in an equally elaborate special edition with digitally remastered picture and 5.1 Surround Sound. The movie was much maligned upon release but has a loyal following among those who saw it as kids back in the day. The musical score by Queen provides an extra layer of 80’s nostalgia. Sam Jones was really miscast in the title role of the intergalactic hero, and love interest Melody Anderson also never hit movie stardom, becoming a busy TV actress, but the cast of FLASH GORDON is distinguished by Max Von Sydow (as Ming the Merciless), Topol, Timothy Dalton, Mariangela Melato (SWEPT AWAY) and Richard O’Brien (Riff in THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW). Based on the 1930s Alex Raymond comic strip that became the basis for Universal’s popular 1936 serial starring Buster Crabbe, this sci-fi epic (which updates the original story) spares no expense, gorgeously photographed by Gilbert Taylor (STAR WARS, A HARD DAY’S NIGHT, DR. STRANGELOVE) and lushly designed by Danilo Donati (LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, AMARCORD, FELLINI’S ROMA). It’s definitely juvenile stuff, for kids of any age, as the saying goes.. The DVD includes an interview with screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr., a featurette with comic artist Alex Ross discussing the film’s influence on his own work, and best of all, Chapter One of the classic 1936 FLASH GORDON serial. TOUCHSTONE HOME ENTERTAINMENT: The critics completely trashed WILD HOGS (2007) as it raced to an almost $200 million U.S. gross earlier this year. It isn’t what you’d called a critics’ film, but it is good, dumb, mindless fun, a great way to turn off your brain for 100 minutes. I mean, honestly, it’s hard to really hate a stupid comedy that stars John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Tim Allen, Marisa Tomei, Ray Liotta and, in a completely appropriate cameo, Peter Fonda – all of whom are clearly having a lot of fun under the direction of VAN WILDER’s Walt Becker. And for die-hard fans – and this movie has quite a few – there’s the requisite making-of featurettes, audio commentary by Becker and writer Brad Copeland, deleted scenes, funny outtakes, and even an alternate ending. GENIUS ENTERTAINMENT: Ken Loach is one of cinema’s treasures, a filmmaker’s filmmaker who has quietly been doing works of great distinction since POOR COW (1967). The 71-year-old British director has never compromised his art or his commitment to social realism, and has steadfastly turned down Hollywood’s golden offers. Despite a staggering eight awards and another seven nominations for various Cannes prizes over the years, he is possibly the least known great international director … in the U.S., that is, certainly not in the rest of the world. His body of work is spectacular – POOR COW, KES (1969), A FAMILY LIFE (1971), BLACK JACK (1979), THE GAMEKEEPER (1980), LOOKS AND SMILES (1981), FATHERLAND (1986), RIFF-RAFF (1990), HIDDEN AGENDA (1990), RAINING STONES (1993), LADYBIRD, LADYBIRD (1993), LAND AND FREEDOM (1995), MY NAME IS JOE (1998), BREAD AND ROSES (2000), THE NAVIGATOR (2001), A FOND KISS (2004), and many more from this prolific filmmaker, including documentaries and TV films. Dozens of much better known directors have acknowledged his influence (Scorsese, Stone, Mike Leigh, and virtually every filmmaker who has dabbled in social issues in the past 30 years). A Loach box set was recently released in Region Two (Europe); hopefully it will make its way to our shores soon, where it is much needed. Of course, any British director who turns down the prestigious Order of the British Empire with the following statement is bound to be a maverick: “I turned down the OBE because it's not a club you want to join when you look at the villains who've got it. It's all the things I think are despicable: patronage, deferring to the monarchy and the name of the British Empire, which is a monument of exploitation and conquest." Which brings us to THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY (2006), which won Loach the Palm D’Or at Cannes. It is essential Loach, a gripping drama about the black days of 1920-21 in Ireland when the Irish Free State was feeling the growing pains of its 800-year enslavement by Great Britain. Cillian Murphy and Padraic Delaney play Irish freedom fighters whose destinies take them on divergent paths; Loach painstakingly evokes the dramatic nuances of duty, family and love of country, boldly portraying Briish barbarity on the Emerald Isle. WIND is a practically flawless film from the acting to the writing (by Paul Laverty) to the direction, the sense of period (and indeed the intolerable violence of that period), all counterpointed by the beautiful Irish locations. Like almost all of Loach’s film it had a limited release in this country (through IFC Films). The DVD include commentary by the director and historical advisor Professor Donal O’Driscoll, and a documentary look at Loach’s work called CARRY ON KEN. (A note about WIND: the Irish brogues are super-thick; it’s recommended you watch the film with English subtitles). Genius continues its DVD releases of Hong Kong action flicks under its Dragon Dynasty label with the 1993 Jackie Chan thriller CRIME STORY. It’s prime Jackie, based on a true story, with Asia’s most popular movie star playing a detective trying to rescue a kidnapped billionaire. CRIME STORY has all the elements of pre-Hollywood Jackie Chan – amazing action sequences, brilliantly choreographed martial arts, and suspenseful (and smart) narrative. The DVD has deleted scenes, feature commentary with director Kirk Wong and Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan, and interviews with Wong and writer Teddy Chen. IMAGE: The NBR named 51 BIRCH STREET (2006) to last year’s Top Five Documentaries list; filmmaker Doug Block started out documenting his elderly parents, and after his mother’s unexpected death, discovered the intimate details of their lives by reading her decades of diaries. Making the film, Block opened many doors in the lives of the generation that fought World War two, conquered suburbia, raised Baby Boomer kids, and kept dark secrets for years. Extras include “Who Knew? The Block Family Reacts to 51 BIRCH STREET” and a novelty music video of “I Flunk Adultery.” TV ON DVD: One of the many joys of DVDs is the opportunity it offers to watch an entire season of a TV show straight through, without commercials, without having to wait a week for the next episode. Several outstanding series have recently debuted on DVD; let’s start with perhaps the best dramatic series currently on the tube, and certainly the hottest new series of the last year, HEROES: SEASON 1 (Universal Studios Home Entertainment). Nominated for eight Emmys, HEROES has captured the imagination of fantasy fans and earned massive audiences with taut storytelling, imaginative mythology, and an amazing ensemble cast. The story is deceptively simple – a group of people from around the globe discover they have various super powers (e.g. flying, invisibility, mind-reading) and discover they are key to literally saving the world. Creator Tim Kring (PROVIDENCE, CROSSING JORDAN) does a brilliant job in keeping the show suspenseful, moving and intelligent, and far surpasses the excellent first season of LOST in that it actually provides answers by the end of Season One, along with the inevitable questions that need to be raised to keep interest up for Season Two. The outstanding cast includes Sendhil Ramamurthy, Milo Ventimiglia, Adrian Pasdar, Leonard Roberts, Ali Larter, Jack Coleman, Eric Roberts, Malcolm MacDowall, Greg Grunberg, Lisa Lackey, Masi Oka (a fan favorite as the Japanese time traveler), and America’s newest sweetheart, Hayden Panettiere, as the cheerleader with regenerative powers. The seven-disc DVD set includes the unaired pilot, a 73-minute show with creator Tim Kring’s audio commentary; an extensive making-of featurette; featurettes on the stunts, the music, and comic book artist Tim Sale, whose work is an important part of the show; and 50 deleted and extended scenes. 30 ROCK (Universal) gets my vote for the funniest sitcom on network TV. The show earned 10 Emmy nominations, including Best Comedy. Season One is available on a three-disc set with all 21 episodes. Tina Fey writes, exec produces and stars as Liz Lemon, head writer for an SNL-style show broadcast live once a week from NYC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Her co-stars are equally brilliant – Alec Baldwin as a network exec, Jane Krakowski as an egotistical star, Tracy Morgan as an insane ex-movie star trying to revive his career, Jack McBrayer as a page – and the guest stars are also wonderful, especially Paul Reubens as the last in a line of inbred European royalty. The writing is perfect, clearly informed by Fey’s tenure on SNL. The set includes audio commentary by Baldwin, Fey, Morgan and McBrayer, deleted scenes, bloopers, and behind-the-scenes featurettes. 30 ROCK is a keeper, a set you can keep mining for laughs after your initial viewing. The new season begins on October 4, Thursday nights at 8:30 on NBC. UGLY BETTY (Buena Vista Home Entertainment) made a star out of America Ferrara as an aspiring writer working at a high fashion magazine. As Betty Suarez, the dowdy girl from Queens with braces, glasses and zero fashion sense, Ferrara battles against all odds in the superficial world of fashion. The show became a huge hit last year, with standout performances by series regulars Eric Mabius and Vanessa Williams (as a Cruella DeVille fashion diva). UGLY BETTY is a comedy with dramatic undertones and a whole lot of heart, and now you can watch the entire first season sans commercial interruption in a six-disc set with lots of extras including audio commentaries, deleted scenes and featurettes. Season Two premieres on Thursday September 27 at 8 PM on ABC. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (Sony) is a fun domestic sitcom about two couples – Patrick Warburton (SEINFELD) and Megyn Price (GROUNDED FOR LIFE), and Oliver Hudson (BLACK CHRISTMAS) and Bianca Kajlich (VANISHED) – and their single friend, played by David Spade. There’s nothing here you haven’t seen on a thousand other sitcoms, but it’s well acted, well written and well paced, with a perfect character for Spade’s sardonic style, and a great showcase for Warburton, who we loved as “Puddy” on SEINFELD. The disc includes a table read featurette, a blooper reel and a tour of the set. THE BLACK DONNELLYS (Universal) didn’t catch on with the public and was cancelled before its full run was over. Now the complete series is available on a three-disc set with all 13 episodes, including seven that never aired on NBC. Creators Paul Haggis (MILLION DOLLAR BABY) and Bobby Moresco (Haggis’ co-writer on CRASH) present the four Donnelly Brothers (Jonathan Tucker, Tom Guiry, Billy Lush, Michael Stahl-David) in New York City, charting their rise from boys to gangsters. Cinematographer Russell Lee Fine (THE WIRE) provides the necessary grit on New York locations; the best thing about the show is the preponderance of guest starring NYC actors, including Peter Greene, Michael Rispoli, Joe D’Onofrio, Ned Eisenberg, Kevin Conway and Brian Tarantina. It’s a bare-bones set, with no extras of any kind. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (Universal) is a different story, an Emmy-nominated adaptation of the New York Times best-selling movie and the 2004 movie about small town life in a Texas town. The collection contains 22 episodes, a making-of-the-final-episode featurette, commentary by the show’s producers and cast, and deleted scenes. Friday nights in Dillon, Texas, brings together the whole town to watch the Dillon High Panthers play football, and act out their individual dramas. The series features a solid ensemble of relative unknowns – one reason the show is so good – including Kyle Chandler (KING KONG), Connie Britton (24), Scott Porter (MUSIC & LYRICS), Gaius Charles (THE BOOK OF DANIEL), Taylor Kitsch (THE COVENANT), Zach Gilford (THE LAST WINTER), Minka Kelly (WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU), Adrianne Palicki (SOUTH BEACH), Jesse Plemons (GREY’S ANATOMY) and Aimee Teegarden (NED’S DECLASSIFIED SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE). Season Two of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS premieres Friday, October 5th at 9 PM on NBC. EMI: Here’s a press release about an upcoming DVD release of The Beatles movie HELP! (1965): Apple Corps Ltd have announced the eagerly anticipated DVD release of The Beatles’ second feature film ‘Help!’ on October 30th (October 29th ROW) which will be marketed and distributed by EMI Music. Directed by Richard Lester, who also directed the band’s debut feature film ‘A Hard Days Night’, ‘Help!’ made its theatrical debut in 1965. The story follows The Beatles as they become passive recipients of an outside plot that revolves around Ringo's possession of a sacrificial ring, which he cannot remove from his finger. As a result, he and his bandmates John, Paul and George are chased from London to the Austrian Alps and the Bahamas by religious cult members, a mad scientist and the London police. In addition to starring the Beatles, ‘Help!’ has a witty script, a great cast of British character actors and features 7 classic Beatles tracks, including: “Help!,” “You're Going To Lose That Girl,” “You've Got To Hide Your Love Away,” “Ticket To Ride,” “I Need You,” “The Night Before,” and “Another Girl.” THEATRE: One of the joys of living in New York City is of course its thriving theatre scene. I recently saw a new play by Julio Tumbaco and Jim Gibson called NATE AND BETTE on Theatre Row on 42nd Street. A two-character comedy-drama about a very unusual brother and sister, the play features outstanding work by Debbie Klaar and David King; Klaar in particular is the backbone of the production playing straight to the hilarious over-the-top antics of King, and ultimately her performance is why this highly original play works so well. NATE AND BETTE deserves to move on to a bigger venue. IN MEMORIAM: It is with profound sadness that I note the passing of Robin Little after a lengthy illness. Robin was a devoted Executive Director of the National Board of Review from the early 80s into the mid-90s, and was editor of Films in Review during the same period. Her experience as an editor at major publishing houses served her well in this regard (she once told me her favorite editing experience was working with David Niven on his best-selling memoirs). I wrote dozens of articles for FIR under Robin’s well-trained eye, and truly admired this elegant, kind and intelligent woman who was the epitome of class. She served the NBR tirelessly and selflessly, and she will be sorely missed, and remembered with love by those who had the privilege to know her. God bless you, Robin. JOHN GALLAGHER jgmovie@gmail.com < Between Action and Cut