|
| Movie rating: |
6/10 |
| DVD rating: |
7/10 |
| Release Date: |
October 9, 2001 |
| Running Time: |
1 hour 22 minutes |
| Rating: |
R |
| Distributor: |
Zeitgeist Video |
| List Price: |
$29.99 |
|
| Special Features: |
Widescreen letterbox format.
Chapter selection.
Francois Ozon and Rainer Werner Fassbinder bios.
Two "sing along" with "Dance the Samba With Me" scenes in English and German.
English translation of poem spoken by Malik Zidi in one scene.
Theatrical trailers.
|
| Video Format: |
Widescreen (1.66:1)
[SS-SL]
|
| Languages: |
French (Dolby Digital 2.0)
|
| Subtitles: |
English.
|
| Captions: |
No
|
| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
|
Rainer Werner Fassbinder died at age 36. He left behind nearly 40 films dealing with the troubling human condition. Along with Werner Hertzog and Wim Wenders, Fassbinder led the charge of the New Wave of German cinema in the 70s. Fassbinder, a homosexual and drug addict, led a troubled life which he bravely explored during his short stay on our planet. "Water Drops on Burning Rocks" was a play that the prodigy wrote at age 19. 15 or so years after his death, French director Francois Ozon brought this play to the big-screen. Theatrical in it's presentation, "Water Drops on Burning Rocks" is set in the apartment of Leo (Bernard Giraudeau), a 50 year old salesman who is not the person he seems at first.
The story opens with Leo and Franz entering Leo's apartment. Leo pours a couple of drinks. Franz tells Leo that he doesn't know why he came home with Leo because he had a date that night with Anna, his fiancee. Leo slowly manipulates the conversation to the point that he asks Franz to have sex with him. The experienced 50 year old man is able to corral the naïve young man into bed. Of course, Franz probably had some idea this was going to happen when he came home with Leo in the first place.
Six months later, Leo and Franz are a couple. Leo comes and goes as he is a traveling salesman. Franz writes poems to Leo even though Leo is a bitchy old queen who berates the younger man all the time. One day while Franz is alone in the apartment, there is a knock on the door. Franz, in his underwear, opens the door. There is an older woman at the door. She has a smile on the door thinking Leo is going to answer it. Her visage changes as she sees the young man. There is a sadness in her eyes that hints at darker secrets than we can imagine. She leaves without giving her name.
I saw the trailer for this movie on the DVD for "Aimee and Jaguar." If not for the trailer, I probably wouldn't have ever seen this one. The trailer is a hoot. The four characters are dancing to a German pop/samba song. They dance side by side, and are having a great time. Leo suddenly walks over to the stereo, turns of the album and says, "That's enough, everyone in the bedroom." Anna, wearing only blue bra and panties and Vera jump up and down, screaming with delight like newly crowned prom queens and run toward the bedroom. The trailer was catchy and fun and hooked me. I'm glad I saw it. It is a stagy and ultimately depressing movie. Just as the writer had an ultimately depressing life which ended in an overdose of barbiturates and cocaine.
The acting is good. Bernard Giraudeau as Leo is both powerful and a royal pain in the ass. His final scene makes you want to go back and reexamine the movie for hints of what was to come. Ludivine Sagnier as Anna is fresh and sexy as hell. Her Anna is in over her head when she goes up against Leo. Anna Thompson as Vera has the least to do. She has an excellent scene with Franz at the end which is very revealing. The final shot of the film is a freeze frame of Vera which sums up all that has come before. Malik Zidi as Franz is also quite good.
"Water Drops on Burning Rocks" has won several international film festival awards as best Gay and Lesbian film. It is thought provoking and entertaining. It does show that love, no matter straight or gay can be a real downer
A depressing, but interesting movie. Fair picture and sound. So-so but fun extras.
Picture Quality: 7/10
Not a visually exciting film. If you remember the scenes inside Alex's parent's apartment in "A Clockwork Orange" then you'll have a feel for how this entire movie looks. There is one exception which is the "Samba" dance sequence which is hilarious, sexy, exciting and fun. If only the rest of the movie had this look and tone. Flesh tones are excellent (especially Ms. Sagnier's). I noticed a few artifacts. There was some minor loss of delineation between darker colors during the final sequence.
Sound Quality: 8/10
The sound was fine. This is a dialogue driven movie. As I don't speak French, I was reduced to reading subtitles, therefore I really can't say if any dialogue was lost. The "Samba" scene sounded great. The music was clear and brisk.
Menu: 10/10
Cool menu. The menu and the trailer make this seem like an up-beat sex farce, rather than the serious film it turns out to be. The menu is colorful and makes good use of images and music from the film.
Extra Features: 3/10
The "Sing along" features are cool. I love the great "Samba" scene more than the rest of the movie. The bio of Fassbinder is short. Zeitgeist would have done better by him to include a featurette or documentary. Better yet, somebody hire Werner Hertzog to do a documentary about Fassbinder.
The Final Word:
I'm glad I saw the movie. It was far from what I expected. The ultimately depressing and hopeless ending left me with a bad taste. It's not that I don't like films that have doom as their ultimate message, it is just that this film was promoted as something else. It's worth a look. Whether you rent or buy will be a matter of personal taste.
|
| Movie rating: |
10/10 |
| DVD rating: |
10/10 |
| Release Date: |
July 1, 2003 |
| Running Time: |
2 hours 8 minutes |
| Rating: |
PG-13 |
| Distributor: |
MGM |
| List Price: |
$24.98 |
|
| Special Features: |
Widescreen anamorphic format
Chapter selection
Commentary by director Wim Wenders and Peter Falk
Deleted scenes with commentary by Wim Wenders
Documentary:"Angels Among Us"
Interactive map
Original advertising artwork
German trailer
US trailer
Wim Wenders promo
MGM sneak peaks |
| Video Format: |
Anamorphic Widescreen (1.7:1)
[SS-DL]
|
| Languages: |
German/English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
German/English (Dolby Digital 2.0)Surround
|
| Subtitles: |
English, Spanish, French.
|
| Captions: |
Yes
|
| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
|
Wim Wenders' "
Wings of Desire" rivals Jean Cocteau and Rene Clement's 1946 masterpiece "
La Belle et la Bete" as one of the most magical fantasies ever committed to film. Wenders won the Best Director award at Cannes for this beautiful movie. "
Wings of Desire" takes a simple premise and creates a magical observation of humanity. There are angels among us.
Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) have been friends for eternity. They are angels. They aren't alone either. The city of Berlin is full of angels. They listen, observe, comfort. Children seem to be able to see them. Others sense their presence. Damiel wonders what it would be like to be human. To touch, to bleed, to love, to hurt, and especially, to love. Marion (Solvieg Dommartin) is a circus performer who wants to be loved. Damiel falls in love with her. Peter Falk plays an actor who senses, communicates with and tempts Damiel.
"Wings of Desire" defies labels. It was the inspiration for the American romantic comedy "City of Angels." Though "Wings of Desire" deals with romantic love and has humorous elements, it isn't a romantic comedy. It is a unique film. An unforgettable cinematic experience. The film was shot in Black and White and color. Once Damiel becomes human, the film turns to color. A majority of the film is in Black and White. Beautiful cinematography.
A masterpiece! Great sound, picture and extras.
Picture Quality: 10/10
Stunning black and white photography. Excellent delineation throughout the gray scales. Excellent detail. The color sequences are lush. Great flesh tones. No bleeding of colors. Sharp images all around. No artifacts or pixilation. Pure visual enchantment.
Sound Quality: 10/10
The ethereal soundtrack features the best harp music this side of the pearly gates. Nice balance between the ranges. I don't speak German, so I can't say if there is any loss of dialogue.
Easter Eggs:
On the last 'chapter selection' screen, there is an angel icon that will reveal a poster for the movie band "Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds."
Extra Features: 10/10
The documentary "
Angels Among Us" is a 45-minute look at the creation and execution of this unique movie. I was amazed to learn that this film was shot without a script. Wenders and his collaborators developed the concept and filmed off the cuff. The documentary includes interviews with all of the major cast and crewmembers. It makes a nice companion piece to the commentary track by Wenders and actor Peter Falk. If ever a film experience was accented by a commentary track it is "
Wings of Desire."
The 'Interactive Map' shows various locations used in the film. Click on the site to hear the cast and crew discusses those particular scenes. The movie is filled with several great set pieces. The library scene is a standout. The interactive map includes discussions of the creation of that scene and several others.
There are two trailers, an advertising gallery that only includes two posters and a Wim Wenders promo film. The promo film is a short, two-minute film in German. I have no idea what was said. There were no subtitles.
Mr. Wenders provides commentary for a 30-minute montage of deleted scenes. Some scenes are just clips while others are lengthy and complex. Mr. Wenders provides insight into the editing process.
The Final Word:
"Wings of Desire" is a magical treat worth discovering. MGM has given the film a grand treatment. This is a must have DVD.
|
| Movie rating: |
9/10 |
| DVD rating: |
9/10 |
| Release Date: |
April, 24, 2001 |
| Running Time: |
1 hour 57 minutes |
| Rating: |
R |
| Distributor: |
Anchor Bay Home Entertainment |
| List Price: |
$29.98 |
|
| Special Features: |
Commentary by Paul Verhoven.
Extensive biographical infor mation on the director and two leads actors.
Original storyboard artwork.
Theatrical trailer.
Scene selection.
|
| Video Format: |
Anamorphic Widescreen
|
| Languages: |
Dutch (Dolby Digital Mono)
|
| Captions: |
English
|
| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
|
While "Soldier of Orange" brought world attention to Paul Verhoven, it was his followup film "The Fourth Man" which brought Hollywood knocking at his door. A pleasingly, perverse thriller, "The Fourth Man" deals with human relationships in a frank manner seldom seen in American films. Gerard Reve (Jeroen Krabbe) is a gay, alcoholic writer who may suffer from schizophrenia as he is haunted by visions of death. Thrown into this psychic stew is the inner turmoil caused by the conflict between his sexuality and his Catholic faith. Gerard travels to Vlissagen to address the coastal town's literature club. There he meets Christine (Renee Soutendijk) a sensuous young woman who has her sights set on him. She also has three dead ex-husbands. Will Gerard become the fourth man? This powerfully depraved thriller will have you guessing and second guessing what will happen. You'll want to watch it a second time to figure out just what did happen. This is a great movie guaranteed to provoke conversation and argument.
In one of the most disturbing credit sequences ever filmed, Jon De Bont's wonderful camera work captures a hairy, scary spider as it crawls over the face of Christ on a crucifix. The camera meticulously follows the beast as it pounces on three flies caught in its web. They are wrapped in silk and saved for later. As the credits end, the camera pulls back and reveals Gerard waking up from an obviously rough night. He shakes uncontrollably as he walks down stairs to shave. His house is decorated in a crazy quilt combination of art deco and Catholic icons. A miniature of the Pieta is on his night stand. As Gerard tries to shave, we see his young boyfriend practicing the violin . Gerard suddenly picks up a shear black bra and strangles his lover to death. Quick cut to Gerard sitting at his kitchen table having a bit of the hair of the dog. He turns and offers a toast to the virgin Mary hanging above him. He then walks back into the room where his boyfriend is still playing the violin. This is the first taste of the insights we get into Gerard's fantasy world. Obviously he's not a happy camper. As his visions increase one wonders if his home really was decorated like that, or if he is lost in a world of mental illness and religious mania. Gerard leaves to catch the train for his speaking engagement.
At the Amsterdam train station, Gerard sees a young man in tight clothes and is aroused. He tries to make contact and chases the guy around the station. He sees the young man through the window of a departing train. The train is heading for Koln (Cologne). Having missed his prey, Gerard gets on his train. He looks out the window and sees a sign which says "Jesus is Everywhere." He looks on the wall in front of him and sees a advertisement for an art gallery. The painting depicts Samson and Delilah. A blond woman sits across from him with her young son who is wearing a T-shirt which says Daddy's Son. The woman peals her son an apple. The peal comes off in one long piece. She entertains her son with it. As Gerard looks at the boy, the woman holds the peal behind the boys head in a circular manner like a halo. Gerard is having a hard time with the religious symbolism. He looks at an ad above the woman's head which depicts the front of a hotel. Suddenly he is walking into that hotel. He picks up a key with the number 4 on it. He walks down the hall. He comes to the room. As he puts the key in the lock the number on the door turns into an eyeball which then falls out of the door in a bloody mass. Gerard is shocked out of his vision and looks back at the photo of the hotel. It is covered in blood. Fearing for his sanity, he cries out. The woman looks up and sees that her son's tomato juice can has burst in her bag.
Following his presentation to the literature club, Gerard hooks up with Christine. She seduces him. Christine is a thin woman. To Gerard, she looks like a beautiful boy. Christine straddles Gerard and places her breasts in his face. "These aren't boys" she says. Gerard cups her small breasts and pushes them to the side. In his mind, she looks like a boy now and he becomes aroused. The next morning, Christine asks Gerard to stay with her. She is a wealthy widow, but money doesn't buy happiness. Gerard is hesitant at first. He comes across a letter to Christine from another boyfriend. There is a photo with the letter. It is the young man from the train station the Gerard was after. Now that there is a chance that he might meet the man of his dreams, Gerard agrees to stay with Christine. The other boyfriend is Herman (Thom Hoffman). Christine says he is a brutal lover. Gerard assures her he will be able to use his psychic powers to get to the bottom of Herman's problems as a lover. The remainder of the film follows this twisted ménage a trois. Gerard is haunted of visions of death and the virgin Mary. Is Christine a black widow who lures men to their deaths? Is Gerard just a crazy old drunk? Is anything the viewer sees in this movie real or a figment of Gerard's fantastic imagination? You be the judge.
Verhoven has put together a visual treat. Shot in vivid colors full of symbolic meaning, Verhoven sinks the viewer into a world of erotic insanity. The acting is excellent. Ms. Soutendijk is a worthy predecessor to Sharon Stone. She is alluring, vulnerable, dangerous and mysterious at the same time. One never is sure if she is evil incarnate or the victim of a paranoiac's delusions. She is very sexy. Mr. Krabbe turns in a performance that most American actors would be to scared to do. In real life, people who sleep in the nude get up and walk across the room to go to the bathroom. In Hollywood movies, the actors and actresses usually find something to cover up with. Not so in this film. Both male and female full-frontal nudity is on display. In the context of the film it is natural and non-exploitive. The same goes for the film's portrayal of homosexual sex. I'm straight, and it's not really my cup of tea to see two guys kissing (two girls yes!)but from a cinematic point of view, Verhoven's approach to the subject is honest and real. This is due to the film's European origin. The puritanical hypocrisy which permeates Hollywood is not present.
Based on a novel by the Dutch writer Gerard Reve (yes he named the main character after himself), "The Fourth Man" is an excellent psychological thriller. A harbinger of Verhoven's "Basic Instinct," "The Fourth Man" is in many ways a superior film. The cinematography by future director Jan De Bont is crisp and exciting. This is an all around great movie. Thank God it was made overseas where filmmakers have balls. The film is not rated, but would probably garner an NC-17 under our system.
Another nice job by Anchor Bay. This is a great overlooked movie. Anchor Bay realizes that there are a lot of movie buffs out there who want to see and own these films. The product is excellent. A real keeper. It helps that the movie itself is so good, but they built on that to come up with a DVD you want to purchase.
Picture Quality: 10/10
Jan De Bont's cinematography loses nothing in the transfer. Beautiful colors. A real handsome picture.
Sound Quality: 10/10
From the sound of a spider skuttling over a table, to the moans of passion, and the anguished cries of a nightmare, this DVD gives you eveything.
Menu: 7/10
If I have a grip with Anchor Bay's DVDs it is that the menus only list the chapters selections by name, and there is no illustrating still. It's a small grip but one I've meant to make before.
Extra Features: 10/10
I really enjoyed the director's commentary because of the highly symbolic nature of the film. It was great to get the film-maker's insights. It was also nice to get the background information about the writer of the source material, Gerard Reve.
The Final Word:
I had never heard of this film. I got it on the strength of my love for Verhoven's "Soldier of Orange" and "Spetters." Wow, great movie.
| Director(s): |
Michele Soavi
|
| Movie rating: |
8/10 |
| DVD rating: |
9/10 |
| DVD Release Date: |
06/13/2006 |
| Running Time: |
99 minutes |
| Rating: |
NR |
Distributor:
Anchor Bay
List Price: $19.98
Running Time: 99 minutes
Special Features:
Widescreen anamorphic format
Chapter selection
Featurette: Death is Beautiful
8-page collector's booklet
Theatrical trailers
Michele Soavi biography
Video Format:
Anamorphic Widescreen (1.66:1)
Language Tracks:
English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles:
English
Closed Captions:
Yes
Casing:
1-disc Keep Case
by Rusty White
reviewed: 2006-05-28
Michele Soavi's "Cemetery Man" is a grand combination of horror, comedy, gore and sensuality. This unique film enjoyed theatrical success in the director's native Italy as well as in the US. The film fails to get a 10 out of 10 rating for me, only because of the final scene. Even though that scene left we with a WTF feeling, it did not diminish what came before. "Cemetery Man" is an erotic journey through a very strange and horrific world.
There is much debate among doctors and theologians about whether people are born Gay or whether they choose that lifestyle. This movie might just answer that question. Leading man Rupert Everett is one of the most openly Gay actors working in film. In this movie he has a number of sex scenes with my new object of lust, Anna Falchi. If Mr. Everett was able to do these scenes with such an amazingly beautiful, voluptuous and sensuous woman, then he had to have been born Gay. Let's talk about this cool movie.
Francesco Dellamorte (Rupert Everett) is the handyman at a very unusual cemetery. His job is to kill the dead. Turns out that whoever is buried in this cemetery comes back to life as a zombie. He has a half-wit helper named Gnaghi (Fracois Hadji-Lazaro). Gnaghi resembles Curly from the three stooges. One day an elderly man is buried. His very young wife (Anna Falchi) catches Francesco's eye and sets his blood to boil. She returns two nights later and the pair makes love on the grave of her husband. Of course, the husband comes back from the grave with an appetite for his wife's smooth, naked flesh. Things go far afield from this point on. I really don't want to ruin any of the enjoyable surprises in store for you so I won't
Rupert Everett is great as the zombie killer. His deadpan style fits the material. Like "Sin City," this film was based on a popular Italian graphic novel. Anna Falchi is amazing. Not only is she the sexiest woman in the entire world, she can also act. She is called upon to play three roles. Two of the three characters take off their cloths! I know I'm just wrong for lingering on this fact, but this woman's body proves their had to be a creator. Those curves could not have evolved accidentally, and there isn't a plastic surgeon alive with the skill to create such beauty. I think I'll quit writing this review and go watch the movie again!
Great horror/comedy, picture, sound and extras.
Picture Quality: 10/10
Flesh tones! Wonderful flesh tones! The movie was shot on a sound stage to insure the unique look from the graphic novel was recreated. The colors are vivid. There are no delineation problems in the restored transfer. Sharp images.
Sound Quality: 10/10
Both soundtracks are great, with the edge going to the enhanced 5.1 track.
Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs Found on Disc.
Extra Features: 10/10
The featurette is a lengthy look at the making of the movie. The director, Anna Falchi and others are interviewed. Anyone familiar with the wonderful documentaries produced by Anchor Bay will know that this is a quality piece of work. Anchor Bay includes the best featurettes of any DVD producer on the market. This one is no exception.
Anchor Bay proves once again why they are the industry's top producer of quality horror DVDs. This unique, sexy and quirky scare fest is a must have for genre fans.
| Director(s): |
Sergio Leone
|
| Movie rating: |
10/10 |
| DVD rating: |
9/10 |
| DVD Release Date: |
05/25/2004 |
| Running Time: |
179 minutes |
| Rating: |
NR |
by Rusty White
reviewed: 2004-05-01
Italian master Sergio Leone's "The Good, The Bad & the Ugly" is an epic Western of mythic proportions. Most directors never come close to making a film this good. The amazing thing about Leone is that he actually eclipsed this accomplishment two years later with "Once Upon a Time in the West." "The Good, The Bad & the Ugly" was Leone's final film with Clint Eastwood. The three Eastwood/Leone films have erroneously been called the "Dollars Trilogy" or "The Man With No Name Trilogy." The fact is, Eastwood played three different characters in the films and each one had a different name.
"The Good, The Bad & the Ugly" deals with three amoral men searching for a fortune in stolen Confederate gold. Blondie a.k.a. The Good (Clint Eastwood) is a drifter in search of easy money. He hooks up with Tuco a.k.a. The Ugly (Eli Wallach). Tuco is a Spanish bandit whose list of crimes is lengthy and imaginative. Blondie and Tuco run a scam in which the bandit is turned in for the bounty. Once it is collected, Blondie springs Tuco from jail and the pair moves on to another town. Angel Eyes a.k.a. The Ugly (Lee Van Cleef) is a hired killer. Angel Eyes always sees his job through to the end. While carrying out a contract, Angel Eyes uncovers a mystery concerning $200,000,00 in stolen gold coins. His search is on. Fate brings Blondie and Tuco on the trail of the gold also. The three have a date with destiny in a far off graveyard. The journey to that graveyard will lead all three through the perils of the Civil War.
This classic film has been restored to its original Italian premiere version. The movie was shorn of 18 minutes for its US release. As Italian movies are not shot with synchronous sound, the 18-minutes cut for US release were never looped. In order to restore this film, MGM had Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach ADR their scenes. An actor was brought in to impersonate the late Lee Van Cleef's voice for the shorn 18 minutes.
The collaboration of Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone rivals that of Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrman as one of the richest and productive partnerships in cinematic history. Both Leone and Morricone were masters of their art. Leone's brilliant use of alternating long shots and extreme closeups coupled with Morricone's thematic music make Leone's Westerns works of art and majesty.
Leone's use of facial close-ups was second to none. Not since the days of silent films has a director said so much with the use of simple visuals. Leone chose extras and supporting actors based on their looks. You will not see an uninteresting face in any Leone film. His use of wide, long shots in this film are among his best. The film was shot in Spain and Italy. When Leone came to America's Monument Valley for "Once Upon a Time in the West" he captured his most memorable widescreen images.
"The Good, The Bad & the Ugly" set the stage for "Once Upon a Time in the West" in another way. In this film, Leone had three lead characters. Leone wanted to have Eastwood, Wallach and Van Cleef play the three gunmen Charles Bronson faces in the amazing opening of "Once Upon a Time in the West." Eastwood, Wallach and Van Cleef each carry a significant part of the film. Eli Wallach steals the movie and delivers his most memorable screen performance as the deadly, but likable Tuco. Lee Van Cleef rivals Henry Fonda as Leone's greatest villain. Angel Eyes is a viper. The role made an international star out of the long time support player. Clint Eastwood not only improved as an actor on this film, he also learned methods he would later employ as a director.
I could ramble on for hours about this film. I won't, except to say that this DVD is a must have for any film fan.
Outstanding movie, picture and extras. One small complaint about the sound.
Picture Quality: 10/10
One of the DVD's documentaries deals in part with the visual restoration of this film. The film was shot in Technoscope, a process that squeezes the image onto a square frame. The film is unsqueezed through the projector. It is a lost process. Fortunately, the company that restored the film still had the equipment and expertise to work on this film format. The result is a brilliant picture. Leone's scenic vistas are shown in all of their glory. David Leane never made a Western. He didn't have to. Leone had those epics covered. No pixilation, artifacts or delineation problems. The colors are rich and well-saturated.
Sound Quality: 8/10
There are a couple of places where the dialogue fades out. Most notably during the scene in which the sheriff reads off all of Tuco's crimes before attempting to hang the bandit. It is a shame that these lines are almost inaudible as it is a very funny scene. During the scene in which Blondie strands Tuco in the desert, one of Tuco's lines also disappears. Otherwise, the sound is great. Much effort was made to sync the sound to the actions on screen. One of the drawbacks to non-synchronous sound recording is that words and actions don't always match. While there are still a couple of mismatched acts, this track is still a big improvement over previous version.
Easter Eggs:
There are three Easter Eggs on the Special Features Disk. Push the Left button on your remote as you go down the menu and you will highlight three different Icons. Each contains an interview snippet concerning some humorous aspect of the film's production. Clint Eastwood provides one and Eli Wallach the other two.
Extra Features: 10/10
Where to start! The extras are superb. "Leone's West" and "Leone's Style" are documentaries concerning the making of this film and Leone's directorial style. "Reconstructing GB&U" is great from a technical POV. The featurette goes into detail about how the film was restored. Lots of good info for the techno geek within.
"The Man Who Lost the Civil War" is a documentary about Confederate General Sibly's failed expedition into the West. Silby wanted to obtain a Pacific port for the confederacy. He got as far as present day New Mexico. Sibly's campaign is the backdrop for Leone's film. Critics who said that Leone was wrong to place a Civil War battle in the West need to watch this documentary.
There is a nice featurette and companion audio analysis of maestro Ennio Morricone's work. Morricone's music is almost another character in this film.
For memorabilia fans, the DVD includes five suitable for framing reproductions of foreign posters for the film.
There is an 8-page booklet, which includes a 2003 essay on the film by critic Roger Ebert.
The DVD contains two deleted scenes. There is an extended version of Tuco's torture scene in the Union POW camp. The scene came from a foreign print of the film. It was too damaged to be included into the restored version of the film.
The second deleted scene was not completely filmed. The "Socorro" scene has been reconstructed with surviving stills and film clips. The scene involved Blondie, once again, getting the better of Tuco.
Film critic and historian Richard Schickel provides another great commentary track. Mr. Schickel is well known to DVD fans for his many informative commentaries on classic and cult films. This one is no exception.
Just in time for Father's Day! "The Good, The Bad & the Ugly" is "The Great, The Great & the Great! "
|
| Movie rating: |
6/10 |
| DVD rating: |
7/10 |
| Release Date: |
April 29, 2003 |
| Running Time: |
1 hour 34 minutes |
| Rating: |
NR |
| Distributor: |
VCI Entertainment |
| List Price: |
$19.99 |
|
| Special Features: |
Widescreen anamorphic format
Chapter selection
Archival commentary by producer Herman Cohen
Commentary by film critic David Del Valle and composer Gerard Schurmann
3D motion menues
Video tribute to Herman Cohen
Phone interview with Herman Cohen
Original US and European theatrical trailers
"Hypno-Vista" opening
Photo gallery
Booklet/movie poster
Region 0 DVD
Sneak peeks
|
| Video Format: |
Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)
[SS-DL]
|
| Languages: |
English (Dolby Digital 2.0) Mono
French (Dolby Digital 2.0) Mono
|
| Subtitles: |
English, Spanish, French.
|
| Captions: |
Yes
|
| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
|
Herman Cohen's "
Horrors of the Black Museum" begins with one of the more infamous scenes of the 1950s. A young blonde woman receives a pair of binoculars in the mail. As she raises the gift to her eyes, 5-inch spikes shoot out of the lens aperture and into her brain. Even though you don't actually see the penetration, the scene is very effective. I first saw this movie in the early 1960s. It became a childhood favorite. I did my best to never miss it whenever WHBQ would show it on "
Fantastic Features" with your host Savid.
I have been looking forward to VCI's release of "Horrors of the Black Museum" for quite some time now. I wanted to find out if this beloved movie from my childhood still held up. It does and it doesn't. I found that the movie no longer scared me, but I also found that it did make me laugh and smile. "Horrors of the Black Museum" is a ham and cheese classic. The great thing about this VCI DVD is that you learn a little about the gimmicks of B-movie promotion through the extensive extras provided. Let's talk plot before we get to the extras.
George Bancroft (Michael Gough) is a British crime writer. The arrogant scribe loves to point out the shortcomings of Scotland Yard. The above mentioned binocular murder is just the latest in a series of grisly murders plaguing London. Each time someone is killed, Bancroft hobbles into the office of Superintendent Graham (Geoffrey Keen: the minister of defense in the James Bond films) to gloat. Bancroft also has a habit of checking in with his doctor after each murder. I am not giving anything away when I reveal that Bancroft is more than a little involved in the killings. This is revealed in the previews.
Bancroft has a museum of death in his basement. The room is filled with dioramas of famous murders as well as an arsenal of various torture devices. Bancroft has a faithful aide, Rick (Graham Curnow) who assists with Bancroft's writing and other activities. Rick is dating a redheaded hottie (Shirley Anne Field) who wishes he would spend more time with her and less time playing Igor with Mr. Bancroft.
That is all plot you really need to know. "
Horrors of the Black Museum" contains several implausible but entertaining murders. None are as inventive as the binocular scene, but the movie keeps you attention. I watched this movie with one of my son's friends. My son couldn't tear himself away from his video games. We found ourselves cracking wise throughout the movie ALA "
Mystery Science Theater 3000." Like many of Herman Cohen's B-movies, "
Horrors of the Black Museum" is cheesy fun. Michael Gough delivers one of the most over the top performances you are likely to see. That is saying something considering the nature of the genre.
Full movie. OK picture and sound. Great extras.
Picture Quality: 6/10
I don't know what is wrong with the picture. The transfer was made from a European remastered version. This movie was shot in Cinemascope. When I played the DVD on TV, a large portion of the picture was missing on both sides. I knew that VCI had delayed the original release of this DVD, so I wondered if the company, which did the transfer, had screwed up. I intended to do a screen capture of the opening credits to give you some idea of how much picture was missing. Funny thing is, when I put the DVD in my computer to do the video capture, the entire frame was present. So, I can watch the entire movie on my computer, but on TV a third of the picture is missing from the sides. Go figure.
The colors are very vivid. The blood is Technicolor red, very much like a harlot's nail polish. The flesh tones are good. The picture is soft around the edges. There are some delineation problems during the final "fun fair" sequence.
Sound Quality: 7/10
The mono track is a bit flat at times. This could be due to the flat acting by British sex symbol June Cunningham as Bancroft's blonde floozy. There is no loss of dialogue.
Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs found during review.
Extra Features: 10/10
As they did with "
City of the Dead" and "
The Mark," VCI has gone the extra mile to put together a great package of extras. These three DVDs show VCI's dedication to improving their place among the purveyors of vintage movies.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the films of Herman Cohen. I grew up watching his work. This DVD includes a number of extras focusing on Mr. Cohen. The commentary track was created from archived material in which Mr. Cohen discussed the film. It is a lot of fun. Also included is a video tribute to Mr. Cohen narrated by his close friend Didier Chatelain. It is informative and contains a great many pictures and clips. Also included is a 15-minute phone interview with Mr. Cohen by Scarlet Street publisher Richard Valley. The phone interview is hard to hear at times, but still worth listening to. The interview is accompanied by a video montage of the movies being discussed.
B-movies of the 1950s were often promoted by such gimmicks as life insurance policies in case you died of fright, or nurses in the lobby to assist those who ran screaming from the theater. Such devices were often more inventive than the movies themselves. "Horrors of the Black Museum" was also promoted with the gimmick of "Hypno-Vista." The DVD includes the 13-minute "Hypno-Vista" opening. What this is, is a boring lecture on hypnosis by British psychologist Emile Franchel. Dr. Franchel's film clip supposedly was designed to hypnotize the audience in order to enhance the movie.
The US and European trailers also show how horror films of the era resorted to gimmicky promotion. The US version features Dr. Franchel sticking needles through a young woman's arm while she smiles, oblivious to the pain. I liked the British approach to the trailer better. Dr. Franchel is nowhere in sight. Instead, the British trailer make use of the films "X Certificate" rating. When ever a gory scene (by 1959 standards) is about to be shown, the censor blocks the screen and tells the audience the only way they can see the shocking and unspeakable events of this "X Certificate" movie, they will have to go to the theater.
The second commentary track by David Del Valle and Gerard Schurmann also includes a number of insights into Mr. Cohen and his work. The DVD also includes a good photo gallery and biographies of the main cast members. There is a booklet insert, which unfolds into a reproducing of a Spanish movie poster. The poster is sexploitive in a fun sort of way. Ironically, it is made up of artwork of scenes that are nowhere to found in the movie. Such is the nature of B-Movies!
The sneaks include other VCI horror film releases like Dario Argento's "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage," Mario Bava's "The Whip and the Body" and "Blood and Black Lace,"Curtis Harrington's "Ruby" and John Moxley's "City of the Dead." each of these DVDs include great transfers and extras.
The Final Word:
Another great attempt by VCI to give the royal treatment to an older, well-loved cult classic. Please support these efforts by VCI so they will continue to release such titles in the future. Anchor Bay needs the competition.
| Director(s): |
Alejandro Jodorowsky
|
| Movie rating: |
8/10 |
| DVD rating: |
9/10 |
| DVD Release Date: |
05/01/2007 |
| Running Time: |
393 minutes |
| Rating: |
NR |
Distributor:
Anchor Bay
List Price: $49.98
Running Time: 393 minutes
Special Features:
Feature film: El Topo (1971)
Feature film: Fando y Lis (1968)
Feature film: The Holy Mountain (1973)
Short film: El Cravate (1957)
Soundtrack CD: El Topo
Soundtrack CD: The Holy Mountain
Documentary: La Constellation Jodorowsky
Director's commentary on the three feature films
Theatrical trailers
Featurette: The Tarot (with commentary)
Photo galleries and script excerpts on each feature film
Restoration featurette for The Holy Mountain
Deleted scenes for The Holy Mountain
A Conversation with Alejandro Jodorowsky
Video Format:
Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1)
Language Tracks:
El Topo: Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
El Topo: Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0)
The Holy Mountain: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
The Holy Mountain: English (Dolby Di
Subtitles:
English, Spanish, Brazillian Portuguese, French
Closed Captions:
Yes
Casing:
6-disc Keep Case
by
Rusty White
reviewed: 2007-05-10
When I was a budding film buff (circa 1970) I spent many hours in the main branch of the Memphis Public Library reading movie books. I wasn't old enough to check out the ones I wanted to, so I spent many hours reading about films that I hoped to see one day. Alejandro Jodorowsky's "
El Topo" was forbidden fruit for me. I remember being mesmerized by the tempting images involving gunfighters, freaks and lesbians with whips. The library had a copy of the script which I read over and over, trying to make out what secrets Jodorowsky would reveal. It was several years before I saw the film. I'm not sure I understood it even then. Tell the truth, I'm not sure I get it today. I am still mesmerized by the director. His work can be as tough to fathom as a Fellini film. In fact, I'm almost positive that some of his films can be only understood by Mr. Jodorowsky himself. Alejandro Jodorowsky has made eight films during his career. Anchor Bay's boxed set includes the first four films in his oeuvre.
La Cravate (1957)
This long-lost short film is the directorial debut of Alejandro Jodorowsky. A copy of the film was discovered in a German attic in 2006. This short film is a pantomime adaptation of a Thomas Mann novel. The plot involves a Man trying to impress a woman. She can't be impressed. The Man discovers a shop in which one can trade in their head. He enters the shop at the same time as a boxer. The Boxer changes his head with that of a dapper Casanova type. The Man is horrified and leaves the shop. He returns to the Woman only to be rebuffed again. In desperation, the Man returns to the shop and trades in his head. I leave it at that. The 16mm film was shot in color. Lots of close-ups. Look up Art Film in the dictionary and you will find this or a film similar to it. The message of self-acceptance is pretty straight forward. "La Caravate" is the most coherent film in this series. It isn't the most entertaining or challenging of the set.
Fando y Liz (1968)
This film will evoke three responses. 1: That sucked. 2: WTF! 3: OK, who slipped me the hit of acid? I think most people will have the second reaction. What the fuck! The movie doesn't suck, but it does make no sense. Of course, it is a surreal film, so it may not suppose to make sense. The problem is that it doesn't really evoke much thought either. Jodorowsky saved that for his next two films. "
Fando y Liz" was Jodorowsky's first feature film. It tells the tale of two young lovers searching for paradise in a post-apocalyptic world. Fando can't get it up. Liz is a paraplegic. They hear about Tar, the last city to survive the apocalypse. Tar represents paradise. Nothing will be denied the senses in Tar. The pair sets out on an odyssey across a rubble strewn landscape. They encounter increasingly weird people and events. There are scenes in the movie that are very hard to stomach. It isn't hard to see why this film found an audience with the drugged-out counter culture folks of the 60s.
El Topo (1970)
Jodorowsky's best known film is the cult classic "El Topo." A surreal, philosophical, Zen, Spaghetti Western. Jodorowsky plays El Topo, a great gunfighter in the world. This crazed and ultra violent film began the midnight movie craze. "El Topo" does make the viewer think. In fact, you can read just about any message into this movie that you want to and probably be right. In order to become the best gunfighter in the world, El Topo must defeat the four masters of the desert. Each of the battles is rich in social, political and religious symbolism. The final section of the film has El Topo as some sort of monk bringing the wrath of God down on the rich, hypocrites that rule this strange land. There is much more to the film. The visuals are stunning. This was Jodorowsky's final film shot in 16mm.
The Holy Mountain (1973)
This movie was a revelation. Though surreal, "The Holy Mountain" is the most coherent of Jodorowsky's feature films. Jodorowsky the seeker takes the viewer on a psychedelic journey into the soul of man. The film is divided into three segments and culminates in a quest for immortality upon the Holy Mountain. The movie is funny and profane. There are few Icons which do not get trampled into the mud. The movie also includes many memorable quotes: "You sacrifice completes my temple of 1,000 testicles" and "Rub your clitoris on the mountain!" Believe it or not, each of these lines actually makes sense in the context of what you are watching. While "El Topo" cemented Jodorowsky's place in the pantheon of cult film directors, "The Holy Mountain" shows him to be a talent on par with the likes of Ken Russell. The movie will surely offend as many people as it touches. I was refreshed by how funny and accessible the movie was. The ending calls into question all of Jodorowsky's other work. "The Holy Mountain" is a movie that requires a number of viewings to even come close to understanding. I'm not sure if all of the symbolism is understandable. Even with the great commentary track. One thing is for sure, the movie is entertaining and maybe even enlightening.
A surreal trip down memory lane, especially if you memory was destroyed by a number of acid trips. Great picture, sound and extras.
Picture Quality: 10/10
From a technical POV, "The Holy Mountain" is light years ahead of the other films in the set. The movie is presented in beautiful 2.35:1 aspect ratio. It was also shot on 35mm. The other films in the boxed set were shot on 16mm. Each film was restored. The only artifacts I saw were on the short film "La Caravate."
Sound Quality: 10/10
What great sound tracks. What amazing sound effects! What chilling and horrific noises! These films are as aurally stunning as they are visually stunning.
Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs Found on Disc.
Extra Features: 10/10
Music lovers and soundtrack collectors will love that the boxed set includes the soundtrack CDs for "El Topo" and "The Holy Mountain." I enjoyed the second soundtrack the most. An excellent mix of rock and Eastern/New Age.
The three feature films included 'can't be missed' audio tracks by this great director. All three tracks helped me appreciate the films even more. Watch the movies without the tracks first. If you are someone who will buy this boxed set, you already plan on watching each film a number of times. This is a set for film students if there ever was one.
The DVD includes the 1994 documentary "La Constellation Jodorowsky." The 91-minute film features extensive interviews with the director and others such as Peter Gabriel and Marcel Marceau. The film spans the scope of Jodorowsky's career up until that point. Fascinating stuff. The same can be said for the interview with Mr. Jodorowsky on the "El Topo" DVD.
This boxed set can be a journey of discovery for the spiritual seeker. It can also be a semester in film school for the up-and-coming film student. What it is for the film buff is pure ecstasy.
