Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Radley Metzger Collection: Vol. 1, 2, 3

Radley Metzger Collection: Vol. 1, The (2004)
Director(s): Radley Metzger
Movie rating: 7/10
DVD rating: 5/10
DVD Release Date: 11/23/2004
Running Time: 316 minutes
Rating: NR
Disc Details

Distributor:
First Run Features

List Price: $49.95

Running Time: 316 minutes

Special Features:
Widescreen format
Chapter selection
1967 Feature film: Therese and Isabelle
Theatrical trailer
Production stills
Gallery
Biography
Production notes
1969 Feature film: Camille 2000
Deleted scenes
Production stills & photo gallery
Enrico Sabbatini's Costumes of Camille
Radley Metzger Biography & Filmography
Production notes by Nathaniel Thompson
1965 Feature film: The Alley Cats
Alternate nude scenes
Theatrical trailer
Radley Metzger trailer gallery
Production stills
Color stills gallery
Radley Metzger Biography & Filmography
Production notes by Nathaniel Thompson

Video Format:
Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)

Language Tracks:
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

Subtitles:
None

Closed Captions:
No

Casing:
3-disc Keep Case

Film & Disc Review, Radley Metzger Collection: Vol. 1, The
by Rusty White
reviewed: 2005-06-24

What Russ Meyer was to sexploitation, Radley Metzger was to soft-core art house erotica. The two men emerged during the 1960s as auteurs of lust. While Meyer's in your face, gonzo madness had a Mickey Spillane meets Sam Peckinpah quality, Radley Metzger had finesse and jet-set style. Except for a brief stint in the world of hardcore, Mr. Metzger trained his cameras on the beautiful people in Europe. First Run Features has put out three boxed sets of Mr. Metzger's films. The three sets include a cross section of Metzger's work from the early 1960s through to his last film in 1984.

Volume 1 of the Radley Metzger Collection includes two Black and White films and one in color. All were shot on 35mm in widescreen format.

The 1966 film "The Alley Cats" has some eerie similarities to Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut." A couple on the verge of marriage is having trouble. The rich boyfriend ignores his fiance to the point that she is moved to experiment sexually with other people, including women. He flirtation with lesbianism comes from the "men are pigs" school of thought. The film is one of Metzger's earliest works. While the film's composition is excellent, the script is a bit stale. The humor and fun that marked Metzger's later films is in short supply. The theatrical version is also short on nudity. Metzger filmed some topless scenes, which are included in the DVD's extras, but they aren't in the body of the movie. The film is of interest mainly for comparative purposes.

"Therese and Isabelle" is by far the best film in this volume of the collection. Metzger's film is constructed in flashback. Therese as an adult visits the boarding school where she fell in love with her blond beauty classmate, Isabelle. The film is one of the earliest, non-exploitative examinations of lesbian love. While much of the dialogue is horrendous, the story does build enough erotic tension to keep you engaged. As usual, Metzger's film composition is excellent, though it is hard to tell from this transfer. But more about that later.

"Camille 2000" displays the flare, cinematic style and humor that marked Metzger's best work. Based on the Dumas novel, Metzger tells the tale of a young, sexually adventurous woman who falls for the son of a wealthy count. There is more nudity on display in this film than the others in Volume 1. Decadent Eurorgies that are tame by today's hardcore standard abound. Metzger's stylized set pieces are worth watching just because he was such an excellent visual filmmaker. There is a love making scene in a room of plastic and mirrors that is amazing; amazing in that Metzger captured the images without reflecting the camera crew in the mirrors.

The Disc
One good film, one stylish film and one film that shows you where the director started. Terrible picture and poor sound. Good extras.

Picture Quality: 3/10
The transfers are downright awful. This is a shame, because there is a market for Mr. Metzger's work. The worst of the bunch is "The Alley Cats." There are a multitude of artifacts, scratches, faded images, color noise and worst of all, the frame is not even lined up correctly. In places, most notably the opening credits, a portion of the image is cut off. "Therese and Isabelle" is plagued with a faded picture with terrible delineation. Again, there are many artifacts from the original source material. It seems like no effort was paid toward restoring or cleaning up the images. "Camille 2000" also suffers from artifactitis. Also, the color is faded somewhat. There are halos around the characters at times. I'm not a techie, so I can't say what causes this, but it is distracting.

Sound Quality: 4/10
The sound on "Therese and Isabelle" is not that bad. The voices are rich and soothing, even if the dialogue is just plain bad in many scenes. As for the other two films: yeech! As with many European films from the era, the sound was dubbed in later. The quality of the tracks is very uneven. The volume rises and falls for no apparent reason. Often, the dialogue is just flat and tinny.

Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs Found on Disc.

Extra Features: 7/10
All three films include production notes by Nathaniel Thompson. It is an academic and informative look into the career of Mr. Metzger. You can tell that Mr. Thompson is a huge fan as sometimes he attaches more importance to a particular film than it deserves.

"The Alley Cats" includes deleted nude scenes. There are three nice shots of three actresses from the film who you wish had showed more flesh. I guess it was a sign of the times, that the topless scenes were deleted. "Camille 2000" also includes two deleted scenes, which have more to do with character development than anything else. All three disks include photo galleries with toms of pictures.

The Final Word:

I can't really recommend this boxed set. Its not that the movies aren't worth seeing, they are. The problem is that the movies are worthy of restoration.

Radley Metzger Collection: Vol. 2, The (2005)
Director(s): Radley Metzger
Movie rating: 6/10
DVD rating: 4/10
DVD Release Date: 02/22/2005
Running Time: 262 minutes
Rating: NR
Disc Details

Distributor:
First Run Features

List Price: $49.99

Running Time: 262 minutes

Special Features:
Widescreen format
Chapter selection
1964 Feature film: The Dirty Girls
Alternate Nude Scenes
Theatrical trailer
Original Advertisements and Photo Gallery
Radley Metzger Biography & Filmography
Production notes by Nathaniel Thompson
1973 Feature film: Score
Theatrical trailer
Original Press Materials
Production stills & photo gallery
Radley Metzger Biography & Filmography
Production notes by Nathaniel Thompson
1973 Feature film: Little Mother
Production stills & photo gallery
Theatrical trailer
Radley Metzger Biography & Filmography
Production notes by Nathaniel Thompson

Video Format:
Widescreen (1.85:1)

Language Tracks:
English (Dolby Digital 1.0) mono

Subtitles:
None

Closed Captions:
No

Casing:
3-disc Keep Case

Film & Disc Review, Radley Metzger Collection: Vol. 2, The
by Rusty White
reviewed: 2005-06-25

Volume 2 of the Radley Metzger Collection includes his first Black and White film and two color films from 1973. All were shot on 35mm in widescreen format.

After co-directing two features, Radley Metzger helmed his first solo film "The Dirty Girls." "The Dirty Girls" doesn't know what kind of film it wants to be. On the one hand, it is a soft-core exploitation film. On the other hand, it leans toward being a cautionary tale. "The Dirty Girls" tells the tale of the night in the life of two prostitutes: one in Paris and one in Munich. Garance is the French whore. We follow her through three kinky encounters. At the end of the night, she will go to sleep, wake up and start all over again. Monique in Munich goes through the motions while waiting for the man she loves to call. However, she might just be waiting for another woman. The film is marred by a bizarre voice over commentary that is intended to make the film seem like a documentary. Whatever the reason, this was Metzger's first effort. The film does include early signs of the style and (on a smaller scale) humor that marked his better films.

"Score" is Metzger's most challenging non-hardcore film. Based on the hit stage play "Score: or No One's Afraid of Virginia Woolf!" What sets this movie apart from his others is the inclusion of Gay sex. True, Metzger had dealt with lesbianism from the very beginning, this time he dealt with bi-sexuality in men. The movie is very funny, well shot and the cast is very attractive. The film was not a hit for Metzger because audiences weren't ready to embrace the subject matter. The film's plot deals a married couple living in an open relationship. They play sexual games, which they score based on what they can accomplish with strangers. The highest points are attained by having sex with someone of the same gender. The couple set their sights on a newlywed couple. The DVD box claims that this is the unrated version. It isn't. They even claim the film's running time is that of the unrated version. It isn't. This is the soft-core version released in US theaters with an R-Rating.

Finally we come to one of Metzger's most ambitious films "Little Mother." It is based on the life of Eva Peron. Metzger had mainstream character actors Ivan Desny and Anton Difring in supporting roles. Metzger's heroine is a power hungry witch who uses sex to put her in the throne of power. "Little Mother" contains a couple of very erotic scenes. The film's best scene involves two lovers teasing each other through a glass shower door.

The Disc
So what that the movies are of interest to fans of the genre. So what that Radley Metzger was a director with style and humor. So what seems to be the attitude of First Run Features. Why else go to the trouble of releasing a three volume set including nine films and not care what the movies look or sound like?

Picture Quality: 5/10
Movies not framed correctly. Films with artifacts from rotten source materials. Visual evidence that one of the movies was partially dubbed from a VHS tape! Delineation problems. While the movies are watchable, who wants to pay nearly $50.00 for DVDs of this quality.

Sound Quality: 4/10
Flat sound. Bad dubbing. Tinny sound. Oh joy!

Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs Found on Disc.

Extra Features: 7/10
Film historian Nathaniel Thompson knows his subject. I enjoyed his in depth production notes. The photo galleries are abundant. The advertising materials are interesting. The alternate nude scenes pad things out.

The Final Word:

While I'm glad I have these DVDs (from a historical standpoint), I have not been this disappointed in the quality of a Boxed set collection since I reviewed Rhino's "Walking Tall" collection a few years back.

Radley Metzger Collection: Vol.3, The (2005)
Director(s): Radley Metzger
Movie rating: 8/10
DVD rating: 7/10
DVD Release Date: 04/26/2005
Running Time: 278 minutes
Rating: NR
Disc Details

Distributor:
First Run Features

List Price: $49.99

Running Time: 278 minutes

Special Features:
Widescreen format
Chapter selection
1970 Feature film: The Lickerish Quartet
1.85:1 aspect ratio
Theatrical trailer
Production stills & photo gallery
Radley Metzger Biography & Filmography
Production notes by Nathaniel Thompson
1967 Feature film: Carmen Baby
2.35:1 aspect ratio
Theatrical trailer
Production stills & photo gallery
Radley Metzger Biography & Filmography
Production notes by Nathaniel Thompson
1984 Feature film: The Princess and the Call Girl
1.66:1 aspect ratio
Production stills & photo gallery
Audubon trailer gallery
Radley Metzger Biography & Filmography
Production notes by Nathaniel Thompson

Video Format:
Widescreen (1.85:1)

Language Tracks:
English (Dolby Digital 1.00) Mono

Subtitles:
None

Closed Captions:
No

Casing:
3-disc Keep Case

Film & Disc Review, Radley Metzger Collection: Vol.3, The
by Rusty White
reviewed: 2005-06-26

Volume 3 of the Radley Metzger Collection includes his Masterpiece! Along with the wonderfully erotic "The Lickerish Quartet" volume 3 includes Metzger's fun take on the classic "Carmen" and his disappointing final film.

Radley Metzger's "The Lickerish Quartet" is the fusion of art and erotica. A movie that excites, enthralls and engages the mind. Metzger challenges reality and indulges the viewer's fantasies. In some ways, "The Lickerish Quartet" is an interactive film in that what imagination you bring to the viewing will skew your interpretation of what you see. The plot revolves around a decadent European father, mother and son who watch a porn film. They then go to a local carnival and discover that the woman performing as a daredevil motorcycle rider is the same woman in the movie. The family return home with the woman. What happens when they get there is both erotic and thought evoking. Comparisons to Kurosawa's "Rashomon" might seem pretentious to some, but I think it is a valid one. The performances are the best found in any of Metzger's films. The father is played by Canadian actor Frank Wolfe. Shortly after appearing "The Lickerish Quartet," Mr. Wolfe turned in his best performance as the doomed father in the beginning of Sergio Leone's masterpiece "Once Upon a Time in the West." He committed suicide in 1971. Mr. Wolfe and costar Silvana Venturelli appear in Metzger's greatest set piece, a seduction in a library.

Metzger's first color film "Carmen Baby" is a vibrant, funny, sexy version of the classic tale. This is a transition film for Metzger. It aspires to the levels that he would achieve with "The Lickerish Quartet" it doesn't quite make it. What it does do is show that Metzger is a chic, stylish filmmaker.

The one disappointment (except the video and audio quality) with this set is Metzger's final film "The Princess and the Call Girl." Like many of Metzger's films, this one is based a famous source book. The movie was made for The Playboy Channel. The title tells the story. Two friends change places and roles with predictable results.

The Disc
A great film, a very good film and a stinker. The picture and sound quality is much better than the previous entries in this collection, but they are still lacking. Good extras.

Picture Quality: 7/10
There are artifacts and color fading in spots, but the images are sharp for the most part. An improvement over Volumes 1 & 2.

Sound Quality: 7/10
Again, the sound quality is better than the previous boxed sets, but it is still nothing great. Flat at times.

Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs Found on Disc.

Extra Features: 7/10
Film historian Nathaniel Thompson knows his subject. I enjoyed his in depth production notes. The photo galleries are abundant.

The Final Word:

This one is worth the sale price. Radley Metzger's "The Lickerish Quartet" is an important film in the history of erotic films. Well worth a look.
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Dead of Night/The Queen of Spades

Dead of Night/The Queen of Spades (1946/50)
Movie rating: 8/10
DVD rating: 7/10
Release Date: May 20, 2003
Running Time: 3 hours 18 minutes
Rating: NR
Distributor: Anchor Bay
List Price: $29.98
Disc Details
Special Features: Full frame format
Chapter selection
Two feature films
2 Disk Set
Behind the scenes still gallery for both films
Poster and still gallery for both films
Theatrical trailer for "Queen of Spades."
8-page booklet with production notes.
Video Format: Full Frame (1.33:1)
[SS-SL]
Languages: English (Dolby Digital 2.0) Mono
Subtitles: None.
Captions: No
Casing: 2-Disc Keep Case

Review
Anchor Bay scores again. This great double feature DVD includes a classic of the horror genre and a rarely seen gem that deserves a wider audience. "Dead of Night" is the grandfather of the Omnibus horror films which gained in popularity during the 1960s and 70s. "The Queen of Spades" is an overlooked horror gem from the Associated British Picture Corporation. As good as "Dead of Night" is, this DVD set is worth the price for "The Queen of Spades" alone.

DEAD OF NIGHT: Rating 7 out of 10

Omnibus films are movies comprised of several separate stories tied together by a common thread. Examples of Omnibus films would be "Vault of Horror," "Tales From the Crypt," "Asylum" and George Romero's "Creepshow."

"Dead of Night" is comprised of five stories revolving around a group of people gathered at a country house. An architect arrives to give an estimate for a job. He suddenly is overcome by terror as he recognizes each of the people. He realizes that something dreadful will happen to him if he doesn't leave. His hysteria inspires each of those present to tell of their own encounter with the macabre. A psychologist does his best to convince the man there is nothing to his fears or premonitions.

The five tales range in effectiveness from extremely terrifying to ridiculous. The first tale deals with an ex-soldier's premonition with death. The most famous segment involves Michael Redgrave as a ventriloquist going over the edge of madness. This segment was the inspiration for the Anthony Hopkins film "Magic." For my money, the segment about a haunted mirror is the best thing in the film. The other two stories are below par. One deals with a ghostly game of hide and seek on Christmas Eve. The fifth segment is completely out of place and has been deleted from some previous releases of this film. That segment is a comedy sketch involving golf, ghosts and two men fighting over one woman. It really breaks the flow of the movie. One of the best things about "Dead of Night" is the twist ending, which, unfortunately takes place over the closing credits. Because of this weird placement of the film's final scene, TV stations have often cut away from the movie before it was over. Without the final scene, "Dead of Night" is a completely different film. Anchor Bay gives you the opportunity to experience the movie the way the filmmakers intended. I would, however recommend skipping the golf story. I think you will find the movie is much spookier without it.

THE QUEEN OF SPADES: Rating 10 out of 10

I had never heard of "The Queen of Spades" before receiving this DVD. What a wonderful discovery. All of my research into this movie revealed one common factor. A large number of people both raved about the film's quality and bemoaned its scarcity. Anchor Bay has taken care of the scarcity problem. I have to agree with those who sing this film's praises.

"The Queen of Spades" is based on a short story by Alexander Pushkin. The story, set in St. Petersburg during the 1800s, concerns two people obsessed with winning at cards. Countess Ranevskaya (Dame Edith Evans) sold her soul to the Devil for the secret of the three cards, which will always lead to a winning hand. Years later, Captain Herman Suvorin (Anton Walbrook) seeks out the Countess to obtain the secret from her. Captain Suvorin is unlike the other officers in the Russian army in that he is a commoner. He lusts after their money and power. The driven, complex and amoral character reminded me of Harvey Keitel's performance in Ridley Scott's "The Duelists." "The Queen of Spades" is more of a character study than a horror film, but do not be dismayed, "The Queen of Spades" delivers the good in that department also. The film's card game finale is tense and exciting.

The Disc
One very good film and one overlooked classic. Good picture and fair sound. So-so extras.

Picture Quality: 7/10
"The Queen of Spades" boasts the better picture of this double feature. Excellent use of shadows and darkness. A very moody and atmospheric film from a visual point of view. There are some delineation problems.

"Dead of Night" relies more on the story than photography to achieve its frights. Unfortunately the transfer is full of artifacts from the original source material. The picture isn't to bad considering the movie is nearly 60 years old. Better than the prints you might see on the late movie.

Sound Quality: 6/10
Again, "Queen of Spades" has a very good sound track, especially compared to that of "Dead of Night." I would give "Queen of Spades" an 8 out of 10 rating.

The big problem is the soundtrack for "Dead of Night." The sound is flat, flat, flat. The voices are tinny for the most part. There are a number of audible pops. You can hear the dialogue, but it isn't very attractive at times. I would rate "Dead of Night" a 4 out of 10.

Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs found during review.

Extra Features: 4/10
The extras are close to nonexistent. There are two photo galleries on each DVD. A Poster and still gallery and a behind the scenes gallery. I wish Anchor Bay had included titles on the stills identifying the behind the scenes crew members.

In addition, "The Queen of Spades" includes the original theatrical trailer. Anchor Bay has also included an 8-page production note booklet giving you some background on both films.

The Final Word:
Another worthwhile project from Anchor Bay. Not as good as it could have been, but still worth the price for "The Queen of Spades" alone.

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Women In Love

Women In Love (1969)
Movie rating: 10/10
DVD rating: 7/10
Release Date: March 4, 2003
Running Time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Rating: R
Distributor: MGM
List Price: $19.98
Disc Details
Special Features: Widescreen anamorphic format
Chapter selection
Commentary by director Ken Russell
Commentary by writer-producer Larry Kramer
Behind the scenes photo gallery
Theatrical trailer
Sneak peeks
Video Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.66:1)
[SS-DL]
Languages: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French.
Captions: Yes
Casing: 1-Disc Keep Case

Review
Once upon a time, gonzo director Ken Russell actually received universally rave reviews for one of his films. Russell's 1969 adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's novel "Women in Love" is considered by many to be Russell's best work. As much as I love this film, I prefer Russell's more outlandish fare such as "The Devils," "Savage Messiah," "Lisztomania" and even the flawed "Altered States" for pure visceral cinematic joy. "Women in Love" stands alone in Russell's career as a straightforward movie, devoid of photographic trickery, hallucinatory visuals and religious symbolism. Even still, "Women in Love" is stylistic, well-written, deliberately paced and flawlessly acted.

Producer Larry Kramer wrote the faithful script from Lawrence's 1920s novel. The story follows the love lives of two sisters Gudrun and Ursula Brangwen (Glenda Jackson and Jeannie Linden). The sisters fall in love with two best friends. Rupert Birkin (Alan Bates) is a school inspector. Rupert's best friend is Gerald Crich (Oliver Reed), a wealthy mine owner. The two couples experience completely different relationships. Rupert and Ursual achieve a romantic synergy which allows them to give and take from each other freely. Gerald and Gudrun endure a much bumpier ride.

"Women in Love" is set in the post WWI era. The Victorian attitude towards sex was rent asunder by the horror and carnage of the Great War. The 1920s rivaled the 1960s for sexual openness. "Women in Love" is a frank and sensuous film. The smart dialogue is not for children or adults who cannot understand words with more than one syllable.

"Women in Love" is a perfectly cast film. Glenda Jackson won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance, and deservedly so. Oliver Reed has never been better as the flawed and tormented Gerald. "Women in Love" is one of the best films of the 1960s. In addition to Jackson's Oscar, the film was nominated for Best Director, Cinematography and Screenplay. Do not miss this DVD.

The Disc
Great movie and picture. Good sound and extras.

Picture Quality: 10/10
Billy Williams's lush photography was nominated for an Oscar. The colors are rich and well saturated. There is no bleeding of colors. Excellent delineation. The brilliance of the transfer is best exemplified by the film's famous, mano-a-mano, nude wrestling match between Alan Bates and Oliver Reed in front of a blazing fireplace.

Sound Quality: 8/10
The sound isn't bad. The DVD includes the original Mono soundtrack. While there is no loss of dialogue, there are some flat, high tones from time to time. The soundtrack is dialogue intensive, so there is nothing to give your home theater system a work out. The music suffers most from the Mono treatment.

Menu: 6/10
Very bland menu design. Easy to navigate, just not much to look at.

Extra Features: 7/10
I was a bit disappointed in Ken Russell's commentary track. I've been a fan for years. Mr. Russell is very reserved throughout. He does give some insight into several difficult scenes, and some interesting star anecdotes. However, the commentary track spent too much time pointing out the cameos by the children of many crewmembers. That type of commentary track may be interesting for those involved in the film, but film students want to know more about the filmmaking process.

Fortunately for those who prefer more meat to their commentary tracks, MGM has included a second track with writer/producer Larry Kramer. Kramer's track is much better from a filmmaking point of view. Also, Kramer wore two hats, so he deals with both the adaptation of the novel, but the entire production process.

The DVD also includes the original theatrical trailer, an extensive, categorized photo gallery and Sneak Peeks at many other MGM DVDD releases.

The Final Word:
"Women in Love" is a great movie by one of the masters of 1960s and 70s filmmaking. Beautiful photography, acting and writing. A must have.

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Water Drops On Burning Rocks

Water Drops On Burning Rocks (2000)
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
Disc Details
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

Review
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.

There are four characters, Leo, Franz (Malik Zidi) a 20 year old boy who falls under Leo's spell, Anna (Ludivine Sagnier) Franz's sexy, feisty and headstrong girlfriend and Vera (Anna Thompson) a mysterious woman from Leo's past.

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.

More time passes. Again, Franz is alone when there is a knock on the door. It is Anna. She has been asked to marry by someone. She wants to see Franz before she says yes. She doesn't want to lose all the hopes and plans they made together in high-school. She doesn't seem bothered by the fact that Franz is living with a man as his wife. She sees Leo only as competition for her man. She convinces Franz to leave with her. The door opens. It is Leo. Vera shows up shortly. Things really get interesting at this point. I've already told you more than I should have, but I have left pout enough that you won't hate me for it.

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

The Disc
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.

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Wings of Desire

Wings of Desire (1988)
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
Disc Details
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

Review
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.

The Disc
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.

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Monday, June 23, 2014

Fourth Man, The

The Fourth Man (1983)
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
Disc Details
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

Synopsis
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.

The Disc
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.

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Cemetery Man

Cemetery Man (1994)
Director(s): Michele Soavi
Movie rating: 8/10
DVD rating: 9/10
DVD Release Date: 06/13/2006
Running Time: 99 minutes
Rating: NR
Disc Details

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

Film & Disc Review, Cemetery Man
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!

The Disc
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.

The DVD also includes a great 8-page insert. Again, Anchor Bay continues to make booklet inserts a standard feature on their DVDs, while the competition rarely does. The insert includes an essay by Michael Felser about the film's production. The DVD also includes two trailers.

The Final Word:

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.

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