Written by Senora Bicho
I was eagerly awaiting the start of True Blood when it was first announced. The first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris had me excited for a new vampire series that I hadn't felt since the Anne Rice books. Unfortunately, the first three episodes of Season One didn't live up to the expectations set by the book and I gave up. Season Two reviews indicated that it was much improved and I decided to give it another try.
The primary focus of the series is the budding romance between Sookie (Anna Paquin) and Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Their relationship is somewhat of a challenge as both have unique quirks: Sookie has the special ability to read people's minds while Bill is a vampire. In the second season, human and vampire relations intensify thanks to the growth of a militant religious group, The Fellowship of the Sun.
Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård), one of the chief vampire leaders, recruits Sookie to go to Dallas to investigate the disappearance of his maker. Bill accompanies Sookie on her journey and they soon realize the Fellowship is responsible. Sookie's brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten) has also gone to Dallas but to join the Fellowship and quickly gets deeply embroiled with the reverend and his wife.
Meanwhile in Bon Temps, Maryann Forrester (Michelle Forbes) is slowly taking control over the town with her powers as a maenad, a creature that can influence the actions of humans. Sookie's best friend, Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley), moves in with Maryann and quickly falls under her spell while falling for housemate "Eggs" Benedict Talley (Mehcad Brooks). Tara's cousin, Lafayette Reynolds (Nelsan Ellis), has lost his flamboyance and retreats from the spotlight while trying to recover from his abduction by Eric but knows something isn't right. Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammel), who is a shapeshifter, becomes the main target of Maryann and possibly one of the only people who can stop her.
All twelve episodes are included along with an "Enhanced Viewing" feature that provides character perspectives, flashbacks/flash forwards, pro/anti-vampire news feeds, trivia facts, clues and hints. "The Vampire Report: Special Edition" highlights the biggest stories in vampire news. "Fellowship of the Sun: Reflections of Light" offers rules to live by and messages from the reverend. There are also seven audio commentaries with various members of the cast and crew and a recap of Season One.
The video is delivered with a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer. Colors are lush and vibrant, and blacks regularly inky. Flesh tones, even vampire pale, are consistent. There is sharp detail in textures and objects. The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 delivers a great soundtrack, which is becoming a hallmark for HBO series on Blu-ray. Dialogue is clear and well balanced with other elements. The surrounds offer an immersive experience.
True Blood can be best described as a supernatural, dark soap opera. It is over the top at times while not nearly as much as Season One but provides a unique spin on small-town life. Michelle Forbes and Alexander Skarsgård are standouts and most interesting to watch. Evan Rachel Wood also shines as she joins the cast near the end of the season and promises to shake things up. Season Two felt truer to the books than Season One. I am hoping that Season Three, which starts on June 13th, will continue along this same path.
Article first published as Blu-ray Review: True Blood - The Complete Second Season on Blogcritics.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Louis L'Amour Western Collection
Written by Fantasma el Rey
Louis L’Amour, possibly America’s best and beloved writer of western fiction has three of his stories in the spotlight on Warner Bros.' Louis L’Amour Western Collection. The Sacketts, Conagher, and Catlow are three different tales held together by L’Amour’s simple charm. He was a writer who knew the land he wrote about and came into contact with many people who would build a base for the yarns he wove. Wandering the west in his youth, he rode the rails and took jobs working mines, cattle, and the land, which gives his stories an authenticity often missing with writers of the genre. So with three titles to cover, let’s get this thing going, both guns blazing.
Conagher is the story of Con Conagher, a simple man with all the traits of the typical western good guy, hard-working, honest, loner. Played by Sam Elliott, who makes a great screen cowboy, Con’s life is interrupted by cattle rustlers and a widow with two kids trying to make it in a hard land. Con meets the widow (Katherine Ross) while working for a stagecoach line that stops by her place, which acts as a temporary station until the new station is built. Con and the widow make an instant connection, but being the loner he is, Con rides off and continues his drifting while always keeping her in mind.
While taking a winter job on a not-too-far-off ranch, Con discovers that some of the hands are slowly stealing cattle from the old rancher and selling them to the neighbor. Con, being an honest man hired to do a job, must act accordingly. So he gets the cattle back, runs off the outlaws, and finds his way back to the widow’s cabin. There are a few storylines blending together here and it’s a western light on the gunplay and action, but that’s all right as the basic story is easy to follow, and Elliott carries the day in this made-for-cable oater.
Catlow is the only film of the three to have a theatrical release and some major stars. Yul Brynner is Catlow, a cattle rustler with plans to steal gold from the Mexican Government. Richard Crenna plays the lawman that’s on his trail but is also his friend who always manages to let Catlow slip through his fingers. Last we have Leonard Nimoy as the sharpshooter hired to kill Catlow; kind of odd to see Nimoy with out pointed ears. As Catlow and his gang, along with his hellcat girlfriend, head south of the border followed by the lawman and the bounty hunter, they run into trouble from hostile Indians and Mexican bandits and federales. That’s the story in a pea pod, which gets a bit messy and incoherent, but the film is fun to watch as the cast is clearly having a good time in this comedy western. It’s easy to see that Brynner is having the time of his life as the witty, lovable outlaw.
Leaving the best for last, we have The Sacketts. Made for television in 1979 and aired in two parts, this is the tale of the three Tell brothers: Orrin (Tom Selleck), Tyrel called “Ty” (Jeff Osterhage) and William called “Tell” (Sam Elliott, once again), whose adventures throw them different direction in the Wild West. All three brothers are forced to leave their home in the Tennessee hills for different reasons, and they end up roaming the western states. The boys, at different times, fight outlaws, herd cattle, do a bit of mining, enter politics, find gold and women they love, and have all kinds of other adventures along the way. Based on two novels, Sackett and The Daybreakers, the film blends them well and keeps the pace for its just over three-hour rum time. As is a theme with the L’Amour adaptations, there’s a lot going on and some of it seems a bit much, but with the long list of Sackett novels it good to see our heroes well played on screen. The Sacketts also boasts a fine list of actors known for westerns including Ben Johnson, Glenn Ford, Gilbert Roland, Jack Elam, Slim Pickens, and even Pat Buttram.
Adaptations of L’Amour’s work have a tendency to stray from the original story and can seem crammed into too short a time to tell the tale properly. I can’t say with Catlow and Conagher as I have not read those but I liked The Sacketts for its well-acted/authentic-looking characters and the fact that I know L’Amour had final say on the script; he even gives an intro to the movie. All three films are flawed, some more than others but their base story and fine actors hold interest and make these westerns enjoyable.
Drawbacks to the DVD set are that all three films have been released before and none carry any special features. In fact this version of The Sacketts while remaining on two disks lacks the one featurette that was available when first released. Now that’s just damn odd. There are no quick five-minute looks at L’Amour or his stories. If not for the mention in the titles, one may not even know it’s a L’Amour tale. Also, Conagher looks untouched from sitting in the vaults as far as the actual film quality is concerned. But retailing at around $19.95 or less for fans that don’t have these films already, I say go for it if only to watch some of Louis L’Amour’s characters and story adaptations brought to life on film.
Article first published as DVD Review: Louis L'Amour Western Collection on Blogcritics.
Louis L’Amour, possibly America’s best and beloved writer of western fiction has three of his stories in the spotlight on Warner Bros.' Louis L’Amour Western Collection. The Sacketts, Conagher, and Catlow are three different tales held together by L’Amour’s simple charm. He was a writer who knew the land he wrote about and came into contact with many people who would build a base for the yarns he wove. Wandering the west in his youth, he rode the rails and took jobs working mines, cattle, and the land, which gives his stories an authenticity often missing with writers of the genre. So with three titles to cover, let’s get this thing going, both guns blazing.
Conagher is the story of Con Conagher, a simple man with all the traits of the typical western good guy, hard-working, honest, loner. Played by Sam Elliott, who makes a great screen cowboy, Con’s life is interrupted by cattle rustlers and a widow with two kids trying to make it in a hard land. Con meets the widow (Katherine Ross) while working for a stagecoach line that stops by her place, which acts as a temporary station until the new station is built. Con and the widow make an instant connection, but being the loner he is, Con rides off and continues his drifting while always keeping her in mind.
While taking a winter job on a not-too-far-off ranch, Con discovers that some of the hands are slowly stealing cattle from the old rancher and selling them to the neighbor. Con, being an honest man hired to do a job, must act accordingly. So he gets the cattle back, runs off the outlaws, and finds his way back to the widow’s cabin. There are a few storylines blending together here and it’s a western light on the gunplay and action, but that’s all right as the basic story is easy to follow, and Elliott carries the day in this made-for-cable oater.
Catlow is the only film of the three to have a theatrical release and some major stars. Yul Brynner is Catlow, a cattle rustler with plans to steal gold from the Mexican Government. Richard Crenna plays the lawman that’s on his trail but is also his friend who always manages to let Catlow slip through his fingers. Last we have Leonard Nimoy as the sharpshooter hired to kill Catlow; kind of odd to see Nimoy with out pointed ears. As Catlow and his gang, along with his hellcat girlfriend, head south of the border followed by the lawman and the bounty hunter, they run into trouble from hostile Indians and Mexican bandits and federales. That’s the story in a pea pod, which gets a bit messy and incoherent, but the film is fun to watch as the cast is clearly having a good time in this comedy western. It’s easy to see that Brynner is having the time of his life as the witty, lovable outlaw.
Leaving the best for last, we have The Sacketts. Made for television in 1979 and aired in two parts, this is the tale of the three Tell brothers: Orrin (Tom Selleck), Tyrel called “Ty” (Jeff Osterhage) and William called “Tell” (Sam Elliott, once again), whose adventures throw them different direction in the Wild West. All three brothers are forced to leave their home in the Tennessee hills for different reasons, and they end up roaming the western states. The boys, at different times, fight outlaws, herd cattle, do a bit of mining, enter politics, find gold and women they love, and have all kinds of other adventures along the way. Based on two novels, Sackett and The Daybreakers, the film blends them well and keeps the pace for its just over three-hour rum time. As is a theme with the L’Amour adaptations, there’s a lot going on and some of it seems a bit much, but with the long list of Sackett novels it good to see our heroes well played on screen. The Sacketts also boasts a fine list of actors known for westerns including Ben Johnson, Glenn Ford, Gilbert Roland, Jack Elam, Slim Pickens, and even Pat Buttram.
Adaptations of L’Amour’s work have a tendency to stray from the original story and can seem crammed into too short a time to tell the tale properly. I can’t say with Catlow and Conagher as I have not read those but I liked The Sacketts for its well-acted/authentic-looking characters and the fact that I know L’Amour had final say on the script; he even gives an intro to the movie. All three films are flawed, some more than others but their base story and fine actors hold interest and make these westerns enjoyable.
Drawbacks to the DVD set are that all three films have been released before and none carry any special features. In fact this version of The Sacketts while remaining on two disks lacks the one featurette that was available when first released. Now that’s just damn odd. There are no quick five-minute looks at L’Amour or his stories. If not for the mention in the titles, one may not even know it’s a L’Amour tale. Also, Conagher looks untouched from sitting in the vaults as far as the actual film quality is concerned. But retailing at around $19.95 or less for fans that don’t have these films already, I say go for it if only to watch some of Louis L’Amour’s characters and story adaptations brought to life on film.
Article first published as DVD Review: Louis L'Amour Western Collection on Blogcritics.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS (Blu-ray)
Written by Pirata Hermosa
Just in time to coincide with Ridley Scott's new feature film based on the story of Robin Hood, 20th Century Fox has released the Blu-ray version of the Mel Brooks’ comedy spoof based on the famous swashbuckler. Robin Hood: Men in Tights was originally made in 1993 right after the big-budget Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner as the lead character. That is why a lot of the jokes and the basic storyline pokes fun directly at that version as well as some of the earlier Errol Flynn films.
While not nearly as good as some of his well-known classic comedies, it does contain its share of laughs and has the usual plethora of Hollywood stars rounding out the cast: Cary Elwes as Robin Hood, Dave Chappelle as his sidekick Ahchoo, and Richard Lewis as the completely inept Prince John, just to name a few.
As this film was released 17 years ago, most people have already made up their mind in regards to whether they plan to watch it or whether or not they like the type of humor Mel Brooks is known for. So the most important new information regarding this current release is whether or not it’s worth buying the Blu- ray.
For the Blu-Ray version the video is in 1080p with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and the audio is 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Since I also have a copy on regular DVD it was fairly easy to compare the two. The original DVD is pretty grainy and it’s very obvious that the film was recorded before the advent of DVDs. The sound quality was adequate, but felt more like you were watching something on television as opposed to the quality you might have in a theatre. The Blu-ray still showed a little bit of the grain from the original, but from the quality of the DVD and what they obviously had to work from, I would have been surprised if it didn’t. The DTS-HD Master Audio track was worlds better than the original and was just as good as if you were sitting in the theatre during its initial premiere.
It contains two special features, “Funny Men in Tights: Three Generations of Comedy,“ and “Robin Hood: Men in Tights - The Legend Had it Coming,” which is an HBO special. And finally there is a commentary by Mel Brooks. The original DVD contains only the first feature.
If you were just buying your first copy Robin Hood: Men in Tights and had to choose between the DVD and the Blu-ray, there’s no question that you should get the Blu-ray as it is the superior product. But if you already have the DVD, it’s not necessary to run out and buy the new version because the film focuses more on jokes than it does on visual effects or a grand audio track.
Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Robin Hood: Men in Tights on Blogcritics.
Just in time to coincide with Ridley Scott's new feature film based on the story of Robin Hood, 20th Century Fox has released the Blu-ray version of the Mel Brooks’ comedy spoof based on the famous swashbuckler. Robin Hood: Men in Tights was originally made in 1993 right after the big-budget Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner as the lead character. That is why a lot of the jokes and the basic storyline pokes fun directly at that version as well as some of the earlier Errol Flynn films.
While not nearly as good as some of his well-known classic comedies, it does contain its share of laughs and has the usual plethora of Hollywood stars rounding out the cast: Cary Elwes as Robin Hood, Dave Chappelle as his sidekick Ahchoo, and Richard Lewis as the completely inept Prince John, just to name a few.
As this film was released 17 years ago, most people have already made up their mind in regards to whether they plan to watch it or whether or not they like the type of humor Mel Brooks is known for. So the most important new information regarding this current release is whether or not it’s worth buying the Blu- ray.
For the Blu-Ray version the video is in 1080p with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and the audio is 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Since I also have a copy on regular DVD it was fairly easy to compare the two. The original DVD is pretty grainy and it’s very obvious that the film was recorded before the advent of DVDs. The sound quality was adequate, but felt more like you were watching something on television as opposed to the quality you might have in a theatre. The Blu-ray still showed a little bit of the grain from the original, but from the quality of the DVD and what they obviously had to work from, I would have been surprised if it didn’t. The DTS-HD Master Audio track was worlds better than the original and was just as good as if you were sitting in the theatre during its initial premiere.
It contains two special features, “Funny Men in Tights: Three Generations of Comedy,“ and “Robin Hood: Men in Tights - The Legend Had it Coming,” which is an HBO special. And finally there is a commentary by Mel Brooks. The original DVD contains only the first feature.
If you were just buying your first copy Robin Hood: Men in Tights and had to choose between the DVD and the Blu-ray, there’s no question that you should get the Blu-ray as it is the superior product. But if you already have the DVD, it’s not necessary to run out and buy the new version because the film focuses more on jokes than it does on visual effects or a grand audio track.
Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Robin Hood: Men in Tights on Blogcritics.
EDGE OF DARKNESS (2010) (Blu-ray)
Written by Pirata Hermosa
Originally written in 1985 and aired as a mini-series on the BBC network, Martin Campbell has resurrected his original idea and transformed it into an American feature-length film. While the original story was meant to be a political statement of government affairs, the newest film has been stripped down and rewritten so that only the father/daughter relationship remains from the original premise.
Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is a Boston police officer whose daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic) has come back to town for a visit. But before he can begin to enjoy her company, she starts to get sick and is suddenly vomiting blood. As he rushes her to the hospital, he is confronted by a man in a black ski mask on his front porch who shouts “Craven!” and opens fire with a shotgun at point blank range killing Emma.
Still numb from losing his daughter, Craven begins searching through his old cases trying to figure out who would want him killed. The more he searches, the more confused he becomes as he has no enemies that would match the profile. It isn’t until he searches Emma’s belongings and finds a gun, that he realizes she was the intended target.
Ultimately his search leads him to her place of work, a top-secret government facility that may or may not be dealing with nuclear weapons. Her work becomes the focus of his investigation as he spends the rest of the film trying to put the pieces together and determine who killed his daughter and why.
The Blu-Ray disc is presented in 1080p with an aspect ratio of 2.4:1 with DTS-HD Master Audio. The beginning of the film is particularly dark, which causes some odd shimmering around some of the borders. Overall, the picture quality is well detailed and during close-ups you can see every wrinkle and mark on Mel’s face. The sound quality is very good and during those sudden action scenes you are more surprised by the sound that suddenly seems to be attacking you from different angels. In one scene when someone is struck by a car you could swear that the vehicle just came through your own living room.
The bonus features run about five minutes each and break apart what might have been done better as one long feature, as they discuss the different aspects of the film such as scoring, director Campbell's profile, Mel’s return to film, and the city of Boston as a character. There’s a "deleted scenes" extra that wasn’t even needed. The only interesting thing about it is that one of the scenes that was cut was a great decision. Not only was it weak, but the scene was replaced by one with a little more action that was desperately needed.
After having watched the film, it makes more sense that this started as a mini-series. It seemed like there was a lot of questions that were too quickly wrapped up or just completely ignored. We never learned what happened to Craven's wife or why there seemed to be a breakdown in the relationship between him and Emma.
The characters also lacked development as a lot of their logic appeared flawed. If you know you are being watched and about to be killed, it would make sense to run or hide. Several characters made this same error in judgment, including Emma who seemed more worried about keeping her confidentiality agreement than saving her own life. And the bad guys were just as bad as they would poison someone and then go out and hunt that person down with a gun.
If you’re looking for a big action film, then you are going to be disappointed. The action scenes are few and far between. But when they do come, they are gritty quick and unexpected, giving it a very realistic feel. Most of Edge of Darkness is more of an internal journey as Craven copes with the loss of his daughter and keeps in control long enough to solve the mystery.
Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Mel Gibson Finds Himself on the Edge of Darkness (2010) on Blogcritics.
Originally written in 1985 and aired as a mini-series on the BBC network, Martin Campbell has resurrected his original idea and transformed it into an American feature-length film. While the original story was meant to be a political statement of government affairs, the newest film has been stripped down and rewritten so that only the father/daughter relationship remains from the original premise.
Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is a Boston police officer whose daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic) has come back to town for a visit. But before he can begin to enjoy her company, she starts to get sick and is suddenly vomiting blood. As he rushes her to the hospital, he is confronted by a man in a black ski mask on his front porch who shouts “Craven!” and opens fire with a shotgun at point blank range killing Emma.
Still numb from losing his daughter, Craven begins searching through his old cases trying to figure out who would want him killed. The more he searches, the more confused he becomes as he has no enemies that would match the profile. It isn’t until he searches Emma’s belongings and finds a gun, that he realizes she was the intended target.
Ultimately his search leads him to her place of work, a top-secret government facility that may or may not be dealing with nuclear weapons. Her work becomes the focus of his investigation as he spends the rest of the film trying to put the pieces together and determine who killed his daughter and why.
The Blu-Ray disc is presented in 1080p with an aspect ratio of 2.4:1 with DTS-HD Master Audio. The beginning of the film is particularly dark, which causes some odd shimmering around some of the borders. Overall, the picture quality is well detailed and during close-ups you can see every wrinkle and mark on Mel’s face. The sound quality is very good and during those sudden action scenes you are more surprised by the sound that suddenly seems to be attacking you from different angels. In one scene when someone is struck by a car you could swear that the vehicle just came through your own living room.
The bonus features run about five minutes each and break apart what might have been done better as one long feature, as they discuss the different aspects of the film such as scoring, director Campbell's profile, Mel’s return to film, and the city of Boston as a character. There’s a "deleted scenes" extra that wasn’t even needed. The only interesting thing about it is that one of the scenes that was cut was a great decision. Not only was it weak, but the scene was replaced by one with a little more action that was desperately needed.
After having watched the film, it makes more sense that this started as a mini-series. It seemed like there was a lot of questions that were too quickly wrapped up or just completely ignored. We never learned what happened to Craven's wife or why there seemed to be a breakdown in the relationship between him and Emma.
The characters also lacked development as a lot of their logic appeared flawed. If you know you are being watched and about to be killed, it would make sense to run or hide. Several characters made this same error in judgment, including Emma who seemed more worried about keeping her confidentiality agreement than saving her own life. And the bad guys were just as bad as they would poison someone and then go out and hunt that person down with a gun.
If you’re looking for a big action film, then you are going to be disappointed. The action scenes are few and far between. But when they do come, they are gritty quick and unexpected, giving it a very realistic feel. Most of Edge of Darkness is more of an internal journey as Craven copes with the loss of his daughter and keeps in control long enough to solve the mystery.
Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Mel Gibson Finds Himself on the Edge of Darkness (2010) on Blogcritics.
Monday, May 17, 2010
NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS (1958)
Written by Hombre Divertido
Based on the novel by Mac Hyman, No Time for Sergeants was a production that could not be stopped; until it became a situation comedy that is.
In 1955 the successful novel became a television episode of the United States Steel Hour starring the virtually unknown Andy Griffith as the country bumpkin turned soldier Will Stockdale. Seven months later the play debuted in New York, ran for 796 performances, and garnered Griffith a Tony Award nomination for best actor in 1956. He would go on to reprise the role in the 1958 motion picture.
Griffith did not play the part of Stockdale in the television situation comedy which may be one of many reasons why the series ran for only 34 episodes from September of 1964 to September of 1965. By that time Griffith had cemented himself in the history of American television with the highly successful Andy Griffith Show.
Nonetheless, it was No Time for Sergeants that launched the career of Griffith, and this classic film has finally been released on DVD. From Warner Home Video, this 119-minute, fish-out-of-water military farce landed on shelves May 4th.
Griffith plays the wide-eyed and grinning Will Stockdale to perfection as he innocently tries to fit in to the world of the military after being drafted off the backwoods farm where he was raised. On the first day of his induction Will befriends the nebbish Ben Whitledge (Nick Adams) and the two form a brains-and-brawn team that helps them navigate the rough waters ahead. Griffith and Adams play well off each other and display excellent comedic chemistry.
Though this is clearly Griffith’s film, he is surrounded by amazing talent. Myron McCormick takes the film version of a normally overbearing drill sergeant and turns the character of Sgt. Orville C. King into a loveable foil for the comedic happenstance. Also in the cast are Murray Hamilton as the antagonist Irving Blanchard, and Don Knotts in the all too small, but extremely enjoyable to watch role of Corporal John C. Brown.
The cast and performances are wonderful in this film, unfortunately, like most military comedies, the script let’s the actors down. The fish-out-of-water premise works wonderfully here, but once the training is over; the characters need something to do. As in other comedies where characters don’t quite fit into military life, the training is funny, the mission is not. See Stripes.
In the novel and play, Will and Ben are drafted into the army, and strive to be transferred into the Air Force. In the film that scenario is reversed, and far too much time is spent trying to justify why the two want out of the Air Force and into the infantry.
Our story plays out with necessary narration from Griffith to fill obvious holes and explain a poorly written slapstick ending that makes little sense as the actors pour more and more energy into situations that simply don’t work.
The new digitally premastered release looks and sounds great. Unfortunately there is no bonus material in this release. Considering the time Griffith spent in this role, an interview on the subject would have been a nice addition.
Recommendation: There are enough engaging performances and solid laughs here to make this acquisition worth your while. It is good fun for the whole family. For those revisiting this classic for the first time in many years, you may have forgotten just how ridiculous the story becomes, and thus could be disappointed.
Based on the novel by Mac Hyman, No Time for Sergeants was a production that could not be stopped; until it became a situation comedy that is.
In 1955 the successful novel became a television episode of the United States Steel Hour starring the virtually unknown Andy Griffith as the country bumpkin turned soldier Will Stockdale. Seven months later the play debuted in New York, ran for 796 performances, and garnered Griffith a Tony Award nomination for best actor in 1956. He would go on to reprise the role in the 1958 motion picture.
Griffith did not play the part of Stockdale in the television situation comedy which may be one of many reasons why the series ran for only 34 episodes from September of 1964 to September of 1965. By that time Griffith had cemented himself in the history of American television with the highly successful Andy Griffith Show.
Nonetheless, it was No Time for Sergeants that launched the career of Griffith, and this classic film has finally been released on DVD. From Warner Home Video, this 119-minute, fish-out-of-water military farce landed on shelves May 4th.
Griffith plays the wide-eyed and grinning Will Stockdale to perfection as he innocently tries to fit in to the world of the military after being drafted off the backwoods farm where he was raised. On the first day of his induction Will befriends the nebbish Ben Whitledge (Nick Adams) and the two form a brains-and-brawn team that helps them navigate the rough waters ahead. Griffith and Adams play well off each other and display excellent comedic chemistry.
Though this is clearly Griffith’s film, he is surrounded by amazing talent. Myron McCormick takes the film version of a normally overbearing drill sergeant and turns the character of Sgt. Orville C. King into a loveable foil for the comedic happenstance. Also in the cast are Murray Hamilton as the antagonist Irving Blanchard, and Don Knotts in the all too small, but extremely enjoyable to watch role of Corporal John C. Brown.
The cast and performances are wonderful in this film, unfortunately, like most military comedies, the script let’s the actors down. The fish-out-of-water premise works wonderfully here, but once the training is over; the characters need something to do. As in other comedies where characters don’t quite fit into military life, the training is funny, the mission is not. See Stripes.
In the novel and play, Will and Ben are drafted into the army, and strive to be transferred into the Air Force. In the film that scenario is reversed, and far too much time is spent trying to justify why the two want out of the Air Force and into the infantry.
Our story plays out with necessary narration from Griffith to fill obvious holes and explain a poorly written slapstick ending that makes little sense as the actors pour more and more energy into situations that simply don’t work.
The new digitally premastered release looks and sounds great. Unfortunately there is no bonus material in this release. Considering the time Griffith spent in this role, an interview on the subject would have been a nice addition.
Recommendation: There are enough engaging performances and solid laughs here to make this acquisition worth your while. It is good fun for the whole family. For those revisiting this classic for the first time in many years, you may have forgotten just how ridiculous the story becomes, and thus could be disappointed.
Monday, April 26, 2010
COCOON (Blu-ray)
Written by Senora Bicho
Cocoon was released in 1985. I remember seeing it in the theater and my memory is that of a cute story involving old people and Steve Guttenberg. Watching it over 20 years later sparked a very different opinion.
The movie follows a group of friends living in a retirement community. The main focus is on three men of the group, each experiencing a different difficulty that comes with age. Ben (Wilford Brimley) fails an eye test and has his driver's license revoked, Joe (Hume Cronyn) has untreatable cancer, and Arthur (Don Ameche) has lost his ability with the ladies. The trio escape their daily lives by trespassing onto a vacant neighboring estate to swim in the pool and enjoy the little bit of danger their law-breaking provides.
The action then cuts to a mysterious group of four that hires Jack Bonner (Steve Guttenberg) to be their guide for a diving expedition. Jack is relieved for the job since he is broke and desperately needs the money. It is revealed the group is renting the vacant estate and through the course of the expedition they bring up large pods and deposit them into the pool. The old men continue to swim in the pool and start immediately feeling younger and more alive. Ben gets his eyesight back, Joe's cancer goes into remission, and all of the men become frisky. While everything seems to be working out well, Jack and the old men realize there is something very different about the group and soon discover their secret. This forces them all to make decisions that will have a lasting impact on the rest of their lives.
The DVD includes an audio commentary by Ron Howard, likely from a previous DVD release, as are the five very short making-of featurettes, which are disappointing and do not offer much interesting information.
The video is presented with a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer looks good enough for its age but is nothing to write home about. The source is clean but can be soft at times. Grain is apparent and the image can be dark at times. The audio is more impressive presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The dialogue is clear and understandable. The surrounds offer minor ambiance, particularly water effects, and music.
I have mixed emotions on my review. There are portions of the story involving the retirees that are endearing and enjoyable. However, the denouement is confusing. The message of the movie is touted as being about love, friendship, and the human spirit but some of the choices the characters make are not in line with this and don't make sense. The Steve Guttenberg storyline is painful at best. I never thought he was a great actor but here he is downright awful. He is never believable or genuine and one particular scene is beyond ridiculous. For the reasons mentioned, I can't wholeheartedly recommend Cocoon. There is especially no reason to purchase the Blu-ray version since the special effects don't hold up and are mostly distracting. Instead of wasting two hours watching this, use those two hours to enjoy the preciousness of life which is what the movie would tell you to do anyways.
Cocoon was released in 1985. I remember seeing it in the theater and my memory is that of a cute story involving old people and Steve Guttenberg. Watching it over 20 years later sparked a very different opinion.
The movie follows a group of friends living in a retirement community. The main focus is on three men of the group, each experiencing a different difficulty that comes with age. Ben (Wilford Brimley) fails an eye test and has his driver's license revoked, Joe (Hume Cronyn) has untreatable cancer, and Arthur (Don Ameche) has lost his ability with the ladies. The trio escape their daily lives by trespassing onto a vacant neighboring estate to swim in the pool and enjoy the little bit of danger their law-breaking provides.
The action then cuts to a mysterious group of four that hires Jack Bonner (Steve Guttenberg) to be their guide for a diving expedition. Jack is relieved for the job since he is broke and desperately needs the money. It is revealed the group is renting the vacant estate and through the course of the expedition they bring up large pods and deposit them into the pool. The old men continue to swim in the pool and start immediately feeling younger and more alive. Ben gets his eyesight back, Joe's cancer goes into remission, and all of the men become frisky. While everything seems to be working out well, Jack and the old men realize there is something very different about the group and soon discover their secret. This forces them all to make decisions that will have a lasting impact on the rest of their lives.
The DVD includes an audio commentary by Ron Howard, likely from a previous DVD release, as are the five very short making-of featurettes, which are disappointing and do not offer much interesting information.
The video is presented with a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer looks good enough for its age but is nothing to write home about. The source is clean but can be soft at times. Grain is apparent and the image can be dark at times. The audio is more impressive presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The dialogue is clear and understandable. The surrounds offer minor ambiance, particularly water effects, and music.
I have mixed emotions on my review. There are portions of the story involving the retirees that are endearing and enjoyable. However, the denouement is confusing. The message of the movie is touted as being about love, friendship, and the human spirit but some of the choices the characters make are not in line with this and don't make sense. The Steve Guttenberg storyline is painful at best. I never thought he was a great actor but here he is downright awful. He is never believable or genuine and one particular scene is beyond ridiculous. For the reasons mentioned, I can't wholeheartedly recommend Cocoon. There is especially no reason to purchase the Blu-ray version since the special effects don't hold up and are mostly distracting. Instead of wasting two hours watching this, use those two hours to enjoy the preciousness of life which is what the movie would tell you to do anyways.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Great Mouse Detective – Mystery in the Mist Edition
Written by Hombre Divertido
Prior to the release of The Little Mermaid in 1989, the1980s were generally considered to be somewhat of a black hole for Disney when it comes to animated films. From The Fox and the Hound (1981) to Oliver and Company (1988) Disney failed to achieve the success that it had established in decades past. The Black Cauldron (1985) and The Great Mouse Detective (1986) find themselves sandwiched in this period.
In reviewing the aforementioned films, one may find that they have missed some entertaining movies. That is certainly the case with The Great Mouse Detective. No, certainly not in the same league as the wonderful films that Disney would release in the 1990s, but it is a cute movie.
Based on the Eve Titus' book Basil of Baker Street, The Great Mouse Detective follows the adventures of Basil (Barrie Ingham), the Sherlock Holmes-esque mouse detective, and his newly found sidekick, Dr. David Q. Dawson (Val Bettin), as they help young Olivia (Susanne Pollatschek) find her father Hiram (Alan Young) who has been kidnapped by the evil Professor Ratigan (Vincent Price).
It is the vocal talents of the above-mentioned artists and the direction of Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, David Michener, and John Musker, that allows this simple story to over achieve. This is just simple storytelling done well with energetic and extremely likeable characters.
Almost eight years after the first DVD, Disney releases the digitally restored Mystery in the Mist edition with an all-new “So You Think You Can Sleuth Challenge” and the bonus material that was included in 2002: “The Making of The Great Mouse Detective” and the “The World's Greatest Criminal Mind” sing-along song. Unfortunately, two animated shorts included with 2002 disc have been replaced by “Dylan & Cole Sprouses: Blu-ray Is Suite!” and “Learn How to Take Your Favorite Movies On the Go” which really have no right being listed as bonus features.
The digitally restored film looks great, but the “So You Think You Can Sleuth Challenge” will prove to be disappointing to children. “The Making of The Great Mouse Detective” is an interesting and entertaining look into the development and production of this film. Though the fact that CGI was used for the first time in a Disney film to create the chase through the workings of a clock is highlighted in the featurette, said scene still manages to be distracting as it looks too different from the animation utilized in the rest of the film. The Sing-along song is fun for all who choose to join in.
Recommendation: The Great Mouse Detective has been overlooked for too long. The performance of the legendary Vincent Price as the power-hungry Professor Ratigan alone is worth the 71-minute investment. This film is great for the whole family, though the barroom scene is a bit racy for young children. The overall energy of the film is perfect for kids, and adults will appreciate the Sherlock Holmes references including a vocal cameo by Basil Rathbone himself. There is not enough new material her to warrant the purchase of the Mystery in the Mist edition if you already own the 2002 release.
"On the Trail":
Prior to the release of The Little Mermaid in 1989, the1980s were generally considered to be somewhat of a black hole for Disney when it comes to animated films. From The Fox and the Hound (1981) to Oliver and Company (1988) Disney failed to achieve the success that it had established in decades past. The Black Cauldron (1985) and The Great Mouse Detective (1986) find themselves sandwiched in this period.
In reviewing the aforementioned films, one may find that they have missed some entertaining movies. That is certainly the case with The Great Mouse Detective. No, certainly not in the same league as the wonderful films that Disney would release in the 1990s, but it is a cute movie.
Based on the Eve Titus' book Basil of Baker Street, The Great Mouse Detective follows the adventures of Basil (Barrie Ingham), the Sherlock Holmes-esque mouse detective, and his newly found sidekick, Dr. David Q. Dawson (Val Bettin), as they help young Olivia (Susanne Pollatschek) find her father Hiram (Alan Young) who has been kidnapped by the evil Professor Ratigan (Vincent Price).
It is the vocal talents of the above-mentioned artists and the direction of Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, David Michener, and John Musker, that allows this simple story to over achieve. This is just simple storytelling done well with energetic and extremely likeable characters.
Almost eight years after the first DVD, Disney releases the digitally restored Mystery in the Mist edition with an all-new “So You Think You Can Sleuth Challenge” and the bonus material that was included in 2002: “The Making of The Great Mouse Detective” and the “The World's Greatest Criminal Mind” sing-along song. Unfortunately, two animated shorts included with 2002 disc have been replaced by “Dylan & Cole Sprouses: Blu-ray Is Suite!” and “Learn How to Take Your Favorite Movies On the Go” which really have no right being listed as bonus features.
The digitally restored film looks great, but the “So You Think You Can Sleuth Challenge” will prove to be disappointing to children. “The Making of The Great Mouse Detective” is an interesting and entertaining look into the development and production of this film. Though the fact that CGI was used for the first time in a Disney film to create the chase through the workings of a clock is highlighted in the featurette, said scene still manages to be distracting as it looks too different from the animation utilized in the rest of the film. The Sing-along song is fun for all who choose to join in.
Recommendation: The Great Mouse Detective has been overlooked for too long. The performance of the legendary Vincent Price as the power-hungry Professor Ratigan alone is worth the 71-minute investment. This film is great for the whole family, though the barroom scene is a bit racy for young children. The overall energy of the film is perfect for kids, and adults will appreciate the Sherlock Holmes references including a vocal cameo by Basil Rathbone himself. There is not enough new material her to warrant the purchase of the Mystery in the Mist edition if you already own the 2002 release.
"On the Trail":
Monday, April 19, 2010
KICK-ASS Does Not
Written by Fido
Okay, that’s the last easy joke I’ll make about the title. But seriously, this movie, while made with good intentions, misses the mark on so many points. I’ll do my best to keep the rant under novel length.
First off, the story about a wannabe super-hero who makes his dream come true through an online-ordered suit and a circumstantial YouTube video is a cute idea in its essence. The problem with Kick-Ass is that it has made the lead character, the unassuming Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), an all-too stereotypical teenage nobody seen in countless better forms before. Now that is no big deal, really. I like those kinds of characters; they tend to work. The problem here is that he’s just not funny, charming, or sympathetic – at all.
The sniveling nature of the character grows old about 20 minutes in and really, overall, there’s zero attachment generated for him. I put an equal helping of blame on Johnson, director Matthew Vaughn, and the material itself, all looking to other similar characters for their cue, rather than building something that works for this particular movie. Lizewski’s persona is so hackneyed and so rushed that once he got to the business of being a superhero I found myself wanting him to lose. Not really what you want the audience to feel for your hero.
Another character issue is the absolutely rushed “relationship” Lizewski has with his would-be girlfriend Katie Demeaux (equally blandly played by Lindsay Fonseca) is thrown in to give the girls something to partially swoon about. It just feels like such a “oops, we forgot a girlfriend” piece of semi-plot that at no point do I feel a bond between either of these people. Again, I just want something to go terribly wrong between them so I don’t have to deal with watching them in their impossibly stupid goings-on again.
What's odd is the guy the movie is named after and who should have the most impact on the story isn’t the lead. His character is not what drives the story forward and in the end it isn’t what foils the bad guys. Revolving around that point – there’s an inordinate amount of time spent with the bad guys in this movie. Mobsters, that at no time offer any kind of amusement or threat outside of the yawn-inducing, stereotypical gangster whose dialogue seems cut and pasted from 1,000 other (far better done) characters in the same tired vein.
I’m all for villains. It’s great to spend a lot of time with your baddies (see: The Dark Knight for justified copious amounts of bad guy screen time). Hell, usually the bad guys are more interesting than the good guys anyway. But if you’re going to do that, those bad guys better bring something more interesting to the table than the character equivalent of fruitcake to a Christmas party.
Christopher Mintz-Plasse, whose geeky musings have been fun to watch thus far in his career, is misused in the role “Red Mist”, a.k.a., Chris D’Amico. But as it is, I appreciate the movie trying for something different in making him a co-heavy, but it falls flat. Making a comedic actor play a role that calls for no scenes of comedy is yet another bad idea in the cavalcade of bad ideas that is this movie.
So you have a grip of bland mobsters, miscast sidekicks and cohorts and a hero that is really hard to give a crap about. So you ask yourself what keeps the movie from falling apart altogether? Well, the answer lies in Chloe Moretz and Nicolas Cage. Though they have far too brief an amount of time on-screen, they steal the movie in those spare moments.
Every frame spent away from Big Daddy and Hit Girl is a moment wasted. Between Cage’s unappreciated Adam West-speaking gait and Moretz bringing an unparalleled clutch of pain and foul-mouthed awesomeness to her character - they are what the film should’ve been about. Their chemistry is unexpected. You wouldn’t think this functioning dysfunction would work so well, but it does, better than anything else this film has to offer. Even the plot-exposition moments between the two of them are seamless. There’s a bond between the two characters you can feel and it’s them who drive the plot forward, make the bad guys run, and keep the movie from completely disintegrating. The only time the movie (and the audience for that matter) truly lights up is when they’re on screen.
However, despite their quality performances, they aren’t the crux of the film. And that right there is where this over-hyped whirlwind of mediocrity really fails outright. Somehow, the script and director Vaughn do their best to dodge around their best characters in favor of everything worse – which is a lot. My friend said it best as we walked back to the car – “Why don’t you want to spend more time with the murderous little girl who says (see you next Tuesday) in casual conversation?!”
Speaking of the “everything worse” department, this movie has one the emptiest runs of nothingness in it I’ve seen in a long, long time. There is quite literally a 30-minute stretch in this film when there are no laughs (though most of the laughs, or pseudo laughs were in the trailer), no action, no character development, and no nothing in it. The audience was deathly quiet and the urge to sneak into another theatre, look at my hand or count the number of chairs in the theatre was tough to fight. So not only does the movie sputter along at a painfully herky-jerky pace, it leaves you with this cinematic equivalent of a drum solo right in the middle of itself.
Once it does get going again, it kicks in full bore, making you think it’s going to really start moving now (an hour-plus into the thing), but then right as the action rolls in, it screeches to another halt (and another “high above the city” shot that is used a total of three times in the movie. A gag run into the ground is the not-funny-once reference to Spider-Man that the film managed to do four times).
Mainly what you’ll hear about is the violence in the film. It’s violence that is no different than a million others before it; it’s just that now some of it is at the hands of a small girl and scrawny teenagers. That might put some off, but really it’s nothing more than a sideline to the movie’s parody aspirations.
Some of these fight scenes are done well (as in the drug apartment and running the hallway scenes), but there are two that feel nothing but out of place. They manage to take away from the better ones in the film by both betraying character and by feeling completely jammed into place. One, Big Daddy kills some mobsters and burns down a warehouse in a scene that felt like nothing more than the director realizing he didn’t have enough action scenes in it to warrant the movie’s title. The other is this “first-person shooter” video game looking gunfight scene that is just not what we were told the character would do.
I could go on and on, complaining about this major disappointment of a film. Suffice to say that Kick-Ass really isn’t a full-fledged comedy, action film, drama or otherwise. The only thing it manages to accomplish in full is in being one lost garbled mess of a film that winds up feeling like nothing more than a couple cool action scenes hastily pasted together with some seriously lacking runs of all too familiar “zero to hero” caulking.
Monday, April 05, 2010
Have Gun - Will Travel: The Fourth Season, Volume One
Written by Fantasma el Rey
Have Gun - Will Travel: The Fourth Season, Volume One finds our hero Paladin pretty much right where he left off, traveling the West and hiring out his gun for just cause. Richard Boone stars as the “fast gun for hire that heeds the calling wind” and rides into nineteen more half-hour episodes in this first half of the fourth season which cover late 1960 to early 1961. The plots and action have never let up in this series and Boone is perfect as the no nonsense, very wise and skilled gunman with a level head and quick draw.
The overall premise of Have Gun - Will Travel is as the title implies: a skilled gun hand hires out his pistol to those he deems worthy or situations he finds interesting. Paladin would rather settle any problems without his gun but you never push, prod, or threaten Paladin. He will send you to an early grave. Based out of San Francisco, this very well educated, mystery man of a good family isn’t simply a hired killer; many times he’ll show up and switch sides when he realizes his potential client is in the wrong or is simply bent on having someone killed.
Sounds simple and easily tiring yet it is not, at all. With many great writers, the stories stay sharp and involving. From the opening horns where we see Paladin drawing his black revolver (with cool chess knight emblem on the handle) and quoting an interesting line from that episode to the closing theme song “The Ballad of Paladin” sung by Johnny Western, you’re hooked and wonder what will happen to the gunman in black this time.
Through out the three DVDs we explore the many aspects of Paladin's wisdom, critical thinking and judgment. Have Gun - Will Travel is very adult and tackles some good issues or at least hints at them. We hear a tale of an Indian massacre by the U.S. Army in “The Montebank,” anti slavery in “Killing Of Jessie May,” the stigma of being a long-time felon in “The Prisoner,” and the prejudice against women in certain occupations with “The Tender Gun.”
Each episode is interesting and different, some are lighthearted as with “Love’s Young Dream” about a pelt scavenger who inherits a fancy nightclub; “Out Of The Old Ballpark,” which finds Paladin as baseball umpire to some feuding townsfolk, “Foggbound,” based on "Around the World in 80 Days," and “Princess And The Gunfighter,” in which Paladin himself falls for a lovely young princess.
On the other hand there are well-played dramas that lack not for action. “A Head Of Hair” finds Paladin facing off against Indians as his guide reflects on his mistreatment by a certain tribe, “The Calf” is a about a range feud begun between brothers, and then there’s “Quiet Night In Town” in two parts. “Quiet Night” is a solid story and has Paladin’s prisoner being lynched by rowdy, bored townfolk, and Paladin himself takes a beating and that’s just Part I. Part II sees Paladin awake again and mad as hell, at first, seeking revenge which he gets in a way. His cool head prevails and his hand is “forced” to kill where he would have been content to hand the killer over to the Sheriff.
Overall, Have Gun - Will Travel: The Fourth Season, Volume One is just as action packed, hard hitting and interesting as the first three full seasons, which I’ve seen regularly since I was a child thanks to my Father. As always "Have Gun-Will Travel" is packed with guest stars such as Robert Blake, Denver Pyle, Jack Albertson, Harry Carey Jr., George Kennedy and Ben Johnson to name a few, and there are always lesser-known actors of the past who pop up in supporting rolls. Once again without the aid of my Father these names would be forgotten or not known at all to me. Thanks again, Pop. So “Wire Paladin San Francisco” or just look online or at a DVD store near you to find the latest installment of ave Gun - Will Travel.
Have Gun - Will Travel: The Fourth Season, Volume One finds our hero Paladin pretty much right where he left off, traveling the West and hiring out his gun for just cause. Richard Boone stars as the “fast gun for hire that heeds the calling wind” and rides into nineteen more half-hour episodes in this first half of the fourth season which cover late 1960 to early 1961. The plots and action have never let up in this series and Boone is perfect as the no nonsense, very wise and skilled gunman with a level head and quick draw.
The overall premise of Have Gun - Will Travel is as the title implies: a skilled gun hand hires out his pistol to those he deems worthy or situations he finds interesting. Paladin would rather settle any problems without his gun but you never push, prod, or threaten Paladin. He will send you to an early grave. Based out of San Francisco, this very well educated, mystery man of a good family isn’t simply a hired killer; many times he’ll show up and switch sides when he realizes his potential client is in the wrong or is simply bent on having someone killed.
Sounds simple and easily tiring yet it is not, at all. With many great writers, the stories stay sharp and involving. From the opening horns where we see Paladin drawing his black revolver (with cool chess knight emblem on the handle) and quoting an interesting line from that episode to the closing theme song “The Ballad of Paladin” sung by Johnny Western, you’re hooked and wonder what will happen to the gunman in black this time.
Through out the three DVDs we explore the many aspects of Paladin's wisdom, critical thinking and judgment. Have Gun - Will Travel is very adult and tackles some good issues or at least hints at them. We hear a tale of an Indian massacre by the U.S. Army in “The Montebank,” anti slavery in “Killing Of Jessie May,” the stigma of being a long-time felon in “The Prisoner,” and the prejudice against women in certain occupations with “The Tender Gun.”
Each episode is interesting and different, some are lighthearted as with “Love’s Young Dream” about a pelt scavenger who inherits a fancy nightclub; “Out Of The Old Ballpark,” which finds Paladin as baseball umpire to some feuding townsfolk, “Foggbound,” based on "Around the World in 80 Days," and “Princess And The Gunfighter,” in which Paladin himself falls for a lovely young princess.
On the other hand there are well-played dramas that lack not for action. “A Head Of Hair” finds Paladin facing off against Indians as his guide reflects on his mistreatment by a certain tribe, “The Calf” is a about a range feud begun between brothers, and then there’s “Quiet Night In Town” in two parts. “Quiet Night” is a solid story and has Paladin’s prisoner being lynched by rowdy, bored townfolk, and Paladin himself takes a beating and that’s just Part I. Part II sees Paladin awake again and mad as hell, at first, seeking revenge which he gets in a way. His cool head prevails and his hand is “forced” to kill where he would have been content to hand the killer over to the Sheriff.
Overall, Have Gun - Will Travel: The Fourth Season, Volume One is just as action packed, hard hitting and interesting as the first three full seasons, which I’ve seen regularly since I was a child thanks to my Father. As always "Have Gun-Will Travel" is packed with guest stars such as Robert Blake, Denver Pyle, Jack Albertson, Harry Carey Jr., George Kennedy and Ben Johnson to name a few, and there are always lesser-known actors of the past who pop up in supporting rolls. Once again without the aid of my Father these names would be forgotten or not known at all to me. Thanks again, Pop. So “Wire Paladin San Francisco” or just look online or at a DVD store near you to find the latest installment of ave Gun - Will Travel.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (Blu-ray)
Written by Senora Bicho
Disney was always the cornerstone for animated movies, enjoyed for many years by young and old. Then Pixar came along and set a new standard. I no longer rush out to see the newest Disney movie because the days of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King seem long gone. The Princess and The Frog is the first to grab my attention in quite a while and it rekindles that old Disney magic.
Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) is a waitress who dreams of owning her own restaurant in New Orleans to fulfill her late father's dream. She is working two jobs to earn enough money to buy the building she wants and finally has enough to make an offer but Eudora (Oprah Winfrey), her mother, worries that she is working too hard and missing out on love.
At the same time Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) arrives in town after being cutoff from his parents for being too frivolous. In an attempt to improve his financial situation, he plans to marry Charlotte La Bouff (Jennifer Cody) who is Tiana's best friend and the daughter of a rich sugar-mill owner. However, Prince Naveen and his servant Lawrence first run into Doctor Facilier (Keith David), who lures them with his voodoo powers and promises of great riches. However, Dr. Facilier unveils his real plan and turns Prince Naveen into a frog. Lawrence, having been abused by Prince Naveen for too long, agrees to take on his appearance to marry Charlotte and split her money with Dr. Facilier.
Tiana is catering the party that Charlotte is hosting to welcome Price Naveen. She learns that someone has outbid her for her restaurant, and while in despair she comes across Prince Naveen who has escaped. He mistakes Tiana for a princess and promises to give her the money she needs if she will kiss him. She agrees but after the kiss she instead turns into a frog. Prince Naveen and Tiana are then set off on an adventure to become human again and set everything right.
Disney takes great care in maximizing the Blu-ray experience here. Most notable about the 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer is the vibrancy of the colors. They explode off the 1.78:1 screen. Also well rendered is the sharpness of the lines are sharp and the clarity of the details. I didn't notice any artifacts in the picture. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track immerses the viewer within the movie. The many instruments in Randy Newman's New Orleans score are identifiable. The dialogue is understandable. Ambiance from many locales can be heard from the surrounds.
The extras are definitely worth watching and add value to this collection. I wasn't sure that I would ever watch it again but some of the extras actually heightened my enjoyment of the movie and I will definitely watch it again with more appreciation of the depth of the story and all of the work then went into making it.
An audio commentary by co-directors/co-writers John Musker and Ron Clements along with producer Peter Del Vecho is provided. From the first cell, they point out valuable and interesting information. There is Work-in-Progress Version that played in the upper left corner allowing viewers to compare the film's early stages with the final product. "What Do You See? The Princess Portraits Game" gives younger viewers the opportunity to pick princess out of fireflies.
The following extras are all presented in high definition. "Bringing Animation to Life" (8:08) illustrates how they used live action footage to help the animators create more real life scenes. It is really interesting to see how these techniques help the characters move more realistically. "Magic in the Bayou: Making of a Princess" (22:11), "The Return to Hand Drawn Animation" (2:43), "The Disney Legacy" (2:31), "Disney's Newest Princess" (2:51), "Princess and the Animator" (2:26), "Conjuring the Villain" (1:50) and "Return to the Animated Musical" (3:13) all provide behind the scenes information help create a stronger connection to the movie and deeper meanings. There are also Art Galleries, Deleted Scenes (11:43) and a music video for "Never Knew I Needed" by Ne-Yo (4:04).
At first I didn't think that The Princess and the Frog lived up to the old Disney glory. But after viewing the extras and pondering on it a little bit, I have changed my mind. The characters have depth and charm and the story is well developed with a good message. This is traditional fairy tale with a modern twist. The princess is a strong independent character who doesn't need to be rescued. Yes, she ends up with the Prince in the end but only because they are the perfect team who bring out the best in one another. You want them to end up together to take on the world.
As a bonus, Randy Newman works his magic and creates a great soundtrack. The songs really help to create the mood for each scene and bring the New Orleans setting to life. If you have been on the fence on giving this movie a try, jump in with both feet and be prepared to be delighted.
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