M (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

M (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] Review

It was a tough decision to shell out .00 for M on BLU-RAY when I already owned the excellent Criterion edition on DVD. The deciding factor was that I just had to see the english language version, anticipating, above all else, a different version of Lorre's remarkable performance in the kangaroo court. Well, I don't regret the splurge, but the english version isn't anything to write home about. It is almost entirely the same material that is in the german language version but large parts have been cut up and then reassembled badly. Almost every scene is dubbed, as opposed to re-filmed in english, and some of the dubbing is very poorly done. Very few of the dry, brittish voice actors manage to match the energy of the german actors they are voicing for. The only scenes I spotted as being re-filmed were a very few in the kangaroo court in which Lorre was the only person on the screen. Any scenes in which he interacts with other actors are dubbed. (Although I wasn't sure about some of the scenes with he and his lawyer.) And sadly, the new, english scenes of Lorre's amazing monologues seemed shorter and more poorly written than their german equivilents and his performances not nearly so affecting or believable. (There is also a new scene tacked on to the end of the film. The german version ends with the mothers of some of Lorre's victims admonishing us all to keep close watch over our children. This is cut from the english and replaced with a new scene of children in a circle around a little girl, which mirrors the opening scene of the film. In the opening scene the girl is sing-chanting a song about serial killers. In the new, english ending the girl is now chanting "Eenie meenie minie moe, catch a n***** by the toe.", which is rather baffling and kind of funny.)
Other than these problems, many of which are typical of any but the most skillfully dubbed films, it is rather self defeating to cut up the soundtrack of a film in which the sound plays such an important role. It was the first german talkie, and Lang's use of the new medium was innovative and unique even by today's standards. In many places, environmental sounds which are vital aspects of the narrative, are completely cut out so that english words can be added. Lang's use of sound in this film is, in fact, so very calculated, (sometimes minimalist) that even small changes can greatly diminish the effect. I am however, glad to have this version as I always gain something from seeing alternate versions of great films. But if Criterion wanted to give us a real treat, they would include the rarely seen, 1951 remake with David Wayne and Raymond Burr which is surprisingly good, as remakes go. Maybe they could get me to shell out again for a comprehensive M box set.

M (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] Overview

A simple, haunting musical phrase whistled offscreen tells us that a young girl will be killed. "Who is the Murderer?" pleads a nearby placard as serial killer Hans Beckert, played by Peter Lorre (Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon), closes in on little Elsie Beckmann. In his harrowing masterwork M, Fritz Lang (Metropolis, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse) merges trenchant social commentary with chilling suspense, creating a panorama of private madness and public hysteria that to this day remains the blueprint for the psychological thriller.

M (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] Specifications

Peter Lorre made film history with his startling performance as a psychotic murderer of children. Too elusive for the Berlin police, the killer is sought and marked by underworld criminals who are feeling the official fallout for his crimes. This riveting, 1931 German drama by Fritz Lang--an early talkie--unfolds against a breathtakingly expressionistic backdrop of shadows and clutter, an atmosphere of predestination that seems to be closing in on Lorre's terrified villain. M is an important piece of cinema's past along with a number of Lang's early German works, including Metropolis and Spies. (Lang eventually brought his influence directly to the American cinema in such films as Fury, They Clash by Night, and The Big Heat.) M shouldn't be missed. This original 111-minute version is a little different from what most people have seen in theaters. --Tom Keogh

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The Great Raid (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]

The Great Raid (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray] Review

Nothing to add to the complete summaries in some reviews and the general approval with which they approach the film. It follows the traditional pattern of American War films but the action sequences and underplayed roles gave it a feeling of authenticity not always found in the genre. While the action is heated for only a short while, it sparks the picture. The acting is nicely underplayed allowing no room for a shift of attention from the roles played to the actors playing them. Admirably, despite having 60 years distance from the events, the creative staff managed to keep its focus on the perspective one might have had watching this film during that war when we knew that men and women were still to be sacrificed to the megalomania of a leadership group striving to make their nation the center of THE ONLY great Pacific power. So far as I could tell, while there was a need for fictionalization of precise facts and figures, the more general picture was as it might well have been.
All in all, this is a picture which grips one and also reminds us that neither the European nor the Pacific allies of the Axis fought by Marquis of Queens-berry rules. The result was, as is almost always the case: their unrestrained brutality brought a much greater unrestrained brutality on the part of the United States and its allies. Real wars generate real hatred for the enemy.
I should mention that there is little in the film to disturb younger viewers. While not a family picture, it can be seen by the family which might take on some of the questions which it raises in our minds.

The Great Raid (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray] Feature

• ISBN13: 0786936716900
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

The Great Raid (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray] Overview

Miramax The Great Raid (Blu-Ray) In the epic traditionof "Saving Private Ryan," "The Great Raid" is an inspirational true story of the most triumphant rescue mission in U.S. military history! As World War II rages, the elite 6th Ranger Battalion is given a mission of heroic proportions: push 30 miles behind enemy lines and liberate over 500 American prisoners of war. Under the command of Lt. Col. Henry Mucci (Benjamin Bratt - "Traffic"), the men of the 6th will face the unthinkable by attempting the impossible! Also featuring James Franco ("Spider-Man 1 & 2"), Connie Nielsen ("Gladiator"), and Joseph Fiennes ("Shakespeare In Love"), this gripping big-screen hit captures a moment in time when men of honor became soldiers of destiny!

The Great Raid (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray] Specifications

Nearly three years after it was filmed, The Great Raid finally appeared as a welcome reminder that good old-fashioned World War II movies never go out of style. While lacking the scale, prestige, and pulse-pounding momentum of Saving Private Ryan, this fact-based war drama benefits from a back-to-basics approach to realism and a rousing rescue climax that more than compensates for the slower passages that precede it. Adapted from the books The Great Raid on Cabanatuan and Ghost Soldiers, it chronicles the five-day mission (in late January 1945) to rescue 511 American prisoners of war held by the Japanese at Cabanatuan POW camp in the Philippines. Under the direction of neo-noir specialist John Dahl (The Last Seduction), the film's three-part structure follows the raid mission led by Lt. Col. Mucci (Benjamin Bratt); the plight of the POWs at Cabanatuan, including malaria-stricken Maj. Gibson (Joseph Fiennes); and civilian resistance in Manila as carried out by real-life hero and Gibson's (fictional) would-be lover Margaret Utinsky (Connie Nielsen), whose effort to aid the POWs is vigilantly monitored by the enemy Japanese. In keeping with war-movie traditions, Dahl handles character and action with no-nonsense intelligence, favoring a slow build over pumped-up adrenalin. By the time the miraculous rescue is executed with critical assistance by Filpino guerillas, The Great Raid has earned its stripes, honoring the brave men who carried out the most successful rescue mission in U.S. military history. --Jeff Shannon

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Frozen River [Blu-ray]

Frozen River [Blu-ray] Review

I recently saw Frozen River, at a local theater. This indie film revolves around two impoverished single mothers; one white, and the other a member of the Mohawk Native American tribe. The setting of the film takes place in the harsh, bleak climate of upstate NY, near the Canadian border during wintertime.

Melissa Leo is brilliant as the haggard, world-weary single mother, Ray. Ray's gambling-addict husband, has left her and their 2 sons in the lurch. Right before Christmas, he splits with the savings that Ray had planned to use as payment, for a better trailer home than the one her family has been residing in.

Ray tries in vain to support herself and her children, on income from a part-time retail job. She doesn't get the promotion to Manager, that she had expected at her job. As a result, Ray and her family are in dire economic straits; they subsist on popcorn and powdered juice, are on the verge of having their TV repossessed by a rent-to-own store, and face a Christmas without presents. Worst of all, the coveted 'double-wide' trailer home that Ray has long dreamed of purchasing, is an impossibility, without the savings that her husband ran off with.

In desperation, Ray goes looking for her husband in a gambling Casino, located in Mohawk tribal territory. One of the young Native American women of the tribe, Lila (played with a dry, dour efficiency by Misty Upham) steals the car that Ray's husband had abandoned, in the Casino parking-lot. Ray sees this, and pursues Lila to her tiny trailer home, located in a remote woodsy area.

Lila is also a single mom whose husband had died, and left her with a 1-year-old son to raise alone. Lila doesn't want to give Ray the car back, and doesn't respond to threats that Ray will turn Lila in to the local cops. According to Lila, white man's law is void in Mohawk territory. After a brief scuffle with Lila, Ray pulls a pistol, and shoots a hole in Lila's trailer. Frightened by this, Lila makes Ray an offer; if she lets Lila keep the car, then Ray can join Lila in her lucrative immigrant smuggling operation. Ray reluctantly agrees.

This film offers-up lots of stark, yet gorgeous, moody scenery. It dovetails well, with the gripping suspense of the smuggling-runs made by Ray and Lila. They must always keep one step ahead of the local State Troopers, hope that the sleazy smuggling kingpins pay them what they are owed, and complete their smuggling-runs without the frozen river caving in.

The basic premise of the film is grim, but highlights the lengths that two desperate single mothers could be driven to, in order to support their families. We need more films that address the serious plight of the working-poor, in American today. Especially films about poor single mothers, and the acute economic hardships that many of them face in today's economy.

The main problem with Frozen River, is that there are some implausible plot details, throughout the film. The producers obviously wanted to make a film with lots of emotional impact, and depth. They succeeded, but also should have made sure that they smoothed-out the rough edges in the storyline. Overall though, I would recommend Frozen River. The gorgeous cinematography, and especially the strong performances by the two lead actresses, make this film worth watching.

Frozen River [Blu-ray] Overview

Frozen River is a dramatic feature film which takes place in the days before Christmas near a little-known border crossing on the Mohawk reservation between New York State and Quebec. Here, the lure of fast money from smuggling presents a daily challenge to single moms who would otherwise be earning minimum wage. Two women- one white, one Mohawk, both single mothers faced with desperate circumstances- are drawn into the world of border smuggling across the frozen water of the St. Lawrence River. Melissa Leo (21 Grams, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, television's Homicide: Life on the Street) plays Ray, Misty Upham (Edge of America, DreamKeeper, Skins) plays Lila, and Oscar nominee Michael O'Keefe (The Great Santini, Caddyshack, Ironweed) plays the New York State Trooper who ultimately brings the two to justice.

Frozen River [Blu-ray] Specifications

When her husband runs off with the payment for their new home, Ray (Melissa Leo, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada) turns to crime to keep herself and her two sons afloat. A chance encounter with Lila (Misty Upham, Edge of America), an equally desperate young Mohawk woman, leads Ray to smuggling illegal immigrants by driving across the frozen Hudson River onto tribal land. But with every trip, things go wrong in small and not-so-small ways, until Ray finds herself pushed into a more desperate corner than ever before. Leo delivers a gritty, restrained, but richly compelling performance; her raw face, beautiful but worn down by life, radiates a weary defiance. Frozen River has scenes as tense as any Hollywood thriller, but so grounded in the fully developed characters of these two women that the taut suspense grips the full spectrum of your emotions. This is an impressive debut by writer/director Courtney Hunt, featuring excellent supporting performances by Charlie McDermott (The Ten) as Ray's unhappy oldest son and Michael O'Keefe (The Great Santini) as a suspicious state trooper. --Bret Fetzer

Stills from Frozen River (click for larger image)

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Rent [Blu-ray]

Rent [Blu-ray] Review

In every way Rent is a perfect work of art; tremendously enjoyable as entertainment and emotionally satisfying. Cinematically it's masterful, true to life, and wonderfully well cast and acted. Impeccable singing, powerful music, witty and brilliant lyrics combine intricately to deliver an exciting and transcendent experience.

Rent is the universal story of creative and artistic misfits trying to make it in the big city. It's a tale as old as civilization, which gives it added punch and turns the film into a wellspring of inspiration. It's a modern retelling of La Boheme, the classic French story, but is original in almost every way. The characters are fascinating, the music sounds new, and the vision of New York City looks and feels fresh as well.

It's a 'must see' for everyone who enjoys the mating of music, great storytelling, and powerful characters. The companion disc 2 (included) is terrific in its own right, and tells the background story of the creation of Rent; first as off-off Broadway theater; then through many versions over the years as a monster hit that toured the globe.

Rent [Blu-ray] Feature

• ISBN13: 0043396195080
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Rent [Blu-ray] Overview

Set in New York City's gritty East Village, the revolutionary rock opera Rent tells the story of a group of bohemians struggling to live and pay their rent. "Measuring their lives in love," these starving artists strive for success and acceptance while enduring the obstacles of poverty, illness and the AIDS epidemic. Rent is based on Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer and Tony Award winning musical, one of the longest running shows on Broadway. The raw and riveting musical stars Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp and Tracie Thoms and is directed by Chris Columbus.

Rent [Blu-ray] Specifications

Rent, the show that in 1996 gave voice to a Broadway generation, has finally become an energetic, passionate, and touching movie musical. Based loosely on Puccini's La Bohème, it focuses on the year in the life of a group of friends in New York's East Village--"bohemians" who live carefree lives of art, music, sex, and drugs. Well, carefree until Mark, an aspiring filmmaker (Anthony Rapp), and Roger, an aspiring songwriter (Adam Pascal), find out they owe a year's rent to Benny (Taye Diggs), a former friend who had promised them free residence when he married the landlord's daughter. Roger has also attracted the attention of his downstairs neighbor, Mimi (Rosario Dawson), while Mark's former girlfriend, Maureen (Idina Menzel), has found a new romance in a lawyer named Joanne (Tracie Thoms). Philosophy professor Tom (Jesse L. Martin) finds his soul mate in drag queen Angel (Wilson Jermaine Heredia). But because this is the late-'80s, the threat of AIDS is always present. The remarkable thing about Rent the movie is that nearly 10 years after the show debuted on Broadway, six of the eight principals return in the roles they originated. They're a bit older than would be ideal for their characters, but they do have the advantage of having learned the show directly from creator Jonathan Larson (who died of an aortic aneurysm while the show was in previews), plus they started young--we're not exactly talking Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford here. Alongside a polished performance like Rapp's--sometimes observer-commentator, sometimes participant in two of the score's showstoppers, "The Tango Maureen" and "La Vie Boheme"--the two new additions (Thoms in place of Fredi Walker, Dawson in place of the edgier Daphne Rubin-Vega) slip comfortably into the ensemble; the pivotal Dawson makes a seductive case as Mimi when she tempts Roger in the mesmerizing "Light My Candle" or burns up the stage of the Catscratch Club in "Out Tonight." Moviegoers who have an aversion to people who break into song while walking down the street probably won't have their minds changed by Rent (even if they are singing rock songs), and the gritty subject matter and lack of big-name stars make it unlikely to cross over to general audiences the way Chicago did. But fans of musicals should find "Seasons of Love" as stirring as ever, and the show's passionate admirers--the "Rentheads"--probably couldn't have wished for a more sympathetic director than Rent fan Chris Columbus, or a more faithful representation of the show they love. --David Horiuchi

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Star Trek: "The Doomsday Machine" (Part 3 of 8 - Test #1)

This video is my "reimagining" of the visual effects from the classic 1967 "Star Trek" episode "The Doomsday Machine". I am the sole creator of all of the models and images you see in the revised visual effects sequences. I started this project way back in 2005, long before Paramount and CBS Home Video got the bright idea in their heads to remaster the original series in high definition and with new CGI effects. Well, that project, which involved 79 episodes (eighty if you count "The Cage" pilot episode) has started and finished (and they did a great job!) in the time it's taken me to get not quite halfway through one episode. Admittedly, I picked what is arguably the most effects-heavy episode in the original series, and they had a small platoon of people working around the clock, whereas I'm one amateur hobbyist working in his scattered free time... but still--five years??! What you're viewing in this clip is an assembly of visual effects footage in various states of completion. The opener to Act II with the Enterprise sailing through the debris field is complete but for a planned re-rendering of the planet killer--I tweaked the model's textures after I released test footage last month, and now it doesn't match the appearance of the machine in the following scene. Speaking of which... the following sequence where the planet killer opens fire on the Enterprise is semi-complete; there are about 20000 more asteroids and the glowy blue dust cloud that still need to be added ...



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