“SLEEPING BEAUTY: 50th ANNIVERSARY – 2-DISC PLATINUM EDITION”
Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 1959, G
Best extra: The 43-minute “making of” filmed in hi-def, revealing the depth of Disney artistry.
STOP ME IF you’ve heard this one before. A beautiful princess is rescued by a brave, handsome prince after falling under the spell cast by an evil witch. Okay, it’s not new material. But this Disney release is an animation masterpiece – it’s not only the last fairy tale that Walt supervised, it also marks the final movie boasting the lush Disney look.
The animation was inspired by classic Renaissance tapestries. The Fifties’ graphic design played a part as well. The result is spectacular, something Disney never again matched. It’s enhanced by the George Bruns’ Academy Award nominated score, which samples Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky’s score. The color leaps off the screen, especially on the Blu-ray disc. This is especially true when Prince Phillip battles Maleficent, who has transformed into a dragon. It’s one Disney’s scariest scenes.
The Blu-ray includes an informative and entertaining picture-in-picture commentary with video clips, hundreds of photographs and talking heads from commentators: Pixar/Disney Animation whiz John Lasseter, film critic Leonard Maltin and Disney animator Andreas Deja. You can also listen to them without the pop-up feature or if you have the DVD, the audio track is available.
Additional extras include tons of art galleries all in hi-def, the 30-minute travelogue documentary “Grand Canyon,” similar to the IMAX experience original shown just before “Beauty,” a 3D walkthrough tour of the Disneyland Castle, an alternate musical opening scene, an episode of the Disneyland TV show, “The Peter Tchaikovsky Story” and hours more of wonderful extras.
The Blu-ray does unveil Disney’s first live internet download site, unlocking additional features. Beware: it could be a long wait to enter the site.
Soothing music plays while your Blu-ray player or PlayStation 3 updates. It took nearly 15 minutes for my PS3. Next, you must setup an online account with your email address, password, home address and etc. Without a keyboard, it took forever.
Then you’re given a guest username until your email address is approved. For some reason I couldn’t get mine to work. Another, 20 minutes wasted. I’ll give Disney a break; it could’ve been first-day problems. In a few days I’ll try again. So, just skip over to the disc’s main menu, bypassing the online site and start watching the family treasure right away.
— Larry Printz/Bill Kelley III
“THE VISITOR”
Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 2008, rated PG-13 for brief strong language
Best extra: Commentary by writer/director Tom McCarthy and actor Richard Jenkins
“THE VISITOR” IS one of those feel-good life-affirming movies that just miss being too predictable or saccharine. The winning performances, almost believable, and very 21st century story are sure to hold viewers’ interest and affection for the characters. Jenkins (the ghost father in HBOs “Six Feet Under”) plays an almost catatonically depressed economics professor in Connecticut who is sent to New York to present a paper. Shocked to discover a young immigrant couple illegally renting his neglected apartment there, he gradually allows a life-changing friendship to develop.
In his commentary, Jenkins says he “waited his entire professional career to be a part of something like this.” McCarthy, who also filmed “The Station Agent,” tells how he chose the young actors and of the challenges he faced while shooting. Other extras include two brief documentaries in standard-def, one on playing the djembe (the type of African hand drum featured in the story), the other a sort of glorified promo; as well as some deleted scenes.
The Blu-ray imagery is solid with strong contrast and good detail showing off those New York City locations, making it a more obvious cinematic experience.
— Peggy Earle
“THE HAPPENING”
Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 2008, R for realistic violence
Best extra: The hi-def "Anatomy of a Scene" featurette (more below)
WHETHER YOU LOVE or hate M. Night Shyamalan, one thing cannot be denied: This is a man who loves movies, and understands their language. In "Anatomy of a Scene," Shyamalan explains how one special effect – a continuous shot of a car running into a tree while the two front occupants fly out the window – illustrates how he likes to make special effects seamless and integral to the story.
It's probably the most interesting observation of the half dozen or so hi-def featurettes in this collection. All showcase a confident, effusive Shyamalan explaining different aspects of his film (characters, casting, the decision to pursue the less box-office friendly "R" rating for the sake of the story, etc.). One even demonstrates Shyamalan’s manner on the set for nearly 10 minutes.
But on this film, the obligatory featurette praise from the actors rings a bit hollow. True, "The Happening" is filled with seat-shuffling tension, courtesy of some genuinely unnerving scenes. But like his last two films did, Shyamalan gets pedantic very fast, with a journey that's far more interesting than the eventual destination.
The Blu-ray includes a quite informative pop-up trivia track with interviews, behind-the-scenes video clips and factoids on the production. The director pinpoints the similarity between his films’ opening credits to the original “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1956), which he didn’t notice until a sci-fi classic watch with his daughters.
— Carl Hott
“YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN”
Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 2008, PG-13 for crude and sexual content throughout, language and nudity
Best extra: "Zohan" includes the 113 minute PG-13 theatrical version and the much naughtier unrated version.
ADAM SANDLER will make you "silky smooth" in "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," the ridiculous new Sandler vehicle that will make you laugh and curse yourself for even watching it all at the same time. Sandler plays an Israeli Special Forces killing machine who really wants to be a hairstylist. He gets his chance when he allows an Islamic terrorist (played by John Turturro), to think he's killed him and takes off for New York to start a new life in pursuit of his dream.
As is the case with many comedies, visual style takes a backseat to getting those laughs and "Zohan," though shot on Genesis hi-def cameras, just doesn't amaze in hi-def. The image is soft, and there was a strange stylistic choice to shoot much of the film under a golden filter. It gives the image a strange look and, as a result, flesh tones look unnatural. On the flipside, the uncompressed audio track is excellent and highlights the film's score, dialogue, and fight scenes.
Why two commentaries have been included with this release is anyone's guess. The humor of Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Robert Smigel, and Nick Swardson gives the actors’ comedy the edge over the dull director's commentary. No one has anything particularly deep to say about the film. A big plus are the extras; all the video extras are presented in hi-def. The various featurettes look at Sandler's numerous celebrity pals who agreed to appear in cameo roles, the film's stunts and Sandler's stunt doubles, an interview with musician Dave Matthews (who plays a redneck in the film), deleted scenes, a gag reel and more.
— Josh Boone
“30 ROCK: SEASON 2”
Enhanced widescreen, 2007, unrated
Best extra: It’s tough to choose from a jam-packed collection of goodies, but the 31-minute reading of the “Cooter” episode is entertaining. Not only do you get to see the actors in an informal setting, sitting around a table honing their craft, but the screenplay also scrolls beneath the video as they read.
TINA FEY IS A GENIUS. All of America knows it now that she’s hitting weekly home runs with her Sarah Palin impersonation. But her best work is in the writing and acting on this show – a surprise hit when it debuted two years ago.
This second season is shorter, down from 22 to 15 episodes thanks to that pesky writer’s strike. But every episode is still tremendous. Fey kept the Emmys coming with more witty dialogue and ridiculous situations for her and the stable of talented actors – Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski – a group of crazies who collide behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show.
Baldwin’s character, a TV exec, comes up with such brilliant ideas as inserting Jerry Seinfeld – digitally – into current shows. Fey’s character attempts to recover from the crumble of her relationship. Morgan, the star of the faux show, struggles with a separation from his wife. All sounds pretty pathetic, sure, but trust us: hilarity ensues.
As good as the show is, the DVD release is better. There are commentaries included with 10 of the episodes, including a couple of funny ones by guest stars Will Arnett and Tim Conway. A more serious commentary comes from Fey and her husband, music supervisor Jeff Richmond, who talk about “Episode 210,” which was filmed during the strike. They share their thoughts on what life was like for everyone on the set in that trying time.
There’s also a look at Fey backstage the last time she hosted Saturday Night Live. And a great 47-minute video of a staged reading of the “Secrets and Lies” episode, which was performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre – a fundraiser for the show’s crew during the strike. If you like the show, you’ll love this two-disc set.
— Kyle Tucker
“THE FOOT FIST WAY”
Enhanced widescreen, 2008, R for strong language and some sexual content
Best extra: 20 additional scenes, running over half an hour, provide even more outrageous humor.
DANNY MCBRIDE, who made a name for himself this summer in "Pineapple Express" and "Tropic Thunder," came to Hollywood's attention, specifically Will Ferrell's attention, with "Foot Fist Way," an uneven but funny film shot on a shoestring about an insane tae kwon do instructor who beats the crap out of his students (most young children), and verbally abuses them.
As we learn from the commentary with McBride, director Jody Hill (who has a new film starring Seth Rogen called "Observe and Report" coming out in 2009) and production designer Randy Gambill, the film was shot in two weeks on 16mm, and the team is genuinely surprised it was even released at all by Paramount, who picked it up at Ferrell's urging. Also included are the additional scenes, blooper footage, and an excruciating 25 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage cut to bad music with no talking, interviews, or explanation.
Worth a rental for McBride's performance.
— Josh Boone
“VERTIGO: 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION”
Enhanced widescreen, 1958, PG
Best extra: A new documentary, “Partners in Crime: Hitchcock’s Collaborators”
WHEN IT WAS RELEASED, critics didn’t like it and audiences couldn’t understand it. But it has since found its way into the hearts and minds of movie lovers. This summer it was selected by the American Film Institute, as the number one mystery of all time, topping “Chinatown” and Hitchcock’s own “Rear Window.”
One of its biggest fans, director William Friedkin (“The French Connection”) provides a powerful new commentary, pinpointing the movies’ main two themes: obsession and guilt. Friedkin also describes the loyalty crew members had for “Hitch” (as his closest friends called him). Cinematographer Robert Burks photographed 11 films and George Tomasini edited eight for the ‘master of suspense.’ The Brit director was so comfortable with his crew, “he never looked into the camera,” Friedkin tells. “He sat in his director’s chair and the crew knew exactly what he wanted.”
Hitchcock considered “Vertigo” his most personal and studied film. In it, James Stewart plays a retired detective terrified by heights and obsessed with Madeleine Elster (Kim Novak). Stewart falls into an emotional nightmare as a web of death surrounds him.
The digitally remastered picture has been cleaned up, removing some scratches and marks; but most of the work was finished a decade earlier. Universal Studios spent $1 million restoring the original VistaVision negative for its 40th anniversary while producing a new six-channel digital soundtrack. The crew of Robert Harris and James Katz, known for restoring “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Spartacus” and “My Fair Lady” found the film had greatly deteriorated. The two provide a commentary that has been featured on two previous “Vertigo” discs.
The collaborators’ documentary is insightful and educational. First it features the work of graphic designer Saul Bass, who changed the way Hollywood produces opening credits. His work on “Vertigo” is considered trend-setting. Next, fashion designer Edith Head, “who showed Tinsel town how to dress,” says designer Ruth Carter during an interview. Then it skips to composer Bernard Hermann, who wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar for “Vertigo” or “Psycho.” It rounds out with his greatest collaborator, Alama Reville, who just happens to be his wife. The ex-screenwriter spent most of her time reworking the stories and scripts.
The two-disc set includes the original 1997 AMC network documentary, which breaks down into the following categories: restoration, casting, VistaVision, locations, costumes, design, effects and music. It also includes the famous audio interview with French director Francois Truffaut.
You can also pick up two more remastered Hitchcock classics: “Rear Window,” with a slightly better picture than the previous version; and “Psycho,” with tons of scratches and marks – especially during the first opening scenes. Both feature commentary tracks, Truffaut audio interviews and documentaries.
A wonderful collection from Universal, but it’s a shame none were released on hi-def Blu-ray. With luck, the wait won’t be long.
— Bill Kelley III
“TOUCH OF EVIL: 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION”
Enhanced widescreen, 1958, not rated
Best extra: Who would have guessed that the film itself is the best extra. How so? Because the two-disc set includes three versions of the film.
ORSON WELLES’ superb noir thriller set in a seedy border town arrives from Universal in a brand new 50th Anniversary Edition which includes three versions of the film. First up is the previously available "Restored Version" (111 minutes) which was re-edited by editor extraordinaire Walter Murch ("Apocalypse Now") in 1998. This is the definitive cut of the film, which has been restored as closely as possible to Welles' vision based on his now famous 58-page memo to the studio.
The "Theatrical Version" (99 minutes) and a "Preview Version" (109 minutes) are also included. The "Preview Version," which precedes the "Theatrical Version," is closer to the "Restored Cut," utilizing some of Welles' requests. Both the "Theatrical Version" and the "Preview Version" come with a commentary, while the "Restored Version" comes with two.
By far, the strongest commentary is by the late Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh, who are accompanied by restoration producer Rick Schmidlin. This commentary is of real historical value for the inclusion of two Hollywood legends. The other commentaries include Orson Welles historians, an analytical Criterion-style track with L.A. Weekly critic F.X. Feeney, and a redundant second commentary with Schmidlin.
You can save yourself a lot of time working through these four commentaries and stick with the retrospective featurette "Bringing Evil to Life" and the restoration featurette "Evil Lost and Found." Together you'll get about 40 minutes of interviews with Heston, Leigh, editor Murch, and others. "L.A. Confidential" director Curtis Hanson shows up to give viewers a fun tour of the locations in Venice where the film was shot.
Now if Universal would only release the "Restored Version" in hi-def.
— Josh Boone
“PARANOID PARK”
Full-screen, 2007, R for some disturbing images, language and sexual content
Best extra: None
GUS VAN SANT returns to the "watching paint dry" style of filmmaking he visited in "Elephant" and "Last Days" with this painfully slow story of a skateboarder dealing with the guilt from his involvement in the accidental killing of a security guard. Van Sant can be an incredible director, as evidenced in "Drugstore Cowboy," "My Own Private Idaho," and "Good Will Hunting," but his work here, though complimented by Christopher Doyle's excellent cinematography, is uniformly dull and uninvolving.
A superior Blu-ray edition is available overseas and is playable on US players. It included a solid transfer and some additional features. This was announced for Blu-ray in the US, but was pulled from the schedule several months ago.
— Josh Boone
“YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN”
(Blu-ray widescreen, 1974, rated PG for naughty humor)
Best extra: “It’s Alive! Creating a Monster Classic,” a new, hi-def, making-of feature
THE MARKETEERS AT 20th Century Fox fumbled big time. Nowhere on the packaging for the Blu-ray debut of Mel Brooks’ loving comedy does it indicate that it’s been accessorized with new hi-def extras.
Make that splendid new hi-def extras. No, splendid new hi-def extras that pull off a pretty neat trick: They make a great movie better.
“Inside the Lab: Secret Formulas in the Making of Young Frankenstein” is a picture-in-picture track pieced together from the other new extras and clips and stills from the original “Frankenstein” (kudos to Universal). The highlight: Brooks’ intro. Before hi-def, he says, he looked like Charles Laughton. (To prove it, he pulls his jacket up around his head and does a bit from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”) “But with Blu-ray, I’m beautiful now.”
“Transylvanian Lullaby: The Music of John Morris” is an enlightening profile of the veteran composer. He not only worked on comedies with Brooks – and their long partnership was a true collaboration – he did the score for “The Elephant Man,” which Brooks produced.
A few deleted scenes in hi-def also are included, but first prize goes to “It’s Alive! Creating a Monster Classic,” a making-of feature that convenes Brooks, co-stars Cloris Leachman and Teri Garr, Sara Karloff (daughter of Boris), film historians and biographers. It’s rich with anecdotes and technical asides, but the feeling viewers will come away with most is the genuine affection shared by cast and crew – for one another and the film.
A bunch of extras from previous DVDs have been picked up, too. Tops among them is Brooks’ commentary. It’s like going to the movies with your favorite uncle.
Figure in the swell picture (the old-timey grain is too cool) and audio (Morris’ theme soars), and the next time someone says you can’t have your cake and eat it, too, you can tell them they’re wrong.
— Craig Shapiro
“THE OMEN COLLECTION”
All Blu-ray widescreen, 1976, 1978, 1981, 2006, R for violence
Best extra: A commentary with director Richard Donner and screenwriter Brian Helgeland
WHAT DOES the Antichrist have to do with Luke Skywalker?
The connection began when Richard Donner, who directed “The Omen,” sent his cinematographer, Gilbert Taylor, to George Lucas to photograph “Star Wars.”
But here’s the juicy part, courtesy of one of Donner’s two commentaries:
Taylor told Donner that “Star Wars” was a disaster and that Lucas was in over his head. The suits at Fox – home studio of both movies – weren’t happy. In fact, they were so frustrated that they were thinking about pulling the plug. Fortunately, “The Omen” was a megahit. And someone at Fox figured all Lucas needed to get his space saga right was cash – in other words, rob Peter. pay Paul. OK, not quite, but the rest, as they say, is history.
“The Omen” tells the story of U.S. Ambassador Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) and his wife Kathy (Lee Remick) who delivers a stillborn baby, only to have it replaced at the hospital by little Damien -- who they eventually discover is the son of Satan. The bone-chilling events lead to Thorn’s eventual quest to kill the demon seed. Donner and company filmed in Rome, Israel and throughout Great Britain, providing some amazing sites that hold up quite well on Blu-ray. There’s plenty of detail, but features a low contrast look mostly from filtering used by Taylor’s photography. All scratches and marks have been removed.
Donner and film editor Stuart Baird give a very in-depth and intriguing commentary and a third comes from two film historians. There are also two documentaries in standard-def, including the 46 minute “666: The Omen Revealed.” A short featurette, “Curse or Coincidence,” is a chilling look at some very strange accidents and occurrences surrounding the movie. Composer Jerry Goldsmith also discusses the shiver-inducing music for the film, for which he won an Oscar. And Wes Craven -- a scary movie legend in his own right -- talks about how the film influenced him.
“Damien – Omen II,” is less effective than the original, but still a shocker – with an unbelievable underwater ice scene. William Holden plays Richard Thorn, who’s Damien’s (Jonathan Scott-Taylor) guardian after the death of Robert and Kathy Thorn. Now a tween, Damien and his cousin are both attending a military school, where his mysterious powers are starting to cause havoc. The Blu-ray looks great, with top notch contrast and sharpness.
The disc features a commentary with producer Harvey Bernhard, who gives some insights into why Don Taylor took over directing from Michael Hodges.
“Omen III: The Final Conflict” brings New Zealand actor Sam Neill stateside for his first American role, playing the thirtysomething Damien, the full-fledged Antichrist leading a world revolution. The disc includes a commentary with director Graham Baker.
“The Omen” (2006) is nearly a shot for shot clone from the original thriller. This faithful remake stars Liev Schreiber and Julia Stiles as the parents of Damien. Mia Farrow steals the show as the devilish nanny, who’ll do anything to protect the future world leader and his plan to hasten Armageddon.
The disc features a commentary with producer Glenn Williamson, editor Dan Zimmerman and director John Moore, who recalls how the “Omen” curse hit the production. (Mysteriously, a full day of shooting was destroyed while rushing to meet the June 6, 2006 premiere.) Additional extras include a 30-minute documentary exploring the history of “666,” deleted scenes and recording the score at the fame Abbey Road Studios.
The Blu-ray imagery is super-sharp, especially since the movie wasn’t filmed in Panavision, which was used with the previous films. All of the discs include the uncompressed DTS HD audio track for the best possible sound.
— Bill Kelley III
“THE SIXTH SENSE”
Blu-ray widescreen, 1999, PG-13 for intense thematic material and violent images
Best extra: “Reflections From the Set” offers in-depth interviews from cast and crew.
HERE’S A FILM that gets better each time it’s viewed – and on hi-def Blu-ray, it is a stunner. Better than watching it the first time, viewers are treated to that eerie 3-D sensation where it seems we can almost step into the screen. Colors are rich, but balanced. Images are sharp and sound is spectacular and extremely eerie just where it needs to be. This Blu-ray picture is just too good to be real.
There are no new extras; however, Disney provides the full set from its earlier release. Interviews, a fascinating look at life-after-death films such as “Ghost” and “The Exorcist,” deleted scenes introduced by director/writer M. Night Shyamalan, and other featurettes.
So, is this Blu-ray disc worth the upgrade in your home library? It surely is.
— Mike Reynolds
“BLOW”
Blu-ray widescreen, 2001, R for pervasive drug content and language, some violence, sexuality
Best extra: A series of interviews with the real George Jung, taped by the late Ted Demme at Otisville Federal Prison are illuminating.
JOHNNY DEPP AND Penelope Cruz star in "Blow," an entertaining film about the rise and fall of a drug smuggler (who ran 85% of the cocaine into this country between the years 1977 and 1984) that never manages to reach the heights attained by films like "Goodfellas" and "American Gangster."
The film comes to Blu-ray with a transfer that can be difficult to judge at times because Demme and his director of photography created different looks for the various time periods in the film but deep blacks, excellent detail and strong colors make this easy to recommend to fans of the film. The Dolby TrueHD track is immersive with a great assembly of class rock songs fueling the narrative.
All the extras from New Line's DVD Platinum Edition have been included. A Demme and Jung commentary (recorded separately, since Jung is in jail), half an hour of deleted scenes, 20-minutes of Demme's production diaries as well as two featurettes take you beyond the film. The first focuses on Pablo Escobar's cocaine business in Columbia, while the second features interviews with physicians, counselors and recovering addicts who discuss their experiences. A digital copy adds more value for those with iPods, PCs and Macs.
— Josh Boone
“BODY HEAT”
Blu-ray widescreen, 1981, R for nudity, sex and language
Best extra: Three featurettes, running roughly 45 minutes, have been carried over from the 2006 "Deluxe Edition."
LAWRENCE KASDAN, HAVING just written "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" for George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, used his success to launch "Body Heat" as his directorial debut. A noir classic, "Heat" stars William Hurt and Kathleen Turner in the age old tale of a man who has an affair with a beautiful married woman who convinces him to kill her husband for her only to find that he's being set up for a fall. Kasdan draws heavily from Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity" but puts his own stamp on the piece.
"Body Heat" arrives on Blu-ray with a transfer that significantly improves on the standard DVD in all areas, namely detail and color. The film does have a nice soft look reminiscent of older noirs. The Dolby TrueHD track, though welcome, won't give you sound system a significant workout (almost everything is focused on the center channel).
Extras include a handful of deleted scenes, vintage interviews from 1981 with Hurt and Turner, and three 2006 retrospective featurettes with the cast and crew You’ll learn that George Lucas was an uncredited executive producer on the film; and Hurt and Turner, wanting the crew to feel more comfortable during their graphic love scenes, lined up all the crew members and introduced themselves to each and every one of them while naked.
— Josh Boone
“INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE”
Blu-ray widescreen, 1994, R for vampire violence and gore and sexuality
Best extra: In the half-hour documentary "In the Shadow of the Vampire" we learn that Anne Rice was so displeased with the casting of Tom Cruise as her vampire Lestat that she publicly denounced him, only to eat her words and apologize upon seeing his incredible performance.
SUPERSTARS TOM Cruise and Brad Pitt are at each other's throats both literally and figuratively in Neil Jordan's adaptation of Rice's popular bestseller. The film makes its hi-def debut this week and maintains all the extras from the special edition released on standard DVD some years ago.
The image quality is an improvement over the standard DVD, but is extremely hard to judge. The film was purposefully shot very soft and very dark, so the image is never razor sharp; but color reproduction is excellent and the abundance of grain is a welcome sign that no DNR was used when the title was prepared for Blu-ray. Warner's insistence on not including uncompressed audio tracks for the majority of their releases has been a real sticking point for hi-def enthusiasts. This release will only infuriate them more. "Interview" comes with only a Dolby 5.1 mix.
Extras include the before-mentioned half-hour doc, an insightful commentary with Jordan, and a one-minute introduction to the film with Jordan, Rice, and Antonio Banderas.
— Josh Boone
“THE THREE STOOGES COLLECTION: VOLUME FOUR, 1943-1945”
Full screen, 1943, 1944, 1945, not rated
Best extra: There are no extras with this DVD set.
MOE, LARRY AND CURLY are three of the funniest men in history. The Sony Pictures Home Entertainment group has put together the fourth installment of the collection of comedic shorts starring Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard.
In this two-disc set, we are treated to 21 of the Stooges’ funniest offerings from 1943 to 1945. They include “A Gem of a Jam,” where we find janitors Moe, Larry and Curly working in a medical office and being mistaken for doctors by three bank robbers who need and demand to be treated. There’s also “Dizzy Detectives,” “Higher Than a Kite,” “Dizzy Pilots,” “Phony Express,” “Micro-Phonies,” “Gents Without Cents” and “The Yoke’s on Me,” among others.
The slapstick hijinks and play on words might appear, in these modern times, out of date; but at the end of a hard day, the Stooges can be just the right remedy.
Mindless humor, plain and simple; but “The Three Stooges Collection: Volume Four” will keep you laughing for hours and hours.
But please, kids, do not try this at home.
— Cliff Redding
“THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES: THE OFFICIAL SECOND SEASON”
Full screen, 1963-1964, not rated
Best extra: The screen test of Irene Ryan, who played Granny, is a real gem. (Obviously, she nailed it.)
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN living under a rock, in a cave on an island if you’ve never heard the opening theme to “The Beverly Hillbillies,” which tells the story of Jed Clampett (Buddy Ebsen), who went hunting one day in the Ozarks and discovered oil on his property, making he and his family rich enough to move to Beverly Hills.
Swimming pools … movie stars.
Heading out West with Jed is Granny, daughter Elly Mae (Donna Douglas) and dim-witted nephew Jethro (Max Baer Jr.). The comedy starts and keeps coming in this five-disc set, after the transplanted Clampetts are “mentored” by their banker, Mr. Drysdale (Raymond Bailey) and his loyal, Jethro-loving assistant, Jane Hathaway (Nancy Kulp).
The second season of this show includes all 36 gut-bustin’ episodes in which the bumpkins navigate the world of the “sophisticated.”
Extras also include an interview by co-creator and writer Paul Henning, a CBS network promo from 1963-64 and original episode sponsor openings and closings.
So set a spell … take your shoes off, and enjoy.
— Cliff Redding
“SOUTH PARK: THE CULT OF CARTMAN”
Full screen, 2008, not rated
Best extra: Original introductions to each episode by Eric Cartman. These intros include life lessons, too.
“SOME CALL ME A WUNDERKIND. Many wish to be like me. So here are my life lessons for all to follow,” Eric Cartman tells us.
“The Cult of Cartman” features the guy at his very worst. Pure Cartman, the infamous fat boy from South Park, Colo., who manages to get that whole town caught up in his madness.
It might be a little difficult to really understand the target audience of this collection by Comedy Central and Paramount Studio Home Entertainment. Newcomers to the world of “South Park” and Eric Cartman will get a kick out of the whole thing, but those familiar with Cartman and the rest of the crew might not be as turned on by so few new episodes being offered in this elaborately packaged set.
But then, it’s all about Cartman.
The 12 episodes are all about Eric Cartman and the trouble he manages to get himself into: “Scott Tenorman Must Die,” “Awesome-O,” “The Death of Eric Cartman,” “Cartoon Wars Part I,” “Cartoon Wars Part II,” “La Petit Tourette,” “Tonsil Trouble,” “Eek, a Penis!” “Cartmanland,” “Up the Down Steroid,” “Super Fun Time” and “Ginger Kids.”
Although this DVD set is interesting and funny and entertaining, it is a bit redundant. The only episodes that are not available on DVD are “Tonsil Trouble,” “Eek, a Penis!” and “Super Fun Time.” But a certain level of redundancy is one of the things that makes “South Park” so popular, isn’t it? Join the cult!
— Cliff Redding
“CARRIE”
Blu-ray widescreen, 1976, R for nudity, violence and language
“THE AMITYVILLE HORROR”
Blu-ray widescreen, 1979, R for language and horror
Best extra: Shame on you, MGM. All the special features from the standard DVD versions have been stripped from the Blu-ray editions. Not a single extra feature has been included.
BRIAN DEPALMA’S EXCELLENT adaptation of Stephen King's first novel is one of the best horror films of the 1970s. Sissy Spacek, John Travolta, Amy Irving, and a terrifying Piper Laurie (who was nominated for an Oscar for her work in the film) star. MGM is releasing it in hi-def just in time for Halloween. I'm pleased to say that the picture quality is uniformly excellent with not a trace of DNR tampering. Colors and detail are far superior to the 2001 "Special Edition" and the uncompressed DTS track, though created from the original mono track (which is also included), is quite good as well.
Missing from this Blu-ray of "Carrie" is nearly an hour and a half of documentaries produced by Laurent Bouzereau that are available on the 2001 "Special Edition."
Next up is the atmospheric and effective "The Amityville Horror," yet another MGM release for Halloween. The hi-def image looks very strong for a 29-year-old film, maintaining that rather soft 70s look while offering up strong colors and detail. The uncompressed audio track, like "Carrie," is derived from an included mono track, and is a bit livelier than the one for "Carrie."
"The Amityville Horror" is missing an audio commentary by Dr. Hans Holzer, the "For God's Sakes, Get Out!" documentary, and some radio spots.
MGM's withholding of already available DVD extras is a slap in the face to consumers. You can bet the studio will be double-dipping these somewhere down the line. Buy at your own risk.
— Josh Boone
“BEETLEJUICE: 20TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION”
Blu-ray and enhanced widescreen, 1988, PG for raunchy humor and language
Best extra: Three cartoons from the sporadically funny 1989-91 series
SOMEONE AT Warner Bros. forgot that Beetlejuice is the ghost with the most.
How else to explain the shabby Blu-ray makeover? The picture is mediocre – a sin for a Tim Burton flick. The sound is flat – a sin for a Danny Elfman score. The extras? Puh-leeze. A few cartoons, a trailer and a soundtrack CD sampler hardly count, not when Burton titles arrive fully loaded.
And on the 20th anniversary of this crazed comedy, too.
Fortunately, none of that takes away from Michael Keaton’s possessed performance as the freelance “bio-exorcist” hired by a recently deceased husband and wife to rid their home of New Yorkers.
Is that a reason to spring for the Blu-ray disc?
Save the shekels and go standard def.
— Craig Shapiro
"LEWIS BLACK'S ROOT OF ALL EVIL: UNCENSORED"
Full screen, 2007-2008, not rated (mature humor)
Best extra: Junkies of the show will appreciate the complete exit interviews given by judge Lewis Black and the two fake lawyers of the week (they now air over the closing credits only in snippets).
COMEDY CENTRAL HAS a new buzzword of late: "uncensored." Before the viewer even reaches the main menu on this two-disc DVD set, the network crows about three of its now "uncensored" shows. For "Reno 911," that translates to a few topless scenes; and on shows like "South Park" and this one, it means a few unedited f-bombs.
But the label isn't really necessary. The quality of the humor in "Root of all Evil" and the presence of real-deal funnyman Lewis Black seals the deal already. The inspired setup: Comedian "lawyers" pit current pop culture, political or geographic embarrassments against each other in a mock courtroom (emphasis on "mock"), and argue which one is more destructive to America. Choice examples: Paris Hilton vs. Dick Cheney, Kim Jong Il vs. Tila Tequila. (Must we choose?) The show utilizes well-known comedians (Andy Kindler, Patton Oswalt), and those who deserve to be (Kathleen Madigan, Greg Giraldo -- the latter who, despite his real law-school training, managed to lose every one of his cases this season). The suggestive comments can get rather salty; but if tearing down pop culture idols is your thing, this is certainly the show to beat.
The extras are scant but decent. Most involve Black sounding off on various topics, including his (mostly flattering) opinions of the show's comedians, a few brief political views, and a fake jury selection video that he hosts. But the real draw for those who saw the original run on Comedy Central is the complete post-show exit interviews conducted by former "Daily Show" correspondent Stacy Grenrock-Woods. The seemingly unscripted comments, especially the petty sniping between the lawyers, is as funny as the show itself.
Angry humor such as this is tricky to pull off. But it's hard to imagine anyone besides Lewis Black (with the possible exception of the late, great George Carlin, to whom the second season is fittingly dedicated), with enough head of steam to rise to the task. For topical humor buffs, this is an open and shut case.
— Carl Hott
“THE SMURFS: SEASON ONE – VOLUME TWO”
Full screen, 1981-82, unrated
Best extra: The documentary "I Smurf The Smurfs!”
LITTLE SHIRTLESS BLUE creatures rocking white hats and pants and shoe leotard type get up. That's The Smurfs. The cartoon, which was born from a 1950s Belgian comic strip, entertained ‘70s and ‘80s babies (and probably their parents) with about 400 episodes.
The blue gang made a soft comeback with vintage episodes on digital cable not too long ago. Now, the favorites are on DVD.
This two-disc release features 20 episodes of Smurf Village drama as Papa Smurf, Greedy, Hefty, Grouch and the others fight off Gargamel, Hogatha and the other villains. Of course, Smurfette, the only girl in the crew, gets plenty of screen time here and gets to wear a dress instead of the leotard – thank goodness.
In the special feature, actors and actresses reminisce about their favorite cartoon. It was a staple for Persia White, best known for her role on “Girlfriends.” A good Smurfs episode and a bowl of Cocoa Puffs cereal always made White’s day.
Candace Cameron Bure, who broke into stardom with her role on “Full House,” always admired the good lesson to be learned. Actress Debbie Allen and Smurfs writer Marc Zicree raise some other intriguing and hilarious questions. Why no shirts? That definitely wouldn't fly in modern cartoons. And what's with the hats? Were the Smurfs bald underneath? Something to think about.
— DeAnne M. Bradley
“MIDSOMER MURDERS: SET ELEVEN”
Enhanced widescreen, 2005, unrated
Best extra: “Fascinating Facts” gives neat trivia about the series, including that its theme music is played on a Theremin and that Midsomer County is a fictional region based on Buckhinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
THE EMINENTLY LIKEABLE Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby (John Nettles) and his sidekick, D.C. Ben Jones investigate more of the seething underbelly of the beautiful English countryside in this 4-disc set. As the series title suggests, there are murders galore; and each episode boasts at least one recognizable British character actor, such as Sian Phillips, Joss Ackland and Simon Callow. All four mysteries, based on novels by Caroline Graham, are fun to watch, well-written and well-acted. Most of the extras are simply text on screen, except for one excerpt from an earlier series, showing a pair of characters who are both killed and whose “relatives” (played by the same actors) reappear in a current episode.
— Peggy Earle
“REST STOP: DON’T LOOK BACK, UNCUT”
“OTIS: UNCUT”
Blu-ray widescreen, 2008, unrated, contains scenes of torture, extreme violence, gore, language and sexuality; not suitable for children
Best extra: None
OK – SO IT DOESN’T HAVE to be the week before Halloween any more for graphic horrorfests to arrive. And if you’re looking for the really trashy, gory stuff of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and the should-I-laugh humor of “Slither,” both of these flicks have something to offer. ”Rest Stop: Don’t Look Back” pays homage to “Hostel” and “Jeepers Creepers,” mixing torture slash with a soupcon of spooky legend. Characters are spirited and likable, the killer anything but. Handsome teen victims include Joey Mendicino, Julie Mond and Graham Norris. Steve Railsback (“Helter Skelter,” “The Stunt Man”) makes an appearance as the gas station attendant in the know.
“Otis” is a very dark comedy about a pizza-delivering serial killer, his victim, her family and the most obnoxious detective since Horatio Caine. Basically, an average American family (Daniel Stern, Illeana Douglas and Jared Kusnitz) take enthusiastic but misguided revenge when daughter/sister Riley (Ashley Johnson) is kidnapped by torture/killer Otis (Bostin Christopher). Laughs erupt despite better judgment but – trust me – neither film is intended for anyone under 18. Just don’t go there.
As in most Blu-ray presentations, viewers will enjoy a fantastic picture – red looks superb here, as always – and terrific sound. Release info from Warner Home Video indicates extras on both releases, but our review copy menus were blank. Good luck with that. Fans who enjoy torture/slasher films should not be disappointed with either offering.
— Mike Reynolds
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