Homepage Archives: April-August 2008
by Brian Eggert
August 19th, 2008: Criterion goes Blu, announces November titles
Releasing just in time for Black Friday, The Criterion Collection’s November titles will no doubt be top sellers for the holiday season—not only because of the diverse selection of titles themselves, but because the company is finally distributing their first discs in the Blu-ray format. Now Criterion will represent the apex of standard DVDs and, with any luck, they’ll conquer high-definition audio and video.
The first wave will be reformatted releases of discs currently available on standard DVD: Available 11/18, The Last Emperor, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and The Third Man will offer evidence that epics, arthouse favorites, and even black & white classics can benefit from HD. Coming a week later on 11/25, the previously unreleased titles Bottle Rocket and Chungking Express present more contemporary classics. All of the above-listed Blu-rays are available for pre-order at The Criterion Store with a price tag of $31.96.
On a side note: This month’s Criterion Newsletter hinted that Douglas Sirk’s wonderful melodrama Magnificent Obsession starring Rock Hudson is coming soon! For other Sirk/ Hudson/Criterion discs, check out All That Heaven Allows and Written on the Wind.
Below are details on Criterion’s standard DVDs for November:
Fanfan la Tulipe (1952)
The French equivalent of an Errol Flynn swashbuckler, director Christian-Jaque’s Fanfan la Tulipe stars the playful Gérard Philipe as a swordsman who volunteers for army duties to avoid an unwanted marriage. Through a series of fast-paced adventures and sexual intimations, we follow the lighthearted escapades and romances of the film’s dashing hero. Granted, fans of The Adventures of Robin Hood will miss the period-piece splendor in color, but the result is sheer entertainment nevertheless. The disc features a clip from the colorized version, an optional English-dubbed soundtrack (a rarity for Criterion releases), and a new essay by film scholar Kenneth Turan. Preorder this single-disc edition, available November 18th, at The Criterion Store for $23.97.
Bottle Rocket (1996)
By far the most requested, rumored, and talked-about release over the past several years, the arrival of Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket by Criterion seems like an impossible dream come true. For years Sony held rights to the film, and because they (usually) refuse to allow third-party distribution, the hope of Criterion getting their hands on this title was all but lost. Furthermore, such a disc was all the more sought-after considering Criterion released pristine editions of Anderson’s Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Life Aquatic (but strangely not The Darjeeling Limited—could this be the next big Wish List topper?). Finally, Criterion aficionados have their wish, and the result looks lovely. Starring brothers Luke and Owen Wilson, the film centers on two-bit thieves trying to find themselves. Included on the director-approved release are a making-of documentary, the inspirational three-minute short film, several deleted scenes, and (here’s the kicker) an appreciation written by director Martin Scorsese. Can’t wait for this one. Preorder the two-disc set, available November 25th, at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
Chungking Express (1994)
In a version of Hong Kong shot with almost tangible romantic atmosphere, Chinese director Wong Kar-wai made his film Chungking Express into one of the most beloved films of the 1990s. And while I can appreciate the compositional and photographic beauty of the picture, admittedly the story leaves me dispassionate. Understand, however, I am in the minority here. The flirtatious and quirky air of the film often lures people into the director’s series of supple love stories, none of which I find emotionally affecting. But as suggested, you may not feel the same. Criterion’s release includes an interview with Wong Kar-wai and his cinematographer Christopher Doyle, commentary with critic Tony Rayns, and an essay by Amy Taubin. Preorder the single-disc set, available November 25th, at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
Martin Ritt’s decisive Cold War drama The Spy Who Came in from the Cold comes from the popular novel by John Le Carré (The Constant Gardener). Spy yarn was never so deeply described thanks to Richard Burton’s heavy performance as Alec Leamas, an agent distracted by his preoccupation with his lover. The results of his unclear mind end with heartbreaking results, in this, a dramatic and thrilling exploration of the spy genre. Features include the BBC documentary The Secret Center: John Le Carré, a new interview with Le Carré, and a vintage interview with Burton about his career. Preorder the two-disc set, available November 25th, at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
...As always, all dates and prices are subject to change.
August 12th, 2008: Deep Focus Review's new User Rating
Deep Focus Review cordially invites you, the reader, to participate in this site’s new User Rating system. Up until now, I’ve had something of a dictatorship over the opinion-based material reported on this site. Granted, the Weekly Poll offers a chance for readers to put forward their two cents, but I wanted something more, something to involve you in the overall recommendation process of the site.
Now readers can open a free User Account by clicking the Register link on the upper right-hand corner of any page on this site. There you can create a profile (all information entirely confidential of course) that will allow you to contribute a “User Rating” at the bottom of any standard review page. By selecting the number of stars you would give a movie, your vote will be saved to your profile, as well as contribute to the “Average User Rating”—an accumulative star rating based on all of Deep Focus Review’s Users.
After creating your profile, which you can do HERE, meander about the site using the new-and-improved Search feature at the top right of this or any of this site’s pages. Specific to Deep Focus Review (not Google), the search engine can be used to find specific movies by name (actor or director), star rating, title, or year. If you prefer, the A-Z Database still lists all reviewed films alphabetically.
Once you’ve wandered around the site a bit, make your presence known and rate away. Simply scroll down to the bottom of any standard review page where the ratings are shown. You’ll notice there are now two ratings boxes: my Rating, and below that the User Rating. Place your cursor on the stars in the User Rating box (which represents the current User average) and select your personal star rating simply by clicking. Your rating will appear in green whenever you are logged in. And there you have it! Easy as pie.
This will be a useful feature for those of you who strongly disagree with some of my more passionate reviews. Sometimes when I dislike a movie I’m in the minority, like with my low-star rating for 300; other times I absolutely adore a film others have panned, as with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. This new User Profile system allows you to cast your vote in challenge or in favor of my own.
Please email me with any feedback you might have about this new feature. And of course, happy viewing (and rating!).
*A special thanks to Mykhael Doucet for his ingenuity while implementing this new feature.
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Owner, Operator, Film Critic
July 18th, 2008: The Criterion Collection's October slate
While the official release schedule for The Criterion Collection’s line of Blu-ray discs, supposedly planned for October, remains unconfirmed, they’ve at least announced the month’s standard DVDs. It’s another diverse grouping of titles from the company, who also hinted in this month’s newsletter that La Tulipe noire (1964) is in production, probably hitting shelves before the end of 2008.
Le doulos (1962)
Two October titles come from French cineaste Jean-Pierre Melville, director of such cool and atmospheric pictures as Bob le flambeur, Le Cercle rouge, and Le samouraï. Wrought with twists and turns, Le doulos (roughly translated into “The Informant” or “The Snitch”) takes place in Melville’s frequently explored criminal underworld, where cops and crooks garbed in film noir styles utter the director’s signature moody dialogue. The story follows Silien (Jean-Paul Belmondo), the probable rat who may have turned fellow hood Faugel (Serge Reggiani) over to the police. Features include commentary by Melville scholar Ginette Vincendeau, as well as interviews with the director’s former collaborators Volker Schlöndorff and Bertrand Tavernier. Preorder this single-disc edition, available October 7th, at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
Le deuxième soufflé (1966)
Another Melville masterpiece, Le deuxième soufflé (translated “The Second Breath”) enhances the overdone plotline of “one last score” into great art. Lino Ventura (from Melville’s brilliant Army of Shadows) escapes from prison only to be talked into another robbery; meanwhile, Paul Meurisse’s police inspector keeps hot on the thief’s trail. While almost mirroring the plot of his late career film Le Cercle Rouge, Melville imbues this picture with more genuine suspense than its successor. Features include commentary again by Melville scholar Ginette Vincendeau, an essay by critic Adrian Danks, and vintage interviews with Melville and Ventura. Preorder this single-disc edition, available October 7th, at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
Missing (1982)
Director of the extraordinary film Z, Costa-Gavras made some very politically-charged thrillers, not the least of which is Missing. Starring Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek, the story trails the family of American journalist Charles Horman, who disappeared during Chile’s 1973 takeover, as they fruitlessly attempt to find their loved one. Disheartening in its despair, the film builds until exposing the horrible fates of both Horman and the administration that allowed him to slip away. This 2-disc set includes a slew of interviews with Gavras, Lemmon, Spacek, and even Joyce Horman, wife of Charles. Also included: a video essay by Peter Kornbluh inspecting recently declassified documents that shed new light on the Horman case. Preorder this 2-disc edition, available October 14th, at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
Eclipse Series 13:
Kenji Mizoguchi's Fallen Women
Assembling two early-career and two late-career pictures, this 4-disc boxed set from Criterion’s Eclipse line may be void of special features, but because they’re works from Japanese master Kenji Mizoguchi (Sansho the Bailiff, Ugetsu), the bonus material is all in the subtext. Spanning his entire oeuvre, Mizoguchi’s most reoccurring theme is the plight of women in a female-oppressive Japan. Here Criterion assembles four heartbreaking titles ornamented with that thesis: The fluid melodrama Osaka Elegy (1936) focuses on a lowly employee (Mizoguchi favorite Isuzu Yamada) as she is pulled between her demanding father and an affair with her boss. Sisters of the Gion (1936) meditates on women’s low social status through the eyes of two geishas. In Women of the Night (1948), Mizoguchi places his subject in a postwar context, establishing forced moral ambiguity amid prevalent despair. And finally, Street of Shame (1956) makes a damning portrayal of brothels, which helped to usher in their outlaw in Japan only a year later. Arriving on October 21st, you can preorder this set for $47.96, but keep your eyes open—chances are one or more of these (likely Osaka Elegy) will receive the full Criterion treatment sometime in the future.
(Note: Also coming are separate editions of John Cassavetes’ A Woman Under the Influence (1974, single disc) and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976, 2-disc); both were previously available in Criterion’s boxed set “John Cassavetes: Five Films”. Also look for a reduced price on Robert Altman’s Short Cuts (1993), arguably the late director’s best film, soon available for $23.97.)
...As always, all dates and prices are subject to change.
July 4th, 2008: Enjoy your 4th of July weekend! (see a movie)
What better way to celebrate our independence from those dastardly Brits than by seeing a movie this 4th of July weekend? Nothing says “independent” like filling your face with Coca Cola, Milk Duds, and popcorn while stuff blows up real good on the big screen. With the plethora of blockbusters in circulation right now, chances are your local theater is carrying about five movies—the standard summer movie selection. Here’s an overview to make your weekend selection easier:
Whether you have youngsters or not, I suggest you see Pixar’s WALL•E, the kind of children’s movie that parents will enjoy as much, if not more than their kids; there’s no better movie in theaters right now. And don’t dismiss Kit Kittredge: An American Girl; it has some surprising themes and quality entertainment value, despite being based on a line of dolls. But if robots and Depression-era mysteries aren’t your thing, certainly Kung Fu Panda offers some broad martial arts-laden laughs.
And then there’s Hancock, the definition of muddled summer entertainment. It has everything a blockbuster should have: special effects, mass appeal, Will Smith, etc. But if you’re in themood for asuperhero movie, you can probably still find Iron Man or The Incredible Hulk nearby—see those if you haven’t already. Smith is a likeable guy, don’t get me wrong, but his movie peters-out about half way through. At least the aforementioned Marvel movies know how to deliver a punch. (Speaking of superheroes, Wanted might be based on a comic book, but there’re no heroes involved—just anti-heroes who wish they were in Fight Club. Avoid it.)
Keeping with the all-American direction of my recommendations; I’m not going to suggest counterprogramming titles like Mongol, The Rape of Europa, and The Visitor. July 4th is about fireworks, about loud boasting and cheering with pride. For movies, that translates to special effects and computer animation, to rousing entertainment, to the oohs and ahhs of blockbuster moviemaking. And so small films I might normally laud for their artsy appeal I’m avoiding here, if only to make your holiday weekend movie experience more aligned with the nature of the holiday itself.
Enjoy your weekend and be safe!
(Below are the posters for movies currently in most theaters; the reviews for each are linked up, so click away.)
June 18th, 2008: Criterion’s September = Heavy Drama
The Criterion Collection’s has announced their September titles, and it seems their theme for the month is heavy dramas, each almost poetic in narrative, saturated with reflective subtexts, and brimming with enough formal merit to please any cineaste. In comparison to their more eclectic months, the slate might seem like a downer, but here we have long-awaited titles Criterion has promised for years…
The Earrings of Madame de... (1953)
The most important of three Max Ophüls films arriving in September, The Earrings of Madame de… is a startling romance and expert justification of Andrew Sarris’ auteur theory—that a filmmaker is identified not through his choice of narrative but by his characteristic manipulation of the cinematic apparatus. Comparable to Renoir’s The Rules of the Game, Ophüls’ artifice employs sweeping cameras and elaborate extended takes to describe the duplicitous, tragic behavior luxury affords the French bourgeois. Included on this single disc set are interviews and analyses by a slew of film scholars and Ophüls collaborators like Tag Gallagher, Susan White, Georges Annenkov, Molly Haskell, Alain Jessua, Mar Frédérix, and Annette Wademant—enough to make anyone viewing this disc an expert on the film. Preorder the disc for $31.96, available September 16th, at The Criterion Store.
Le Plaisir (1953)
Another Max Ophüls treat, Le Plaisir takes a look at the wonders of pleasure in its purest forms with three tales of love, sex, spirituality, and all the frivolities in between. Ironic and lovely in a characteristically French way, Ophüls parades his camera in his dizzyingly elegant style to evoke the film’s charming airs. Starring French performers like Jean Gabin, Danielle Darrieux, and Simone Simon, Le Plaisir captures its audience with a glimmering cast and stylish presentation. Along with a video introduction by filmmaker Todd Haynes (I’m Not There), the single disc features include interviews with the crew, an essay by critic Robin Wood, and a video essay by scholar Jean-Pierre Berthomé about the script. Preorder the disc for $31.96, available September 16th, at The Criterion Store.
La Ronde (1950)
With La Ronde being the third Max Ophüls film for September, one would think that the three might arrive together in a flashy boxed set, but no such set has been announced yet. Based on Arthur Schnitzler's much-discussed play, Ophüls adapted La Ronde with his usual concentration on elaborate cinematography. The director’s visuals blend with his narrative trademarks to create another at once joyous and bitter exploration into the complications of love, equalizing the classes through their shared romantic complications. This single disc release offers an interview with Ophüls’ son Marcel, commentary by Ophüls scholar Susan White, and a collection of writings between Lawrence Olivier and Schnitzler about the play’s controversy (an interesting feature). Preorder the disc for $31.96, available September 16th, at The Criterion Store.
An Autumn Afternoon (1962)
No one captures the day-to-day niceties and emotionalism of Japanese society like master filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. In this sense, Ozu’s pictures indeed feel foreign, because they lack Americanization like so many other Japanese directors influenced by Western Cinema (and yet curiously, we can relate to a great deal of the material, bridging the gap between our cultures). But at the same time, his are beautiful, temperate films containing delicate notes on his culture’s identity. An Autumn Afternoon, Ozu’s final film, centers on a father (Chishu Ryu) who after years of living with his younger daughter finally pushes for her to marry. This plot may sound similar to those of you familiar with Ozu’s work, but then again, you should also know the director gives each film its marker. This single disc edition contains commentary by Ozu scholar David Bordwell, excerpts from a French documentary on the director, and a new essay by Japanese film expert Donald Richie. Preorder the disc for $23.97, available September 16th, at The Criterion Store.
Eclipse Series 12:
Aki Kaurismäki's Proletariat Trilogy
Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki receives the Eclipse treatment from Criterion in September with a boxed set of his unofficial “Proletariat Trilogy”. A sort of quirky neorealism, Kaurismäki’s style concentrates on working-class entanglements with wry humor and subtle social commentary. Shadows in Paradise (1986) concerns the burgeoning romance between a garbageman and a cashier. Ariel (1988) involves a coal miner and a meter maid in their fruitless attempts at finding love in their otherwise grim lives. And The Match Factory Girl (1990) ends this quasi-trilogy on a dark note, as a girl becomes consumed by her impassibly gloomy existence. Though Eclipse sets come standard as movie-only collections, the hunger left by the lack of features is contented by the low price tag. Preorder this set for $35.96, available September 16th, from The Criterion Store.
...As always, all dates and prices are subject to change.
June 11th, 2008: Is Marvel Getting Stingy?
Reports are circulating that Marvel Productions chairman David Maisel is looking to avoid giving Jon Favreau, director and producer of Iron Man, his due payday on the film’s planned sequel, tentatively scheduled for April 30th, 2010. Indeed, Favreau claims he’s only received one phone call from Marvel in the five weeks since its release. Granted, Marvel is understandably busy promoting The Incredible Hulk right now. But given their recent announcement of planned Marvel properties coming to film—including Captain America, Thor, The Avengers, and, of course, Iron Man 2—over the next several years, it appears that Marvel is looking to skimp-out and avoid renegotiating Favreau’s contract, and perhaps hire someone with a less expensive price tag.
Each of the Iron Man actors signed on for sequels, but future pictures with the armor-laden hero were not in Favreau’s contract; he earned a flat rate for his one-time work, despite constructing the outline for a proposed trilogy. Now that Favreau’s film had made nearly $600 million worldwide, Marvel, inexplicably, is pinching pennies and seemingly apprehensive to give him his due increase in pay (no doubt what Favreau would renegotiate for, and rightly deserves). The alternative is probably a less experienced director willing to work for cheap, looking to build a name, and certainly less visionary than Favreau (right). And although no substitute names have been mentioned, the simple fact that Marvel is likely playing the Cheap Card frustrates to no end. When they’ve done so much right in the last couple months, how could they suddenly go so incredibly wrong?
What’s more, when I expressed my reservations with Marvel’s ambitious release schedule, it seems I wasn’t the only fan to raise an eyebrow. My concerns were that by rushing Iron Man 2 onto screens in less than two years (versus the three years it took to produce its predecessor), and their entire production schedule in four years, the end products might be impaired by Marvel’s desperation to make money fast. Favreau himself has expressed these concerns on his blog:
“I am concerned, however, about the announced release date of April 2010. Neither Robert [Downey Jr.] nor I were consulted about this and we are both concerned about how realistic the date is in light of the fact that we have no script, story or even writers hired yet. This genre of movie is best when it is done thoughtfully and with plenty of preparation. It might be better to follow the BB/DK, X/X2 three year release pattern than to scramble for a date. It is difficult because there are no Marvel 09 releases and they need product, but I also think we owe it to the fans to have a great version of IM2 and, at this point, we would have less time to make it than the first one.”
I must agree with Favreau here, because as much as I want to see Robert Downey Jr. don his armor again, I would rather wait another year for a quality movie than be disappointed by a fast-tracked sequel. When there’s no script and only the bare bones concepts of a plot committed to paper, how can Marvel expect anyone, above all a lesser director than Favreau, to replicate or even approach the greatness of the first? The answer, sadly, is that Marvel executives have dollar signs flashing in their eyes at the moment. And yet, the kind of director who wants to take his time to make a better film is exactly the type Marvel should pursue.
Compare this situation to how Twentieth Century Fox mishandled the X-Men franchise. The first two entries, directed by The Usual Suspects helmer Bryan Singer, were pitch-perfect examples of comic-book filmmaking—the former was the first of the recent influx of Marvel adaptations, inspiring the last eight years of comic book movies with its commercial viability. And when Singer moved on to direct Superman Returns (a severe disappointment), Stardust director Matthew Vaughn was hired for the third X-movie in his stead. But rather than allow Vaughn the time he needed to complete his film, Fox demanded a rushed production; Vaughn left the production to maintain artistic integrity, and Fox hired Rush Hour hack-director Brett Ratner to wrap the crackerjack production quickly. The end result for X-Men: The Last Stand was an artistic letdown that few comic purists could support.
Imagine if Sony had not rehired Sam Raimi for Spider-Man 2 and without him where that franchise would have gone. If Marvel is suddenly unwilling to spend the necessary time and money to (re)gather high-profile talent and make the best possible product, then their brief renaissance of self-produced comic book movies will come to a screeching halt. Faithful superhero projects like Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk will be reduced to exclusively commercial dreck like Fantastic Four and Ghost Rider, and the genre altogether will be lessened when it was just proving itself more than mere fluff. Marvel has a chance to become something greater than just your average Hollywood studio, to transcend bureaucratic executive garbage and evolve into an entity resembling Pixar—a self-contained studio that produces their own product in efficient, artistic and commercially successful terms.
I don’t understand Marvel’s thinking. Are they looking for a quick buck, or are they invested in a long-running franchise? Should the latter be true, they need to concern themselves more with replicating the magic that constructed their success in the first place, hence grossing big bucks not only by future opening weekend numbers but by the longevity provided by positive word-of-mouth. I can only hope that fans, and even the actors currently signed to Iron Man 2 (this means you, Mr. Downey Jr.) urge their producers, executive or otherwise, to re-sign Favreau no matter the cost.
And to Marvel, Mr. Maisel in particular: Jon Favreau’s movie earned hundreds of millions in profit for your company (that’s not including eventual DVD sales), essentially building the foundation for all your future projects. So spend the money and get him back, because another director will not have that same humanism and penchant for the tangible that Favreau’s unique, personable directing style offers. Or, if for no other reason, hire him back out of loyalty and appreciation to those who gave your company the potential to be truly great.
May 18th, 2008: The Criterion Collection's upcoming Blu-ray and August releases
The Criterion Collection announced this month that come October they’ll distribute several Blu-ray discs, which is great news considering the already superior quality of their standard DVDs. Their soon-to-be-announced Blu-ray titles will include The Third Man, Bottle Rocket, The Last Emperor, The 400 Blows, Gimme Shelter, Walkabout, and The Wages of Fear, among others. Get the full list HERE. High-def transfers resonate best with newer titles using digital photography or films shot and better preserved within the last twenty years. The extent to which Criterion can improve their already pristine transfers on older pictures like The Third Man and The Wages of Fear remains to be seen. As for August, Criterion will be releasing four new standard releases and an Eclipse set. Get the details below.
Brand Upon the Brain! (2006)
Part avant-garde artist, part oddball narrative storyteller, Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin is an original—but that doesn’t mean his end products outshine the eccentricities of the individual. Brand Upon the Brain! is a humorous, dark, vintage cinema-themed, fictional autobiography of the director. Beyond that description, you're on your own. This single-disc set includes The Making of "Brand upon the Brain!" documentary and two of Maddin’s more recent shorts: It's My Mother’s Birthday Today and Footsteps. Also, since the film is silent, Criterion is providing optional narration by your choice of star: Laurie Anderson, John Ashbery, Crispin Glover, Guy Maddin, Louis Negrin, Isabella Rossellini, or Eli Wallach. Pre-order this disc for $31.96 at The Criterion Store. Release Date: 8/12/2008
The Small Black Room (1949)
The British writing, producing, and directing duo The Archers (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger) turned out some of cinema’s finest pictures, including Black Narcissus, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, and The Red Shoes. With The Small Black Room they enter WWII spy territory to tell a hearty character study about a self-destructive bomb expert hired to investigate a new German weapon. Amid alcoholism and emotional isolationism, Sammy (David Farrar) balances his cracking persona between his work and his ongoing affair with his assistant (Kathleen Byron). Criterion’s disc is notably deficient of making-of documentaries and such, but the quality of this involving thriller takes up the slack. The seventh Criterion release by The Archers, you can pre-order the title for $31.96 at The Criterion Store. Release Date: 08/19/2008
Twenty-Four Eyes (1954)
An intimate portrayal of sweeping themes, Japanese director Keisuke Kinoshita’s Twenty-Four Eyes tells of a teacher’s devoted involvement with her profession as it relates to the backdrop of early-to-mid twentieth century Japan. Hideko Takamine (When a Woman Ascends the Stairs) plays Hisako Oshi, the centerpiece in this endearing tale. Though I’ve never screened this film, its homeland popularity has been discussed in Japanese film criticism abound. I’m looking forward to another of Criterion’s famous re-introductions of a lost classic. This double-disc set includes an interview with Kinoshita, a booklet with a new essay by Japanese film scholar Audie Bock, and a newly improved subtitle translation. Pre-order the set for $31.96 at The Criterion Store. Release Date: 08/19/2008
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
Criterion’s description for this release says the film “has been called nauseating, shocking, depraved, pornographic . . . it’s also a masterpiece.” I agree with the first part. Based on Marquis de Sade’s tales of torture and debauchery, Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini uses the graphic imagery for an allegory about Fascist Italy, showing you images you'll wish you'd never seen (including this cover art). The experience will no doubt make you feel ill with its merciless depictions of feces eating and sexual degeneracy. After all, few other writers than De Sade have had adjectives such as "sadistic" applied to them. Previously distributed by Criterion back in 1998, this 2-disc re-release of Salò comes with a new high-definition transfer, interviews, and even a 40-minute documentary called The End of Salò about the film’s notorious last scene. Pre-order the set if you dare for $31.96 from The Criterion Store. Release date: 08/26/2008
Eclipse Series 11: Larisa Shepitko
Soviet filmmaker Larisa Shepitko died when she was only thirty-nine, leaving behind a mere handful of films with her name attached. Criterion’s Eclipse line is offering up a Shepitko double-feature: Wings (1966) tells the story of real-life Russian bomber pilot Maya Bulgakova, whose heroic career took an ironic turn for the mundane when after the war she became a schoolteacher in a grounded, sleepy town. The Ascent (1976) delves into the wintry battles of WWII’s Russian-German conflict, following two discarded soldiers on a small-scope Odyssey dodging Nazis and interacting with kindly locals. Shepitko’s films arrive in a two-disc boxed set, available to pre-order for Eclipe’s standard low price of $23.96. Release Date: 08/12/2008
...As always, all dates and prices are subject to change.
May 6th, 2008: Marvel announces "Avengers Assemble!"
Given Iron Man’s stunning success artistically and commercially—the film made $101 million at the box office, when analysts were predicting $70 million, at most—Marvel Entertainment has approved several more long-awaited adaptations into production within the next few years. Iron Man’s was the 10th biggest opening of all time, earning $201 million worldwide, and the 2nd biggest ever for a non-sequel. With those numbers, it’s only good business for Marvel to keep adapting their properties.
As reported on Yahoo Finance, newly added to Marvel’s release schedule are Iron Man 2 (April 30th, 2010), Thor (due June 10th, 2010), The First Avenger: Captain America (tentatively-titled, May 6th, 2011), and finally The Avengers (July, 2011). Currently in production prior to this announcement are The Incredible Hulk (June 13), Punisher: War Zone (December 5th), and the much-anticipated Wolverine solo-venture X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 1st, 2009).
As far as Iron Man 2 is concerned, no doubt director Jon Favreau will return behind the camera, and his entire cast has signed on for the sequel. No word yet on who will be starring in or directing the other features. However, Matthew Vaughn (Stardust) is rumored to be helming Thor with Kevin McKidd (HBO's Rome) starring in the title role—good choices both.
For those of you unfamiliar with Marvel Comics lore, allow me to fill you in on what these developments mean: With the combined schedule of these announced films, Marvel is pushing The Avengers, a superhero group with a varying assemblage of team-members at any given time. Heroes include: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Hawkeye, Vision, and a number of others. Think X-Men, only government-funded.
If you stayed after the credits for Iron Man, which you should’ve done, you would’ve seen a short scene depicting Samuel L. Jackson appearing as Nick Fury, an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D (a top-secret government agency), asking Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) to consider “The Avengers initiative.” Furthermore, Downey Jr. is said to be making an appearance later this year in The Incredible Hulk, starring Ed Norton as Bruce Banner himself. Already the building blocks gather…
What seems to be happening is a movie crossover wholly unprecedented in the history of cinema. Comic fans know that occasionally characters appear in other titles; Wolverine might appear in the pages of Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk in Iron Man, and so on. Doing this on the printed page comes without scheduling hindrances, as Marvel owns the lot. Doing this with actors, directors, and entire film crews will be challenging to say the least. Each separate hero is an individual franchise; combining upwards of five or six franchises is unbelievably bold on Marvel’s part.
Signing various actors into their respective roles for the next five or more years is one thing, assembling the budgets for the individual new hero flicks is another, but think of the budgetary funds needed to assemble the final picture amalgamating them all: The Avengers. Surely that film will be one of the most expensive, ambitious movies ever made. From a pre-production point of view, each individual hero’s movie must coincide narratively with others within the eventual Avengers picture. Meaning, the four or five screenwriters working on their individual hero films will probably need to communicate as to avoid overlapping similar story arcs and the heroes’ sometimes mutual villains.
I can’t help but wonder if this announcement represents Marvel getting in over their heads? Sadly, we cannot expect several directors to handle each picture with Jon Favreau’s understanding and respect for the material; whereas we can, at the very least, with Favreau’s doubtless involvement, expect Iron Man 2 to live up to our already high expectations. What worries me most is that Marvel will rush these films into production without giving each project ample time to develop and work out any kinks in the script, perhaps allowing for more crud like Daredevil or Ghost Rider. As much as I want to see The Avengers movie eventually made, I don’t want to see three or four bad Marvel movies all because Iron Man did well its opening weekend.
My sincere hope is that Marvel assigns these pictures worthy filmmakers and actors that serve the story, rather than solely box office draw. Pay attention to what fans desire for the individual franchises. Seek to please attendees of Comic Conventions the country over. Satisfy the established fanbase, but then also work to make the films commercially appealing. Rumors lately have speculated that Favreau would be signed onto The Avengers should Iron Man do well. Given the film’s massive opening, let’s hope those rumors are true…
April 18th, 2008: The Criterion Collection's impressive July lineup
Perhaps The Criterion Collection’s best month of 2008, save your pennies and dimes DVD aficionados, because July will likely put a dent in your pocketbook. Though there’s no Eclipse release, four special-edition titles will arrive this summer, each receiving the deluxe 2-disc treatment, inspired cover art, and impressive features. Take a look…
Vampyr (1932)
When I first saw Danish filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer’s unsettling film Vampyr, I expected garlic and blood drinking and wooden stakes through the heart—the whole vampire bit. And while the plot, if you can call it that, does include some vampire themes, consider this moody art piece more of an experiment in horror aesthetics. Optimizing echoing moans and ominous sounds emanating from dark places, this early vampire story drips with atmosphere. After years of poor quality prints on home video, Criterion assembled their high-definition digital transfer from Cineteca di Bologna’s 1998 restoration. With a documentary on the director, new English-language texts in the film, and a massive assemblage of essays and notes about the restoration, Criterion proves why they remain the top DVD distributor around. Due 07/15/2008, you can preorder this title at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
Trafic (1971)
I’ve been anticipating Criterion’s release of Jacques Tati’s Trafic for some time (especially given my recent inclusion of Tati’s M. Hulot’s Holiday into The Definitives). In the French filmmaker’s last Monsieur Hulot comedy, the clumsy and inept Hulot finds himself overcome by the gadgets and “conveniences” of the auto industry. Criterion has pulled out all the stops for this release, including In the Footsteps of Monsieur Hulot (1969), a two-hour documentary on Tati’s Hulot character. Along with television appearances, a new essay, and Criterion’s always pristine high-definition digital transfer, you couldn’t ask for a better package. Now all we need are editions of Tati’s first and last films, Jour de fête and Parade, making Tati’s entire oeuvre Criterionized. Arriving July 22nd, you can preorder Trafic at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
High and Low (1963)
Way back in 1998 when Criterion was first distributing DVDs, Akira Kurosawa’s noirish masterpiece High and Low arrived as their 24th release. Now, ten years later, they’re revisiting the title with a new double-disc edition complete with new digital audio and video transfers, even an improved subtitle translation. Kurosawa’s thrilling diptych begins with a kidnapping, following through as those responsible are tracked, caught, and imprisoned. Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura both star (each from Seven Samurai and Drunken Angel), with Mifune offering his incredible, powerful range. The discs include a rare archival interview with Mifune, commentary by Japanese film historian Stephen Prince, and a thirty seven-minute Toho Masterworks series documentary Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create. Available 7/22/2008, preorder the title at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
Mon oncle Antoine (1971)
Noted as an apex of Canadian cinema, Québécois filmmaker Claude Jutra’s saddening portrait Mon oncle Antoine sets sights on a boy living during the harsh years just before the 1940s Asbestos Strike in Québec. We follow Benoit (Jacques Gagnon) through a grim coming-of-age tale as he struggles with grand concepts of death and responsibility. Included in this set is the 2002 documentary Claude Jutra: An Unfinished Story, as well as a newly produced documentary detailing the film’s history and importance. Voted as Sight and Sound’s best Canadian feature three decades in a row, Criterion will release their double-disc set on 07/29/2008, which you can preorder now at The Criterion Store for $31.96.
...As always, all dates and prices are subject to change.