Pre-Halloween Treats Part 2

By Andy Dursin
www.andyfilm.com
dursin.blogspot.com

A quick bit of business to start off this week: we're bringing back the old Aisle Seat Mailbag, so if you've got a question or comment, feel free to email me at our new address: mailbag@theaisleseat.com I'll do my best to answer your emails about any of the movies or series we reference here each week, so fire away. I look forward to hearing from you!

You know that we're beginning to enter into the nitty gritty of the home video calendar when you hit September and all kinds of major titles begin to arrive at a rapid-fire clip. In fact, looking at the titles we've received in the last week, it's tough to pick out one "major" release to single out, since there are so many of them hitting store shelves this Tuesday as well as next.

It's a movie that's simultaneously stunning and frustrating at the same time, showing Coppola at the top of his game in terms of implementing optical effects, sumptuous production design, evocative costumes, and other "old fashioned" filmmaking devices (all shot on sound stages, the result of Columbia wanting to hold costs down).

At the same time, some of the picture's "contemporary" casting felt odd at the time, and now positively dates the picture as a product of its period: Keanu Reeves' stilted performance as Harker is dead on arrival (to see how it could've been even worse, check out some of Keanu's putrid unused takes in the Criterion laserdisc's editing workshop), while Winona Ryder's turn as Mina feels like a young girl playing "dress up" more than a believable period heroine (perhaps he owed her a favor after she bowed out of "Godfather Part III"). At the least, Ryder fails to generate any of the heat that Sadie Frost does in her memorable supporting role as the doomed Lucy, while Gary Oldman tries valiantly to ground his romantic Dracula against an over-indulgent succession of guises (from the world's creepiest senior citizen to a John Lennon-esque chap) that ultimately get in the way of his central performance.

Supporting performances from Anthony Hopkins' scenery-chewing Van Helsing to quirky but mainly disposable, minor turns from the likes of Bill Campbell, Richard E. Grant, Cary Elwes and Tom Waits (a surprisingly dull Renfield) lend some support, but when it's all said and done "Bram Stoker's Dracula" is entirely Coppola's show, and admittedly there are some nifty moments along the way. Most impressive is Harker's journey through the Count's Transylvanian castle -- marked by a memorable meeting with Dracula's succulent brides (including Monica Bellucci) -- all the while Eiko Ishioka's extravagant costumes and the cinematography of Michael Ballhaus make for a film that's always been pleasing to the eyes.

Long overdue for a proper Special Edition DVD, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" has been given the deluxe treatment courtesy of Sony and Coppola's Zoetrope Studios, with both the Blu Ray and regular DVD versions offering a new commentary from Coppola, roughly 30 minutes of unused workprint sequences (including a superior ending), and a new, four-part documentary culled from extensive documentary footage shot during pre-production and filming. Coppola's commentary is a good deal more enlightening than the tedious Criterion commentary track from way back when, discussing the project's genesis (Ryder brought him James V. Hart's script when it was supposed to be a Michael Apted-directed TV film), while the documentary materials offer a thorough examination of the picture's production. Two trailers are also on-hand, including the film's memorable teaser, which features footage not used in the finished film.

Sony's Blu Ray release even offers these extras in HD, though the movie's eagerly-awaited high- definition 1080p transfer for the film itself proves to be something of a disappointment. Though encoded in AVC/MPEG-4 video, the Blu Ray release falls well short of the better catalog releases we've seen in both formats: the picture quality is superior to the standard-definition Superbit DVD, no question, but it's surprisingly flat, lacking in three-dimensional detail and often downright grainy in places. One might have anticipated Coppola and Ballhaus' visual design making for an aesthetic feast in high-definition, but more often than not the Blu Ray transfer is surprisingly limp: an upgrade on traditional DVD but nowhere near the eye-popping experience I was hoping for.

What's also odd is that there seemed to be several instances on-hand here where the colors had been seemingly "tweaked." The sequence in which Winona Ryder meets Sadie Frost for the first time in the courtyard seems to have been digitally altered in a way that the backdrop now appears completely monochrome, with the few colors in the sequence (a couple of flowers, Frost's red hair) standing out strikingly against it. When I compared the Blu Ray to the Superbit DVD release the differences were striking in certain sequences (even though the Blu Ray has less contrast, its colors also seemed less natural), indicating that some intentional, new artistic choices might've been in Coppola's mind when this new HD transfer was struck.

Either way, fans of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" will nevertheless want to add the Blu Ray release to their libraries for the deleted scenes, fine documentary materials and Coppola's new commentary if nothing else. The transfer isn't a total disaster but since the bar has been raised so high by countless superb new HD releases this year, it's not an exaggeration to say the movie's Blu Ray transfer is, if nothing else, a small disappointment.

At the top of the list is the HD debut of John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN (****, 91 mins., 1978, R) in a wholly satisfying Blu Ray transfer that's as crystal clear and spotless as you could possibly hope for. Dean Cundey's outstanding cinematography has been preserved here in such a pristine manner that watching the Blu Ray disc truly felt like the first time I've really laid eyes on it -- while there have been some superb DVDs of Carpenter's seminal 1978 film over the years, none compare to how fresh and vibrant this new master looks.

For extras, Anchor Bay has done a nice job porting over some of the best extras from prior DVDs: the mid '90s Criterion laserdisc commentary with Carpenter, producer Debra Hill and star Jamie Lee Curtis has been reprieved, while the 90-minute "A Cut Above the Rest" documentary has been retained from Anchor Bay's later Divimax release. The original red-banded theatrical trailer, radio and TV spots, and various on-screen trivia factoids complete the must-have package.

Since both movies weren't as elaborately photographed as, say, "Halloween," neither title shows off the benefits of high-definition the way Dean Cundey's work does, though fans will be happy that both transfers nevertheless look as crisp as one could anticipate, while ample extras are also on-hand (numerous commentaries, trailers, and documentary materials).

Fans should also note that both "Dead" films offer the original mono soundtracks in addition to their stereophonic 5.1 PCM and Dolby Digital remixes, which ought to please purists.

Commentaries are carried over their standard-edition DVD releases, while PCM and 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtracks compliment the superb 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 transfers.

WARNER'S TWISTED TERROR COLLECTION (Six Film Box Set, Warner, available this week): Appealing grouping of terror titles, mainly from the '70s and '80s, all new (or at least newly re-available) on DVD. Though all the films are available individually, the low, sub-$40 price tag for the set makes it an attractive, economical pick-up for horror fans. Included in the anthology are:

-THE HAND (**, 1981, 105 mins., R): Demented, unintentionally funny hoot offers Michael Caine in his Irwin Allen-era "I'M SHOUTING EVERY LINE!" mode, portraying a cartoonist who loses his hand in an accident and....let's just say numerous horrific (or are they comedic?) shenanigans ensue. James Horner's decent score is one of the film's primary assets, but writer- director Oliver Stone's effort is easily one of the filmmaker's weakest, albeit an amusing one (for all the wrong reasons). Warner's DVD includes a sincere commentary by Stone plus the trailer and a new 16:9 (1.85) transfer with 2.0 Dolby Digital stereo sound.

-SOMEONE'S WATCHING ME (***, 1978, 97 mins.): Excellent John Carpenter-directed TV movie makes its long-awaited debut on video. Lauren Hutton plays a woman being victimized by a peeping tom in this taut suspense thriller, co-starring David Birney and Adrienne Barbeau, and boasting a solid score from Harry Sukman. Warner's DVD includes a 16:9 (1.85) matted presentation that's a bit surprising since the film was produced for television, but at least there's a neat featurette profiling the director and his early work on this network "Movie of the Week."

-EYES OF A STRANGER (**, 90 mins., 1981, R): Crude, if watchable, early '80s slasher film finds newswoman Lauren Tewes (your "Love Boat" cruise director) trying to track down a Florida serial killer and Jennifer Jason Leigh (in her first role) as her blind younger sister. Tewes is appealing (yeah, I admit it, I've always had thing for Julie on the "Love Boat") and director Ken Wiederhorn achieves his finest hour with this standard but effective enough chiller, sporting make- up effects from Tom Savini and a few excessively graphic attack sequences. Warner's no-frills DVD includes a 16:9 (1.85) transfer with mono sound.

-DR. GIGGLES (***, 95 mins., 1992, R): Under-rated, over-the-top horror outing -- in many ways a spoof -- stars Larry Drake as a crazed surgeon who still practices his own brand of medicine in a small rural town. Loads of hilarious one-liners (in the Manny Coto-Graeme Whifler script) punctuate this free-wheeling vehicle -- directed by Coto and co-starring a pre-"Charmed" Holly Marie Combs -- that's been long out of print on DVD. Warner (inheriting the film from Universal as part of a distribution deal with Intermedia, which purchased Largo Entertainment's library) has produced a nifty new (albeit no-frills) DVD offering a fine 16:9 (2.35) transfer with 2.0 Dolby Digital sound. Plenty of fun, just in time for Halloween.

-FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE (**1/2, 98 mins., 1973, PG): Decent Amicus anthology film (in the same vein as "Vault of Terror" and "Tales from the Crypt") offers a number of horrific tales with a solid cast (Ian Bannen, Peter Cushing, Donald Pleasance, David Warner and Lesley-Anne Down among them).Warner's DVD includes the trailer and a new 16:9 (1.85) transfer with mono sound.

-DEADLY FRIEND (**, 90 mins., 1986, R): Wes Craven-directed studio effort with Matthew "Whiz Kids" Laborteaux as a nerdy teen who befriends troubled neighbor Kristy Swanson, only to see her suffer a terrible fate that young Matthew has a hard time getting over -- so much that he tries to pull a Doc Frankenstein and bring her back to life! "Ghost" writer Bruce Joel Rubin's script works well enough in establishing the likeable characters and their surroundings, but the movie goes downhill once it turns into a standard-issue horror flick. Warner's DVD includes the trailer and a 16:9 (1.85) transfer with 2.0 mono sound.

THE WAR (2007, aprx. 15 hours, PBS/Paramount): Ken Burns' new series is a moving, leisurely-told examination of WWII as seen primarily through the eyes of four American communities: Mobile, Alabama; Waterbury, Connecticut; Sacramento, California; and Luverne, Minnesota.

Using interviews, vintage photographs, letters, newsreel footage, and original music by Wynton Marsalis, "The War" presents a historical account of the U.S.' involvement in the conflict at the same time it enriches the personal perspective of the men and women who both fought and simply lived through it, from the battlegrounds of Europe and the Pacific to how the war impacted day- to-day life in America.

Though it starts somewhat slowly, "The War" is a typical Burns work, unfolding like you're reading a good book and filled with unforgettable imagery and anecdotes. Keith David's narration is eloquent while recognizable celebrity voices (including Tom Hanks) infrequently appear when reciting journals and letters -- yet it's the interviews with real WWII veterans that will provide the most impact for the majority of viewers.

"The War" is being broadcast on PBS stations nationally this week, but for those who'd prefer to savor the production at their own pace, Paramount and PBS' DVD box-set will be available on October 2nd, offering a good array of supplements as well. Commentary from Burns and co- director Lynn Novick sheds light on their efforts, while deleted scenes, biographies, additional interviews, and a Making Of segment showcase how this ambitious production was mounted. The 16:9 transfer and 5.1 Dolby Digital sound are both fine, the visuals understandably dependent on the quality of the source materials being shown.

Although it requires something of a commitment to watch all of its 15 hours, viewers (especially younger ones) ought to take the time to savor "The War"'s meaningful, emotionally wrenching passages and tribute to Americans who endured "The Great War." Recommended!

Thanks to Paramount's new DVD edition (available next week), viewers can now revel in the movie's outstanding Panavision cinematography, preserved in widescreen for the first time outside of the film's original theatrical release. The aerial photography is superb, and Neil Diamond's marvelous score -- with a strong assist from Lee Holdridge -- compliments the visuals. If it's possible for a movie to simulate what MTV might've been like in the "Brady Bunch" days of the early '70s, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" is it.

As for the rest of the picture -- and its then-new agey plot about Jonathan's quest with voice-overs "performed" by James Franciscus, Hal Holbrook and Juliet Mills -- the film is less than satisfying. Yet when it sticks to the cinematography and music, it's certainly a pleasant enough affair that's soothing to the ears and the eyes.

Paramount's no-frills DVD boasts a surprisingly good 16:9 (2.35) transfer with a bland mono audio track. While it's unfortunate the music couldn't have been cleaned up and remixed for 5.1, it's surprising "Jonathan" is even reaching DVD to begin with, so kudos to the studio for their efforts here (and while they're at it, how about a DVD for one of my unreleased '70s favorites, SERIAL, with Martin Mull and Tuesday Weld....please??).

One of the most beloved Criterion laserdiscs at last reaches DVD with the release of ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS (***1/2, 110 mins., Paramount; Aisle Seat Pick of the Week).

For this Paramount picture, "War of the Worlds" helmer Byron Haskin inherited a script from Ib Melchior and toned down his creature-laden story, resulting in not just one of the more "realistic" sci-fi films of the 1960s but also one of the finest.

Paul Mantee stars as Commander Kit Draper, a stranded U.S. astronaut who, along with his adorable monkey-companion Mona, tries to survive on the harsh surface of Mars after his ship crash lands. Victor Lundin is his Friday, here a slave who befriends Draper, forming an unlikely alliance as the duo try and find a way off the planet.

Beautifully photographed in widescreen by Winton C. Hoch ("The Searchers") and effectively scored by Nathan Van Cleave, "Robinson Crusoe On Mars" has long been a genre favorite, even though its scant circulation on video has limited its circulation over the years. The movie's prescient view of technology is fascinating, while the performances of Mantee and Lundin heighten the drama, making it more than just a standard '60s Saturday Matinee adventure. But perhaps the most kudos ought to be bestowed upon Haskin for crafting a fairly mature (but still family-friendly) film that's as fresh and spirited as it was upon its original, mostly-ignored theatrical run.

I've always been a huge fan of "Robinson Crusoe" and now a whole new generation of viewers can enjoy Haskin's efforts thanks to the long-awaited Criterion DVD, which boasts a nifty new 16:9 (2.35) transfer with mono sound and a number of supplements, mostly recycled from the original LD. The latter include commentary from Lundin, Mantee, historian/FX designer Robert Skotak and others; excerpts from Ib Melchior's original script; a new featurette by Michael Lennick examining the movie's science; still galleries; the trailer; a memorabilia archive; and a music video for a song Lundin composed about the film.

One additional note: it's been written over the years how similar Wolfgang Petersen's 1985 effort "Enemy Mine" is to "Robinson Crusoe On Mars," with the atmosphere and plot of the former bearing more than a few favorable comparisons to the latter. If nothing else, it'd be interesting to compare the two on a DVD double-bill.

THE THREEPENNY OPERA (1931, 110 mins., Criterion): Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's stage production came to the screen in this memorable early-sound film from German filmmaker G.W. Pabst. Criterion's double-disc set preserves both the German and rarely-screened French versions of this 1931 production and offers a number of special features, including commentary from scholars David Bathrick and Eric Rentschler, archival interviews, a comparison of the two versions and more.

THE JUNGLE BOOK: 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION (***1/2, 78 mins., 1967, Disney): Disney's latest "Platinum Edition" DVD is a marvelous, two-disc set offering a brand-new restored transfer of this 1967 classic (in 1.75, 16:9 widescreen too!). Fans will enjoy this limited- time only set for that reason alone, with loads of extras include deleted songs (over 21 minutes of audio), extensive documentaries, and numerous games for kids. Highly recommended!

THE LAST STARFIGHTER: HD-DVD (***1/2, 1984, 101 mins., PG; Universal): Back when sci- fi movies were about more than just special effects, along came this sleeper hit in the summer of 1984.

Lance Guest plays a high school student and college hopeful who finds out his high score on the video game "Starfighter" is worth more than a few bonus tokens. Guest is soon whisked away to another galaxy by a Harold Hill-like hustler (Robert Preston, utterly charming here) to save the universe with the help of an extraterrestrial co-pilot (Dan O'Herilhy). Will Guest save the day, or will his heart forever belong to his loving girlfriend (Catherine Mary Stewart) back on Earth?

The combination of Jonathan Betuel's script with Nick Castle's on-target direction results in a marvelously entertaining movie that mixes sci-fi with comedy and a charming romance between Guest and Stewart. The performances are all terrific, from the appealing young leads to old pros Preston and O'Herilhy, while Craig Safan's outstanding score -- one of the finest of the 1980s -- graces the drama and enhances the movie at every turn.

While the movie's effects were cutting edge for their time (and have, obviously, dated a little bit), "The Last Starfighter" wasn't just another "Tron." The film's enormous amount of heart and warm characterizations continue to sustain the film some 23 years after its original release, making it one of the best of the so-called "'Star Wars' clones" that appeared in the years following the release of George Lucas' original classic.

Universal's HD-DVD edition proves to be satisfying overall, if a bit disappointing. Though it's a little soft in some sequences, the VC-1 encoded 1080p transfer is generally good for a catalog title. Even better is the robust Dolby TrueHD soundtrack, which rousingly supports Safan's score.

Extras carried over from the earlier Special Edition DVD include commentary with Castle and production designer Ron Cobb, plus a 30-minute look at the the production of the movie (and primarily its visual effects). The original trailer rounds out the disc.

A solid (if not spectacular) baseball movie and a so-so romance, "For the Love of the Game" is a good-looking, well-performed character drama sporting fine work from Costner, superb lensing by John Bailey and an excellent score from Basil Poledouris. It may not be "Field of Dreams" or "Bull Durham," but this is still a satisfying yarn that looks great in high-definition courtesy of the new HD-DVD release.

Universal's VC-1 encoded transfer is highly satisfying, the Dolby TrueHD sound does justice to Poledouris' score, while extras include deleted scenes and featurettes culled from the prior Special Edition DVD release.

Apatow struck box-office gold with his hit "The 40 Year Old Virgin" in 2005, and "Knocked Up" continues on with the same sort of raunchy yet "heartfelt" comedy, here showing what happens when broke slacker (and Apatow regular) Seth Rogen gets aspiring E! anchorwoman Katherine Heigl pregnant.

Numerous alumni from past Apatow projects like "Virgin" and his fantastic, short-lived NBC series "Freaks and Geeks" pop up in supporting roles, but "Knocked Up" isn't nearly as funny or focused as some of the reviews would lead one to believe. Rogen and Heigl fail to ignite sparks as the unlikely expecting couple, while the overlong story is ultimately hijacked by Leslie Mann (as Heigl's sister) and Paul Rudd (Mann's husband) in supporting roles that are more interesting than the lead characters.

"Knocked Up" is, admittedly, pleasant and intermittently funny, but its over-rated praise from critics far and wide seems to confirm that, in the Summer of '07, mediocrity seemed to be the most audiences could've hope for. (I won't discuss "Superbad," the Apatow-produced, Rogen- written teen sex comedy that was even more over-praised!).

Universal's HD-DVD edition is a keeper though. The 1080p, VC-1 encoded transfer and 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus sound are both top-notch while a good array of extras include loads of deleted and extended scenes, short comedic featurettes, and a group commentary alongside various "U Control" picture-in-picture featurettes. (Fans should note that not all of the 2-disc regular DVD release's extras have been retained, however). The release also includes the standard-definition version on the disc's flip side.

Paramount's no-frills HD-DVD edition lacks the superb extras from the film's last DVD release, freeing up the studio to use every last bit of space on the picture's transfer and impressive sound design.

And indeed, the HD-DVD looks brilliant, presented here in the full 2.35 Super 35 aspect ratio of its theatrical exhibition (most previous DVD releases offered a 1.85 frame that exposed the entire picture area that was shot). Even better is the wonderfully layered 6.1 DTS-ES soundtrack (Dolby TrueHD and standard 5.1 Dolby Digital tracks are also on-hand), which brilliantly captures the sonic oomph of the movie's original sound design.

For "Top Gun" fans this is an easily recommended purchase, with top-flight picture and sound.

SURF'S UP: Blu Ray (***, 85 mins., PG, Sony): Ribald animated feature from Sony Pictures Animation follows a little penguin from Antarctica who tries to become the world's reigning surfing champ. Outstanding animation, appealing characters, and loads of humor (which adults ought to find sufficiently amusing as well as kids) make this one of the best "family" films to come down the road in some time. Sony's Blu Ray disc is a keeper, even though the 1080p AVC- encoded transfer shows some occasional MPEG-artifacting here and there. The Dolby Digital TrueHD and 5.1 PCM sound options are strong, and ample extras include the Oscar-winning "Chubbchubbs" (as well as a new "Chubbchubbs Save Xmas" short), commentaries, deleted scenes, music videos, progression reels and photo galleries, a music video, and more. (Available
Oct. 2)

Last but not least this week are two tremendously entertaining TV on DVD box sets from Universal, showcasing a pair of the finest series currently airing on network television.

The hilarious American version of THE OFFICE has, by this point, fully grown into its own, and Season 3 (2006-07, aprx. 10 hrs., Universal) illustrates why the Steve Carrell-lead ensemble comedy is as good as it gets in terms of laughs on TV.

Smart writing (including episodes directed by Joss Whedon and Harold Ramis among others), appealing performances and quotable dialogue are all on-hand in these 22 third-season episodes, presented by Universal in a four-disc set sporting extensive extras. Included in the latter are deleted scenes, episode commentaries, an interview with Whedon, a blooper reel, additional featurettes, interviews and more. The 1.78 (16:9) transfers are nearly on-par with their HD counterparts and make for an irresistible package all around.

Universal's five-disc DVD set offers 16:9 (1.78) transfers with 5.1 Dolby Digital sound, deleted scenes, and one Making Of featurette.

Thankfully renewed for a second year despite tepid ratings, hopefully "Friday Night Lights" will find the audience that it deserves when it debuts for its new season shortly.