Film

A Scooby-Doo prequel seemed like a simple concept… Take the characters kids love and go back to when they were closer in age to the actual core audience and have them go on a fun adventure. However when you have a lackluster attempt with a lame script, then it’s a little less simple.

The film takes us to when the gang is just finishing high school and is going to spend the summer at a lake house party, however upon arrival there are some spookier guests who want to crash the party. The film builds most of its premise on relationships between Fred and Daphne as well as Shaggy and Velma only to completely scrap the idea at the end as if the entire film wasn’t about these two couples… It felt really forced and just completely disenfranchises the whole movie.

The other thorn in my side was the lack of Scooby-Doo in the film. There seemed to be extended scenes that simply excluded Scooby with the only reason that I could think of was that it would cost less to not have to pay animators to keep having Scooby pop up, which leads to the next thorn in my side… Why does Scooby’s 3d model look like a creepy skeleton? It felt very low budget however when you look at the quality of the monsters there’s a definite difference.

Overall the film just lacks any entertaining moments… it’s predictable on the level that even kids are going to think it’s one dimensional. In comparison to the older live action Scooby-Doo movies this film comes off as a cheap cash-in attempt that fails on many levels. Skip it.

Video

Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster’s video quality is definitely clean and sharp. There’s little to no noticeable noise or grain and details are nice and sharp. Unfortunately the crisp image only makes the horrendous CGI Scooby-Doo stick out even more. It’s actually odd that the Scooby model sucks so much considering the Lake Monster has a decent texture and shading pass… I’m assuming they either ran out of money or wanted to recreate the cartoony Scooby by creating a creepy skeletal rendition without eyelids…

The colors of the film are pretty natural if not a bit flat, with pale skin tones and unimpressive black levels, the general palette of the film leaves much to be desired. The footage also manages to stay very sharp and shows off with skin textures and fine hairs, which also wreaks havoc on the Scooby-Doo model due to the fact that the 3d model has a very smooth surface texture where there should be detailed fur… No matter how you slice it, the video looks good and that makes the 3D elements look shoddy.

Audio

Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster’s audio is on the same level of the video. Albeit there’s nothing wrong with the quality, there just isn’t anything special. I would hope for a bit of a lively mix that really enthralls and pumps up the audience would be great for the silly and over-the-top subject matter but instead we’re given a pretty by-the-numbers mix.

The dialogue is clean and centered and most of the mix is played through the front. Some of the sounds of the lake and woods come through the surrounds but overall the front speakers get most of the work. As far as the foley goes, we’re given some blended sound effects that don’t stick out.

The low frequencies fall a bit flat as well, with only a few moments to shine, the sound design doesn’t really play up the bassy notes in the score or thuds of the monsters thrashing around. It brings the motif of “good not great” full circle.

Special Features

Besides some trailers there are three actual extras. Two behind-the-scenes featurettes which look at the musical sequences from the movies as well as the gags from the film, both are filled with EPK style interviews with some glimpses of behind-the-scenes footage. Also there is a gag reel to round out the trio, but even with all of this there’s nothing that really caters to the target audience of this release… Are kids really going to want to watch some interviews about how the filming went?

Final Thoughts

Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster’s is a lame story backed up with average video and audio specs as well as a lack of kid friendly bonus features. There just isn’t a good enough reason to ever put this Blu-ray back into your player after the first go around so if you’re interested than a rental is all I can suggest, but I’d say stick to the original live action films and leave this one on the store shelf.

Film 

Inspired by his loving father, played by Ray Liotta who might have been cast purely to help the audience parallel this film with character arcs in Goodfellas, George dedicates his life to never being poor. Such inspiration leads him to California and into the lap of a drug-dealing opportunity. Not wanting to take any chances, as far as his finances are concerned, he wants to shoot for something bigger than just collecting dollars from the free spirits roaming the beach. He first starts up by smuggling dope to the East by way of his flight attendant girlfriend, and eventually escalates it to flying product from Mexico to the US himself. This drug trafficking evolves from marijuana to cocaine, and the dollars he rakes in convert from thousands to millions at the same time.

George truly is meant to be an anti-hero. We cannot fully sympathize with him when he faces the legal ramifications of his actions, and yet we develop a liking for him. Perhaps Johnny Depp’s charismatic performance was doing us a disservice in this sense, but the film does do a lot to paint George in a certain light. In some ways, he wanted to “do right” for his daughter, but that can also just be seen as an Act Three revelation for him, in terms of cinematic character composition. By the time he is day-dreaming about his daughter, and the final frame dedicated to a real-life shot of George in jail, we are almost forgetting the hedonistic (if not selfish) heights he took his life. He was a drug-dealer who was responsible for corrupting many lives, either through direct contact or by way of the products he smuggled into the US from Colombia, which in turn supported the blood-thirsty Pablo Escobar. If nothing else, this film demonstrates how charm can gloss over many a things but we must be disciplined to remember that a crime is a crime, no matter whose smile is in front of it (but try and tell that to the thousands of kids who have Scarface posters hanging on their walls).

Demme’s composition of this film seems to be a love letter to his favourite films and filmmakers of the late 70s and 80s. Some references are clearer than others, such as borrowing a quote from Jaws, while others are artfully hidden in the staging of some shots (many an ode to Coppola in that vein), or how the camera doesn’t so much film its subject, but pursues them the way that Scorsese’s might (think of the longer shots, without cuts, in Goodfellas, for a prime example of what I mean).

The musical score is a bid obvious and overbearing at times, especially when silence would have sufficed for a scene. A perfect example is how the tension of when George confronts his former partner at his Colombian mansion was plenty to hook us into the moment, but the score rises to an almost distracting level. Demme had such a stellar cast in both the leading and supporting roles that he really should have trusted them to carry a scene when the score seems to be trying to unnecessarily pick up the slack.

Overall, this film remains fascinating throughout. Sometimes things arise so casually that you find yourself forgetting just how immense the character’s actions are, never mind their repercussions. A heavy hitting combo of an engrossing story, well told by a director with a clear vision and a cast loaded with amazing talents.

Video

Widescreen 2.35:1. Not the crispest picture I’ve seen on Blu Ray, but the fuzziness can only be scene if standing very close to a large screen. So this film may not be used as an HD demo any day soon, but its pros certainly outweigh its cons. Said pros include a very vibrant look to the more colourful portions, most notably during the party scenes and anything depicting sunny locations in the 60s or 70s.

1080p HD is doing a rather good job, whether its as crisp as a Pixar release or not.

Audio 

The options include 5.1 Dolby Digital and 5.1 Dolby True HD in English, as well as 5.1 Dolby Digital in French. Each track option is very well mixed. The score is ever-present without overpowering the dialogue. Depp’s narration comes through clear, as he never succumbs to the natural droning in his voice.

Subtitles available in English and French.

(DVD copy also offers Dolby 2.0 in French)

Special Features 

Focus Points: An interactive option where clips featuring interviews and facts about the real history behind the film can be summoned when an icon appears on the screen during the film. Essentially, most of these clips are taken from other featurettes available on the disc and are compiled as a sample platter of relevant facts injected into our viewing experience so that we, the audience, can get a greater sense of the time it takes place and the social ramifications in the characters’ actions.

Behind the Story

• Commentary by Director Ted Demme and George Jung: These two do not interact with each other as their comments were recorded separately, but still share time as Demme offers insights and opinions on the making of the film and those that helped him make it, and Jung offers us his own tidbits about the actual time he spent while its being recreated on the screen and/or his more in depth feelings about the characters being portrayed. Each make for an engrossing listen and a real treat for those that appreciate this film’s story.

• George Jung Interview: Demme speaks with Jung, who remains incarcerated, on a wide array of reflections and opinions about the film and the parts of his personal history it resurrects. Despite age and a naturally subdued demeanor created by the impact of a prison life, Jung’s natural charm still leaks through in his responses.

• Lost in Paradise: Cocaine’s impact on Colombia: A fascinating documentary in and of itself. Pablo Escobar, the drug lord, is a crucial part of Blow, and here his effects on Colombia and the escalation of the crippling violence within it, are detailed through graphic footage of real people being attacked and kill, as well as interviews with former guerrilla rebels, citizens, journalists and many others who have witnessed first hand the horrors their country face.

• Addiction: Body & Soul: A look into the effects cocaine has on a person, as well some possible psychological and scientific explanations as to why a person may become addicted to a substance, which is ultimately tied to the story of George Jung over the course of many interviews with those recovering from addiction or studying it.

• Fast Track: An optional track that displays relevant facts and information as the film plays. A welcome addition to the abundance we already can have while watching the film (bringing the count of optional tracks to 3, all playable at once).

Music Video

Push and Pull by Nico Costa : A decent little tune. Purely an extra as it has no direct line of connection to the film’s narrative. Still appreciated.

Online

An advertisement for the film company’s official site, offering more information on the film, but presumably not as interesting information as what already appears on the disc itself.

Extras

• Production Diary: A large handful of handy-cam recordings from the 63 day long production. A cute, candid view of the production. A camera behind the camera diary that is a lot less tedious than other behind-the-scenes featurettes I’ve seen in my time. The final day antics are particularly amusing. Demme is a positive force on the set, which is great for a director, and it reflects in the cast and crew surrounding him. Something very joyful that instantly becomes tragic when you discover how this was Demme’s final film, since we lost him to a (possibly) cocaine induced heart attack.

• Trailers: 2 trailers, one full theatrical, the other a teaser…that’s all you need to understand.

Additional Scenes:

• Deleted Scenes: 10 in total. Demme mentioned in his interview with Jung that the rough cut of the film was 45 minutes longer than the final cut, so I knew I was in for a large haul when it came to deleted material. Some very interesting material all around that were obviously shaved for the sake of time and flow. The quality in presentation is equal to the main feature, showing just how much they meant to the director, and how easily they could re-enter in some cut down the road, perhaps.

• Director Commentary Track: Since the feature film had 3 optional tracks (granted, only one was commentary) it is only fair that the deleted scenes get their own track. Demme offers some very nice insights into what these scenes meant to him and the film. Included in this batch is a jail house scene that Demme notes as his favourite while also reiterating some words of wisdom he received “You’ll know you’re a good filmmaker when you are able to cut your favourite scene,” meaning you can see what is best for the film as a whole, and not just each scene by themselves.

• Character Outtakes: A series of interviews with the actors, completely in character, as they speak about their relationship with George Jung. A nice exercise in demonstrating how professional actors absorb their characters.

DVD copy of the film: A nice copy of the film. Blu-ray does an obviously better job bringing out the great colour palette this film has, but the DVD is no slouch. Always a welcome contribution to any Blu Ray release.

Final Thoughts 

With both DVD and Blu-ray in the package, along with all the special features one could dream of for this feature, this currently reigns as the definitive edition of Blow to have in your collection. The film alone makes for a great ride, and these extras on this edition make it essential for any major film collector.

Film 

The Freeling family lives a quiet suburban life in California; that is until the five year old Carol Anne begins communicating with another world through the static on their television. Bizarre events begin happening to the entire family like furniture being re arranged, an earthquake that only the Freelings feel, and announcements by Carol Anne that spirits are among them. Diane (Carol Anne’s mom) is fascinated by the presence of the spirits as she feels there is no immediate harm by it, but her husband Steve is threatened and concerned. Then one night a tree comes to life as a discretionary measure to divert attention away from Carol Anne who is taken in through a portal in her closet. Now the only way to communicate with her is through the static in the television as the Freeling’s scramble to find a way to battle the spirits and return their daughter to our world.

While this film isn’t what many neo horror lovers are accustom too Poltergeist managed to create a distinct style of its own which relied heavily on skillful acting and direction. The thrills in this film remain mostly psychological. There are no scary demons, no spinning heads, or bloody limbs; Poltergeist instead relies on conversation and supernatural occurrences to drive itself. I must say, after all these years Poltergeist still manages to be amongst the best horror films ever made. Well the thrills aren’t a mile a minute; they are in fact more believable because of their subtle and sometimes plausible nature. If after all these years you have yet to see Poltergeist I strongly suggest you do as it ranks amongst the top in the horror genre.

Video 

Presented in 1080p 2.35:1 aspect ratio and encoded in VC-1 Poltergeist comes to Blu-ray with a much upgraded video presentation. The first thing I noticed when I popped the disc in was the impressive use of colors.   Every color is accurately displayed while displaying impressive vibrancy.

Besides from a few scenes that looked soft and overly grainy, Poltergeist is also one sharp looking movie. There is no doubt that this video presentation is vastly superior to any DVD release.  It is a no brainer that fans should pick this one up on the video transfer alone.

Audio 

Warner has thankfully included a 5.1 TrueHD, one the definitely increases the effect of the material.  Poltergeist relies on more of an eeriness and psychological factor to pull the viewer in, rather than just jumps scares.  This is where the quality of the TrueHD track really comes into play.  Rear channels remain constantly active, creating a rich and believable viewing experience.  By providing a rich deep bass at the correct time in movie, sub support is very active and effective.

Like the video presentation, the audio definitely does a great job of enhancing the movie.

Special Features 

• Documentary – The one feature we get with this package doesn’t even give us an inside look at the movie.  Instead we are given a real life look at hauntings and ghosts.  Although the feature is interesting, I would have rather have had a behind the scenes feature.

Final Thoughts 

Poltergeist isn’t the most suspenseful horror film out there, it isn’t the bloodiest, and it certainly isn’t the scariest. It almost sounds like the makings of a flop, but somehow this film driven by solid acting, and great storytelling actually does manage to keep you glued to the television. It does just enough in every department that matters to a horror film, and it hardly over emphasizes its strengths. All in all I would recommend checking this film out, simply because it is a classic. The audio and video are the discs high point and really should be seen and heard. The special features are disappointing but are in fact interesting and a good watch for those of you who are intrigued to learn more about the spiritual world so prevalent in this film.

http://moviemarbles.com/blurays.php?brid=131

Film 

Bull Durham is without question one of the finest sports themed films ever made and certainly the best involving baseball. It has appeared on nearly every critical list in the sports films category, more often than not, at the top. There is a simple reason for that. It is a great film. The film is excellent at offering a glimpse into the life of a baseball player in the low minor leagues as well as the women who follow them and attempt to latch onto a little bit of greatness while they can.

The film centers around three main characters, a young pitcher with major league potential, Nuke LaLoosh (Tim Robbins), a career minor league catcher, Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) brought in the groom Nuke for a quick path to the Major Leagues or The Show as it is known among the players and the 30 something Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon) who treats baseball as a religion and decides to bed one new player a year on the local team, the Durham Bulls.

The film accurately depicts life in the low minors and the toll that life in the minors can take on the players. It also accurately depicts how women throw themselves at at the new players on the team hoping to hitch a ride on a star to a path of wealth and fame. You can go to the opening game in most small minor league towns in A or AA ball and see this playing out in front of your own eyes. I know I have. While Annie latches onto to Nuke, she soon learns that there is more to Crash than meets the eye and that her life, chasing after younger men, may not be how she ultimately wants to live the rest of her life. While Bull Durham is a comedy, it is chock full of some very poignant and introspective moments.

If you have not seen Bull Durham, do yourself a favor and give this film a look. You will be glad you did. Even with the video shortcomings as described below, Bull Durham is a film that belongs in the collection of all film fans. Recommended.

Video 

To say that I was disappointed in the video quality of this release would be an understatement, which, with a few exceptions, is barely above DVD quality. The film has a rather warm color palette with slightly de-saturated colors and mediocre blacks. The film was originally released to theaters in 1988 and has the look of many films in the 1980′s, namely overly soft with a rather murky and hazy looking image. Film grain is rather heavy here and well preserved.

I have an old DVD copy of the film and it looks as though the Blu-ray was mastered from the same print used for the older DVD and looks very similar in terms of color and overall image quality, with the Blu-ray showing better detail and overall clarity, but not by as much as one would have expected or hoped for. Given the softness and lack of deep blacks, the image here is flat and very two dimensional, lacking anything in the way of real depth. It has been way too long for me to recall how this film looked in the theaters but given the look of films in that era, the Blu-ray may just be a faithful depiction of the actual filmed image. Otherwise, Bull Durham is a film that could really benefit from a major restoration effort.

Audio 

The best aspect of the sound on this release is the accompanying music track which sounds wonderful and pulls the overall score up from a 3.5 to a 4 star rating. The music here sounds great with excellent imaging and transparency and rock solid bass. The opening vocal sequence sounds amazing.The rest of the film is deserving or no more than a 3.5 star rating, sounding a bit thin and flat. While the surrounds do spring to life occasionally, usually during the live action baseball sequences, the mix itself is rather front heavy. On the plus side, the dialogue track is well recorded and is always front and center in the mix.

Special Features 

Bull Durham is presented in a 2 disc combo pack with disc one the Blu-ray version of the film and disc two, a DVD edition. Other than the original trailer for the film, the Blu-ray disc contains no extras at all. All of the extras are located on the DVD edition which, with two exceptions, were ported over from the prior DVD release of the film. The extras ported over from the prior DVD release include an audio commentary from director Ron Shelton, an audio commentary with Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins, the featurette, “Between the Lines: The Making of Bull Durham”, a Kevin Costner Profile and a Sports Wrap. Two new featuretes are included on this release, a 20 year look back at the film featuring the cast and crew entitled “The Greatest Show on Dirt” and “Diamonds in the Rough” which takes a look at minor league baseball. of all the extras, the two newest and the ones most worth your time.

Final Thoughts 

While I was disappointed with the overall video and audio presentations on this release, Bull Durham is such a great film, even 22 years after its initial release, that it belongs in the collection of ay film buff. If you haven’t already, by all means add Bull Durham to your film library.

Film 

In a word, yes, on all accounts. I can’t really say that I am a huge fan of westerns, as I find it to be a genre that is well past its prime. However, in Tombstone, director George P. Cosmatos, is able to transport us back into the old west, with an historically accurate and authentic looking film that is sure to capture the attention of most moviegoers. The film features a great cast with some superb performances, excellent cinematography and a sensational score.

The film tells the story of the three Earp brothers, Wyatt (Kurt Russell), Virgil (Sam Elliot) and Morgan (Bill Paxson) who arrive in Tombstone looking to make money, having retired from their well known days as lawmen. From the moment they arrive in town, the mayor attempts to recruit them as the local law enforcement to bring law and order to the town which is overrun by a lawless outfit known as the Cowboys.

When the Earp boys arrive in town, they are greeted by Wyatt’s longtime friend, Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) who happened to be in town as well. The two are an odd pair as Wyatt is more the straight law and order type and Doc, the gambling, drinking and cheating type who also has a penchant for murder. The boys set up shop at a local bar/casino, getting a one quarter take of the house winnings and quickly run into members of the Cowboys and incur their wrath. While all this is happening, Wyatt becomes enthralled with the beautiful and alluring actress Josephine (Dana Delaney) from a traveling show troupe, who he become romantically entangled with, despite the presence of his wife.

The lawlessness has to stop and Virgil and Morgan agree to take over as the town lawmen and recruit Wyatt who joins against his better judgment. It is then that they encounters some of the Cowboys at the OK Corral, perhaps one of the most famous gunfights in US history.

Unlike most films dealing with the Wyatts, the film does not end there, but uses the gunfight as a springboard, to tell the rest of the story, of the retribution and revenge that occurs after the gunfight as Wyatt tracks down and tries to eliminate the Cowboy gang from the old west. Tombstone is a very entertaining and interesting film that is unlike many of the westerns that I have seen. If you haven’t seen Tombstone, please check it out on Blu-ray, you will be glad you did. Recommended.

Video 

Tombstone of Blu-ray looks fabulous, with a bright and bold color palette, featuring typical varying shades of brown and gray you associate with westerns and the old west, together with some bright greens, reds, blues and purples, colors that we don’t normally associate with the old west and especially westerns. In this regard, director George P. Cosmatos tries to be true to the colorful clothing that the men and women in the old west were known to have worn. The film also features deep blacks and excellent renditions of skin tones in addition to very nice levels of detail, both of the facial and background variety as well as shadow detail.

Clarity, detail and depth are all excellent as well with the end result being a rich and colorful looking film that is sure pleasing on the eye. Film grain also appears to be well preserved and is apparent throughout the film. I was not able to detect any obvious application of digital noise reduction as the release has that film like appearance that many film enthusiasts look for, including yours truly. The film does have some occasional softness in some dimly lit interior scenes but for the most part looks great throughout and fully worth of a full 4.5 star rating, lacking only the razor sharp look and detail of the very best looking releases. I can’t imagine fans of the film being anything but thrilled with the look of Tombstone on its initial appearance on Blu-ray.

Audio 

The lossless audio track on Tombstone is every bit as good as the video. The film audio track features excellent dynamics and deep bass response. Gun shots, and there are many of them, sound very realistic, with the weight and heft of the real thing. The surrounds are also used often and aggressively throughout the film, not only for sound effects, but for acoustical cues as well, creating a nice sense of immersion. I was particularly impressed with the musical score which sounds in a word, fantastic, with excellent bass, transparency and imaging, creating an excellent sense of depth.

The dialogue track is also well recorded and well placed in the mix, never getting lost in some of the loudest action sequences. If I had one issue with the audio it would be with a slight sense of thinness of sharpness to the sound, lacking that sense of total smoothness and lushness of the very best sounding films. This is a minor quibble to be sure but was just enough to know the score down to a 4.5 star rating out of 5 falling a smidge short of the best of the best.

Special Features 

There are no HD extras included with this release. The extras have been ported over from the prior release of Tombstone on DVD. The extras include the Making of Tombstone featurette which features interviews with much of the cast and crew including director George P. Cosmatos, Val Kilmer, Kurt Rusell, Dana Delaney, Sam Elliot, Bill Paxton, Michel Biehn, Powers Boothe, Charlton Heston and even Wyatt Earp, III, where they discuss the thought process that went into the making of the film, the motivations of their characters, including their understandings of the historical record and how the film is a departure from other westerns and films dealing with the same set of characters.

The other extras include a brief featurette showing the original storyboards for the shootout at the OK Corral sequence as well as trailers and TV spots for the film. While this is more than was provided with the Armageddon release, I expected more for such a popular film.

Final Thoughts 

Tombstone is a fine film that features excellent audio and video presentations on its initial release in the Blu-ray disc format and worthy of being added to any film collection. Recommended.

Film 

When I think of the film Cocoon, many different words come to mind: Witty, touching, original, poignant, sweet, beautiful and moving, just to name a few. I loved this film in the theater way back when in 1985 and subsequently in its other incarnations on home video, Blu-ray being just the latest. The film features a great cast of older actors who all turn in excellent performances.

The film centers upon three men at a retirement home in St. Peterburg, Florida, Ben, Arthur and Joe, played by Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley and Hume Cronyn,who find a new lease on life after they begin to swim in a pool located next to their retirement home filled with strange rocks. The rocks are placed there by four odd people who rent a boat and travel out to the ocean off the coast and dive down to the bottom to retrieve the rocks.

One night, while they are out on the boat retrieving more of the cocoons, the owner of the boat, played by Steve Guttenberg, discovers that the four individuals he is renting to boat to are actually aliens from the planet Antarea who have come to retrieve friends they were forced to abandon when their outpost on Earth, Atlantis, was destroyed 10,000 years ago. They are hear to retrieve them and they place them in the pool to re-energize their life force for the trip home.

The aliens eventually discover that the three men were swimming in their pool and allow them to do so, so long as they do not touch the cocoons. However, the rest of the retirement community begins to notice how spry the three and their wives have become and they find out their secret from Bernie (Jack Gilford) who spills the beans, which results in a tragedy for the aliens, forcing them to cut off their mission and return to Antarea, with an unexpected set of crew members.

Don Ameche won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Ben and it was richly deserved. However, the rest of the cast turned in excellent performances as well, including Maureen Stapelton, Jessica Tandy and Brian Dennehy, in addition to the aforementioned Wilford Brimley and Hume Cronyn. If you have not seen this film or like me, have not seen it in ages, by all means do yourself a favor and check it out on Blu-ray. You will be glad you did.

Video 

Cocoon was made in the mid 1980′s and looks it as it has the look of many of the films of that time period. In other words, it is soft, very soft. The film also has a very muted color palette. If you are looking for a film with bright, bold and richly saturated colors and a razor sharp image, you will be totally disappointed with the video presentation of this release. The softness does not appear to be the result of any digital noise reduction, although I did detect the application of some edge enhancement which I surmise, was applied to sharpen up the picture a bit.

In addition to muted colors, black levels are mediocre as well, resulting in an image that can best be described as murky and soft. However, as best I can recall, this is how the film looked in the theater. While I am sure that the film could benefit from a restoration, I am quite sure that it would still look soft and muted as that is how the film was shot. It would appear that the film looks just as it should on this Blu-ray release sand is a victim of the film-making style of the period. Nevertheless, the video presentation here is still much better looking than any of its prior video releases.

Audio 

I was not expecting a bombastic and immersive sound experience with this release and was not disappointed. There is really nothing wrong with the overall sound, which has very good fidelity. In particular, the music, especially the big band music featured in the film, sounds fantastic, with a smooth and open sound with nice bass and dynamics that is easy on the ears. The dialogue track is well recorded and well placed in the mix. It is the mix itself which is the issue in that it is very front heavy.

For most of the film, the surround speakers are just an afterthought, coming to life very infrequently. When they do come to life, as they do at the end of the film, they are employed very well. Given the age of the film, I expected just as much. However, given the increased fidelity that lossless audio affords us on Blu-ray, the audio here is still a significant upgrade over the audio available on any of the other prior home video releases of the film.

Special Features  

As best I can tell, the extras appear to be ported over from the prior DVD release of the film and are of very poor video quality as they were shot on standard def video and are noisy and blurry. Just what you would expect from poor quality SD video from the mid 1980′s. The extras include an audio commentary from director Ron Howard as well as several trailers and TV spots for the film, including a very brief teaser trailer for the sequel, Cocoon: The Return.

The extras also include 5 featurettes dealing with various aspects of the film, including a behind the scenes look at the making of the film, the cast, filming the underwater sequences an the creation of the aliens. I would not call any of the extras must see and frankly, parts of the featurettes are duplicates, as several of the interview segments are repeated in several of the featurettes. Frankly, if you just watch the making of featurette, which is the longest of the 5, you will have seen all you need to see. The release is not BD-Live enabled and does not include a digital copy.

Final Thoughts 

While Cocoon does not exactly feature reference audio or video presentations, it does hold up beautifully as a film and is well worth a visit or re-visit on Blu-ray and is recommended.

This led me to two important questions I hope to answer in my review.  Firstly, if subsequent movies have taken advantage of a once-new filmmaking technique, does this make the originating movies any less relevant?  And secondly, can entertainment value survive in what is considered “experimental” cinema?  Although films can have artistic merits on their own, they must still be accessible to the common movie viewer.   

Film 

The theme of realism runs strongly through this film; this is really the best way to understand Contempt.  It is a story within a movie about a story, all of which are based on how things are, not how we want them to be.  There is also a reminder that no movie can ever portray reality, as it is impossible due to the inherent unreality of the medium.

Our main protagonist, Paul Javal (Michel Piccoli) has been approached by a repellant American producer, Jeremy Prokosh (the superb Jack Palance) to do rewrites on a movie adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey.  Prokosh is unhappy with the current direction of the film, which is being directed as an “art movie” by Fritz Lang (legendary director of Metropolis, played by himself).  Although Paul does not seem overly enamored with Prokosh or the project, he is enamored with his wife, and accepts the job to be able to help pay off their flat.  As Prokosh says to Paul, “You have a pretty wife; you need the money”

However, from the first meeting between Paul’s wife, Camille (the ever-lovely Brigitte Bardot) and Prokosh, things go bad.  Although on the surface there appears to have been little to cause trouble, small actions of Paul’s drive an irreparable wedge between he and Camille.

It has been said that Bardot was more of a celebrity than an actor, mainly due to her beauty, grace, and willingness to undress for the camera.  However, she displays the most “realistic” portrayal of a woman I have ever seen in a film.  Maddening yet seductive, passive yet aggressive, her impenetrable expression, mercurial temper and emotional committal is a work of art.  Her ability to use emotion to dissect Paul, to expose his insecurities, and to drive him into a rage is superb and believable.  And as per Godard’s theme, their relationship resembles reality, not a “Hollywood” relationship.

Piccoli is also superb as Paul.  He combines the tormented artist with an everyman sensibility; there is a problem with his relationship with Camille, and he’d like to fix it, but she won’t let him know how to.  He continually makes things worse through his words and actions, and does not have the sensitivity to understand when Camille feels threatened and needs protection.

The story within the movie is that of Homer’s Odyssey, with parallels drawn between our main characters and the novel.  Paul is sometimes compared to Odysseus, while Prokosh is compared to both Poseidon and the Suitors.  Camille is Penelope.  In making their movie, questions are asked of Odysseus’ motivations (Why did he take so long to return to Ithaca?  Did he really not want to get back to Penelope?), and we see the parallels with our main characters (Is Paul pushing Camille on Prokosh to advance his career?).  Paul and Lang discuss the relationship between Odysseus, Penelope, and the Suitors, without seeing how it relates back to Paul’s relationship with Camille.

It is often said about Jean-Luc Godard that he liked to remind his viewers that they were watching a movie.  Of Contempt this is certainly true – we see jump cuts that mix exposures and film colors, and have background singers stop in mid action so that dialog between the main characters can be heard.  Meanwhile, the repetitive, often overly loud score is interjected with regularity, oftentimes jarring the viewer into wondering “What is Godard doing?”  I would venture that he would state “Exactly what I wanted to – reminding you that you are watching a movie”.  It would be grossly unfair for Godard to make a realistic movie about the unreality of cinema without pointing out even a realistic movie is unreal.

I could understand how a movie such as this may have been very challenging in 1963, yet seem very un-revolutionary in 2010 after many directors have subsequently used Godard’s techniques for their own.  Has the movie lost its relevancy?  I think the previous sentence answers this – when we can still see Godard’s fingerprints on movies made today, his work, including this movie is still very relevant.

As entertainment, this is not a 2012 kind of “blow stuff up while running around madly brainless SFX extravaganza”.  This movie is very internal; anyone who has loved someone else, has felt contempt from another, or has been struck with the eternal struggle between our dreams and reality will fully appreciate this movie.  Although the movie is accessible and has a linear and comprehensible storyline, it is demanding.  It asks the viewer to understand and reflect on what they’ve seen, and leaves them the richer for it.  

Video 

Unfortunately, we know that Blu-ray and 1080p displays are merciless in highlighting any faults in source material.  That Contempt is considered one of the ten best films of all time by a number of academics likely meant that the Blu-ray transfer was as original as possible, with very little post-production.

It pains me to score this Blu-ray as low as I did, but it is fair and accurate.  The era in which the film was shot is revealed in all its glory on Blu-ray, including excessive “swimming” grain, which caused pronounced softness except in the brightest of shots.  Sunlight shots bloom with color, but interior shots vary between dull and washed, or cold and sterile.

There is a certain beauty to these older films – in a world where CGI further blurs the line between reality and imagination, it is almost uncomfortable to view a movie that has so much “human-ness” to it.  These were movies that were “made” not recorded, and the quality of the craft is evident.  Unfortunately, there is very little in the image that suited it to a high-def treatment.

Audio 

As expected, the original soundtrack suffers under the same recording limitations any early 1960’s mono track would have.  Besides being a solely front-loaded presentation, the DTS-MA 2.0 dual mono soundtrack is very harsh and forward in the mids, and is lacking both upper and lower dynamics.  One can almost hear the hiss of the original analog tape masters as sounds are reproduced, mainly due to the overall presentation of the sound.  The subwoofer is obviously unnecessary for this type of track.

As a side note, I did watch the movie in its original form (French, German, and English with English subtitles).  Not only is this true to Godard’s original, one has truly not been told they are contemptible unless they’ve been told so by a cold, angry French woman.

Although Studio Canal put an obvious amount of work into the soundtrack, it cannot escape its period limitations.

Special Features 

This is challenging for me to rate, as the features on this disc were different than seen on virtually any other disc I’ve seen.  Firstly, it comes with an 18-page booklet (yes, a real paper booklet) containing an essay on Contempt by Film Studies Professor Ginette Vincendeau.  This alone is one of the highlights of the package for me, though it can be a bit esoteric.

Video special features are mixed between period features (“The Dinosaur and the Baby” and “Conversation with Fritz Lang”) and more modern features in 16 x 9 (“Once Upon a Time There Was Contempt”, “Introduction by Colin McCabe”, and “Contempt…Tenderly”).

Combined, these features offer almost three hours of film-study quality documentary.  For a movie of this age, a feature level like this is unheard of.  And unlike most BRDs, I anticipate returning to this disc on subsequent occasions, simply to glean additional levels of film knowledge out of these features.  

Final Thoughts

Contempt has been cited as Godard’s most accessible movie, and I can wholeheartedly agree that this is no elitist art house movie.  Instead, we are treated to a perfectly enjoyable, superbly cast film with levels of subtext that demand our attention.  Although there are audio and video limitations due to the age of the movie, it is difficult to imagine any truly “classic” movies that will not have these issues. 

This movie will appeal to those who wish to understand Godard’s lasting influence in cinema today, and also those who look for more out of movies other than mindless entertainment.  Like any good movie, I have found myself reevaluating the film and its characters for days after its viewing. 

I can also see how this movie would not appeal to all.  The official wife of this reviewer spent a few minutes watching the movie, and was not engaged in any way, nor was even enticed to sit down and ask “So what’s going on?”.  There are those who do not wished to be challenged by movies; I believe they will find little to enjoy in Contempt.

Films

When I was younger I used to love these films, so I’ll say in advance this could be a little bias. The films are yet another quarreling neighbor story; however the gimmick is that the neighbors in Grumpy Old Men are just that… Grumpy old men.

Jack Lemmon and Walther Matthau are bickering elderly neighbors who, in Grumpy Old Men, are both interested in the woman who moves in across the street. We see these two duke it out as they try and woo her while playing tricks and pranks on each other as their fifty year rivalry rages on.

Within Grumpier Old Men, the characters return to find their favorite bait shop is being turned into an Italian restaurant by a town newcomer, who may just happen to be another possible love interest.

The plots sound cheesy and overdone, but it’s the execution that makes these films great. The films do have a bit of air and slow pace that when compared to recent films’ tight editing really doesn’t help the film’s aging, but the hilarity that ensues really makes up for it. Grumpy Old Men is extremely well written and had this great way of uniting a heart-warming story of aging with slapstick comedy that is very seamless.

Walther Matthau and Jack Lemmon are obviously the best parts of these films; their performances really shine and play on the same styles of role that made their chemistry in the Odd Couple so great. Jack Lemmon’s performance is really 3 dimensional, balancing the weight of the comedy with this great layer underneath that contains all the bad things his character is going through such as the IRA being after him and his health condition. The two continue the great chemistry in Grumpier Old Men where they join forces to hassle the restaurant owners… Although the sequel wasn’t as good as the first, it was nice to see the two join forces, if only for a short while as they schemed.

Another great character from these films is Burgess Meredith’s Grandpa. He has so many great quotes that even to this day leaves in stitches.

These films are definitely not for everyone, but I’d say that they’re definitely a rental to anyone who wants a laughter filled movie night!

Video

The films are represented in their original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and look really good. The autumn colours of the tranquil wooded areas that are often shown in the fishing scenes look beautiful and warm whereas the freezing winter scenes are full of dark blacks and blues that really pop.

The film is clear and although Grumpy Old Men has a slightly grainier transfer compared to “Grumpier”, both films definitely are a step up from the previous DVD releases.

The films are pretty much artifact free and the camera motion is smooth even projected on a 100” screen. I did find the night shots to have slightly more grain, but it’s expected and definitely understandable.

Audio

Grumpy/Grumpier Old Men’s audio comes at us in English DTS-HD 5.1 and Spanish and French Dolby Digital 2.0. As far as sound goes, both films are pretty much on even par and that being said the audio is pretty good. The films are both dialogue driven so the mix is not very dynamic; everything is mostly coming from the center speaker so overall it’s hard to critique the audio when the film itself is not expected to exceed expectations.

That being said, the dialogue is crisp and clear and all the music and score comes through clearly as well. I’ve definitely seen better mixes with subtle eccentricities that make them unique, but these films get a good mix for their blu-ray release.

Special Features

There are no special features.

Final Thoughts

The films hold a special place in many of our hearts and it’s nice to see a decent transfer of two classic comedic titans duking it out in High Def, however the lack of special features really hurt the overall rating, making this a great rental for fans only, but an unnecessary purchase.

With the HD-format wars a thing of the past, and a rapidly increasing number of households possessing Blu-ray players or PS3s, we are now similarly seeing more good quality value titles emerge in Blu-ray.  One of these is the cinematic classic, Rob Reiner’s “The Princess Bride”.

I first saw this movie at the tender age of 18 and was rather confused by my reaction to it.  How could a semi-rebellious, heavy-metal loving teen male possibly enjoy a movie about true love and a Princess?  For some reason I did.  And now that I am a 39 year-old heavy-metal loving professional, did I still enjoy this movie the same?

Film 

If you have kids, make sure you watch this movie with them.  If you don’t have kids, go borrow someone else’s and watch the movie with them.  Excepting a very select few other movies, “The Princess Bride” is about as close to a perfect family movie as you can get.

For those who have not seen the movie, it has an interesting narrative framework.  “The Princess Bride” is the title of a book that a Grandfather (Peter Falk) is reading to his sick grandson (Fred Savage).  Although the movie starts with, has numerous narrative appearances by, and ends with this duo, the majority of the film centers on the story itself.

Starting in the medieval country of Florin, we discover our heroine Buttercup (ably played by Robin Wright-Penn), and her farm boy, Weseley (Cary Elwes in his best role).  As happens in fairy tales, the two experience “true love”, and Weseley must set forth on a quest to seek his fortune for the couple’s future.

Unfortunately, Buttercup receives news that Wesley is dead at the hands of the “Dread Pirate Roberts”, and in despair, agrees to marry Prince Humperdink (Chris Sarandon), an impressive looking yet cowardly royal heir.  Due to some evil behind-the-scenes machinations, Buttercup is kidnapped shortly thereafter, and spirited off to the country of Guilder, Florin’s enemy.  However, Buttercup and her kidnappers are followed by a mysterious man dressed in black who appears to be determined to save Buttercup from both her kidnappers and Prince Humperdink.

Suffice it to say that many adventures follow, including swordfights, dangerous swamps, treachery, and a miraculous reincarnation, performed by Miracle Max (Billy Crystal in a great cameo).  By the end of the movie, all the people with truly good hearts are fighting against all the people with truly bad hearts, neatly concluded with a happy ending.

What else is there to state about this movie?  That the main actors are perfect, with Robin Wright-Penn displaying a necessary refinement and haughtiness, and Cary Elwes showing a surprising gift for physical comedy?  That the supporting cast, including Sarandon, Christopher Guest (as Count Rugen), Mandy Patinkin (Inigo Montoya), Andre the Giant (Fezzik) and the scene-stealing Wallace Shawn (Vizzini) are equally adept in their roles?  That the interjection of Savage and Falk ground the story in “our” world, and interject a heartwarming tenderness to the whole proceeding?

It is truly hard to say anything negative about this movie.  The mixture of comedy, action, romance and adventure is perfectly balanced, and shows that both the direction and script were of the highest quality.  Its runtime is perfect for the material and its target audience.  If anything, the intervening twenty-two years have made me appreciate this movie even more.

However, one small word of caution.  A few of the scenes could be a bit scary for children six years old and under.  If you would like to watch the movie with younger children, I would suggest watching it yourself first and making note of the scenes to skip.

Video 

As a film traditionalist, this is a challenging movie for me to critique.  Like most movies of its era, the film has a very natural grain, even in daylight shots.  MGM did not appear to do a lot of clean up on this transfer, and has left it very natural and period-correct.

In terms of the film purist in me, I want to give the movie 5 out of 5.  However, the Blu-ray aficionado I am can only give it a 3, as this HD transfer is only a moderate improvement over the remastered DVD release.  A four is therefore a compromise score.

Certainly some details are much sharper (especially costume adornments) on the Blu-Ray, but this remains one of the softer looking Blu-ray’s I’ve seen.

One additional challenge is that this movie appears to have been made with budget constraints, many of which become apparent with the higher quality of Blu-Ray.  Some of the effects and sets do look dated, especially considering the strides that CGI and animatronics have made over the last two decades.

In compensation for this, Rob Reiner does have a flair for making the camera fall in love with its subjects.  Through lighting, depth of field, soft focus, and various zooms, the characters become compelling and near hypnotic when given their time alone in front of the camera.  Potentially a hyper-real cleanup for the Blu-Ray release may have destroyed some of this magic.

Audio 

Based on its era, I was apprehensive that the soundtrack would have dynamic limitations, as well as less surround information than today’s viewer is normally used to.  Sadly enough, this was true, with the quality of the audio being less than seen on today’s movies.  Voices were harsher, there was limited surround information, and dynamic levels were not balanced well for dialog.

On one positive note, this was a very “stereo-heavy” mix which gave Mark Knopfler’s guitar music throughout the movie a beautiful rich quality to it.  Next time I watch the movie, I may actually opt to watch it in a “truer to the original” stereo mix.

Special Features 

In purchasing a movie of this quality, special features do have limited appeal.  And unfortunately, preserving my favourite special feature (deleted scenes) wasn’t a consideration in 1987.

This being stated, the volume of special features is more than adequate for a value title, even though most are not in HD.

Disc one includes is the original trailer; very interesting when seeing how today’s trailers have evolved since 1987.  Also included are two commentaries, both Rob Reiner’s, and William Goldman’s (author of the book on which the movie is based, and the screenwriter).

Disc one also contains over 90 minutes of featurettes.  Some I enjoyed (such as the all too short “Cary Elwes Diary”, and “The Untold Tales”), and some didn’t really add value (“Love is Like a Storybook” and “Miraculous Make Up”).

The second disc appears to be the 20^th Anniversary release of the DVD version of the movie, therefore repeating some of the bonus material located on the Blu-ray disc.  However, the DVD also contains the “official” game of the Princess Bride on this disc.  Generally, I could not picture anyone over the age of 10 enjoying the games.  However, at least it is a free copy for the kids to wreck instead of the Blu-ray.

Final Thoughts 

If you don’t own this movie, I have to wonder, “Why not?”  This is the type of film that makes movie going so enjoyable; you have a lasting impression of the movie, days, months, and even years after it is over.  Not only is it a great family movie, it is a great movie, period.  At value pricing, or inclusion in budget packs with other Blu-ray’s, there is no better time to add this movie to your collection.

Horror movie’s we’re no longer about wolf men and other make belief characters, movies like Psycho made us fear the previously innocent, the sociopaths. After that there were zombies, there were demons, heck there were birds and sharks. Nothing was off limits in the horror genre and as its popularity peaked we saw some of the most memorable films Hollywood has put out. When compared to some of the twisted things we’ve been witness to over the years it’s hard to imagine a 2 foot, red headed doll amongst the pack, but Child’s Play has since spawned several sequels spanning nearly twenty years. Well let’s see just how frightening Chucky is…

Film

The film begins with Detective Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon) in the pursuit of Charles Lee Ray better known to the public as The Lakeshore Strangler (Brad Dourif). Detective Norris takes a shot at Charles and fatally wounds him, but not before he makes his way into a toy store and through a voodoo ritual transfers his soul into a popular Good Guy Doll. The store is then burnt to the ground by a bolt of lightning.

The following morning we are introduced to Andy a young boy celebrating his sixth birthday. He watches a TV commercial for Good Guy Dolls and pleads with his mother Karen (Catherine Hicks) to get one for his birthday. While at work Karen encounters a street peddler who sells her a Good Guy Doll, the very one Charles Lee Ray placed his soul into.

When she gets home she gives Andy his new doll who introduces himself as Chucky via the talking feature in all Good Guy Dolls. That night whilst being babysat by his mother’s friend Maggie, strange things begin to happen and end with Maggie being thrown out the window to her death. At first it is unknown who the killer is and after Andy begins to quote some of the sadistic things Chucky has said it is thought he may be responsible. But through the inevitable turn of events it is revealed that Chucky is in fact alive and back to his sadistic ways and goes on a killing spree whilst trying to get back into a human body.

When we look back into the history of horror films, too many films stand out above and beyond the rest. But when we narrow it down into a more recent (70′s and beyond) cult audience there are only a few that really stick out in my mind. I think of Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Jason Voorhees (Friday The 13^th), Michael Meyes (Halloween), and our favorite psychotic doll; Chucky (Child’s Play). No matter how unrealistic and often hilarious this movie can be it’s a clear cut classic. Thinking back to when this movie first came out, I was nearly twenty two years younger than I am now and it scared the hell out of me. I’m not going to lie, I found myself jumping at some of the same places I did back then. Granted I laughed at a lot of them too there’s no denying that Child’s Play is a must watch especially when Halloween rolls around every year.

When I compare Child’s Play to its sequels (with the exception of Child’s Play 2) it truly resembles the downward trend that Hollywood has plagued the horror genre with. To me this film represents a dying era as throughout the 90′s and into present times there are so few memorable horror films, and this is truly among the last of the classics.  For those of you that knew this film in the past or are just familiar with its campy sequels (Bride of Chucky, Spawn of Chucky) I really recommend you check out Child’s Play and see where it all started. I can honestly say that this dirty mouthed doll is some of the best remnants of a dying genre.

Video

Presented in 1080p 1.85:1 aspect ratio and encoded in MPEG-4 Child’s Play great looking results.  The opening scene had me worried as the picture did look a bit soft; this however was not the case for the rest of the movie.  Color and picture clarity were great for most of the picture and the detail on Chucky himself was superb.

The transfer is by no means perfect however.  As mentioned earlier softness of the pictures in some shots is noticeable and distracting from an otherwise sharp transfer.

I honestly was not expecting much from this title in terms of quality, but I was taken by surprise on how good this movie actually looked. Fan will be pleased with this effort by MGM as it is surely the best the movie has and probably ever will look.

Audio

MGM has included a 5.1 DTS-HD track and for a horror movie the audio track hits all the right notes creating a dangerous and suspenseful environment.  When the movie first started the track did sound a bit muffled, this quickly passed once the gunshots started to fly.  Rear channels did a superb job during these high tension moments creating an excellent sound field.

Beside the occasion flat sounding scene I have no serious complaints with what we were given here.

Special Features

We are provided with a decent amount of special features here, unfortunately they are all presented in only 480p.

• Audio Commentary – We are given two audio tracks with this release. The first is with actors  Alex Vincent, Catherine Hicks and designer Kevin Yagher.  The second commentary with Producer David Kirschner and Screen-writer Don Mancini.
• Evil Comes in Small Packages -  This feature should actually the one entitled the making of Child’s Play as it focuses on the film’s production much more than the self titled feature below.
• Building a Nightmare – A feature that focuses on the creation of the doll and the animatronics used to give Chucky his psychotic personality.
• A Monsters Convention – A Q&A with cast and crew during the 2007 Monster Mania Convention.
• The Making of Child’s Play – This feature should be called the making of Chucky as it almost entirely focuses on the creation of the doll.  Still this feature is pretty interesting and garners a look. There is some overlap with the “Building a Nightmare” feature
• Photo Gallery

Final Thoughts

I was very pleased to see the release of Child’s Play on Blu-ray as this is one of my favorite horror films, and the movie still holds down as a classic. Fortunately the video and audio are both vast improvements over the latest DVD release. The special features are very entertaining and above the cut, however they are the same as on the latest DVD release.  For fans of the film this is a hand’s down purchase.