This talk was held at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis after the success of Sideways, which had been one of the the most acclaimed films of the previous year.
Hosted by LA Times & NPR film critic Kenneth Turan, the conversation goes pretty deep into his career as they cover various aspects of his life and work, including:
His Nebraska background
Film school
His early love of Kurosawa films, silent cinema and the New Hollywood era of the 1970s
Getting in to the film idustry
Using non-professional actors
Why he likes adapting novels
The original ending of Election
Adapting About Schmidt and working with Jack Nicholson
Why he loves voiceover
Shooting physical comedy
Sideways and the idea of personal cinema
The importance of casting
Pros and cons of modern filmmaking technology
Women audiences and Sideways
The influence of silent Italian comedy and Hal Ashby on Sideways
Using success to get the next film made
Fans of his work will find much to chew on here and for aspiring filmmakers it provides interesting insights into one of the best American directors currently working.
Director Lynne Ramsay’s return to films after nine years is a dazzling and disturbing adaptation of Lionel Shriver’s novel.
Cleverly adapting the epistolary form of the book with a flashback structure, Ramsay and co-writer Rory Kinnear have crafted a bold and unsettling drama that borders on horror.
It depicts the fears and anxieties of a middle class American mother, Eva (Tilda Swinton) as we see her disturbing relationship with her son over a number of years.
There is the doubtful pregnancy, where she seemingly regrets the loss of independence motherhood brings, and the different stages of Kevin.
We see the young toddler (Rocky Duer), the creepy 6-8 year old (Jasper Newell), the malevolent teenager (Ezra Miller) and the period after where Eva must shape a new life for herself.
Along the way, we see how events affect her husband (John C. Reilly) and younger daughter (Ashley Gerasimovich) as things spiral out of control.
It isn’t an exaggeration to describe this as a kind of horror movie, as it not only channels classics of the genre such as Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and The Omen (1976) but homes in with laser-like precision on the darkest fears of motherhood.
It’s effectiveness is such that I would warn expectant mothers to realise that this may do for parenthood what Psycho (1960) did for showering in remote hotels or Jaws (1975) did for swimming on a beach.
Nonetheless, this only speaks to the skill with which the book has been visualised for the big screen and the core themes and questions are all still here.
How much do the formative early years of childhood shape a character? Is it possible for evil to be an innate characteristic? Do ambivalent mothers somehow transmit their feelings to their offspring? Do parents and children pick sides in a family?
It is to Ramsay’s great credit that she has dealt with these uncomfortable concepts with such verve, whilst preserving the ambiguous, tantalising details which continually make us question characters and their actions.
The film looks stunning with the director and her cinematographer Seamus McGarvey opting for carefully composed widescreen images, which not only isolate Swinton’s protagonist but accentuate the little details which make up the visual fabric of the film.
Opting to use the colour red at every conceivable opportunity, the film seems to be referencing a similar visual motif from Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now (1971), an idea made more intriguing when you realise Luc Roeg (Nic’s son) is one of the producers.
We Need to Talk About Kevin plays like a weird contemporary reversal of that film: instead of the death of a child bringing tragedy upon a family, it is the birth of one that causes all the problems.
The intricate look is augmented by a rich audio design by Paul Davies, which brilliantly accentuates key sounds such as Kevin’s collicky screams against a builder’s drill or the grotesque eating of food to create a memorable ‘second layer’ to the film.
There is also the editing by Joe Bini (a veteran of Werner Herzog’s documentaries) which delineates between the different periods with consummate grace and also provides the film with a narrative drive as it circles around a key, revelatory event.
Jonny Greenwood’s atmospheric score isn’t quite up to the level of his work on There Will Be Blood (2007) but it does give the film a discordant quality, which syncs nicely with the rest of the film.
Despite the excellence of its construction, the film is dependant on a key lead performance from Tilda Swinton who more than delivers as Eva, reflecting the doubts, fears and weary disappointment of a woman caught in a living nightmare.
It is a very tricky character to play, by turns sympathetic and cold, but she delivers some of the best acting of her career here, which given her past roles is really saying something.
The supporting cast suffer a little from Swinton’s domination of the screen: John C Reilly feels a little miscast and Ezra Miller at times overdoes the demonic act to the point where some scenes feel like he’s auditioning for Damien: Omen II.
If there is a problem with the film, it may be that it is too effective for its own good.
Due to the collapse in the upscale indie market since 2008, Ramsay and the producers had to rework the script and budget in order to get the final financing in place.
I’m glad they did because this is a film that will stand the test of time, but as for its commercial prospects one can only wonder what the core audience for this film will think.
It could be that they appreciate the skill with which Shriver’s book has been adapted but also appalled at the way it burrows into their deepest fears and then explodes like an emotional dirty bomb.
I’ve already heard a couple of reactions to this film where members of the audience seemed viscerally angry with the way it dealt with a topic in a way which is probably still taboo.
Perhaps for some it will be too much and in the current recessionary climate its box office probably won’t be reflective of the sheer quality on display.
But over time I suspect it will be gain a certain status as a daring film and in the privacy of their own home many parents will sneakily watch it in the same way they used to sneakily observe horrors their parents banned them from seeing.
This is a unconventional family movie played as a tangible waking nightmare: there are Kevin’s out there and sometimes they happen to the best of parents.
Contagion (Warner Bros.): Director Steven Soderbergh’s latest is an all-star disaster movie about a global killer virus – think Traffic, only with disease. Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Jennifer Ehle star. [Nationwide / 12A]
We Need To Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye): Director Lynne Ramsay returns after a 9 year absence with this adaptation of the Lionel Shriver novel about a mother (Tilda Swinton) who has to deal with an unusual son (Ezra Miller). Co-starring John C Reilly. [Selected cinemas nationwide / 15]
Paranormal Activity 3 (Paramount): The third installment of the low-budget/high profit horror franchise sees the makers of social media documentary Catfish direct. [Nationwide / 15]
ALSO OUT
Monte Carlo (20th Century Fox): Comedy about a teenager (Selena Gomez) who is mistaken for a British socialite and goes on a trip to Monte Carlo with her two friends. Directed by Thomas Bezucha, it co-stars Leighton Meester and Cory Monteith.
Restless (Sony Pictures): Drama about a teenage girl (Mia Wasikowska) who falls for a boy who likes to attend funerals (Henry Hopper) and sees the ghost of a Japanese kamikaze pilot. Directed by Gus Van Sant. [Selected cinemas / PG]
Reuniting the Rubens (Kaleidoscope Entertainment): Comedy about a Jewish man (Timothy Spall) who tries to re-unite his dysfunctional family in order to appease his ailing mother (Honor Blackman). Directed by Yoav Factor. [Selected cinemas / PG]
Judy Moody And The Not Bummer Summer (Universal): Comedy about a disgruntled girl (Jordana Beatty) whose boring summer is enlivened by a visit from her aunt. Directed by John Schultz, it co-stars Heather Graham.
Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (Soda Pictures): Documentary depicting the struggle for civil rights in the USA, resurrected from the vaults of Swedish TV. Directed by Göran Hugo Olsson. [Selected cinemas / 12A]
Blood in the Mobile (Dogwoof): Documentary about the connection between mobile phones and the civil war in the Congo. Directed by Frank Poulsen. [Selected cinemas / 12A]
A comedy-drama set in Hawaii marks a triumphant return for director Alexander Payne after a seven year absence and provides George Clooney with arguably his best ever role.
Adapted from the novel by Kaui Hart Hemming, it explores the thorny emotional dilemmas facing landowner Matt King (George Clooney) after his wife is involved in a serious boating accident.
He also has to deal with his two young daughters (Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller) and the lucrative sale of ancestral land but when secrets emerge about the recent past he is forced to reexamine his life.
It seems odd that after all the critical and awards success of his last film, Alexander Payne should take seven years to make another, but the late 2000s indie collapse may have played a part.
I’m happy to report that The Descendants maintains his remarkable run of films that begun with Citizen Ruth (1996) and continued with Election (1999), About Schmidt (2002) and Sideways (2004).
Like those it masterfully blends sharp wit with heartfelt emotion, exploring the nuances of family relationships with an intelligence rarely seen in mainstream US cinema.
This has been a Payne trademark but the setting here provides a distinct visual flavour as well as an integral feature of the story, whilst the ensemble cast is outstanding.
Clooney in the lead role gives arguably his best ever performance, dialling down his natural charm to convey the confusion of a husband and father confronted with some harsh emotional truths about those he loves and – most importantly – himself.
Reminiscent of his best acting work in Out of Sight, Solaris, Michael Clayton and Up in the Air, he conveys a certain vulnerability whilst delivering the comic moments with consummate skill.
He is ably supported by what is one of the best supporting casts in recent memory.
The young actresses who play his immediate family members are terrific.
Woodley is a convincingly tempestuous but wise teenager, Miller as her younger sister is believably innocent and Clooney’s familial chemistry with them form the bedrock of the film.
There are also memorable turns from Robert Forster as a gruff father-in-law, Beau Bridges as a relaxed relative (seemingly channelling his brother Jeff as a Hawaiian Lebowski), Nick Krause as one of the daughter’s boyfriend, Matthew Lillard as an opportunistic real estate agent and Judy Greer as his loving wife.
None of these finely tuned performances would be possible without the screenplay by Payne (with credited co-screenwriters Nat Faxon and Jim Rash) which laces the gravity of the central situation with some brilliantly executed humour.
The way the central dramatic scenario is blended with the characters and the wider themes of inheritance and time feel like a masterclass in screenwriting.
Payne’s directorial execution is exemplary.
He has always demonstrated a keen eye for small, revealing details: the ballot papers in Election, the letters in About Schmidt or the TV clip of The Grapes of Wrath in Sideways.
Similarly, The Descendants is also filled with wonderful, human flourishes.
Payne sprinkles them throughout the film with relish and without giving away spoilers, particular highlights feature a swimming pool, a black eye, a sneaky kiss and a farewell speech.
Phedon Papamichael’s cinematography is reminiscent of his work on Sideways, creating interesting interior compositions and contrasting them with some gorgeous widescreen exterior work.
Hawaii isn’t always presented here as a picture postcard paradise – an opening monologue shrewdly debunks its glamour (“Paradise can go f**k itself”) – but nonetheless it forms a beautifully telling backdrop to the narrative as the climax nears.
Payne has admitted that he spent months editing the film with Kevin Tent and it pays off as the comic and dramatic beats are timed to perfection, whilst the Hawaiian flavoured musical score gives the film a distinctive mood and texture.
It is also an interesting depiction of the Aloha state, drilling deeper into the heart of the place than TV shows which have used it as a backdrop (e.g. Hawaii Five-O or Magnum P.I.) and even more recent movies such as Punch-Drunk Love (2002), which was partly set there.
His early work often focused on his home state of Nebraska, but he has always managed to find universal truths within particular locations.
This is the case in his latest film as the family dilemmas are at once specific and yet embedded within the culture of America’s newest state.
Mainstream cinema often can’t resist cliché whatever the genre, so it is doubly satisfying to find a filmmaker who excels in combining light and shade whilst using intelligent humour to enhance the gravity of the central narrative.
Strangely, it also plays like a reverse Michael Clayton: both lead characters are lawyers with relationship issues, but have to deal with very different financial circumstances.
Payne has long been a fan of classic 1970s cinema and where Tony Gilroy’s film channelled the spirit of Alan Pakula, this goes for a more bitter-sweet vibe reminiscent of Hal Ashby.
With strong reviews on the festival circuit and the marketing skills of Fox Searchlight behind it, The Descendants is likely to be a major player in the end of year awards season, but it is much more than just token Oscar bait.
In what happens to have been a year filled with remakes and sequels from the mainstream studios, this shows that Hollywood can still produce work which appeals to the brain as well as the heart.
The controversial 1986 drama gets a welcome re-release on Blu-ray with added extras and a solid transfer.
It is highly unusual that films get released to acclaim four years after they were made, but John McNaughton‘s feature debut is an interesting example of a film that eventually found its audience after initial problems with ratings boards in the US and the UK.
In the early 1980s McNaughton worked for Chicago production company MPI ran by Malik and Waleed B. Ali and directed two relatively successful documentaries, which both used public domain footage.
When they offered him just over $100,000 to make a horror film with a ‘plenty of blood’ the director hatched an ingenious idea – instead of making a horror with expensive creatures or make-up he decided to make a low-budget, but ultra-realistic film about a serial killer.
Opting to shoot guerilla-style in real life locations in the Windy City and based on a real life murderer Henry Lee Lucas, the end result was one of the most resourceful productions of its era and even today makes for disturbing viewing.
Depicting the wanderings of Henry (Michael Rooker) and his room-mate Otis (Tom Towles), the story follows them as they murder people at random and film them on videotape, as well as their relationship with Becky (Tracy Arnold) who happens to be Otis’ sister.
This might sound like kind of low-rent slasher film, but the clinical, detached way the murders are depicted make it a genuinely unnerving experience, unlike any film of its era.
Part of the strength of the film is how it subverts the conventions of movie killings: often in mainstream cinema we are invited to cheer the hero in a morality tale as he dispatches evil villains and faceless henchman whilst not worrying too much about the piles of corpses that litter the screen.
This often applies to many genres: western, war film or crime drama.
But what about a film that places us firmly inside the very world of a serial killer, focusing relentlessly on a man who murders innocent people?
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is just that film.
The genre is still blurry – Wikipedia calls it a ‘crime-horror‘, whilst around the release McNaughton described it simply as a ‘character study’.
Whatever the label, he shrewdly made a virtue of shooting on the streets and shady areas of Chicago, lending the film an added authenticity, whilst the use of video footage – Henry films and re-watches his murders – gives it an unsettling voyeuristic feel.
In some ways, the film was a hybrid of Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom and Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, both haunting portraits of isolated loners in a hostile, urban environment.
Although Michael Rooker has gone on to have a decent career – mostly in supporting roles – he has never really bettered his methodical and relentless performance as Henry.
He cuts a much scarier figure than a later movie serial killer like Hannibal Lecter, who in the shape of Anthony Hopkins eventually became a kind of stylised anti-hero.
The connection with Thomas Harris’ creation is an interesting one because his 1981 novel Red Dragon was adapted by director Michael Mann into the film Manhunter at around the same time as Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.
By the mid-1980s the notion of the serial killer was forming in the American psyche and Harris’ novel was influential on the films, which – coincidentally – both shot in 1985.
Whilst the two directors opted for different stylistic approaches, they share a certain realism in how they depict a serial killer and helped lay the groundwork for the pop culture interest in them in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Both took an interesting approach to the genuine horror of serial murder – by taking two killers and stripping them of any supernatural trappings and placing them in the real world make them more believably creepy.
(Note how urban settings are favoured over remote rural backwaters such as Friday the 13th or Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies)
There are strange parallels between the two films: Mann’s adaptation was a stylish cop thriller which depicted a haunted FBI agent chasing a serial killer who works in a photo processing lab, whilst McNaughton’s is about the reality of the serial killers who film their exploits on videotape.
The killers also have intriguing similarities: Dollarhyde (played by Tom Noonan) and Henry have an attraction to a kind woman; film their victims; and seem to represent a darker side of Regan’s America.
Whilst Mann’s film was a commercial disappointment that became influential and rediscovered over time, McNaughton’s had its own lengthy battles with various ratings boards as it struggled to get a release both at the cinema and on home video.
In fact the release struggle of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is one of the most interesting case studies in film censorship of the last thirty years.
After screening at the Chicago Film Festival in 1986, distributors were interested in buying it but were put off by the X rating that the MPAA gave it, which essentially means commercial death as advertisers and cinema chains would refuse to touch it.
According to McNaughton, they were deeply troubled by the ‘general tone’, as well as certain scenes.
It wasn’t until Errol Morris caught a specially arranged midnight screening in New York that the film’s fortunes began to change, as he invited it to the 1989 Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, where the documentarian was serving as guest director.
People in the industry saw it and its battles with the MPAA – who still refused to change the X rating to an R – now added to the buzz surrounding the film, with the producer boasting that the film was “too disturbing”.
It what was a pioneering independent release strategy, the production company MPI opted to show the film unrated at cinemas around the US, taking the print around the country on a city-by-city basis.
The film was and remains disturbing, precisely because it rejects conventional movie violence: people are killed in a variety of ways but interestingly the censors often had a problem with the corpses we see after they have been killed off-screen.
This was the case with the British censors the BBFC, who had multiple issues with the film.
Whilst they seemed to acknowledge the film was not just a gratuitous of seeing a dark but thoughtful film they baulked at some scenes – especially one scene set inside a domestic home – before it was allowed a cinema release in April 1991.
For the home video release other cuts were made, with BBFC director James Ferman particularly objecting to one scene involving the watching of a murder on television, which was ironic as it destroyed the serious point it was making.
In the last decade the film has still had issues on its UK release in various home formats until 2003 when Optimum Releasing (now StudioCanal) finally secured a fully uncut version for classification for home video release.
The late 1990s had seen a more open minded attitude at the BBFC with ‘problem films’ such as The Exorcist being cleared for release in the home but the struggle to get Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer release perhaps hints at the genuine power of the film as well as the outdated thinking of our censors.
In particular, the most notorious sequence plays around with the very notion of watching a murder, as the audience observe killers reliving their deeds via a television set.
Dreadfully unsettling it may be – especially when watched in a home – but it is part of the overall construct of the film.
In fact, you could argue that it is the very essence of the film.
It is doubly ironic that censors treated the film as though it actually was the blood-drenched slasher the producers originally envisioned – not only did the repeated cuts help boost its profile, but McNaughton’s laudable artistic aims helped the film find favour with critics and discerning audiences.
Originally shot on 16mm, the transfer is surprisingly good, which is perhaps a testament to the durability of the format and the care with which the original film was shot.
Filmed in and around Chicago, often without official permission, the film has a suitably raw and grimy vibe which probably wouldn’t have been achieved if they had opted for a more ‘professional’ approach.
The extras on the disc feature some which were on the 2003 Optimum disc, but are boosted by a lengthy making of documentary and the 20/20 programme that originally gave McNaughton the idea for the film.
EXTRAS
Portrait: The Making of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer: Very comprehensive making-of-documentary which explores the history of the production.
The Serial Killers: Henry Lee Lucas: TV documentary about the real life inspiration for Henry.
Interview with Director John McNaughton: Lengthy interview with McNaughton about his career and the creation of the film.
John McNaughton in conversation with Nigel Floyd: Another lengthy interview, with greater focus on the censorship problems the film faced, especially in the UK with the BBFC.
Censorship History: Interactive timeline of the films troubled history with ratings boards.
Deleted Scenes and Outtakes with commentary by John McNaughton: Nigel Floyd and McNaughton discuss the scenes which caused particular problems with censors.
Stills Gallery
Original storyboards
Trailer
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is released on Blu-ray by StudioCanal on October 24th
The BFI and BBC have teamed up to screen a series of archive films about British life.
Exploring life in this country during the 20th century, it covers subjects such as rural life in the 1930s, evacuation during World War II, teenagers in the 1950s, the NHS and package holidays in the 1960s.
An ingenious love letter to the silent era of Hollywood is executed with an almost effortless brilliance.
One of the surprise hits on the festival circuit this year has been a black and white French film shot in Los Angeles with two relative unknown actors in the lead roles.
You might think that this was some kind of strange experiment designed exclusively for cinephiles, but is actually one of the most charming and audience-friendly films to be released this year.
Opening in 1927, the story charts the fortunes of a silent movie star George Valentin (Jean Dujardjin) and a rising young actress (Berenice Bojo) as the introduction of sound into cinema threatens to disrupt the established order.
As an box office star Valentin is dismissive of the new audio technology despite warnings from the key people (and animals) in his life: a cigar-chomping studio mogul (John Goodman), frustrated wife (Penelope Ann Miller), driver (James Cromwell) and a loyal dog (Uggie).
The key trick which director Michel Hazanavicius brilliantly pulls off is that the film itself is a silent movie (with some crucial exceptions) that manages to simultaneously pay homage to and have fun with a now distant era of the medium.
Not only has he clearly done his research on the period, using modern technology to recreate older techniques, but he brings in a sense of fun that could make this an unlikely cross over hit with open-minded audiences.
Cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman, production designer Laurence Bennett and costume designer Mark Bridges all combine to impressively recreate the 1920s, even if they slightly hold back on certain elements for effect.
Shot in the Academy ratio of 1:33, the use of music and inter-titles give it an authentic feel, but Hazanavicius has a lot of fun with this world, sprinkling sequences with a sophisticated but heartfelt humour.
There’s also lots of lovely touches such as spinning newspapers, exaggerated facial expressions and even a dog who seems to have a natural gift for comedy.
The lead performances are outstanding: Dujardin is every inch the silent matinee idol (heavily modelled on Douglas Fairbanks), whilst Bejos makes a charming foil.
Without using their voices – one of the essential tools of modern acting – their physical expression through their bodies and faces works beautifully and blends seamlessly with the intricately crafted world of the film and – even better – the films within the film.
In supporting roles, Goodman and Cromwell especially stand out, although special mention must go to Uggie (trained on set by Sarah Clifford and his owner Omar Muller), who is the most memorable screen dog since Flike in Umberto D. (he even won this year’s Palme Dog award).
There is so much intelligence and charm packed into The Artist that I’m reluctant to reveal too much, but I will say that sequences involving a movie premiere, a nightmare and a house fire provide more satisfaction and humour than most contemporary comedies do in their whole running time.
It doesn’t just riff on the silent era but also appears to have many references to classical Hollywood movies: Citizen Kane, A Star is Born and Vertigo are just some of the many movie easter eggs that discerning audience members will delight in spotting.
There is also the ingenious conceit that lies at the heart of the project: the film both is a recreation and pastiche of a silent-era melodrama, with much of the film mirroring both the classical style of the period and the actual film-within-a-film scenes.
If all this sounds a bit too clever for its own good, don’t be alarmed – it blends this sophistication with a suprisingly light touch and injects plenty of inventive physical humour into almost every sequence.
Hazanavicius is best known for his spy pastiches OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies and OSS 117: Lost in Rio but this film marks a new chapter for him as a director, even though he is using familiar elements (Dujardin and Bejo both worked in his previous films).
Whilst it shares the cunning craftsmanship and wry humour of his previous work there is something more audacious here in venturing to Hollywood in order to remind it of the wonder of cinema, which France invented and America exported around the world.
A contemporary French production baked in its love of older American movies, it is an unusual beast: sophisticated but accessible; nostalgic yet contemporary – the end result is almost a filmic representation of those two cultures shared passion for the movies.
There are many fascinating parallels with the present day: as Hollywood undergoes a painful but necessary transition to digital technology, roughly equivalent to the advent of sound, the film may have an unexpected resonance with contemporary filmmakers and audiences.
The fact that the economic difficulties of the Great Depression closely mirror those of the current climate will only add to its lustre, following in footsteps of silent icons like Chaplin and Keaton.
Not only does this film resemble last year’s unexpected hit The King’s Speech (a well crafted, feel-good period film) but it is also the kind of foreign language title he excelled in marketing to Oscar voters back in the 1990s heyday of Miramax (Il Postino and Life is Beautiful are just two titles which spring to mind).
Veteran Academy members and actors (the largest voting branch) will find much to feast on.
Not only is it an inventive, loving tribute to their industry and town, but it also deals with the fears and hopes of performers in the same way that an Oscar favourite like All About Eve managed to do (although that used Broadway as a substitute for Hollywood).
The main challenge will be getting audiences outside of the art-house realm to see it, but the word of mouth on this could potentially spread like wildfire once people experience the film’s heady charms for themselves.
Not only does the genuinely uplifting mood and sparkling invention make it attractive to audiences in depressing times, but the silent movie aspect means it could potentially translate across several continents and cultures.
A glorious and highly inventive tribute to cinema, its playful cleverness and uplifting tone often hide the considerable invention it took to craft what is easily one of the best films of 2011.
The Artistscreens at the London Film Festival tonight (Tues 18th) and Saturday (22nd) before opening in the US on November 23rd. The UK release date is TBC
Pulp Fiction (Miramax): Quentin Tarantino’s landmark 1994 film won him the Palme d’Or and was a critical and commercial phenomenon. The looping, patchwork narrative and distinctive dialogue spawned many imitators but has never been bettered, even by Tarantino himself. [Buy it on Blu-ray or DVD]
Cave of Forgotten Dreams(Revolver Entertainment): Werner Herzog’s latest documentary is an awe-inspiring 3D exploration of the ancient Chauvet cave in France. Almost working as a companion piece to Encounters at the End of the World (2007), this takes an interior look at a truly remarkable place. [Buy it on Blu-ray or DVD]
ALSO OUT
A Nightmare On Elm Street 1-7 (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Box Set] Amelie (Momentum Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Empire of Passion (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / with DVD – Double Play] Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Momentum Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Fiddler On the Roof (MGM Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / 40th Anniversary Edition] From Dusk Till Dawn (Miramax) [Blu-ray / Normal] Gnomeo and Juliet (Entertainment One) [Blu-ray / Limited Edition] Green Lantern (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Normal / Combo] In the Realm of the Senses (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / with DVD – Double Play] Jackie Brown (Miramax) [Blu-ray / Normal] John Carpenter’s the Ward (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Normal] Kevin Smith Collection (Miramax) [Blu-ray / Box Set] Last Night (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Lost in Translation (Momentum Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / with DVD – Double Play] Mission Impossible (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Mission Impossible 2 (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Mission Impossible 3 (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Mission Impossible Trilogy (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Requiem for a Dream (Momentum Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Retreat (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] Screwed (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] Set Up (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] Stake Land (Metrodome Distribution) [Blu-ray / Normal] Star Wars – The Clone Wars: Seasons 1-3 (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Normal] Suck (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Green Hornet (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / 3D Edition] The Legend (Cine-Asia) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Long Good Friday (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Messenger (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] The New Daughter (EV) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Three Worlds of Jacques Cousteau (Go Entertain) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Woman (Revolver Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] West Side Story (20th Century Fox Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / 50th Anniversary Edition] Withnail and I (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Zhu Zhu Pets: Quest for Zhu (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / 3D Edition]
Steven Spielberg’s long cherished dream of bringing Herge’s famous character to the screen utilises cutting edge visual effects to create a delightful adaptation.
Although as his first animated film it marks new technical territory for the director, the globe-trotting nature of the narrative closely resembles his Indiana Jones movies and he weaves something fresh and exciting out of a much loved character.
They soon discover that various other people are interested in it and their investigation sees them come across various characters, including: enigmatic Sakharine (Daniel Craig), drink-soaked Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis) and twin Interpol agents Thomson and Thompson (Nick Frost and Simon Pegg).
Using a similar 3D motion capture process that James Cameron pioneered on Avatar, Spielberg shot the actors on a stage with a virtual camera and then producer Peter Jackson’s visual effects company Weta Digital essentially animated over the performances and created the world in which they inhabit.
It should be noted that Jackson was closely involved in the project – he is even credited as 2nd unit director – and will probably co-direct a sequel, if this one meets commercial expectations.
The end result is visually stunning, a rich and immersive depiction of Herge’s world filled with impressive detail and colour.
Spielberg especially seems energised by the new process, exploring visual angles and movements that wouldn’t be possible in a conventional live action film.
Various action sequences utilise the virtual locations extremely well and the filmmakers really squeeze the excitement out of different spaces, be they streets, ships or deserts.
Nowhere is this more apparent in the character of Snowy – an integral part of Tintin’s world – who simply wouldn’t have been possible in a live action process (unless they found a ridiculously talented dog).
The motion-capture process also gives the main characters bodies a greater sense of weight and their movement a greater believability, although it is still early days in the technology when it comes to the detail of the face.
A slight sense of weirdness comes when there are facial close ups, as they are so rich in detail that they venture into uncanny valley territory, but overall this isn’t too much of a problem as the look has been carefully designed on pre-existing source material and isn’t meant to duplicate real people.
Not only is his character engaging and hilarious, his performance is the most complete hybrid of voice and movement in the cast, setting a new benchmark in this new technical zone of acting.
That said the other main performances – especially Bell – help bring their characters to life and unlike recent Robert Zemeckis films that have used motion capture (such as A Christmas Carol) they feel more complete and polished.
The recreation of light, be it from lamps on a ship or direct sunlight, is remarkable and matched by the tricky business of water (which is similarly impressive) giving scenes which combine them a real wow factor.
Mainstream audiences are likely to be dazzled by the overall look and some of the visual transitions, which explain potentially tricky plot elements, are done with such finesse and joy they suggest Spielberg was thoroughly enamoured with his new digital tool kit.
But whatever the future holds, this is probably Spielberg’s most purely enjoyable film since Minority Report as he handles the action and characters with effervescent aplomb, each sequence snapping easily into another.
Much of the solid foundation of the film lies in the witty, respectful script by British writers Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, who have wisely focused on getting the fundamental characters right and letting everything flow from there.
Fans of the books and a whole new audience will find much to enjoy in Snowy’s persistence, Tintin’s fearlessness and Haddock’s drunken wisdom, whilst enjoying the mix of playful humour and genuine excitement.
The eagle eyed will notice the loving references to Herge’s world and what seemed to me like Easter egg references to each of the first three Indiana Jones movies – I won’t spoil what they were, but keep an eye out for a van, a plane and a motorbike side-car.
In some ways, there are parallels to Raiders of the Lost Ark as that was an adventure film heavily influenced by existing source material (the serials of the 1930s and 40s) and Secret of the Unicorn sees Spielberg flex similar creative muscles, with its mix of fast-paced action, humour and globe-trotting adventure.
Perhaps the best credit you can give the filmmakers is that it seemed like they had a blast making it and that infectious enthusiasm – a classic trait in Spielberg’s best work – transmits to the end result.
As for the 3D, the filmmakers and distributor seem to have taken into consideration the problem of brightness levels, which has bedevilled recent releases such as Captain America: The First Avenger and the final Harry Potter movie.
Although the colours are distinctive to begin with, the brightness level on the cinema screen I saw (the Odeon Leicester Square in London) was amongst the best I’ve seen in a 3D screening and Spielberg also makes intelligent use of the sense of space that the medium offers.
As for the director’s usual collaborators, Michael Kahn’s editing helps give the film an energy and smooth sense of movement, whilst the score from John Williams – whilst not one of his most immediately melodic – forms a similar function and never overpowers the visuals.
Given the nature of the production, which involves digital rather than traditional photochemical cinematography, regular DP Janusz Kaminski has performed a different role as a ‘visual consultant’ but seems to have played a role in the realisation of Herge’s drawings and the virtual lighting and camera moves.
Unusually for a major release, this will be released in Europe almost two months before America, presumably to build buzz and anticipation in the continent where the characters are most familiar.
There was a lot that was unconventional about this project, as two major directors have teamed up for a franchise that is being released by a pair of major studios, with Paramount distributing in Europe and Sony in America.
It is ironic that the latest digital filmmaking technology has been utilised to bring such a traditional character to the big screen, but it says a lot that Spielberg and his team of collaborators have kept faith with the core characters and look of the source material.
The end result has a beautiful charm and simplicity to it which should appeal to a wide spectrum of audiences around the world, possibly paving the way for an enduring franchise.
The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn opens in the UK on October 26th and in the US on December 19th
Steve McQueen‘s second feature is a stunning depiction of sexual compulsion.
Set in contemporary New York, it explores the life of an advertising executive (Michael Fassbender) who is struggling to cope with an addiction to sex and a needy sister (Carey Mulligan) who has just arrived to stay.
Like his astonishing debut, Hunger, this is bold filmmaking centred around an incredible central performance from Fassbender who manages to convey the pleasure and pain of a man in the throes of an all-consuming impulse.
Essentially a portrait of an addict enabled by the modern world (e.g. promiscuity, internet porn) the main character comes across as an unlikely combination of George Clooney in Up in the Air (surface charm hiding an inner emptiness) and Robert De Niro in Raging Bull (inner rage finding an expression through physical activity), with a dash of Christian Bale in American Psycho (only without the blood).
Fassbender manages to balance the fleshy demands of the role (which go near the boundaries of what is accepted in mainstream cinema) with an impeccable surface charm and is completely believable as a modern day sexual vampire.
Mulligan provides a compelling counterweight as a messy, needy sibling and the carefully calibrated chemistry between them hints at a dark past, which may (or may not) explain their present behaviour.
It says a lot that despite their strange, unusual actions, these characters feel utterly authentic and their worlds utterly defined.
Visually, Shame is almost a companion piece to Hunger as McQueen and his cinematographer Sean Bobbit fill the screen with some stunning widescreen imagery.
Not only is there impeccable framing and the now signature long takes, including a breathtaking street sequence, but the use of lighting is also unusual – one night-time scene goes to the very limits of lighting and photography to great effect.
Despite the innate heaviness of the subject matter, there is also a surprising amount of charm and humour – after all the protagonist is someone who is necessarily seductive – and separate scenes involving a restaurant and an infected computer provide some clever light relief.
McQueen and Abi Morgan have written a screenplay which feels like a blue-print for a more visual style of storytelling, although some sequences – especially a telling, claustrophobic argument – are sharply scripted and allow the images on screen to say much more than words ever could.
The use of music is appropriately sombre and simultaneously epic, with Harry Escott‘s score channeling Hans Zimmer’s music to the The Thin Red Line (1998) – one signature piece is very reminiscent of Journey to the Line – whilst the use of Bach in places is restrained but highly effective.
New York provides an interesting metropolitan backdrop, as McQueen deliberately downplays the usual visual cliches (Empire State building, Statue of Liberty etc) to depict an urban environment which could actually be any modern city.
Production designer Judy Becker helps create interiors which match the emptiness of the characters, whilst the location filming brilliantly utilises trains, nightclubs and streets: all of the highs and lows of city living are displayed, with a visual attention to detail that is often jaw-dropping.
Shame is a curiously timely film, even if its makers didn’t intend it to be.
There has already been considerable buzz about it on the festival circuit, due to the graphic sexual content and sheer quality of the acting and direction but, again like Hunger, it seems unlikely that this will break out of the urban art-house realm.
That being said, Fox Searchlight have acquired it (major kudos and respect to them) and are likely to make a big push for Best Actor for Fassbender.
Make no mistake, this is a performance that actors (the biggest voting block in the Academy) will be dazzled by.
After his breakthrough roles in Hunger and Inglourious Basterds, he has already demonstrated a remarkable command of screen acting: his physicality, voice and presence are something to behold.
Even if he doesn’t become a major A-list star that producers and agents clearly want him to be, who cares when he gives performances like this?
Older Oscar members might have a coronary at some of the sex scenes and those explicit, but never gratuitous, sequences are likely to pose an interesting dilemma for the distributor and the MPAA ratings board – many have predicted an NC-17 for this film in the US as the racier scenes are difficult to edit around, due to the way they have been shot.
Given that NC-17 spells commercial death for a film (it means reduced mainstream advertising and refusal of some multiplex chains to screen it) maybe it is time the ratings board grew up and gave this an R with no cuts?
After all, we live in an age when the most sadistic, violent junk is given the green light by the US ratings board but shots of a naked body are deemed to be immoral or unacceptable.
Or we would know this for sure if the MPAA was an open, accountable body, rather than the secretive shambles it currently is.
Despite the American setting, it is interesting to note that this is a home grown British production, with See-Saw Films teaming up with Film4 and some funding from the now defunct UK Film Council.
Is it an uncomfortable truth that bad social times lead to risk-taking directors with something to say?
Where Steve McQueen goes from here career wise is hard to call because I doubt he wants to take on the next big studio comic-book franchise, but if he can keep making films like this then discerning audiences will have much to be grateful for.
Shame screens tonight (Friday 14th) and tomorrow (Sat 15th) at the London Film Festival, opens in the US on December 2nd and in the UK on January 13th
Real Steel (Walt Disney): A boxing drama set in the near-future where large robots do battle via human controllers. A former boxer (Hugh Jackman) gets a shot at a comeback when he teams up with his estranged son (Dakota Goya) to build and train the perfect contender. Directed by Shawn Levy, it co-stars Evangeline Lilly and Anthony Mackie. [Nationwide / PG]
Footloose (Paramount): Remake of the 1984 film in which a city kid (Kenny Wormald) moves from Boston to a sleepy Georgia town where dancing and rock music are banned. Directed by Craig Brewer, it co-stars Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell. [Nationwide / 12A]
Dolphin Tale (Warner Bros.): Drama about a young boy who befriends an injured dolphin and motivates others to help save him by creating a prosthetic appendage to replace the dolphin’s missing tail. Directed by Charles Martin Smith, it stars Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jr. and Kris Kristofferson. [Nationwide / U]
The Three Musketeers (E1 Films): 3D update of the Alexandre Dumas novel about a young swordsman who longs to join the famous musketeers: Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, it stars Milla Jovovich, Logan Lerman, Mads Mikkelsen and Orlando Bloom.
Albatross (CineMANX): Coming-of-age comedy-drama revolving around a teenage writer (a (Jessica Brown-Findlay) and her family living on the south coast of England. Directed by Niall MacCormick, it co-stars Sebastian Koch, Julia Ormond, Felicity Jones and Jessica Brown-Findlay. [Nationwide / 15]
ALSO OUT
Sleeping Beauty (Revolver): Drama about a young university student (Emily Browning) drawn into a mysterious hidden world of unspoken desires. Directed by Colin Morgan. [Selected cinemas / 15]
Texas Killing Fields (Entertainment Films): In the Texas bayous, a local homicide detective teams up with a cop from New York City to investigate a series of unsolved murders. Directed by Ami Canaan Mann, it stars Sam Worthington, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Chloë Grace Moretz. [Selected cinemas / 15]
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (The Works): Morgan Spurlock’s latest documentary is about branding, advertising and product placement that itself is actually financed and made possible by brands, advertising and product placement. [Selected cinemas / 12A]
Set during World War I, it tells the story of a horse who ends up being sold into the army and serving both British and German forces in the battlefields of France.
Martin Scorsese’s documentary about George Harrison is an absorbing and surprisingly spiritual examination of the late musician.
After screening at the Telluride film festival last month, this 208 minute film recently aired on HBO in the US and has just come out on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK before a screening on BBC Two later this year.
Part of the realities of modern movie distribution mean that this long-form work only got a brief screening at cinemas around the UK last week, before its arrival in shops on Monday.
But it marks another landmark musical documentary for Scorsese after No Direction Home (2005), his outstanding film about Bob Dylan, as it charts the cultural impact of the Beatles from the perspective of its most reflective member.
This not only gives the familiar subject a fresh feel, but it also goes into deep and moving areas as it charts how he dealt with the onslaught of fame and attention that came with being in the biggest band in the world.
Split into two parts the first deals with his childhood in Liverpool, the early days of The Beatles in Hamburg and their eventual rise to the dizzying heights of global fame, whilst the second explores how he dealt with that fame, becoming a solo artist, staging charity concerts, financing Monty Python films and his growing interest in Indian music and philosophy.
Scorsese has long had an interest in rock music but here he seems to have found a kindred spirit in Harrison, whose desire to transcend the surface trappings of fame provides the real fuel for this film.
Brilliantly assembled from a wealth of archive footage, including some vintage photography of the Fab Four and lots of material from the Harrison home movie collection, it creates a fascinating portrait of a musician who unwittingly became part of something huge.
For Beatles fans, it doesn’t attempt the scale of the 11-hour Anthology project from 1995 – still the definitive filmed history of the band – but gives us a different perspective outside of the Lennon-McCartney axis and provides us with unexpected pleasures as it charts his spiritual growth.
There is the persistent theme running throughout that Harrison was the dark horse of the group, a songwriter who gradually became the equal of his more illustrious band mates and on Abbey Road actually surpassed them by writing Something (described by Frank Sinatra as one of the greatest love songs of the 20th century) and Here Comes the Sun.
Scorsese also captures the dizzying cultural ascendency of The Beatles as they conquer the music world and become icons.
It touches on the dynamics within the band: George’s early friendship with Paul, which later led to tensions caught on film during the Let it Be sessions, the bewildering rush of fame and money and how this affected their lives.
One revealing bit of footage early on sees the band members sign the official contracts that dissolved the group in 1970 – Harrison is uttering an Indian mantra as he signs, which hints at his trepidation at the end of an era but also his growing interest in Eastern spirituality.
Throughout his time in the Beatles he had written songs where this was noticeable – Love to You, Within Without You and The Inner Light – but, after forging a close friendship with Ravi Shankar, he seemed to be the only one who fully embraced both the musical and spiritual dimensions of something the rest of the band just flirted with.
This may explain why he made a great solo album – All Things Must Pass – very soon after The Beatles broke up and could navigate the subsequent years with a degree of serenity and humour.
These times included: the Concert for Bangladesh (a benefit gig that foreshadowed Live Aid); a bizarre divorce from first wife Patti Boyd (his friend Eric Clapton essentially stole her with his ‘blessing’); the purchase of a large Victorian estate (Friar Park in Henley-on-Thames); film production (he created Handmade Films after financing Monty Python’s The Life of Brian) and his love of F1.
For film aficionados his patronage of The Life of Brian (1979) – which was hugely controversial amongst some observers – and films such as Time Bandits (1981), The Long Good Friday 1980), Mona Lisa (1986) and Withnail & I (1987) was really quite remarkable.
His reason for stumping up the $4m to fund Life of Brian – “because I wanted to see the film” – was both the most brilliant and eloquent reason ever given by a film financier and as Eric Idle points out was “the most expensive cinema ticket in history”.
Going in, I was expecting the film to tail off towards the end, as it deals with the last phase of his life, but it is to the films great credit that it manages to hold the attention right until the closing credits.
His second wife Olivia and son Dhani speak movingly about his home life and his struggles with cancer that were made worse by a home invasion and assault in 1999.
That nasty attack, which Dhani believes shortened his life, had chilling echoes of Lennon’s death at the hands of Mark Chapman in 1980 – an event which was extra painful for George, as he was deeply concerned with the manner in which the human spirit leaves the body.
A lot of family archive material was made available and editor David Tedeschi, who also worked on Scorsese’s Dylan documentary, has managed to arrange it with considerable skill and judicious use of music.
It also sounds great, thanks to the new 5.1 surround mix that was done by a team including George Martin’s son, Giles, who worked on the recent Love remixes.
There is always the danger of hagiography when it comes to films about famous figures, but this manages to paint a broad and interesting look at Harrison’s life without slipping into sentimentality.
Scorsese has long been interested in spirituality, whether it be the Catholicism of The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) or the Buddhism of Kundun (1997), and here he digs deep into Harrison’s spiritual awareness and how it kept him sane after the global goldfish bowl that was life during and after The Beatles.
Like Harrison himself, the film contains surprising depths and offers a refreshing glimpse into the world’s most famous band from the perspective of its most thoughtful member.
Senna (Universal): Asif Kapadia’s riveting documentary about the life and times of F1 driver Ayrton Senna is hands down one of the films of the year. Beginning with his early career in Europe, it charts his rapid ascent to Formula One and his rivalry to reigning world champion Alain Prost. Stylistically bold and filled with the kind of real life drama fiction can’t emulate, it has even out-grossed Justin Bieber at the UK box office. [Read our full review] [Read our post on the film’s use of social media] [Buy it on Blu-ray or DVD from Amazon UK]
George Harrison: Living in the Material World(Lionsgate UK): Martin Scorsese’s new documentary about the former Beatle, which features rare footage from his childhood, his time in The Beatles, his solo career and his unlikely career as a movie producer through Handmade Films. Interviewees include Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Yoko Ono and Olivia and Dhani Harrison. [Buy it on Blu-ray or DVD with Amazon UK]
Le Quattro Volte (New Wave): A slow but exquisitely realised drama about an elderly goatherd living in rural Italy. Directed by Michelangelo Frammartino, it is a stunning evocation of the revolving seasons – even if it non-arthouse audiences may be perplexed by its pace and spiritual themes. [Buy it on Blu-ray or DVD from Amazon UK]
Cape Fear (Universal Pictures): Martin Scorsese’s 1991 remake of J. Lee Thompson’s 1962 film, about a lawyer who is stalked by an ex-convict, was originally going to be a Steven Spielberg film until he decided to do Hook (1991) instead. The choice allowed Scorsese to make one of his most commercial movies with Nick Nolte and Robert De Niro taking the Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum roles, respectively. In a nice touch, both Peck and Mitchum appear in sly cameos that reverse their roles in the original film. [Buy it on Blu-ray or DVD from Amazon UK]
ALSO OUT
7 Lives (Revolver Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Bunraku (G2 Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Candyman (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Chicago (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Dark Vengeance (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Drive Angry (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] Eastbound and Down: Season 1 (Warner Home Video/HBO) [Blu-ray / Normal] Hidden (G2 Pictures) [Blu-ray / 3D Edition] Le Quattro Volte (New Wave) [Blu-ray / Normal] Legend of the Soldier (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Original Sin (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Potiche (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Quatermass and the Pit (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / with DVD – Double Play] Regan (Network) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Adventures of Tintin: Complete Collection (Anchor Bay Entertainment UK) [Blu-ray / Box Set] The Frighteners (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal]
The Lion King 3D (Walt Disney): Tricked into thinking he killed his father, a guilt ridden lion cub (Matthew Broderick) flees into exile and abandons his identity as the future King. Directed Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers, this 3D re-release of the 1994 blockbuster recently topped the US box office. [Nationwide / U]
Johnny English Reborn (Universal): The comedy spy franchise based on a Barclaycard advert sees bumbling British spy Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) flushes out a spy in his follow-up assignment as he becomes embroiled in a plot by a team of assassin’s to kill the Chinese premier. [Nationwide / PG]
Midnight In Paris (Warner Bros.): Woody Allen’s most financially successful film ever is a romantic comedy about a family traveling to Paris for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better. Stars Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates. [Nationwide / 12A]
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (StudioCanal): A young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own. Directed Troy Nixey, it stars Guy Pearce, Katie Holmes, Bailee Madison and Alan Dale. [Nationwide / 15]
ALSO OUT
Tyrannosaur (StudioCanal): Drama about a man plagued by violence and rage who gets a chance of redemption in the form of a Christian charity shop worker. Directed by Paddy Considine, it stars Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Ned Dennehy abd Matthew Rhys. [Selected cinemas / 18]
Perfect Sense (Arrow Films): A chef and a scientist fall in love as an epidemic begins to rob people of their sensory perceptions. Directed by David MacKenzie and starring Ewan McGregor and Eva Green. [Selected cinemas / 15]
Four Days Inside Guantanamo (Dogwoof): Documentary about about the controversial visits of Canadian officials to Guantanamo to see 16-year-old terror suspect Omar Khadr. Directed by Luc Cote and Patrricio Henriquez.
The co-founder and former CEO of Apple died yesterday at the age of 56.
It says much about the impact of Steve Jobs on technology and culture that news of his death made headlines around the world.
Last night as the news broke my Twitter feed lit up with tributes (including the above logo by designer Jonathan Mak) and perhaps his true legacy lies in the fact that many of those tributes were written on devices made by his company.
As one of the key players in the computer revolution of the last forty years, he has played an instrumental role in how we use technical devices, listen to music and watch entertainment.
His first period at Apple (1976-1985) saw him co-found a company which helped introduce the idea of graphics based computing into the mainstream.
After being fired by the man he hired to run the company, he founded NeXT, a company which aimed to produce workstations for businesses and higher education.
This demo video featuring Jobs from 1987 shows how it pioneered many things we now take for granted:
Most significantly, a NeXT Computer was used by Tim Berners-Lee in the early 1990s to create the first web browser and web server.
Around the same then bought part of the computer division of Lucasfilm and relaunched it as Pixar in 1986.
One of the most significant entertainment companies to emerge in the modern era, they used computers to make animated blockbusters such as Toy Story (1995) and Finding Nemo (2003).
In 1996 Jobs and John Lasseter described the history of Pixar on the Charlie Rose show and what they were trying to do with the company:
This profile of Jobs from the same year focuses on his career up to that point and features a particularly obnoxious news presenter (note the key quote from Jobs when he says: “Apple still has a future”):
This alone would have made him a key figure in the entertainment and technology worlds, but in 1997 he made a dramatic return to Apple, which was then in dire trouble.
Restoring the core computing products to their former glories he made bold moves into the music and film industries with the iTunes store, revolutionised how we listen to music with the iPod and reshaped mobile computing with the iPhone and iPad.
In recent years health issues have cast a shadow over Jobs, as he survived pancreatic cancer in 2004 and a liver transplant in 2009.
After his first bout of cancer he gave this memorable commencement speech to Stanford University in 2005:
In January of this year he embarked on an extended leave of absence, despite making key public announcements and being involved in key strategic decisions.
His last public appearence was this proposal to his local city council for a new Apple Campus on Tuesday, June 7th:
What was showing at cinemas in London’s West End back in 1976?
This year has already seen a record-breaking 27 sequels and a depressing number of remakes.
Last month I took a picture of the Vue West End in Leicester Square just to remind myself that we really did live in a time when the three main attractions at one of the capital’s most prestigious cinemas were The Inbetweeners Movie, The Smurfs and Final Destination 5.
The first screen appearence of Hannibal Lecter proved an important early film for Michael Mann and still ranks amongst his finest work.
In the mid-1980s Mann was coming off an acclaimed debut with Thief (1981) and the most glaring anomaly on his directing CV, the bizarre World War II horror fiasco The Keep (1983).
The critical and commercial failure of that film probably led to him returning to his old stomping ground of network television, where he served as show runner and executive producer on Miami Vice (1984-89) and Crime Story (1986-88).
Both of those shows seemed to recharge his creative batteries and provided a template of sorts for his adaptation of Thomas Harris’ 1981 novel Red Dragon.
Focusing on talented FBI agent Will Graham (William Petersen), it explores his attempts to catch a serial killer known as the Tooth Fairy (Tom Noonan) and the various people he has to deal with as he tries to stop the murders.
These include his superior (Dennis Farina), an incarcerated killer Hannibal Lektor (Brian Cox), a sleazy journalist (Stephen Lang), his long suffering wife (Kim Griest) and an innocent woman caught up in the hunt (Joan Allen).
David Lynch’s Blue Velvet (1986) was a landmark classic, whilst Mann’s Manhunter was unfairly overlooked and a box office disappointment, despite growing in acclaim in the years since then.
A wonderfully controlled thriller, it anticipates Mann’s future work – especially Heat (1995) – with its stunning widescreen compositions, moody electronic score and portrait of obsessive loners in a criminal world.
Although rightly celebrated for his visuals and meticulous research, Mann also frequently elicits powerful performances from his actors and William Petersen is outstanding as the haunted protagonist.
An unusual character for the cop genre, he is both vulnerable (recovering from a mental breakdown as the story opens) and brilliant – note how much of the film involves Graham sitting around and empathising with a killer, in order to catch him.
Petersen has never been better here and the supporting cast is filled with strong actors: Farina, Noonan, Lang and Allen are all excellent and it was important early exposure for many of them.
There are many intriguing comparisons between the two films: Mann went for a more stylised approach than Demme, with cinematographer Dante Spinotti crafting some beautifully precise compositions that utilise the full frame; Tak Fujimoto opted for a more restrained style, which often favours close-ups and point of view shots.
Compare how differently the directors interpret Lecter being questioned in jail: Mann opts for a white, antiseptic environment, whereas Demme goes for a dirtier, almost Gothic sensibility.
The differing approaches are also reflected in how Cox and Hopkins played Lecter: the Scottish actor exudes a certain blank charm, whereas Hopkins opts for a more mannered approach – like their directors, both are equally effective in different ways.
Another odd legacy of the film is how years later Petersen eventually became the star of the TV blockbuster show CSI (2000- ), which in some ways is a more commercial reprise of his work on Manhunter.
Mann’s emphasis on the procedural aspects of police investigation has also arguably influenced shows such as The X-Files (1993-2002) and films like Seven (1995).
It says a lot about the quality of his 1986 film that it still holds up extremely well: this Blu-ray is taken from the restored version and offers the choice of the original Theatrical Version or Director’s Cut.
The extra footage on the director’s cut was obviously taken from an inferior source – so those extra scenes are a little degraded – so it’s only of interest to those wanting to see some of the scenes filled out a little more.
However, the image quality on the main version is excellent and the special features are also solid.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Trailer: The original theatrical trailer for Manhunter. In English, not subtitled. (3 mins)
Inside Manhunter: Solid featurette from the DVD version in which various cast members recall their contribution to the film. (18 mins)
The Manhunter’s Look: Cinematographer Dante Spinotti discusses the framing, lighting and use of colour seen in the film. (11 mins).
Director’s Cut: Option to view the director’s cut of of the film. In English, not subtitled. (120 min).
Director’s Cut With Audio Commentary: Director’s cut of Manhunter with an audio commentary by director Michael Mann.
“This is what happens when Wes and I sit down to watch “Inception” and both think old Ken Watanabe looks like Lo Pan”
There do seem to be bizarre parallels between the two trailers: key Asian characters who age, dreams, zero gravity fights, elevators, water and crumbling buildings.
The third and most interesting film in the famous British sci-fi franchise gets a worthy transfer to DVD & Blu-ray, along with some solid extras.
Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass TV series subsequently led to a follow-up film series: The Quatermass Xperiment (1955), Quatermass 2 (1957) and a decade later Quatermass and the Pit (1967), which was called Five Million Years to Earth in the USA.
Although better known for their horror films during this time, the character of Quatermass was something of a money spinner for Hammer at this point and proved very popular with audiences, who were both scared and fascinated by the possibilities of science.
This film begins with the discovery of a mysterious alien ship beneath London and the subsequent investigation which sees Professor Quatermass (Andrew Keir) called in by the British army to offer an explanation as to what it is about.
Director Roy Ward Baker was probably best known at this point for directing A Night To Remember (1958) – the ‘other’ film about the Titanic – and during the 1960s was also directing TV shows such as The Avengers, The Saint, The Persuaders! and The Champions.
He keeps things tight here and despite a couple of dated visual effects, the film is surprisingly ambitious in its ideas: unlike the little green men of 1950s US sci-fi, we are presented with the radical concept that man might have evolved from alien creatures and that we could be psychically connected with them.
Coming after a decade when alien invasion movies were essentially Eisenhower-era metaphors for communism, this was pretty radical stuff.
Quatermass is often seen as a weary Oppenheimer figure in opposition to the complacent military and its worth remembering that it was made and released at the height of the Vietnam War and a time of great social change.
Often genre films are ignored for their political subtext, but it is precisely because of this that they can be trojan horses for more serious themes – the Quatermass franchise reflects the fear and promise of science and this one is especially interesting as it seems to reflect an uncertainty and mystery.
As with a lot of the better sci-fi material in the 1960s (Arthur C. Clarke, Philip K Dick) it relied on the strength of its own ideas rather than epic scale and there is something quietly radical about a mainstream films questioning the historical origins of man.
Although sci-fi movies would take a quantum leap the following year with 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Quatermass and the Pitt marked out its own little corner of the genre and, like Kubrick’s film, was also shot at MGM British Studios in Elstree.
Even though it stays in roughly the same location, Arthur Grant’s visuals and Kenneth Ryan’s art direction give it a more detailed look than one might expect and the Nigel Kneale screenplay skilfully juggles ideas with tension.
Was Spielberg a fan of this film, or was it just coincidence?
While some visual effects are not up to scratch – some alien bodies look like cardboard terrapins dipped in green paint – the difficulties of doing optical effects back then was a major handicap.
Despite this there is enough of here to interest fans of the film and genre, whilst Optimum have done a sterling job with the Blu-ray transfer, releasing this as a double play edition.
SPECIAL FEATURES
New UK exclusive interviews with Julian Glover, Mark Gatiss, Judith Kerr, Kim Newman, Joe Dante and Marcus Hearne
Audio commentary with Nigel Kneale and Roy Ward Baker
Despite a Cannes premiere overshadowed by controversy, director Lars Von Trier has returned with arguably his finest film.
It explores the relationship between two sisters at a large country house: Justine (Kirsten Dunst), recently married to Michael (Alexander Skarsgard), and Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who along with her husband (Kiefer Sutherland), has organised the wedding and reception.
Split into two parts, the first involves an extravagant wedding reception, filled with misery; whilst the second focuses on the two sisters as they stay in the same location, as a large blue planet called Melancholia threatens to collide with the earth.
Opening with a stunning slow-motion overture, set to Wagner’s Prelude to Tristan and Isolde, it blends intimate drama with grand, apocalyptic disaster and the end result is a stylish and – unusually for Von Trier – heartfelt film.
In the past the director’s sneaky, contrarian could be both a blessing and a curse, making his films boldly inventive, exasperating, or sometimes both.
His last film Antichrist (2009) displayed some of his undoubted gifts as a director before collapsing into a ludicrous orgy of violence and hysteria, which scandalised the audiences at its world premiere in Cannes.
After the climactic scene of the film – which was one of those genuine ‘is Von-Trier-taking-the-piss?’ endings – a bizarre dedication appeared to Andrei Tarkovsky.
Why? I’m not exactly sure, other than the Danish director seems like a big fan.
But strangely, it is his latest that bears the touch of the great Russian director.
Here he seems to be channelling two very different films: Solaris (1972), with its exploration of a ‘living’ planet affecting human emotions, and The Celebration (1998), Thomas Vinterberg’s hellish depiction of a family gathering, which still stands as the highpoint of the Dogme movement Von Trier helped create.
But Melancholia has its own unique charms and manages to capture the Dane at his very best – he never takes the material too seriously, but also isn’t afraid to indulge in big, bold strokes.
The wedding section is filmed with his puckish sense of humour that often drives his detractors crazy: not only do the happy couple struggle to even reach the party in their limousine, but when they get there, discover that no-one is really happy anyway.
Opting for a handheld shooting style, after the slow-motion imagery at the beginning, the director has a lot of fun with the tacky misery of the event: the meaningless counting of beans, unhappy relationships and fruitless driving around in golf carts create a tangible atmosphere.
Rarely has despair been so joyously captured on screen.
But there is something more here than Von Trier just having a cheap dig at the shallow pretensions of the rich: he is making a wider point about human emotions, our capacity for self-delusion and the wisdom of despair. Speaking of emotions, according to Cine Vue some films are able to make us smell scents and feel other sensations apart from the audio-visual experience.
If we are going to die and life is meaningless anyway, surely it is the natural condition?
As the second half of the film progresses, Christine appears to grow stronger as her misery gives way to a higher wisdom about her situation and that of the planet.
This could have been what he was aiming for in Antichrist, in which nature was a chaotic force that ‘reigned’ over the humans.
But here he seems a little more focused as wider cosmic forces in the shape of a rogue planet come to affect the central characters – but instead of shrill hysteria and genital mutilation we get a richer reflection on life and existence.
Both films could be seen as a therapy double-bill for the director – who has talked about his battles with depression over the last few years – but with Melancholia he seems to be taking his foot off the accelerator and his work feels all the better for it.
Coming across as a darker, more subversive version of Jonathan Demme’s Rachel Getting Married (2008), it is a perfectly pitched antidote to the traditional ‘movie wedding’ (frequently a virus-like staple of US romantic comedies) and sprinkled with a pleasingly arch mood.
This is matched by some great locations and production design: the use of Tjolöholm Castle in Sweden is inspired, providing a visually interesting backdrop, with its immaculately tendered golf course, claustrophobic interiors and frequently stunning exteriors, which revolve around atmospheric night scenes of the ever encroaching blue planet.
Dunst gives a career-best performance, convincingly showing her character’s descent into depression and subsequent stoic acceptance of impending global doom, whilst Gainsbourg is equally strong as a more naïvely empathetic character.
Their chemistry as sisters is physically unlikely, but emotionally believable and as the film progresses they provide some of the best acting in a Von Trier film since Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves (1995).
Although he often gets criticised for torturing his female characters, he frequently manages to draw emotionally brave performances from them, unlike many directors working in the mainstream.
In the supporting cast, John Hurt and Charlotte Rampling have small but juicy roles as bickering parents whilst Kiefer Sutherland brings considerable depth to his delusional rich, husband who struggles to keep up the veneer that everything will be OK.
The film could be seen as an extended metaphor for the depressed artist (namely Von Trier himself), in that no-one really believes Justine when she is ill and her advertiser bosses are always asking what her next project might be.
That is one valid interpretation, but its hard not see the film as Von Trier pointing out the craziness of polite society (ironically the people who go to see his films) and how it is the seemingly unhinged who cope the best when truly bad things happen.
Given that there is no evolutionary reason for depression, an ailment which often leads to self-destruction, perhaps it is a painfully valuable reminder of our mortality?
Such heady ideas are expressed with considerable skill as Von Trier interchanges a rough and ready visual style, with some stunningly beautiful sequences, which include helicopter shots and slow-motion tableau.
It almost provides a snapshot of his own career, as the rough Dogme aesthetic of his earlier work blends with a lush beauty that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
Cinematographer Manuel Alberto Claro assists with some stunning digital images throughout – this was one of the first films to shoot on Arri’s Alexa camera – whilst the visual effects of the encroaching planet supervised by Peter Hjorth evoke an appropriate sense of wonder and awe.
All this marks a highpoint in Von Trier’s career, which is all the more shame that he undid a lot of that hard work by making some foolishly ill-placed jokes at the launch of the film in Cannes.
He clearly wasn’t being serious when he jokingly called himself a Nazi, said he understood Hitler and made some inappropriate remarks about Susanne Bier, as well as ‘planning a hardcore porn movie’ with Dunst and Gainsbourg.
But given the particular sensitivities still felt in France about the Holocaust and the instantaneous nature of modern news, it was an ugly episode in which Von Trier’s bad-boy act came back to haunt him as he was banned from the festival.
Typically, Von Trier has since played up his persona non grata status, but forget the off-screen nonsense and enjoy what is an unexpectedly beautiful vision of the apocalypse.
Back to the Future (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] * Back to the Future II (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Back to the Future III (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Born to Fight (Anchor Bay Entertainment UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] Chalet Girl (Momentum Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Footloose (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Gantz (Manga Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Hook (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] Iggy and the Stooges: Raw Power Live – In the Hands of the Fans (Wienerworld) [Blu-ray / Normal] Jumanji (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] Point Blank (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] Prison Break: Complete Seasons 1-4 (20th Century Fox Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] Saw: The Final Cut Edition 1-7 (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / Box Set] Scary Movie 1-3.5 (Miramax) [Blu-ray / Normal] Stuart Little (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Faculty (Miramax) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Four Musketeers (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Restored] The Three Musketeers (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Restored]
*The full Back to the Future trilogy boxset came out a few months back and we recommnd getting that.
Director James Cameron can often be heard making off-screen voice cameos in his movies.
In the The Terminator (1984), some have speculated that he voices the guy who leaves an answerphone message for Sarah Connor, cancelling their date for the evening.
But although it could be him putting on an accent, it seems more likely he is the motel receptionist later in the film who checks Sarah and Kyle Reese in as they flee the killer cyborg.
At a Terminator promotional event in 1991, Cameron admitted that he provided some of the sounds for the Alien Queen in Aliens (1986), dubbing them at his house near Pinewood Studios.
Near the beginning of The Abyss (1989), he began a tradition of voicing a pilot, as we can hear him ask for clearence to land a helicopter on the Benthic Explorer ship as he drops off the Navy SEAL team.
In Terminator 2 (1991) he went back to voicing villains, providing the screams of the T-1000 as it interacted with molten steel towards the end of the film.
With True Lies (1994), he was back to voicing pilots, as one of the Marine Harrier pilots who fires upon the terrorist convoy on the Overseas Highway bridge.
With Titanic (1997), his voice cameo is easily missed as a faint voice on deck asking a fellow passenger about ‘talk of an iceberg’. (Unusually, he also makes couple of visual cameos in the background of two scenes)
Avatar (2009) saw him return to pilot mode as he can be heard on the radio as Quaritch’s forces begin their attack on Hometree.
I’m guessing he finds voice cameos easier than making a distracting visual appearence and that it’s easier to dub in some dialogue during post-production.
Abduction (Lionsgate UK): A thriller about a young man (Taylor Lautner) who sets out to uncover the truth about his life after finding his baby photo on a missing persons website. Directed by John Singleton, it co-stars Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, and Jason Isaacs. [Nationwide / 12A]
The Debt (Universal): In 1965, a group of Mossad agents (Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain) on a mission to kill a Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, one of the agents (Helen Mirren) learns that the Nazi may have resurfaced in the Ukraine. Directed by John Madden, it co-stars Ciaran Hinds and Tom Wilkinson. [Nationwide / 15]
What’s Your Number? (20th Century Fox): Comedy about a woman (Anna Faris) who looks back at the past twenty men she’s had relationships with and wonders if one of them might be her one true love. Directed by Mark Mylod and co-starring Chris Evans, Matthew Bomer and Zachary Quinto. [Nationwide / 15]
Shark Night 3D (Entertainment Films): Horror about people on holiday in the Louisiana Gulf who are terrorised by fresh-water shark attacks. Directed by Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin, it stars Sara Paxton, Alyssa Diaz, David R. Ellis and Chris Carmack [Nationwide / 15]
ALSO OUT
Melancholia (Artificial Eye): Two sisters (Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg) find their relationship challenged as a nearby planet threatens to collide into the Earth. Directed by Lars Von Trier, it co-stars Kiefer Sutherland and John Hurt. [Selected cinemas / 15]
Red State (E1 Films): Director Kevin Smith’s latest film, which is a dark departure for him. Set in Middle America, a group of teens receive an online invitation for sex, though they soon encounter some sinister fundamentalists. Stars Melissa Leo, John Goodman and Matthew-Lee Erlbach. [Selected cinemas / 18]
The Green Wave (Dogwoof): Documentary by Ali Samadi Ahadi that follows the Iranian green movement during the disputed re-election of Mahmud Ahmadinejad in June 2009. [Selected cinemas]
Red White and Blue (Trinity Filmed Entertainment): Revenge thriller about a woman in Austin, who comes across two mysterious people. Directed by Simon Rumley, it stars Amanda Fuller, Noah Taylor and Marc Senter. [Selected cinemas / 18]
One of the most important Blu-ray releases of the year is this impeccable restoration of William Wyler’s 1959 Roman epic.
Depicting the adventures of a Jewish prince (Charlton Heston), it charts his rich life in Judea, subsequent fall into slavery and rise as a champion charioteer in Rome.
Along the way we see his encounters with his mother (Martha Scott), sister Tirzah (Cathy O’Donnell), Roman rival (Stephen Boyd), former slave (Haya Harareet), a naval commander (Jack Hawkins) and even Jesus Christ.
A blockbuster release of its time, it was one of the most ambitious film projects ever attempted up to that point.
Adapted from Lew Wallace’s best-selling novel, it had previously reached the screen in 1907 and 1926, but by the 1950s Hollywood were under threat from the rapidly growing medium of television.
In addition to tapping in to this hunger for ancient religious stories, the major studios came up with various technical innovations to lure audiences away from their television sets.
Various larger film formats were introduced to create a bigger and more expansive image on the screen.
This culminated in epics such as The Robe (1953), the first film in the widescreen process known as CinemaScope, and The Ten Commandments, which utilised the greater resolution of Paramount’s VistaVision format.
With Ben Hur MGM decided to shoot in a new process known as ‘MGM Camera 65’ (later known as Ultra Panavision 70), which meant that it has an unusual aspect ratio of 2.76:1, making it one of the widest films ever made.
This was appropriate because they also spent a huge amount on creating a vast epic at a cost of $15m – then a huge amount – and over 300 sets, including a spectacular Roman amphitheatre at Rome’s Cinecitta Studios.
MGM’s gamble to stave off bankruptcy succeeded, with Ben Hur becoming the highest grossing film of 1959 (making $90m worldwide) and winning 11 Oscars, a feat only equalled since by Titanic (1998) and The Return of the King (2004).
Its critical reputation suffered during the 1960s, as a new generation of directors and critics reacted against the expense and spectacle of the previous decade.
“Cahiers du cinéma never forgave me for the picture.”
Perhaps he was too versatile to be pegged as an auteur in the way that Orson Welles or Alfred Hitchcock were, or maybe after winning three Best Director Oscars he was too much of an ‘establishment’ figure for young guns like Truffaut and Godard to re-evaluate and champion.
However, although these large scale biblical epics were scorned by certain cinephiles of the day as an expression of the stifling conformity of the 1950s, they can also be seen as coded parables which echoed the concerns of writers during the era.
But what makes this restored version of Ben Hur fascinating to revisit is that Hollywood now is undergoing a similar kind of seismic change that it went through fifty years ago.
Instead of television wreaking havoc with the established order we now have the Internet and whereas once we had studios looking for salvation in biblical epics, now they turn to large scale fantasies from the church of Marvel or DC.
However, this Blu-ray represents a pleasing collision of both worlds, as digital technology has been used to present the best ever home version of the film.
The Warner Bros restoration team have preserved the ethos of the original MGM production, which was to create a stunning spectacle on screen.
Whilst we can’t go back in time to the fresh print 70mm presentations back in November 1959, this represents the next best thing.
[UPDATE: Actually the next best thing is to see the 8K digital cinema print that screens at the New York Film Festival this Saturday – can Warner Bros arrange for a UK screening?]
It is easily one of the best restorations I’ve seen in the Blu-ray format and is up there with Warner Bros’ previous outstanding transfers of Dr. Zhivago (1965), North By Northwest (1959) and Gone With the Wind (1939).
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.76:1, the action frequently looks breathtaking due to the care and attention that was put into the original production (production design, costumes, location, visuals and sound) and the painstaking restoration process.
This was originally slated for a 50th anniversary release but Warner Bros took their time, due to the complexities involved.
Speaking to Hollywood Elsewhere back in June, Jeff Baker of Warner Home Video stressed why they didn’t want to rush the release:
“At WB we are more than acutely aware of the age of Ben-Hur — i.e., 52 in 2011. It was our intention to release this film in Blu-ray in 2009, but the film restoration was complex, and the 8K scan was the optimal solution vs. 2K or 4K, therefore we took our time and did it right to deliver the best possible resolution for the consumer. Therefore we are celebrating the 50th anniversary in 2011, and considering that it is more than 50 years, we do not see this as being disingenuous, particularly due to the circumstances surrounding this restoration. After all, we are not advancing the clock and celebrating the 55th or 60th.”
As noted in the same piece, this is one of the most precise and detailed restorations of a classic Hollywood movie:
“The Ben-Hur restoration, just to be clear, was completed from an 8k scan of the original 65mm camera negative, with a 6k finish making this the highest resolution restoration ever completed by Warner Bros.”
Another bonus is that this three hour film has been spread over two discs, preserving the quality of the film by using up as much space on each one, with nearly all the extras appearing on the third.
The image quality is stunning and all the expense that was poured into making this one of the most epic films ever staged really pays off in its transfer to HD.
Of particular note are the compositions, as Wyler and cinematographer Robert L. Surtees created shots and sequences which really used the wide frame – interior locations (such as the prison sequence) and exterior vistas are brilliantly captured.
Intimate shots of actors faces also look tremendous, with some sequences making clever use of them in lower light conditions.
The sound is also outstanding: the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is immense, preserving Miklós Rózsa’s famous score, whilst the chariot race sequence feels more intense than ever before.
A landmark film in Hollywood history, Ben Hur also establishes a new gold standard for Blu-ray restorations.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Most of the extras have been ported over from the 2005 2-disc DVD set but there are a couple of notable new features that have been added for the Blu-ray.
They break down like this:
Audio commentary by T. Gene Hatcher with Charlton Heston: This commentary from the film historian Hatcher is relatively informative, but Heston’s comments are more valuable. However, they were recorded separately and are more sparse but do offer valuable background information about about the production and his time filming in Rome.
Music Only Track of Mikos Rózsa’s score: This is probably for more specialist tastes but given that Rózsa’s score is of considerable historical interest it is a valuable option to be able to listen to it separately, even if it is in Dolby Digital 2.0 and not a lossless audio.
Trailers (14:15)
Charlton Heston and Ben-Hur: A Personal Journey (1:18:06): This new HD featurette made especially for the Blu-ray mixes interviews with Heston’s wife Lydia, son Fraser and daughter Holly Ann, along with various people who have worked with the late actor. Heston documented the production of Ben Hur with a detailed journal (from which his son reads extracts) and a wealth of 16mm footage filmed by Lydia which include a lot of material shot in and around Rome.
The 1925 silent version of Ben-Hur (2:23:06): The full version of the older, silent version of Ben Hur is included and it makes for an interesting comparison. A hugely ambitious production in its own right, it acted as a kind of template for Wyler’s version, especially the set pieces involving the sea battle and the chariot race. This version is restored with a score by Carl Davis.
Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema (57:46): This 2005 documentary that accompanied the 2-disc DVD release is a useful place to begin for newcomers and is a good introduction to the film’s place in cinema history. Various directors (Ridley Scott, George Lucas), cinematographers (Janusz Kaminski, Ernest Dickerson), production designers, and historians discuss the movie and the elements that make it such an enduring classic.
Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic (58:15): A 1994 made for television documentary goes for a more conventional behind-the-scenes exploration of the film. Narrated by Christopher Plummer, it looks as past adaptations but mainly stays with Wyler’s version, offering a steady stream of on-set photographs, footage, and interviews with key players.
Ben-Hur: A Journey Through Pictures (5:09): A montage of production photos set to Rózsa’s famous score.
Screen Tests (29:18): The real jaw-dropper here is to see Leslie Nielsen’s screen test for the role of Messala (which eventually went to Stephen Boyd). Also keep an eye out for I, Claudius star George Baker as he auditions for the title role at MGM studios in Borehamwood whilst answering some questions from what appears to be a very posh English casting director.
Newsreels (9:45): Easily one of the standout extras, this assortment of newsreels documents the various premieres of the film and what a big deal it was as it premiered in New York, Los Angeles, Washington and Tokyo. My favourite bit is Heston signing autographs and serving coffee to New Yorkers in the queue for tickets at Loew’s State Theatre.
Highlights from the 1960 Academy Awards Telecast (9:47): Although the audio is patchy, the ceremony that year was broadcast in black and white from the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles and marked a record 11 Oscars for the film. Perhaps the most notable moment is when producer Sam Zimbalist’s widow Mary comes on to collect the Oscar for Best Picture after her husband had passed away during filming.
So far only Apple and Amazon have managed to make serious inroads into tablet computing.
They have done it through being very good at different approaches to the form.
Apple has built the best mobile browsing experience with the iPad out of the touch-based operating system they established with iPhone and iPod Touch.
With the iTunes store they have mastered the art of making online media consumption easy for the mainstream user by encasing it in attractive, premium hardware.
A more cost-effective option has been created by Amazon with the eBook device called the Kindle, which has quietly become a serious rival to the iPad.
The hardware isn’t as expensive and its E Ink display means it is easier on the eye and a better device for reading longer form articles in newspapers and magazines.
Until now they have served relatively different markets – iPad users browse and consume content on relatively expensive hardware, whilst Kindle users read text on a relatively cheaper alternative.
But with the launch of the Kindle Fire it seems that Amazon want to cut into the iPad’s territory in a big way.
Who is the only company in the world who has created a best-selling tablet device and has a customer base to rival the iTunes store?
Step forward Amazon.
They recently announced the Kindle Fire in New York which went on sale for $199 and featured the following features:
Amazon’s version of the appstore
New cloud-accelerated web browser
Over 18 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books etc,
Free cloud storage for all your Amazon content
Color touchscreen display
Powerful dual-core processor
Amazon Prime members will get enjoy unlimited, instant streaming of over 10,000 popular movies and TV shows
TWiT covered the launch event with this in-depth special:
The Fire got most of the media attention, partly because the mainstream media are addicted to Apple and want to write about ‘the iPad rival’.
There is some truth in this as Amazon, with their vast library of content, pose the first serious threat to the iPad and it marks another evolution in how we buy and experience movies, music, games and other forms of media.
Apple and Amazon’s stores really have no equal in terms of registered users with paying credit credit cards.
(Quick aside: who do you think has more registered customers? I say Amazon, even if Apple make more money per user).
Both have innovated in the technology of mobile computing.
We all know about Apple’s touch interface but Amazon’s cloud-powered browser looks like it will be making effective use of both their web services and vast customer data.
It is an improved model at a cheaper price and features the following:
30% lighter weight
18% smaller body, with the same 6″ screen size
More advanced E Ink display
Built-in Wi-Fi
Faster page turns
It doesn’t have 3G but, apart from web browsing on the go, I don’t see that being a problem for most users.
The price of the earlier versions of the Kindle were competitive but now they have an improved device (no more keyboard) which sells at $89.
More importantly it represents a cheaper version of the kind of device which will replace dead tree print.
The model for daily print newspapers is essentially over unless you want them bankrolled by rich owners who want to sink more money on outdated distribution costs.
Weekly magazines that are smart with good content and metered paywalls – like The Economist – will survive but the march to digital will only intensify.
The Kindle model represents the most compelling publsihing ecosystem yet for the digital age – it offers a wide variety of articles for readers and a publishing platform for writers.
Even though the current Kindle isn’t perfect, it is the best e-Reader so far and it will be interesting to gauge sales in the run up to Christmas.
The question is who is going to break the duopoly that Amazon and Apple have on tablet computing?
Once he was established as a Hollywood director Alfred Hitchcock cleverly used his persona as a major promotional tool for his films.
Although he is rightly regarded as one of the great directors in cinema, the marketing of his movies reveal a lot about how he managed to combine his artistic sensibilities with commercial instincts.
“The trouble with movies as a business is that it’s an art, and the trouble with movies as art is that it’s a business”.
Perhaps more than any other director, Hitchcock managed to solve this conundrum and we can see his mastery of the movies as both an art and a business by looking at the trailers to several of his films.
For his breakthrough US work Rebecca (1940), the trailer played up the fact that it was a David O’Selznick production as much as an Alfred Hitchcock film and that it was also “the most glamorous film of all time”:
At this point, despite his experience, he was essentially a director for hire and had yet to become the portly icon of later years.
Notorious (1946) goes for the ‘big fonts proclaiming big things’ approach to trailers and Hitch is still nowhere to be seen, although it is worth noting that he is referred to as ‘the master of suspense’.
A sign that Hitchcock was more talented than the average Hollywood director was the ambition of Rope (1948), a film which had the illusion of being mostly shot in one take, although it was actually a string of set pieces cleverly stitched together.
The trailer was partly narrated by Jimmy Stewart’s character and didn’t feature the director, although the form of the film played an important part in establishing his reputation as more than just a director for hire.
The 1950s saw Hollywood embrace all kinds of technical innovations (e.g. Cinemascope, 3D) to stave off the threat of television, but Hitchcock was embracing it both as a form in itself and seizing the opportunity to become a familiar face to great swathes of Americans every week.
In 1949 one million Americans owned TV sets and by the end of the decade this number had sky-rocketed to over 50 million, so here was a director clearly in touch with both his audience and the emerging trends of the time.
By 1955 Hitchcock had his own TV series – Alfred Hitchcock Presents, later to become The Alfred Hitchcock Hour – which became famous for his opening monologues.
This is the first episode, where he addressed the audience in his own inimitable way:
On the burgeoning medium of television during this period it provided invaluable publicity for his career as a movie director.
It was ironic that in an age of chiselled movie stars he would become such an American cultural icon, especially after a childhood in England crippled by shyness and obesity.
But perhaps there was a conflicted showman inside the director.
What else could explain his famous cameos throughout his career, which were a simultaneous expression to stay hidden and be noticed?
By The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), which saw him remake his own film, his reputation was established but for the trailer it was Jimmy Stewart who again who addressed the audience to describe the making of the movie.
The same year Hitchcock made his first notable appearence in a trailer, talking about himself in the third person no less, whilst narrating the outline for The Wrong Man (1956):
A vitally important film for the director both in content and style, it seems appropriate that he would make an early marketing appearance here.
Perhaps his promotional performances every week on TV in front of millions of viewers had convinced the studio bosses he not only had a reputation but could be trusted to sell to the audience directly?
For Vertigo (1958) however, Hitchcock took a back seat to a conventional narration guy.
Was it because the story of an obsessive man who forces a reluctant brunette to become an icy blonde was a bit too personal for him?
After the relative commercial failure of this hypnotic film – which would mushroom in critical esteem decades later – he returned with his most commercial project to date.
North By Northwest (1959) was a pretty big deal for MGM and they let Hitchcock completely take over the trailer, using his dry wit to play up the humour in the material and guarantee they would be in for a ride.
Can you imagine any modern studio or contemporary director approve a trailer like this?
His next film was less obviously commercial, based on a novel with grisly real life influences, and was to be filmed in black and white with his TV crew.
The project began life at Paramount, who were so put off by the material that they originally refused to make it and sold off key rights to Universal and the director (even today it is often mistakenly thought of as a Universal movie).
Psycho (1960) certainly presented a marketing challenge and Hitchcock responded with perhaps his most famous trailer, which was this 6 minute promotional short.
It was a shrewd move as the director’s trademark humour let viewers know that the film wasn’t as dark as they may have heard.
That being said, the sudden climax at the end, complete with Bernard Herrman’s violins hinted that there was something dark and sinister within the main attraction.
Not only did Psycho represent the high watermark of the director’s artistic and commercial career, is also saw him reach a plateau as a marketing genius.
Hitchcock persuaded cinemas not to allow audiences in if they were late, which intensified the must-see factor and also provided the film with valuable extra publicity.
Who did audiences see in the foyer of their local cinema?
Whilst the public loved it, critical reaction was decidedly cooler with The Observer’s critic embarrassing themselves by not even staying until the end (I’m happy to report that their current critic Philip French always stays until the end credits of each movie he sees).
For The Birds (1963), the director repeated the trick with another witty short.
Note how the dry humour again deflects from the dark subject matter, which could have proved a commercial turn off.
By this point Hitchcock was a major cultural personality due to both his movies and TV shows, which first aired on CBS from 1955 to 1960, and then on NBC from 1960 to 1962.
This was then followed by The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, which lasted from 1962 to 1965 and such was the director’s longevity that even after his death in 1980, NBC and USA Network even revived the show for four seasons in the late 1980s.
If you think of each TV introduction as free publicity for his films, it also ranks as one of the longest and most cost-effective marketing campaigns in movie history.
The Marnie (1964) trailer continued the concept of the director as master showman.
Such was Hitchcock’s elevated status at this point – note how he literally ascends from a lofty position at the beginning – that he could refer to his previous films with the expectation that the general audience would know what he was talking about.
Perhaps one of his most interesting films, the trailer captures the changing social attitudes of the 1960s as Hitchcock is being less coded about sex and uses his dry, comic prudishness to neat effect.
One can almost imagine the team from Mad Men working on the campaign for this movie, and although Cary Grant in North By Northwest is often rightfully cited as an influence on Matthew Weiner’s show, Sean Connery’s character in Marnie seems like a more accurate touchstone for Don Draper.
In retrospect, the film is a fascinating collision of two cinematic icons as the ‘Master of Suspense’ cast James Bond in a major role – the commercial side of Hitchcock’s brain wanted a star in Sean Connery, but the artist knew his screen presence would add an extra dimension to the film.
However, the explosive success of the Bond franchise may have had an adverse effect on Hitchcock’s films as the mid-60s craze for Cold War spy films led him to make two films which saw him go somewhat astray.
Torn Curtain (1966) was beset by production difficulties and reflected the uneasy reality that was dawning on directors like Hitchcock and studios such as Universal.
Stars like Paul Newman and Julie Andrews were becoming increasingly important and the days when the men in suits could order them around like cattle were beginning to change.
This is reflected in the trailer which plays up Hitchcock’s brand name but places greater emphasis on the two leads, violence (‘Shock! Intrigue!’) and the Cold War intrigue which had gripped pop culture.
Topaz (1969) saw the problems of his previous film multiply and is rightly considered one of his weakest.
Again we have a Cold War spy thriller, although this one is even more muddled.
We briefly see Hitchcock at the beginning saying that it is ‘a story of espionage in high places’, before a self-consciously groovy montage of split-screen techniques which seems to reflect the messy, fragmentary nature of the film.
In creating his own worlds he was often a master, but in this period he was less successful in crafting suspense out of the complexities of the Cold War, when actual news stories could be more shocking than anything in his imagination.
Frenzy (1972) saw Hitchcock return to his home country of England and is by far his most interesting later work.
The trailer sees him return to centre stage with a monologue which seems to reference his extended promotional short for Psycho – which is appropriate as both films revolve around a sinister murderer (Mrs. Bates/The Necktie Murderer) and a single location (Covent Garden/Bates Motel).
This film saw the director’s career come full circle, as he returned to the murder-mystery genre after his unsuccessful espionage movies and it was set and shot around Covent Garden, where his father used to make a living as a greengrocer.
The trailer for his swan song Family Plot (1976) sees the director make his final appearence in a trailer.
The quality of the film and his customary dry wit seem to betray the fact that he had one eye on retirement.
What do all these trailers say about Hitchcock?
In them we can see the evolution of a director who managed to use the very commercialism of the Hollywood system to his artistic advantage.
By cultivating a showman persona, he enticed audiences into cinemas and once they were there he usually surprised them in strange and imaginative ways.
“The pilot is about a bunch of intersecting lives in the world of horse racing,” Milch told Daily Variety. “It’s a subject which has engaged and some might say has compelled me for 50 years. I’ve joked that if I just can make $25 million on this show, I’ll be even on research expenses. I find it as complicated and engaging a special world as any I’ve ever encountered, not only in what happens in the clubhouse and the grandstand, but also on the backside of the track, where the training is done and where they house the horses.”
Although it looks like an ensemble piece, it appears Dustin Hoffman will have the biggest role as a man ‘deeply involved in gambling’.
Both Mann and Milch have a considerable pedigree when it comes to TV shows: the former was showrunner for Miami Vice in the 1980s when Milch was doing the same job with Hill Street Blues.
With Martin Scorsese directing the pilot of Boardwalk Empire for HBO, it seems like the venerable cable network is fast becoming a refuge for directors who want to flex their creative muscles outside the studio system.
Ben Hur (Warner Home Video): William Wyler’s 1959 historical epic was one of the largest productions in Hollywood history. The tale of a Jewish prince (Charlton Heston) in Judea around the time of Jesus, it won 11 Oscars and is filled with numerous set pieces, including the famous chariot race, and an iconic Miklós Rózsa score. This Blu-ray has been eagerly awaited by cinephiles as it has been remastered at 6K resolution from a 65mm negative and is presented in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.76:1, complete with remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Extras include: an extensive documentaries tracing the history of the story, as well as Heston’s career, an audio commentary from film historian T Gene Hatcher and Heston and numerous other production featurettes. One of the essential purchases of the year. [Buy it on Blu-ray from Amazon UK]
My Voyage to Italy (Mr Bongo Films): Martin Scorsese’s 1999 documentary is a revealing exploration of post-war Italian cinema which blends a healthy collection of clips with the director talking about his families immigrant experience. Not only is the director a warm and accessible guide, but he makes shrewd observations about such classics as Bicycle Thieves, Umberto D, Voyage to Italy and La Dolce Vita whilst also pointing out lesser known titles like Senso and Europa 51. An essential purchase for any fan of cinema. [Buy it on DVD from Amazon UK]
Manhunter (StudioCanal): The first film to portray Hannibal Lecter on screen was this stylish 1986 thriller directed by Michael Mann, based on the Robert Harris novel Red Dragon. When a haunted cop (William Petersen) is asked to track down a serial killer (Tom Noonan), he needs the help of an imprisoned psychiatrist (Brian Cox) but the hunt soon brings up demons from his past. Shot around the time of the Miami Vice TV show, this established the distinctive visual look of Mann’s films for the next 15 years and holds up very well today. [Buy it on Blu-ray from Amazon UK]
Airplane! (Paramount Home Video): This ingenious 1980 spoof of disaster movies of the 1970s still holds up as one of the finest comedies ever made. When food poisoning affects a flight crew, a retired war pilot (Robert Hays) has to step in and help save the day despite a ‘drinking problem’. Directed by the David and Jerry Zucker and written with Jim Abrahams, the jokes appear at a rapid rate and the cast features Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges and Robert Stack. The AFI voted it amongst their top 10 comedies in 2000 and the honour is richly deserved. [Buy it on Blu-ray from Amazon UK]
ALSO OUT
Beverly Hills Cop (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Blitz (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] Cannibal Holocaust: Ruggero Deodato’s New Edit (Shameless) [Blu-ray / Limited Edition] Cat O’ Nine Tails (Arrow Video) [Blu-ray / Normal] Clear and Present Danger (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Cold Mountain (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Fringe: Season 3 (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Normal] Harakiri (Eureka) [Blu-ray / with DVD – Double Play] Hawaii Five-0: Season 1 (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] House: Season 7 (Universal/Playback) [Blu-ray / Box Set] Kill the Irishman (Anchor Bay Entertainment UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] Le Mans: 2011 (Duke) [Blu-ray / with DVD – Double Play] Nirvana: Live at Paramount (Universal Music) [Blu-ray / Remastered] Patriot Games (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Shall We Dance? (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Hunt for Red October (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Killing: Season 1 (20th Century Fox Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Naked Gun (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Thor (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal / Digital Copy] Tucker and Dale Vs Evil (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] Turnout (Revolver Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal]
The interviewees include Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Yoko Ono and Olivia and Dhani Harrison.
Like Scorsese’s previous documentary about Bob Dylan – No Direction Home – this is split into two parts: the first section (94 mins) covers Harrison’s early life in Liverpool and career as a Beatle up until their break up in 1970.
The second part (114 mins) charts his solo career during the 1970s and 80s, up until the end of his life in November 2001.
It is being screened at cinemas across the UK and Dublin on October 4th.
In the US it will air on HBO in two parts on October 5th and 6th and in the UK on the BBC at some point (although details are unclear, it may be on BBC2 in November for the 10th anniversary of his death).
The DVD and Blu-ray come out soon after on October 10th.
Crazy, Stupid, Love (Warner Bros.): Romantic comedy about a man (Steve Carell) who breaks up with his wife (Julianne Moore) and then gets dating tips from his womanising neighbour (Ryan Gosling). Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, it co-stars Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei and Kevin Bacon. [Nationwide / 12A]
Drive (Icon): Stylish drama about a nameless Hollywood stuntman (Ryan Gosling) who moonlights as a getaway driver at night and gets drawn into a web of crime involving his neighbour (Carey Mulligan) and a local businessman (Albert Brooks). Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, it co-stars Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman and Oscar Isaac. [Nationwide / 18] [Read our full review here]
Warrior (Lionsgate UK): Drama about two estranged brothers (Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton) in Pittsburgh who end up fighting in a MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) tournament for some much needed cash. Directed by Gavin O’Connor, it was co-stars Nick Nolte and Frank Grillo. [Nationwide / 12A]
Killer Elite (Entertainment): Thriller about a retired SAS soldier (Jason Statham) who goes on a mission to kill three assassins. Directed by Gary McKendry, it co-stars Robert De Niro and Clive Owen. [Nationwide / 15]
Soul Surfer (Walt Disney): Drama based on the true story of teenage surfer Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb) who lost her arm in a shark attack and decided to return to the sport. Directed by Sean McNamara, it co-stars Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt and Carrie Underwood. [Nationwide / 12A]
ALSO OUT
Page One: Inside The New York Times (Dogwoof): Documentary charting one year in the life of the NEw York Times through the lens of the media desk. Directed by Andrew Rossi, it explores how an established newspaper makes the painful transition to the digital age. [Selected cinemas / 15] [Listen to our interview with Andrew Rossi]
Mademoiselle Chambon (Axiom Films): French drama about a blue collar worker a blue-collar worker (Vincent Lindon,) in a provincial town who is gradually tempted by another woman. Directed by Stephane Brize, it co-stars Sandrine Kiberlain, Aure Atika and Stanislav Ianevski. [Nationwide / 18]
Tucker & Dale Vs Evil (vertigo Films): Horror comedy about two people on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin when they get attacked by a group of preppy college kids. Directed by Jason Mather, it stars Eli Craig and Alan Tudyk. [Selected cinemas]
The recent announcement and subsequent u-turn by Netflix reflects a wider crisis facing Hollywood.
Before the 1950s Hollywood studios made their money renting their movies to cinemas and then splitting the profits.
When televison became a popular medium in the 1950s, it was a time of panic but eventually became another revenue stream as studios could monetise their libraries by selling them to a new emerging medium.
In the 1970s when Sony invented the Betamax format, which allowed viewers to record programming on videocassettes, it spurred a worried Hollywood into adopting a rival format (VHS), which ultimately created a new home entertainment revenue stream.
The video rental boom of the 1980s also gradually turned into a retail one as consumers bought videos of their favourite films.
When the DVD format was introduced in the late 1990s, consumers upgraded to the format in the same way they had replaced their analogue vinyl records and tapes with digital CDs.
Home video innovations that the studios thought would destroy them, actually turned out to be their salvation.
From 1998 until 2004 there was a DVD boom which saw profits pour into studio coffers, as consumers embraced the format as DVDs were often availble to buy and rent on the same day.
But dark clouds began to form in 2005 as the industry debated about what would be the high definition successor to DVD.
After a costly format war between Sony’s Blu-ray and Toshiba’s HD-DVD, the former won in February 2008 partly due to the fact that they owned a movie studio and could put Blu-ray drives in the PS3 console (10 million PS3s outnumbered the million HD-DVD players in the market).
By early 2008 things looked to have stabilised for the manufacturers and studios as there was now one format which they could all get behind.
However, there were still some major challenges:
Consumer upgrade costs: The jump from DVD to Blu-ray was much more costly that VHS to DVD as it involved the cost of getting a new TV and player and at this stage costs of equipment and discs were unattractively high (even though they would later come down).
The Recession: The financial crisis of 2008 had many wide-ranging consequences as the world went into a global recession. For the entertainment industry the subsequent drop in consumer spending meant that people weren’t willing to replace their DVDs with Blu-rays.
Netflix and Digital Downloads: Over the last decade US service Netflix saw explosive growth in subscriptions, which has eaten away at the traditional DVD model as the company movies towards streaming.
Studios and retailers dealt with the cost issue by dropping prices and with many major titles folding in the Blu-ray and digital copy with the DVD release (sometimes known as a Triple play).
The recession poses a much greater problem, particularly as online retailers like Amazon can undercut traditional shops (thus reducing studio profits) and streaming services make consumers indulge in cheaper alternatives.
What are those alternatives?
Until recently Netflix subscribers in the US could gorge on an incredible back catalogue of films for a cheap monthly fee, whilst the price of back catalogue DVDs is ridiculously low.
So the last few years have seen a volatile environment emerge in which DVD profits have been eroded and Hollywood executives concerned about their balance sheets.
“This has become a major issue for the movie business,” says Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Michael Lynton. “Over the past decade, the DVD business has been perhaps the most important profit centre for the industry. But now it isn’t just contracting, it’s become more volatile and unpredictable than it used to be. And that very volatility is what makes your decision-making more difficult, because when you don’t really know why a lot of titles aren’t performing, the only rational response is to become more cautious when you’re deciding what movies to make.”
Another factor that Guardian article points out is that studios clouded their DVD profits in complexity:
The problem is that studios have invested years in obfuscating their DVD profits, fearful that A-list actors and filmmakers would get wind of how much money was pouring in and want a bigger piece of the action. By Sunday, everyone knows what movies made in cinemas – it’s a carefully monitored cash business.
DVD has little of that transparency, especially with some DVDs being rentals while others are purchases, making the numbers more difficult to quantify. When studios announce their opening-day DVD numbers, they aren’t actual sales figures – the numbers represent the amount of DVDs shipped to stores. The DVDs that don’t sell get shipped back to the studio. The industry abounds with stories of studios who have warehouses full to the ceiling with DVDs that went unsold and were shipped back, left to rot in storage.
Earlier this year, the problem has become something of a crisis with the Digital Entertainment Group reporting that DVD sales had plunged in the first quarter of 2011.
Retail sales had dropped 19% and high-street rentals had fallen by 36%, whilst video chain Blockbuster was in Chapter 11 bankruptcy (meaning essentially that it’s on the business equivalent of life support).
Although digital downloads and streaming have grown rapidly in recent years, there is a major shortfall as viewing habits are split between discs and streams and downloads.
On a more fundamental level the shift to rental from retail is proving problematic as the studios don’t make as much from consumers who use services like Netflix than they do from ones who buy physical discs.
Netflix is at the forefront of this problem, as for a monthly fee users can get DVDs through the post or stream films direct to their TVs or laptop at no extra charge.
This meant the company has seen explosive growth, with subscribers rising from 8 million users in 2008 to over 23 million this April.
The UK equivalent is LOVEFiLM, which has the same basic model, and that was recently bought by Amazon, presumably with an eye to where consumer habits are going.
Netflix has been incredibly successful in a relatively short period of time, with reports that it accounts for 20% of non-mobile internet traffic in America during the evenings.
Although studios still have the crucial bargaining chip of their movie and TV libraries, they are still probably concerned that Netflix have accrued so much dominance in so little time.
The Economist recently quoted Kevin Tsujihara, the head of home entertainment at Warner Bros, and analysed the current deals the studio system is negotiating with Netflix:
I have nothing against $1 rentals—at some point,” explains He just doesn’t want cheap rentals competing with disc sales. So last year Warner Bros, Fox and Universal Studios struck deals with Netflix. The service would keep its hands off their movies for 28 days, to give them a chance to sell in shops and in high-street video stores—in effect creating a new window. In return, the studios allow Netflix to stream more old films and television shows. Sony keeps big-budget films out of Netflix’s hands for 28 days but not smaller films.
This brings us on to the issue of the release window, which sees studios open films in cinemas first and then stagger the opening over different platforms (DVD/Blu-ray/VOD, pay TV, free-to-air TV) in order to make money each time it hits them.
Studios are split on what the precise nature of these windows should be: Warner Bros and Fox feel that holding releases back from cheaper online platforms sees a bump in disc sales and rentals, whilst Sony don’t think that consumers care that much about a window.
In a recession, many people are probably prepared to wait a month for the price of a film to come down as opposed to buy it when it comes out.
Disney has another approach. With a huge merchandise division they can afford to try and get their films on as many platforms as possible and they have pushed for a shortening of windows, both video and theatrical.
When Alice in Wonderland came out last year, UK cinema chains almost pulled it from release because of Disney’s plans to release it on Blu-Ray and DVD earlier than was usual.
That particular spat was resolved but it highligthed the different ways in which studios want to monetise their assets in an uncertain digital age.
Back in April at Cinema Con, the annual convention of cinema owners in Las Vegas, four of the major studios (Warner Bros, Fox, Sony and Uniersal) shocked the conference by announcing a premium VOD service.
This reflects a shift towards the idea that the release window is not fit for the digital age and that audiences should be able to legally access films via download or pay-per-view sooner rather than later.
Paramount sided with the theater owners, citing piracy as a major concern (e.g. digital copies can leak sooner) and some observers feel it is a case of Hollywood shooting itself in the foot.
But what the row highlighted was the larger cultural and technological changes going on as consumers want greater control over their viewing experience and studios want to cut costs by moving to a digital distribution system.
Which brings us back to Netflix.
It seems odd that such a realtively new and successful company could be experiencing problems but recently they faced their own digital dilemma: do they focus on streaming or DVD?
The company decided to split its operations so that customers had to decide whether they wanted to pay for online streams, DVDs by mail, or both.
For users that currently pay $9.99 for the combined streaming-plus-one-DVD plan the hike to $15.98 per month felt like a major increase.
All this led to a furious backlash from Netflix users and an apologetic blog post from CEO Reed Hastings where he said:
“I messed up. I owe everyone an explanation. It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming, and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology.”
Why were loyal customers angry?
Partly it was the way it was handled, as although Netflix could see the business logic of raising subscription fees , it was a tone-deaf move during a recession.
This was compounded by the fact that one of the reason subscribers have traditionally loved Netflix is that they feel they get great value from the service.
That perception – for some – was wiped out overnight.
But why would Netflix do this?
The answer lies in what Hastings announced in the same post: that they would be spinning off their DVD-by-mail service into a separate service called Qwikster, whilst Netflix would be dedicated to streaming.
They clearly realise that streaming is the future because of the lower costs and greater technical flexibility across viewing devices.
Robert Cringely wrote this week about how Hastings has always seen digital delivery via the Internet as the goal of the company and that he would’ve done it sooner if he could:
I first met Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings in 2001 at a Maxtor event where I was the dinner speaker. He explained then that the company had always intended to deliver movies over the Internet (hence the name Netflix) but was starting with DVDs because the network infrastructure simply wasn’t ready for digital delivery. They’d eventually drop the DVD deliveries, though I think his estimate of when that would happen was around 2007, not 2011 as the company announced this week.
However, the problem they face is that discs still form a huge part of their business and making people shift from this is going to be difficult when the overall media landscape is in a state of flux.
What happens when one part of your customer base wants DVDs by mail, another wants streaming and yet another wants both?
If you stay still your company could slow down and be overtaken by a rival and if you make necessary changes then you are bound to upset some users.
Even for a company as modern and data driven as Netflix, it’s difficult to adjust a stable business model to fit around shifting customer habits.
In a sense their dilemma represents the wider problems faced by the studios, who are struggling to adjust their business models in an era of rapid technological and social change.
But if the studios can’t make up the shortfall in profits caused in part by digital delivery systems, then how can they continue to fund the very films we watch over them?
For some reason Sony have given the exclusive to MSN but if the above embed is giving you problems then just check it out at Apple Trailers or YouTube.
Several Miramax titles have been re-issued on Blu-ray recently, including The English Patient (1996), The Talented Mr Ripley (1999), City of God (2002) and The Quiet American (2002).
After being formed in 1979 by Harvey and Bob Weinstein, Miramax grew from a small US indie distributor, releasing films such as The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball (1979), before becoming the dominant US ‘independent’ distributor.
By the early 1990s they saw acclaim with films like sex, lies, and videotape (1989) and The Crying Game (1993) but after being acquired by Disney in 1993, the company went into overdrive with hits such as Pulp Fiction (1994), The English Patient (1996) and Shakespeare in Love (1999).
With an eye for new talent, ruthless approach to rivals and an instinctive gift for marketing films, the Weinsteins almost perfected the art of appealing to Oscar voters.
Here’s my take on the best that have recently be released in the UK:
The English Patient (1996): Winner of 9 Oscars, including Best Picture, this adaptation of Michael Ondaatje’s novel is an incredible feat of screen writing. Somehow managing to weave several interwining stories of a Hungarian count (Ralph Fiennes), the woman he falls for (Kristin Scott Thomas) and the effects of their love affair on others, it shouldn’t work but does. Written and directed by Anthony Minghella, it also looks terrific, with cinematographer John Seale making great use of the North African desert and rural Italian landscapes. The performances are also memorable with Juliette Binoche and Willem Defoe both excellent in key roles. It is a film that really benefits from HD visuals and sound, although it is still a mystery as to why it wasn’t shot in 2:35. Notable extras on the disc include: a thoughtful audio commentary by Anthony Minghella, interviews with producer Saul Zaentz and editor Walter Murch (this was the first film edited on an Avid to win Best Editing) and a historical look at the real Count Almasy.
The Talented Mr Ripley (1999): Adapting Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel might have been less tricky than his previous film but Anthony Minghella arguably went one step further with this rich and intelligent thriller. Starring a young Matt Damon in the title role, as an American con-man in Italy during the 1950s, it had a ridiculously good cast: Jude Law (in easily his best role), Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jack Davenport. Visually the film was a treat – the film features some great production design – and it repays repeated viewings as the different layers of deceit provide much food for thought. The extras again feature a typically measured and thoughtful commentary by Minghella, cast and crew interviews and a feature on the soundtrack.
The Quiet American (2002): After the watered down 1958 adaptation of Graham Greene’s novel, this version by director Phillip Noyce was much more successful. Set in 1950s Saigon, it explores the roots of the US involvement in Vietnam through the lens of a love triangle between an English journalist (Michael Caine), an enigmatic American (Brendan Fraser) and a local woman (Do Thi Hai Yen). Shot in the year before 9/11, it almost wasn’t released due to its subject matter but actually gained a new relevance in a new era of disastrous US foreign policy. The cinematography by Christopher Doyle is also outstanding. An audio commentary featuring Noyce and Caine is filled with details about the historical context and some candid insight into the production and release of the movie. Extra features include featurettes on the production and some cast interviews.
City of God (2002): The stunning breakthrough film from Fernando Meirelles depicting organized crime in a suburb of Rio de Janeiro still holds up remarkably well. Filled with stunning camera work and editing, the use of street kids give it a remarkable sense of energy and colour. Whilst the raw portrayal of violence can be uncomfortable to watch at times, it marked the arrival of Fernando Meirelles as a director who would go on to make The Constant Gardener. Features are a little slim on the ground but include a conversation with the director.
Audio commentaries on DVD or Blu-ray provide an insight into the filmmamking process and here are some that stand out.
I’ve long felt a bit guilty about my love of audio commentaries for films on a disc format.
After all, it is about the most unsocial way to watch a film if you’re in casual company and sitting around the TV.
But if – like me – you are interested in how a film gets made and want to hear the perspective of those involved then it is a fantastic resource.
As a marketing tool they can be traced back to the days of laserdisc, the video format which never took off but which saw companies like Criterion, specialise in editions of classic films which included bonus features.
According to Wikipedia, the first audio commentary was the original King Kong movie on a Criterion laserdisc in December 1984 and film historian Ronald Haver introduced it by saying:
Hello, ladies and gentlemen, I’m Ronald Haver, and I’m here to do something which we feel is rather unique. I’m going to take you on a lecture tour of King Kong as you watch the film. The laserdisc technology offers us this opportunity and we feel it’s rather unique — the ability to switch back and forth between the soundtrack and this lecture track…
Digging into the newly released DVD of Attack the Block I noticed there was three different ‘levels’ of audio commentary involving junior actors, senior actors and executive producers, all hosted by director Joe Cornish.
At first it seemd like a bit of a giggle but given the time and effort both cast and crew put into a movie, why not have an audio document of the movie, which can often take months or even years to make?
The executive producer commentary featuring Cornish and Wright is filled with interesting details, including:
Cornish once worked on forgotten surfer comedy Blue Juice (1995)
The Ralph Bakshi version of The Lord of the Rings (1978) and Cornish’s black cat inspired some of the VFX by Double Negative and Fido
The practical effects of Day of the Dead (1985) were also an inspiration
Night time movies with a location under siege such as Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) and Die Hard (1988) were a big influence
Plus, there is the following exchange:
Joe Cornish: “I love all the Friday the 13th movies”
Edgar Wright: “ALL of them?!
But I realise even amongst filmmakers the idea of audio commentaries can be divisive.
Directors like David Fincher and Edgar Wright like to document their films with hefty DVD or Blu-ray packages which nearly always include an audio track (or tracks) of them discussing the film directly.
However, Steven Spielberg refuses to even do them at all and more recently Christopher Nolan and Paul Thomas Anderson have shied away from them.
A few years ago Warner Bros held a screening of Goodfellas (1990) for the 2-disc DVD re-release and they turned the audio commentary on, which I found a little odd.
Everyone there had already seen the film, but I don’t think the audience (including myself) quite expected the screening to happen like this despite the pleasure of hearing Scorsese and cast speak.
There is something that seems to make it work in the privacy of your own home (preferably with headphones) and not amongst the communal atmosphere of the cinema.
With that in mind, here are some audio commentaries which I’d highly recommend:
Steven Soderbergh and James Cameron on SOLARIS (2002): Two very different filmmakers sit down to discuss the adaptation of Stanislaw Lem’s classic sci-fi novel. With Soderbergh directing and Cameron producing, their fascinating dialogue touches upon the book, Tarkovsky’s film version and the fonts used on the credits. Fact: There’s an extended sequence which was filmed but omitted and it doesn’t even appear on the deleted scenes.
The Cast of THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1982): Listening to the cast of Spinal Tap comment on the film in character is such a great idea, it actually adds another layer of genius on to what is already a gold plated comedy masterpiece. I’m not sure that it would work on other films – in fact it could become grating in the wrong hands – but here it extends the world of the film. Fact: The actress who plays Janine (June Chadwick) was once in an episode of Magnum PI.
Martin Scorsese on TAXI DRIVER (1976): The current Blu-ray (an absolutely essential purchase) uses the wonderful audio commentary director Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader recorded for the 1986 laser disc. Although they never took off as a consumer format, it laid the groundwork for DVD and this commentary is wonderfully old-school with a host linking the audio bits. Both provide considerable insights into the film, which is a personal film for both of them. Fact: The scene where Travis is on the pay phone is the same building where Late Night with David Letterman is taped.
Tony Gilroy and John Gilroy on MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007): Worthy commentary with writer-director Tony Gilroy joining his brother and editor for a wide-ranging discussion on the looping structure, locations, acting and influences on this modern classic. This was Tony’s debut as director after an established screenwriting career and the commentary hits a lot of points budding filmmakers should pay attention to. Fact: Actor-director Tom McCarthy can be heard but not seen on the phone to Clooney as he asks him to visit an angry client (Denis O’Hare) in Westchester.
Paul Thomas Anderson on BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997): Unfortunately this is the last one PTA ever did, but it’s a gem as he describes the production with the help of his cast. One of the truly great films of the 1990s, the energy and invention on screen is matched by Anderson’s audio descriptions. There is also a startling story about an extended deleted scene which featured a car crash. Fact: Leonardo DiCaprio was the first choice for Dirk Diggler and Samuel L Jackson turned down Don Cheadle’s role.
Christopher Nolan on FOLLOWING (1998): The writer-director of Memento, The Dark Knight and Inception describes in depth how how he made his debut feature for around £6,000. An astounding production achievement, Nolan reveals all kinds of tricks used to make the film seem bigger: Black and White visuals, good sound at the beginning, natural lighting tips and use of rooftops as an effective location. Filled with useful information this is like a film school course, only it costs £4 instead of £40,000. Fact: Some scenes were shot in the North London house where Nolan grew up (and later stayed whilst he filmed Batman Begins (2005) in the capital).
James Cameron and William Wisher on TERMINATOR 2 (1991): One of the greatest action films of the 1990s has an audio commentary filled with fascinating information including production stories, the groundbreaking CGI, night-time visuals and individual scenes. There’s also some some revealing commentary on how the astonishing live action stunts were achieved. Fact: The biker bar scene was filmed just across the street from where the LAPD assaulted Rodney King – the amateur cameraman was filming the T2 shoot and just turned on his camera one night.
Ridley Scott on ALIEN (1979): The Blu-ray of Alien is such an incredible audio-visual experience that it almost borders on the illegal. Scott gives some great insights into this deeply textured and groundbreaking film that was an indelible influence on the two genres of sci-fi and horror. He was known as being a demanding director on his crew but that paid off in the final film and the commentary also demonstrates his great eyes and ears for detail. Fact: Jon Finch was cast in the Jon Hurt role but had to drop out due to illness.
William Friedkin on CRUISING (1980): This is Friedkin’s most interesting commentary, even if it is far from his best film. A thriller starring Al Pacino as a cop who goes undercover in New York’s gay community proved controversial and was a box office flop. But Friedkin’s commentary is an interesting defence of the film which manages to use the phrase “leather bars” at every opportunity and his favourite theme of the thin line “Between good [pause] And Evil.”
With that in mind, here are some commentaries I’d love to hear. All the director has to do is record themselves whilst watching the film and upload the MP3 to the internet (compared to making a film, this is easy).
Can anyone with influence make them happen?
Steven Spielberg on Lawrence of Arabia (1962): Spielberg famously refuses to do audio commentaries on his films. He has said in the past that David Lean describing elements of Lawrence of Arabia to him during a screening is part of the reason. But he is such an erudite champion of the film (see his recent DGA tribute) that if only he could be persuaded to do a commentary for the upcoming Blu-ray… well, it would be a fantastic resource for audiences and budding filmmakers.
Quentin Tarantino on The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966): The writer-director has long admitted that his favourite film of all time is Sergio Leone’s monumental spaghetti western and that the climax is his favourite scene ever. Tarantino’s wide-ranging discussion of the visuals, sounds, music and the film’s place in the western genre would be an audio document worth a coffin full of gold.
James Cameron on Inception (2010): He’s described the film as ‘astounding’ but a full commentary on Nolan’s intricate sci-fi action epic would be fascinating. Kate Winslet reportedly turned down the role of Mal, which would have made for a fascinating parallel with Titanic (1998), given DiCaprio’s presence as lead in both films. Even so, it would be great to hear Cameron’s detailed thoughts on the narrative structure, the eye-popping visuals, clever use of sets and CGI.
Christopher Nolan on The New World (2005): Nolan is a huge Malick fan as this promotional video featurette for The Tree of Life (2011) demonstrates. Although known for his distinctive narratives, he is a director who cares deeply about the visual image, which is why he still relies on relatively old-school photochemical processes (e.g. shunning a digital intermediate). Malick’s 2005 film was one of the most visually ravishing of the decade (with its rare use of 70mm cameras in certain scenes) and Nolan’s take on Malick’s distinctive visual and editing style would be interesting.
Brian De Palma on Taxi Driver (1976): De Palma was originally going to direct this film before Scorsese and his original deal with Columbia meant that he got a small cut of it (this surprised Scorsese when Schrader revealed this at a Q&A earlier this year). What does he make of the film he nearly directed? Come to think of it a De Palma-Scorsese-De Niro co-commentary would be very cool, especially as both directors gave him breakthrough roles.
Danny Boyle on Apocalypse Now (1979): Although his favourite film is probably Nic Roeg’s Don’t Look Now (1973) his love for Coppola’s Vietnam epic knows no bounds. A commentary on the original cut would be intriguing (although there’s no need to revisit the inferior Redux version).
David Thomson on Terminator 2 (1991): The author of The Biographical Dictionary of Film is a big fan of the first two Terminator movies (he actually told me this in 2008) and an erudite discussion of Cameron’s film would be great. Not only is the screenplay a textbook action script, but there are profound themes at the heart of the story and Thomson rifting on the editing, camerawork and visual effects would be great.
Martin Scorsese on The Wrong Man (1956): Hitchcock has long been an important director for Scorsese and this film is a particular thematic and stylistic touchstone. It isn’t one of Hitchcock’s ‘established’ classics (like North by Northwest, Vertigo or Psycho) but that would make it even more interesting given Scorsese’s encyclopaedic knowledge of cinema.
