Rondo Award-nominated as Best Independent Horror Feature, Night Of The Living Dead: Reanimated is a collaborative artistic mash-up of George Romero’s cult classic. Nearly 150 International artists and animators chose their favorite scenes and re-envisioned them through their own artwork, with no restrictions on style, media or process – resulting in an eclectic ‘art show’ interpretation of the seminal 1968 film, all placed over the original’s audio.

With work ranging from oil paintings to comic illustrations and sock puppets to CGI and stop-motion – NOTLD:R not only pays the respect due to this most important work in horror history, but encourages viewers to experience the film in a brand new light that bursts with the humor and horror of a new generation of artists.

“This DVD is like a portable horror or zombie convention,” observes Wild Eye’s Rob Hauschild. “We wanted to recreate the experience that fans have had around the country, where they’ve enjoyed NOTLD:R at film fests, on horror host TV shows, at zombie-themed events, and pop culture gatherings like the upcoming screening during Comic-Con’s opening night.”

The screening will take place on Thursday July 22nd at 9:30pm in Room 5AB at Comic-Con. Directly following the screening, contributing artists will hold a panel discussion covering their varied media and involvement in NOTLD:R. They will also be taking questions, giving away NOTLD:R schwag and signing autographs. Confirmed panelists include: John Chesnut and Josh Barnett (claymation and cut-out animation), Jacquelyn Bond (watercolor paintings), Grant Fuhst (mixed-media artwork), Sean Williams (hand drawn animation), Zina Lahr (toy modification/ experimental animation), Brad Uyeda (stop-motion animation), Anthony Amos (digital animation), and Eric Schock (comic book illustration).

The extras-saturated Special Edition disc confirms the comparison to the fun of attending a major con, with the two commentaries serving as “panel talks.” The first track spotlights NOTLD:R organizer/curator Mike Schneider as he shares behind-the-scenes secrets to this unique project . A second commentary features NY Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry, the multiple Stoker-winning transmedia zombie scribe whose body of work includes Marvel Zombies, Patient Zero and The Dragon Factory.

Also included is the hour-plus “Zombie Encounter,” an actual panel that sees Maberry joined by other experts on the undead phenomenon such as David Barr Kirtley, John Joseph Adams (The Living Dead) and Stoker-winner Dr. Kim Paffenroth (Gospel of the Living Dead).

Paffenroth’s presence as a respected academic underscores the DVD’s broad appeal. The cultural and technological trends that enabled the ‘mass collaboration’ of NOTLD:R is fascinating to many, so it was important that the DVD provide insights into process, not just product. To this end, it includes several different making-of videos. For example, Flash animator Mike Boas guides viewers through the process of rotoscoping Johnny and Barbara by showing you his active desktop firsthand.

Extensive information on all of the individual NOTLD:R contributors is available on the DVD, as well as extended versions of some of their favorite scenes, several short films, as well as DVD-ROM content, and even some of their comics. Viewers also get a scrollable gallery of production stills, focussing on the artists and their dark and sometimes humorous but always compelling visions.

Over Two Hours of Bonus Features:
· Special horror host introduction from Count Gore De Vol
· Commentary with curator horror author Jonathan Maberry
· ‘Making of NOTLD:R’ commentary track
· NOTLD:R artist call-in commentaries
· Coloring Book contest entries
· Alternate/ Deleted scenes
· Short films
· Horror comics and related horror art
· Trailers
· Behind the Scenes: Animation Processes
· The Zombie Encounter Panel discussion video
· “Night of the Living Box Art” video
· and more…

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Technorati Tags: Night of the Living Dead, Classic Films, Reanimated, Night of the Living Dead Reanimated, DVD, Comic Con

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: March 5, 2010
DVD Release Date: June 1, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $

I don’t get a chance to go to the movie theater all that often, but I did get the chance to see Alice in Wonderland in IMAX 3D. I must admit, I’m not in love with IMAX 3D, for the mere fact that my chair has to be parked close to the front of the theater, and I’m so close that objects walk through me and fly at me in terrifyingly close proximities. Hey, some people dig it. I’m not in love with it. That being said, I dug the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland.

I have a confession. When I was a little kid, I saw a television version of Alice in Wonderland. It featured a lot of big names including Carol Channing and Sammy Davis Jr. I watched that movie so many times growing up, but for a long time, I was terrified of the Jabberwocky in this movie. I was a mere four years old, at the time this movie was released. Years later, I laugh at myself for what looked like nothing more than a bunch of plastic garbage bags sealed together, but to my four year old mind, the Jabberwocky was terrifying. In the 2010 Alice in Wonderland, the Jabberwocky has come to CGI life with an exceedingly terrifying appearance. This is much more nightmare worthy than the Jabberwocky of my day.

The performance by Johnny Depp, as the Mad Hatter, is excellent. He brings this eccentric, mad side to the Hatter, and yet he makes him completely likable, as well. Depp and Burton work well together. This is why I believe they have partnered up for so many movies. Burton helps to bring out the best in Depp. He also does a nice job of making Bonham Carter completely unlikable, and the big head for her character was a nice touch. Sure, she is his partner, but let’s be honest. Bonham Carter can act. I also want to bring up Anne Hathaway. If I’ve learned anything from years of theatre classes, it’s about various periods in history. The daintiness of Hathaway reminded me of our own performances of The Country Wife in my spring Classic Styles class. Hathaway is radiant as an actress in this, but she deserves kudos also for the obvious work that went into her physical portrayal of her character. It added a special something to the White Queen character.

The story is a mishmash of many different incarnations of Lewis Carroll’s original story and it’s many adaptations. Do not come into this expecting to see a story that follows the book. Alice is no longer a child. This explores her return to Wonderland as adult pressures start to pile upon her, making her run away from her obligations and thus re-falling down the rabbit hole. If you expect to see a by the book adaptation of this, you will be disappointed. However, never before have the characters of Wonderland been portrayed in such a visually sharp way.

The Alice in Wonderland Plot
Charles Kingsleigh (Csokas) is having a meeting with several men about investing in a crazy, new, business endeavor. The meeting is interrupted by six year old Alice (Challen), who has had another bad dream. The dreams are always the same, and reflect her time in the fictional Wonderland. After her father reassures her it is just a dream, and she can always pinch herself to wake herself up, she is ready to go back to sleep.

The scene skips forward to 19 year old Alice (Wasikowska), in a carriage with her mother, Helen (Duncan). They are heading to the home of Lord and Lady Ascot. Their son, Hamish, a big toothed, ginger, with digestive problems, is planning to propose to Alice. Alice, not down with the Victorian era conventions she’s supposed to uphold, isn’t sure she is ready to be married, though her sister, Margaret believes it is for the best. She doesn’t want Alice to end up like their batty, old maid, Aunt Imogene, after all.

While people are talking to Alice at what is to be her engagement party, she sees a White Rabbit with a pocket watch.Unable to resist, she follows it into a rabbit hole, and falls down a long way into a room. There are many locked doors and only one way to get out. With the key that goes to a tiny door. After drinking and eating and drinking and shrinking and growing and shrinking, Alice is able to exit into Underland. Once there, Alice learns that a girl named Alice, has been there before, though Alice is certain she’s not the right one.

With the Red Queen (Bonham Carter) ruling Underland with a dictator-like iron fist, Underland has been under her oppressive hand for years. The future has been dictated on the oraculum. The Alice who called this place Wonderland will destroy the Jabberwocky with the vorpal sword, and restore the White Queen (Hathaway) back to power.

Whether Alice is the Alice of the prophesy does not seem to matter. The Red Queen’s henchman, Stayne (Glover) and her army of playing cards have her set in their sights for capture. It is up to the Mad Hatter (Depp), Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Lucas), the Cheshire Cat (Fry), White Rabbit (Sheen), Blue Caterpillar (Rickman), and a selection of other allies to the White Queen to help Alice discover her true destiny and who she really is, after all.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
If all Blu-Rays were as beautiful as Alice in Wonderland I wouldn’t ever have to bother with recommending them because you would just know that you had to buy the good movies. Unfortunately, this has not happened yet, but while we wait, we have the quality of our dreams right here. The majority of this movie utilizes digital shots and the source material is as pristine as you would expect a new film to be. This allows for an absolutely flawless picture. Everything offers extremely vivid colorizations and amazing detail. Even the scenes that were shot in live film look fabulous. However, it is the Wonderland scenes, the digitally enhanced moments, that truly stand out and leave one in awe.

Part of the world is completely dark and dreary like you would expect one of Burton’s worlds to be. Other parts are filled with colors and rich works of art set to screen. In any case, this transfer is nothing less than a feast for the eyes. There are no compression errors and I did not spot any type of error anywhere in the visual portion of the film. Once again Disney and Burton have put together a shockingly beautiful film.

Like the video track, the audio is here to make sure that you have an amazing time with a completely involving soundtrack. Strength and power abound throughout this audio presentation and yet there manages to be subtlety in all of the right moments. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless track that is used would be nice for all Blu-Ray presentations. The dialogue is always crisp, clean, and easy to hear no matter how loud the bustling sound effects are or how powerful the music score tends to be when it takes off in some moments.

Every bit of background noise offers a whole new layer. The flies buzz in your ears causing you to want to swat them away. The Jabberwocky roars and you sit at attention watching in awe. It truly is an amazing presentation. Partly because every detail has been considered and it shows and partly because it seems to be absolutely free of defects, which is rare. Dolby tracks are also included in French and Spanish. English, French, and Spanish subtitles have also been included.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
I have to say I was shocked to see that Alice in Wonderland was missing some key special features. Sure, you get the Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital copy. Yes, there are about twelve featurettes here. However, can you believe that a commentary is missing?!? Of all the commentaries that I would have liked to hear, this would be one of them. Where are all of the Alice in Wonderland documentaries or anything at all relating to the history? Nowhere. There are none of those things here.

You get some new featurettes and some previews and that’s about all. The featurettes are split and placed under two specific headings. The information for both sets is listed below.

Wonderland Characters:
All of these featurettes, six in total, consist of information about the characters in Wonderland. Four of the featurettes, Finding Alice, The Mad Hatter, The Red Queen, and The White Queen all offer interviews with the respective actors. Time Lapse: Sculpting the Red Queen takes a look at the three hours that Helena Bonham Carter spent in the make-up chair. Of course, this segment only lasts for a few minutes. Finally, there is The Futterwacken, which gives you the low down on the dance that The Matter Hatter performs near the end of the movie. These are all fairly fluffier than I was expecting. They are alright to watch, but they aren’t anything spectacular.

Making Wonderland:
In the last six featurettes you get about 20 minutes worth of material that looks at all that went into making this film. Scoring Wonderland looks at Danny Elfman, the composer, doing what he does best. Effecting Wonderland is dedicated to the visual effects that went into bringing this visual masterpiece to life. Meanwhile, in Stunts of Wonderland you get a chance to see the physical work that each actor put into his role and what the stunt people did and went through. In Making the Proper Size, you get a chance to see how digital manipulation allowed Alice to shrink or grow given the scene. You also get a chance to see how it plays a part in making Helena Bonham Carter appear as if she has a huge head. The lasts two featurettes, Cakes of Wonderland and Tea Party Props are dedicated to production design.

Finally, there is a selection of previews for Beauty and the Beast, James and the Giant Peach, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and other films.

Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Alice in Wonderland is a visual masterpiece. Whether you will like the actual movie depends on how you feel about Tim Burton. Burton has his fans and his foes. I don’t mind his unique film vision. I do not feel this is a remake, but rather a re-imaging and extension of the story by Lewis Carroll. This exceptional take on what happens after Alice has already been to Wonderland once, is fun. However, since many do not love Burton, I recommend unless you like his previous films, you should rent before buying, just to make sure it is your cup of tea.

Overall Rating: 4.36 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Alan Rickman, Marton Csokas, Disney, Movie Review, Bluray, BD Review, Alice in Wonderland

Throughout the week, we’ve watched quite a few movies and shows. For the week of March 8 through March 14, here is a list of what we’ve watched, and what we thought of each Netflix selection!

Camelot: This film adaptation of the Lerner & Loewe musical of the same name stars Vanessa Redgrave and Richard Harris. Dominick had seen this before (he’d also been in the musical at his high school many years ago). Ash had not. This is a classic film that follows the story of King Arthur, the king of England who created the round table and who was betrayed when his wife Guenevere fell in love/had an affair with his top knight, Lancelot. Dom loves musicals, and this is no exception. Ashtyn enjoyed it as well, though she didn’t feel she connected emotionally with all of the songs, and had a hard time watching Vanessa Redgrave, at times, due to the remarkable resemblance to her daughter, Natasha Richardson, who tragically passed away last year.

Coral Reef Adventure: Originally presented in IMAX and narrated by Liam Neeson, this stunning documentary looks at various coral reefs located around the world. Underwater explorers/filmmakers Howard and Michele Hall are invited to a Pacific island nation (Fiji, we think?) where a reef off the coast is dying. They explore the Pacific’s various reef systems to try to discover the reason for why this and other coral reefs are dying. We thought this film was absolutely stunning. This documentary raises many questions that are important, especially those concerned with human impact on the underwater world. We only wish we could have seen what efforts were made to try to save this reef.

Whale Wars: A group of self-proclaimed ‘pirates’ that are captained by the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Paul Watson, sail the seas near Antarctica attempting to deter the Japanese from hunting whales in the area. Sailing on their boat the MV Steve Irwin, the antics of the crew include throwing ‘stinky stuff’ on Japanese boats (labeled research boats) and trying to stuff up their rudders with balloon type objects. Dom thinks the entire crew is made up of douche bags. While the intent is nice, there has to be a better way to stop the hunting and killing of whales. Ashtyn found the show hilarious because the crew is so dumb.

Civil War Journal: The Conflict Begins: Four episodes about various elements of the Civil War present themselves in this documentary style, PBS-presented, television experience. Narrated by Danny Glover, the episodes feature historians, present reenactments of battles and show real life, historical documentation that helps explain what life was like leading up to and during the beginning of our nation’s bloodiest war. Dom didn’t get a chance to see this. Ashtyn thought the music was incredibly cheesy, especially during the beginning and ending sequences. However, if you can ignore this, the entire series is incredibly interesting. She especially enjoyed learning more about John Brown in episode one.

Ink: Jamin Winans developed this fantasy film, which explores what happens when we fall asleep. An independent film that could not find a distributor, when Ink hit pirating programs like Limewire and BitTorrent sites the download rate in one week was so high, 400,000, it led to better DVD and Blu-Ray sales. When Emma, a little girl living with her grandparents after the death of her mother, falls asleep, a Storyteller gives her good dreams. However, when Ink, disfigured and desperate to become an Incubus, enters her dream world and kidnaps Emma, putting her in a coma outside her dreams, the Storytellers and a blind pathfinder must team up to find her before the Incubi sacrifice and kill her. Outside dreamland, Emma’s father, John, who lost custody of the girl and has poured himself fully into his work, as a result, must decide whether to visit her and reopen the wounds caused by losing her the first time. Ink’s concept is very intriguing. This film suffered a little because of the low budget visually, but with such a great plot, and decent acting especially by independent actors, this can easily be overlooked. This was the best fictional film we saw, this week.

Hurt: Melora Walters and William Mapother star in a movie that could possibly air on the Lifetime Network. Walters is Helen, a woman who is accustomed to her privileged life, with her husband and two children, Lenore and Conrad (Jackson Rathbone). Mapother plays Helen’s brother in law, Daryl. When Helen’s husband dies in an accident and they lose their house, they go to live in what looks like a junkyard, but is really a car recycling center, with Daryl. When Helen (a former foster child) finds out her husband was going to take in a girl named Sarah, she decides to open her home to the girl, but when bad things start happening, a terrible family secret is exposed. Dominick thought this story could have been interesting and the actors were all pretty decent, but the plot was so predictable it ruined the movie. Ashtyn also felt it was very predictable, so it was hard to view this movie as a horror flick. You know what’s going to happen, which ruins the elements of scariness and surprise. The key problem was the plot.

CSA: Confederate States of America: A mockumentary exploring what would happen if the Southern states/Confederacy won the war, this is supposed to be a funny piece. When the Confederates win, an entirely new history is written for this country. That country is revealed in CSA. Initially, we felt this sounded pretty funny. The commercials littered through the mockumentary were laugh worthy, but at some point, this film takes itself way too seriously. Presented as a dry as turkey, fact filled ‘documentary’ we would have much preferred if this film kept that lighthearted, silly feel most mockumentaries have. This wasn’t even absurd enough to be absurd. In the end, it was kind of boring.

Witch Hunt: The most riveting film we watched this week, every person needs to see Witch Hunt. In the 80s, when us kids were growing up, thousands of miles away, kids only a few years older than us were being shuffled around foster homes and forced to testify against their parents in a series of infamous, child molestation trials. This documentary explores how these false charges not only ruined the lives of the many Bakersfield residents who were convicted and served time in jail for crimes they did not commit, but also how it has ruined the lives of the children who were coerced into lying about these adults. We were shocked and disheartened by this documentary. We were disgusted juries could convict these people, that the authorities who did this are still in control and that the media didn’t investigate these false accusations. Most heartbreaking is the story of John Stoll, who lost 20 years of his life to prison and the only son he had, as an effect of his false conviction.

Nine Dead: Melissa Joan Hart returns to acting in this horror/thriller film. We were interested because this received pretty good ratings on Netflix. Hart is one of nine random people who are kidnapped and end up being chained in a room together. A masked man explains that they are all here for a specific reason. They have ten minutes to figure out what that reason is. Every ten minutes, the man will come in and kill one of them. If they discover the reason every single person is there (even the dead ones) the masked man will call the police, turn himself in, and let them all go. For the most part this film is pretty good, but it is ruined by a letdown of an ending that makes the whole movie feel like a drastic waste of time. We have a much better idea for the ending of this movie, but sadly, we weren’t the filmmakers, so we have to live with what is available in this film.

Crips and Bloods: Made in America: In California, segregated housing during the civil rights era meant that racial minorities kept to themselves and formed their own social groups within their communities. To an extent, this led to the inception to America’s two most powerful gangs, the Crips and the Bloods. While other documentaries have focused specifically on how these gangs form, this documentary looks into life prior to the gangs, the race riots, and how these kids could have come to form such gangs. From there, it explores the lives of gang members and looks at those who have died from gang violence.

Stacy Peralta takes viewers into south-Central L.A. and shows how such violence spiraled out of control so quickly, turning into over 40 years of bloodshed. We found this documentary to be informative, interesting to watch and unlike others on the subject matter. Looking back at the 50s and 60s to see what these segregated black communities were like helps to shed light on how a generation of kids felt they had to turn to gangs and why kids in these areas still choose to do so today.

Technorati Tags: Documentary, Horror, Classic Film, Thriller, History, Films, Watch, Netflix, True Crime, IMAX, nature, mockumentary

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: May 2, 1968
DVD Release Date: March 24, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $18.99

Whether you’ve seen The Odd Couple or not, you probably already know the general premise of the film. It’s about two men who have clashing personalities, who move in together after they separate from their wives. It’s a formula that made Lemmon and Matthau a duo that would go on to make multiple movies together — usually screwball comedies where their personalities class. The two most successful movies they made (like this) are, of course, the original, The Odd Couple and the fun 90s flick, Grumpy Old Men.

The Odd Couple is a classic not only for this pairing, but for the excellent script by famous playwright, Neil Simon. It’s said that Simon based the story on his own personal observations, either through his own brother’s unconventional housing arrangement with a buddy or Mel Brooks’ house sharing after separation from his first wife. In either case, what was produced is classic Hollywood comedy.

Paramount has found some of its most famous movies in its vault for its Centennial Collection remastering and re-release. This month it’s The Odd Couple and To Catch a Thief. Both films reflect the standards of old Hollywood film making. The cast is stellar. They all work well together, with both the main characters and supporting roles having great chemistry while on screen. The story is great, and the movie comes together thanks to the director, Gene Saks, who worked with Simon both on and off Broadway and also directed The Odd Couple when it was on Broadway.

What makes this film adaptation of Simon’s play so exceptional is how well Simon was at rewriting his play in a way that made sense for it to be made on film. No longer was he bound by location, something that is affected quite differently on stage, where the stage may serve as a plethora of locations merely by changing the set design. Making this on film allowed Simon to expand upon the basis of the play and move it out throughout the city of New York, which is more realistic than having the entire film take place in the apartment. This is why I believe Simon was nominated for an Academy Award, and is a major part of the success of this film.

The The Odd Couple: Centennial Collection Plot
The Odd Couple, which is an adaptation of the Broadway play of the same name, spawned into a popular television series. It did well, but without Lemmon and Matthau in the main roles, it wasn’t nearly as good as the movie. The Matthau-Lemmon chemistry is just that good.

The movie begins with Felix Ungar (Jack Lemmon) revealing his troubles to the audience. Felix is trying to commit suicide, but try as he might he can’t get it right. He checks into a hotel and attempts to jump out the window, but it won’t open. In an attempt to force it open he pulls a muscle in his back. He tries to get rid of his woes with booze, but he pulls a muscle in his neck while throwing back a shot. Dejected at his failed attempts to cure his misery, he has no choice but to attempt to throw himself off a bridge.

Panning in on the apartment of Oscar Madison (Walter Matthau) reveals that he lives in a junk heap. Sure, his Upper West Side New York (Manhattan) apartment is nice, but he is a messy, messy guy! Oscar is playing poker with his buddies, in his pig sty apartment. His friends are Speed (Larry Haines), Roy (David Sheiner), Vinnie (John Fiedler), and Murray the Cop (Herb Edelman). They are beginning to wonder where their friend Felix is, as he is not at the game and it’s not like him to be late…for anything.

Their discussion is interrupted by a phone call from Murray’s wife. She tells him that Felix’s wife, Frances, has kicked him out. The friends worry that Felix might be taking it hard and wonder if he’s trying to commit suicide. Around this time, Felix shows up. Of course, he has no idea the guys already know what has happened. It isn’t until he starts crying that his friends try to help him out by telling him things will be okay, and that’s when Oscar invites Felix to move in.

Oscar, a sportswriter, has been split from his own wife for quite a while, so it seems like a match made in heaven. Of course, Felix wants Oscar to let him know if Felix drives him nuts, and it doesn’t take long for that to happen. Oscar, the fun loving, free spirited slob has just invited the clean freak, neurotic, OCD Felix to move into his place. Felix is more like a pestering mother than a companion and Oscar just can’t take much more.

Of course, Oscar is not without his flaws. Felix has to remind him to clean up after himself or does it for him. He’s a slob and all he wants to do, once off work, is have fun. Felix is too busy thinking about his wife and fretting about what to make for dinner to have fun and it takes a lot for Oscar to get him to lighten up and double date with him, on a date with two girls in the building where they live, Cecily (Monica Evans) and Gwendolyn (Carole Shelley) Pigeon.

Of course, nothing ever works out as it should and hilarity ensues as the two try to learn to live together…even if they are polar opposites!

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The Odd Couple might have been put out originally in the late 60s, but you wouldn’t be able to tell it by this 2.35:1 aspect ratio and this surprisingly clean transfer. There is little to complain about here, which is surprising considering the age of the film. The picture quality remains sharp and detailed throughout the movie. The colors are decent and the problems are kept to a minimum. I didn’t notice any compression errors or serious issues with dirt or grain. The film was mainly smooth sailing from start to finish.

The sound for The Odd Couple is handled with Dolby Digital 5.1. Still, this isn’t the original audio track so you shouldn’t expect a surround sound experience like you normally would in a 5.1 setting. The movie is almost all dialogue. While there is nothing wrong with that, it means that the majority of the sound sits directly on the center channel with no room for dynamic improvement. The dialogue is easy to hear and rarely causes a problem. The rare instances where there are music and other sounds do come through nicely, though they are few and far between. Spanish and French tracks are also included in Dolby Digital Mono. Subtitles have been added in English, French, and Spanish.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
The bonus features are kept mainly to the second disc of this Centennial set. The first disc only includes the feature film and an updated commentary with sons of The Odd Couple team, Chris Lemmon and Charlie Matthau. If you are interested in learning more about the film this commentary won’t offer you much. Both of the men were boys at the time this movie came out, so they cannot offer the same knowledge as someone that was on the set. However, if you want to learn about the actors themselves this will be the absolute perfect commentary for you. Plenty of family stories are given, along with other observations and comments that the men have on the movie.

The second disc includes five featurettes that end up being worth about an hour of extra features. The featurettes include “In the Beginning,” “Matthau & Lemmon,” “Memories from the Set,” “Inside The Odd Couple,” and “The Odd Couple: A Classic.” Each of these featurettes includes various interviews with a number of people. Some of the interviewees include Larry King, Brad Garrett, Charlie Matthau, Chris Lemmon, Robert Evans, Carole Shelley, Gene Saks, and David Sheiner.

Each featurette delves into the movie in one way or another. You learn about the play and the stars of the film when watching “In the Beginning.” Casting is discussed when you look at “Inside The Odd Couple.” One of the most disappointing featurettes is “Memories from the Set” which doesn’t really provide anything too exciting to see, much less remember. “Matthau and Lemmon” is fun to watch as it shows a lot of the chemistry of the leads of this classic. It also offers up some more time with the sons who look remarkably like their fathers.

In addition to these featurettes you can enjoy some galleries and the theatrical trailer. It would be easy to make a point of the fact that there are many other things that would have been nice in this Centennial set, but for what it’s worth the featurettes here are not so bad.

Bonus Features: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Odd Couple is about as classic as they come. It’s hard to imagine seeing a more mismatched, but hilarious pair on screen. Everything about this movie works. The acting is perfect, the dialogue is ageless, and the story is one that nearly anyone can relate to in some respect. It’s a fun movie that isn’t about to go out of style. If you have never seen this I highly recommend checking it out. If you’re already a fan or have seen this then I don’t need to tell you that it’s worth a purchase because you already know.

Overall Rating: 4.43 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: The Odd Couple, Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Comedy, Classic Movie, Neil Simon, DVD Review, Centennial Collection

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: August 5, 1955
DVD Release Date: March 24, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $18.49

It’s surprising that I’ve never seen To Catch a Thief, not only because I am a huge fan of Cary Grant, but I’m also a huge fan of Hitchcock. It’s one of the films that just slipped through the cracks and I never got to watch it, until now. Boy am I glad I did. There isn’t anything like a Hitchcock movie, especially one with Cary Grant in it. They make an affable team, with the two playing well off of one another.

Adding in the screenplay by John Michael Hayes makes this movie a win-win-win. Hayes worked on other popular Hitchcock titles, such as Rear Window and The Man Who Knew Too Much, both high on my list of favorites. I’ve seen both of them numerous times, which brings me back to the baffling question of why I never saw this film. I’m guessing it’s partly because I never got the chance to see it on television, the place I ended up seeing most of Hitchcock’s movies while growing up, though I did own my own VHS copy of The Man Who Knew Too Much and North by Northwest.

What isn’t to like about To Catch a Thief? This movie features the incredibly talented Cary Grant. I believe he is one of the greatest actors of all time (if not the greatest). He’s joined by the incredibly gorgeous Grace Kelly, whose beauty was only matched by her ability to perform. Add in a Hayes script, Hitchcock direction, his trademark cameo, the most awesome cinematography (Academy Award winning), great costumes, a lovely location and we’ve got a movie! I keep saying it over and over for classic Hollywood films. The elements all come together in an attempt to achieve perfection and they succeed!

I should mention that this is one of the only Hitchcock films to which Paramount still retains the rights. I feel grateful for that merely because Hitchcock truly was/is a master when it came to directing (and I work a lot with Paramount!). He’s stand out and there will never be anyone as good as him in the thriller and horror genres. I have yet to find a Hitchcock movie I don’t like, and To Catch a Thief is near the top, now, on my list of favorites.

The To Catch a Thief: Centennial Collection Plot
You might have guessed this is about a thief. Well, it’s actually about a retired jewel thief named John Robie (Cary Grant). Robie is fairly well known for the jewel heists he’s pulled off. In fact, he’s known by the affectionate moniker, “The Cat.” Being retired gives Robie a chance to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He’s basking in the glow of the sun on the French Riviera, where he lives and tends to his vineyards.

When several jewel heists, mimicking the style of Robie’s thefts break out, the police are sure he’s back in the heist game. When they attempt to arrest Robie for the crimes, he manages to escape before they can haul him off. Robie hides out with a group of ex-cons, who he was friends with when he was a part of the French Resistance. Of course, many are on parole and Robie showing up sparks up anger, and blame is placed on him for the mess.

Bertani (Charles Vanel), Foussard (Jean Martinelli) and the others aren’t surprised when the police show up at Bertani’s restaurant looking for Robie, but he’s able to escape thanks to the help of Foussard’s daughter, Danielle (Brigitte Auber), who has a thing for him. Wanting to prove he is innocent, Robie hires a friend of Bertani, an insurance man by the name of H. H. Hughson (John Williams).

The plan is to catch the thief. They will need to find out who the new cat burglar is in order to prove that Robie is not responsible for the crimes being committed. Then Robie can go back to his quiet, unassuming life in the South of France. To do that though, he has to find the most expensive jewels in the Riviera, to use them for bait, and that is easier said than done.

Add in a complicated relationship with Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis) and her daughter Francie (Grace Kelly), whom own the jewels that Robie plans to use as bait. With Danielle jealous and Francie flirting with fire, in more ways than one, they’ll have to partner up if they truly want to catch a thief!

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
I can’t tell you want the 2007 Special Edition of To Catch a Thief looked like. However, I can guess that it’s pretty close to what you receive with the Centennial Collection. What it will come down to purchase wise is whether or not the special features match up. People owning the 2002 disc will definitely want to upgrade, because the sound and video offer a much bigger improvement with this collection.

Things begin with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with anamorphic widescreen. The colors have improved greatly in this version of To Catch A Thief. Flesh tones take on a more realistic look and the scenery tends to look more natural, as well. The rest of the colors are acceptable, if not good. There are some issues with compression errors and various bouts of noise, dirt, and aliasing, but this is a film that comes from the 50s. All things considered, this is by far the best transfer (of this film) to be offered on DVD.

When it comes to audio, you can choose from a Dolby Digital Stereo or Mono track, though in all honesty there is not a huge amount of difference between the two tracks. The sound runs a tad low, but in the right volume setting things are easy to hear and they sound good. Once the volume was adjusted I did not have to spend time toying with it. There isn’t anything truly negative to report here other than the fact that things are pretty centered channel wise. Still, it could be much worse. There are additional tracks available in both French and Spanish. Subtitles are also available in English, French, and Spanish.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
To Catch a Thief has a variety of special features that fans of Hitchcock and this film should enjoy. Things begin with a commentary by a Hitchcock film historian, Dr. Drew Casper. This was an incredibly interesting commentary because Casper dissects the film and Hitchcock in a number of ways. It certainly isn’t a light listen, as it is filled with much information and thought provoking dialogue. Hitchcock enthusiasts will want to listen to this one at least once.

Next up is “A Night with the Hitchcocks.” This nearly 25 minute featurette is centered on a USC director’s film class. Alfred Hitchcock is being studied and his daughter, Pat and his granddaughter Mary are there to answer questions. The two women tackle questions about movie interests, his life, and modern film interpretation. There are a few good moments here, but some of the questions asked are definitely not very interesting.

“Unacceptable Under the Code: Film Censorship in America” looks at how Hitchcock moved around issues of censorship even though it was something that he was constantly forced to deal with. A few things are looked at in this featurette from the topics in To Catch a Thief to the corrupt years of Hollywood’s Silent era.

“Writing and Casting To Catch a Thief” is pretty much what it sounds like. Mary Stone, Stephen DeRosa, Pat Hitchcock, and various others discuss the casting choices that Hitchcock made with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Some footage of the film makes this a much more interesting featurette.

“The Making of To Catch A Thief” lasts for about twenty minutes and talks about location choices, costume design, the striped shirt, and how Hitchcock ran his films. There are plenty of good moments in this. In fact, it ended up being one of my favorite featurettes in the bunch.

“Behind the Gates: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly” looks at the two iconic Hollywood stars that most everyone is familiar with and loves. Grant’s life prior to acting is looked into as is the infatuation that the world had with the beautiful Grace Kelly.

“Alfred Hitchcock and To Catch a Thief: An Appreciation” is one of the final featurettes in the bunch. This seven minute featurette is a fun little addition that has Pat Hitchcock and Mary Stone talking about Hitchcock, his public and private image, the type of father he was, and even things like his thoughts on the French.

Special features wrap up with some Photo Galleries, a Travelogue, Interactive Map, a Theatrical Trailer, and one more featurette, “Edith Head: The Paramount Years.”

Bonus Features: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
While this is anything but typical of Hitchcock and the body of work so many adore, To Catch A Thief still has a place in the Hitchcock vault that you cannot ignore. Some call it a vacation movie for Hitchcock, but it is still beautifully done and deserving of the Hitchcock name. The acting was amazing, though it’s hard to say anything less of Grant and Kelly. The real decision on whether or not you need to purchase this will depend on whether or not you already picked up the 2007 Special Edition. If you do not own it then I highly recommend you pick this up. However, if you do you might just want to sit this one out as the quality is similar so all you would be missing out on is the special features.

Overall Rating: 4.57 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: To Catch a Thief, Hitchcock, Alfred Hitchcock, Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, Classic Movie, DVD Review, Centennial Collection

Movie Info:

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: 1946 – 1948
DVD Release Date: March 17, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $15.99

I grew up watching The Three Stooges. I don’t remember how old I was when I first saw them, but I have loved them for as long as I can remember. I wasn’t one to watch a lot of television from the days of The Stooges, but they were my favorite. The slapstick comedy realm is not one I spend a lot of time in, but this is one set of shorts that always makes me laugh. There is something about Larry, Moe, and Curly that always manages to make people smile.

This was a particularly special box set because it marked a few differences in the program. The most notable change is that Curly ends up leaving the group due to health problems. The last short he appears in is “Half-Wits Holiday”. After that, Shemp is back in the group and remains there until the very end as Curly is never well enough to return. It’s hard to say who is my favorite out of Shemp and Curly, though I think that Curly has the fondest place in my heart. Still, Moe is certainly my overall favorite in the bunch.

I am sure that most parents today wouldn’t dream of letting their kids watch this, though I am not sure why. It’s harmless fun even in it’s most “violent” state. It fills that primal need in a person to laugh when someone gets hurt. No matter how many times Moe smacks someone over the head, it’s funny. Of course, it’s even funnier when the bad guys get theirs for the sheer fact that they are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The The Three Stooges Collection: Volume 5 Plot
Rather than go on and on about how fabulous The Three Stooges really are, you can see a complete list of all episodes in this 2-disc set below.

1946
Beer Barrel Polecats: Larry, Moe, and Curly are on the hunt for beer and cannot find any. So, they decide to learn to make beer in order to fill their need. Curly gets the hot water, Larry is in charge of the hops, and Moe handles the supervision. Of course, nothing goes as planned! In fact, the boys end up in jail as a result of their ‘illegal’ activity!

A Bird in the Head: Moe, Larry, and Curly are hired to hang some wallpaper. Unfortunately, what they do not know is that a Mad Scientist is in the building, looking for a brain that is small enough to work as a transplant for his gorilla. While he can’t seem to find the right fit with a brain small enough, he hits the jackpot when he realizes that Curly’s brain is just the right size!

Uncivil Warbirds: When the Civil War breaks out, Southern Gentlemen Larry, Moe, and Curly leave their blonde fiancées behind to join the war. Even though Moe thinks the war should only take a week or so to win, the three men set off to the war to find their may be some complications for them. Two of them (Larry and Moe) join the fight for the Union while Curly ends up a Confederate soldier and their prisoner!

Three Troubledoers: Whoever thought they would see the day where Curly got to be the Sheriff? Well in Dead Man’s Gulch, a city that cannot seem to keep a living sheriff, Curly gets the job. Too bad for him the job means that he has to go against Badlands Blackie and his gang! Blackie decides to kidnap a young woman’s father unless she marries him. When she refuses, the Stooges step in to try and save the day for Nell and her father.

Monkey Businessmen: Moe, Larry, and Curly are three highly inefficient electricians that cannot seem to please anyone. However, this isn’t the worst of their problems when they admit themselves into a clinic to get some rest. It doesn’t take long for them to realize what they’ve really done when they admit themselves to a rest home with the little money that Curly had stashed away.

Three Loan Wolves: Larry, Moe, and Curly run a pawnshop. When their son asks them who his real father is, the three set out to explain a story that includes the mob and shows that the three have no clue who the baby’s daddy is of this child that they were conned into caring for years before.

G.I. Wanna Home: After an extended stay in the military, newly discharged soldiers, Larry, Moe, and Curly return home to their fiancées to find out that they have made them homeless. The group has to find a home, otherwise they can’t get married. So, they have no other choice but to send the girls home to their mothers and saddle up Curly to pull their goods and find them a new place to live.

Rhythm and Weep: Larry, Moe, and Curly are in show biz, but they aren’t a group that takes rejection well. After being thrown out of 26 theaters they realize that maybe it’s time to pack it in…literally! When they get to the roof of a huge skyscraper they meet three pretty dancers that have the same problem the boys do. As they stand on the roof, they learn that together they make beautiful music and have no choice but to consider re-entering showbiz.

Three Little Pirates: Larry, Moe, and Curly have their work cut out for them when the shipwrecked stowaways are captured by the head of Dead Man’s Island. They aren’t only captured, they are sentenced to death because Curly makes the mistake of flirting with the captive fiancée of the head man on the island. After some deliberation, Curly decides he wants to be burned at the stake and they are put in prison with no way out, except the west wall of the prison closet! The only problem is no one seems to know which way is west!

1947
Half-Wits Holiday: Larry, Moe, and Curly are plumbers that walk into an interesting situation. A bet is made and two gentlemen make a bet that the one gentlemen could never take one half-wit and turn him into a gentlemen in the right situation. With Larry, Moe, and Curly around they don’t just find one half-wit they find three! $1000 bucks is on the line and the guys just need to become gentlemen. It’s just too bad the two men have no idea what they will be up against.

Fright Night: Shemp makes a re-appearance after years because Curly is unable to act due to health reasons. Larry, Moe, and Shemp are training a fighter named Chopper that Shemp ends up having to spar. During the spar, Shemp gets knocked out and Chopper and runs off with a blonde named Kitty. When some mobsters inform the guys that Chopper has to throw his fight, they have to decide whether they want to lose all their money or their heads!

Out West: When Shemp has an enlarged vein in his leg, a doctor recommends that he needs to head out west and relax for a spell. When they get there they realize that the west is serious and they need to get tough! When Shemp starts talking about his vein, the men out west get the wrong idea and think that they are talking about gold. Little do they know, it’s all in Shemp’s leg.

Hold That Lion: Shemp, Larry, and Moe want their inheritance from their deceased junk dealing uncle, but something is holding it up. The executor of the will, Mr. Slipp is nowhere to be found and they cannot get their inheritance without serving a subpoena to Slipp. So, they are all given a subpoena and it’s one of their job to make sure that Slipp gets it or they won’t be getting their inheritance!

Disc 2
Brideless Groom: Shemp is a voice teacher that has the solemn misfortune of having some rather untalented students. However, Shemp’s life is about to change thanks to a recently deceased uncle that has left him a half a million dollars! The only catch is he has to get married by 6 PM otherwise he doesn’t get the money. He calls every girl he knows and they all turn him down except one! Too bad the wedding bells won’t ring so easily when the other girls show up to land themselves a rich man after finding out the truth!

Sing a Song of Six Pants: Larry, Moe, and Shemp are three tailors that are up to their ears in bills! Things are so bad that they are about to lose their business. When a bank robber on the lamb shows up, they figure they just need to beat him at his own game and capture him, so that they can collect the reward money. Of course, with the Stooges, things are never quite as easy as they seem.

All Gummed Up: Moe, Larry, and Shemp have owned a drugstore for over a decade and their landlord informs them that they are being kicked out of the building because someone else is willing to pay a higher rent. They have until the end of the month to get out! Not willing to take things laying down, Shemp comes up with a miracle youth tonic that makes the landlord’s wife young and beautiful. This prompts the landlord to offer them the store for a dose of the youth potion for himself.

Shivering Sherlocks: When a car robbery takes place, Larry, Moe, and Curly are rounded up for interrogation. The cops don’t take kindly to them, but a Cafe owner comes to their rescue and saves the day by vouching for them. However, the real trouble for them begins when they finally come in contact with not only the robber, but his crazed hatched man of a partner!

Pardon My Clutch: Poor Shemp is having a serious problem with his health. Call it bad nerves, according to their friend Claude, but something needs to be done for Shemp and quick! As any good friend would, Claude sells the Stooges his practically new (completely broken down) car, so they can have a getaway that will cure Shemp. However, when a Hollywood agent comes calling you can be certain that all bets with good ole’ Claude are off!

Squareheads of the Round Table: Cedric the Blacksmith is in love with the fair Princess and she is in love with him. The only problem is that the Black Prince is also in love with her and would love to see Cedric dead and out of the way. Enter the Stooges, three Royal troubadours that are going to have to stop the beheading of Cedric and show the world the truth about the Black Prince.

Fiddlers Three: The royal fiddlers, Larryeth, Moeth, and Shempeth want to marry their sweethearts, but in order to become betrothed to them they need to see that the Princess marries her sweetheart first. It’s just too bad they have their work cut out for them. It seems that an evil magician wants to marry her instead, so when he abducts her, it’s up to Larryeth, Moeth, and Shempeth to find her and save the day!

The Hot Scots: Larry, Moe, and Shemp are three wannabe detectives that are on the prowl for anything suspicious. The kilt-wearing trio are actually hired for a job by the Earl of Glenheather. All they have to do is guard his castle from the ghosts that supposedly reside there.

Heavenly Daze: Shemp has sadly passed on and now Larry and Moe are left on their own. Shemp is forced to live on Earth as an invisible angel until he can reform Moe and Larry and make them good. The clock is ticking and Shemp has to reform Larry and Moe before they sell their completely worthless invention.

I’m a Monkey’s Uncle: Moe the caveman gets a date with a hot cavewoman. Not being one to hog all the goodness for himself, he makes sure to get his date’s sisters’ to go out with Larry and Shemp. The only problem is, these cave women have boyfriends and they don’t take kindly to anyone trying to steal their women!

Mummy’s Dummies: Larry, Moe, and Curly are three used Chariot salesmen in Ancient Egypt. They are also the biggest swindlers in town! Too bad they make the mistake of selling their biggest piece of junk to the head palace guard that wants nothing more than to chop their heads off to teach them a lesson!

Crime on Their Hands: Larry, Moe, and Shemp are three hapless custodians working for a newspaper. When word of a priceless diamond being stolen gets out, the boys want to play reporter. Next thing you know, Shemp is swallowing the diamond and the robber prescribes the only medicine he can to get his diamond back – Surgery! Add in a massively large gorilla and you have yourself a Stooges episode.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The Three Stooges looks pretty good for something that was made in the 40s. Sure, it’s not perfect. There are some lines going on and some dirt to be found, but the problems are pretty minimal when all is said and done. The black and white image comes across nicely and there is still a good amount of detail. It appears that Sony has taken good care of the source image for these shorts, because they look much better than they could have. All in all, the 1.33:1 aspect ratio was filled with far more good than bad.

The audio is handled with a basic mono soundtrack, but it gets the job done. The dialogue is always easy to hear and the sound effects with all the slapping and attacks come through as amusingly as they possibly can. It’s a good presentation from start to finish that his little to no problems and is quite impressive when you factor in the age of the material.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
It is sad to report that no bonus features are available in this hilarious set.

Bonus Features: 0 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Three Stooges are a classic piece of comedy history that are the best at what they had to offer. Each episode is filled with slapstick that will have you laughing no matter how many times you see it. Perhaps I am biased, but The Stooges were always my favorite group of pranksters. I grew up watching them and I still love watching them all these years later. This set might not have bonus features, but it does have the last full length short that included Curly and the one where he makes a brief appearance. That alone makes the set worth buying.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, The Three Stooges, Larry Fine, Moe Howard, Shemp Howard, Curly Howard, Comedy, DVD Review

Let’s start with the Top Five DVD Movie Comedies:

#1 – Mamma Mia!

#2 – George Carlin: It’s Bad For Ya

#3 – Forgetting Sarah Marshall

#4 – Baby Mama

#5 – Holiday Inn (3 Disc Collector’s Set)

Go to Page Two for Gift Guide Picks #6-#10

Movie Info:

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: August 4, 1950
DVD Release Date: November 11, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $16.99

The first time I ever heard about Sunset Boulevard was about the musical version. Having seen both that and this 1950s, Billy Wilder film, I have to say that you simply cannot beat the classics. While the musical is spectacular, the film puts it to shame. The splendid casting of William Holden and Gloria Swanson just emphasizes the magnificence of this film. When you think classic cinema, this should be on the list,  because they just don’t make these kind of movies anymore.

Sunset Boulevard was nominated for a total of 11 Academy Awards, and it won three for art direction, music and writing. The film noir genre has long since faded into oblivion, sadly, considering how well this film turned out. This is one of the last great film noirs. Billy Wilder hasn’t directed or written another film quite as powerful as Sunset Boulevard. In truth, it is his pièce de résistance.

The cast of Sunset Boulevard is what makes this film so spectacular. Besides Holden and Swanson, two of the best actors of all time, the cast includes Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Fred Clark, Lloyd Gough, Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper and Jack Webb. There are also cameos by popular, silent film stars Buster Keaton, H. B. Warner and Anna Q. Nilsson. With a standout story, memorably spectacular performances, and an undeniably emotional score, all of the elements of perfection come together in Sunset Boulevard.

When you think of Billy Wilder and all that he has contributed to film, Sunset Boulevard is always at the top of the list. The film is considered one of the greatest of all times. It’s made numerous “top film” lists from the AFI to its inclusion in the National Film Registry. Any way you spin it, Sunset Boulevard deserves to be a part of Paramount’s Centennial Collection and you will want to add it to your film collection, as well.

The Sunset Boulevard Plot
The movie starts off in a way that is gripping and will pull you in immediately. A man is found dead, floating in a swimming pool. The narrator, Joe Gillis (William Holden) explains this man is an unsuccessful screenwriter, and the scene quickly changes to flashbacks from before the dead man was killed.

Joe is trying to raise money quickly. He needs to save his car, because if he doesn’t, it is going to be repossessed. Gillis, a screenwriter, tries to call in favors with his friends and contacts in Hollywood. He is able to secure an appointment with Paramount Studios, and there, he pitches his latest screenplay, ‘Bases Loaded’. When the producer, Sheldrake (Fred Clark) shows interest, a woman from the Reader Department, Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olson), dismisses the script, as she feels it is not too good.

Joe is upset about this and he storms out of the studio. After leaving the studio, the repo men find him, and chase him down Sunset Boulevard. When he pops a tire, he turns into a private driveway to escape. At first, it seems as if he is at an abandoned home, but he quickly learns it is the home of a silent film legend, Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson).

Norma mistakes Joe for someone else, but quickly learns he is a writer. She wants him to help her with the script for her film comeback, so he agrees, thinking it’ll make him the fast cash he needs. Joe moves in to the mansion and Norma spoils him with gifts, presents, and other expensive things.

Joe is content in his role as Norma’s dutiful writer/guest, at least until he realizes there is a lot more to Norma Desmond than meets the eye. Add in a potential love affair with Betty Schaefer, a murder, and Norma finally getting her “close up” and you have one heck of a movie!

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Sunset Boulevard is not a brand new film so when watching it I did not expect to see absolute perfection in the video or audio departments. The good news is that this restoration certainly beat my expectations. While some flaws do exist when you consider the fact that the original negatives were almost completely gone, the quality will come close to blowing you away. For the most part, the picture is clear and vibrant. I was impressed by the crispness of the film and the strength of the black tones. Overall, this is a good, full-screen transfer that looks great despite its age.

The audio for Sunset Boulevard is handled by a Dolby Digital 2.0 track. This soundtrack was also quite impressive. I never had a problem hearing anything and the score sounded beautiful. The levels worked well between music, effects, and dialogue. This isn’t the most dynamic of soundtracks, but toggling wasn’t necessary and the crisp nature of the soundtrack is friendly on the ears. Spanish and French mono tracks are also available. The audio options are wrapped up with English, French, and Spanish subtitle options.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
The only special feature on the first disc is the audio commentary by the author of On Sunset Boulevard: The Life and Times of Billy Wilder, Ed Sikov. This commentary is excellent for fans because it is filled with special facts and tidbits that newer fans of the film won’t be aware of. It’s a great start to a large selection of special features.

The second disc includes many other special features, featurettes, trailers, galleries, and other things that fans will truly enjoy. Sunset Boulevard: The Beginning looks at the path that led Wilder towards directing the film. Things like casting are discussed and numerous stories are told.

“The Noir Side of Sunset Boulevard by Joseph Wambaugh” talks about why Wambaugh loves Boulevard more than any other film. Film Noir elements of the film are also looked at. “Sunset Boulevard Becomes a Classic” includes a brief history of the reception of the film from the beginning until the days when it finally became a classic. “Two Sides of Ms. Swanson” offers a profile of Gloria Swanson. Fans of hers should enjoy this as it includes people that Swanson worked with, along with her family, who all offer their thoughts and impressions on the actress.

“Stories of Sunset Boulevard” includes numerous facts and memories about the film, which provides some rather disastrous test screenings. “Mad About the Boy: A Portrait of William Holden” takes a look at Holden’s career. This is another nice feature for fans of the actor, as it is filled with co-workers and acquaintances discussing him. “Recording Sunset Boulevard” is all about the score of Sunset Boulevard and how Franz Waxman created something magnificent enough to win an Oscar.

“The City of Sunset Boulevard” takes a look at the locations mentioned in the film and the overall importance of them. The “Morgue Prologue Script Pages” offers two versions of the scene in the morgue. Each scene includes excerpts with both drafts of the screenplay. There is even footage sans sounds from the sequence.

“Franz Waxman and the Music of Sunset Boulevard” is another featurette about the score, though this second featurette focuses more on the career of Waxman. “Behind the Gates: The Lot” takes a short and simple look at how Paramount Studios was built. There is a “Hollywood Location Map” that offers five interactive locations available in the film. As you click them you can learn more about the locations with various facts. “Edith Head: The Paramount Years” profiles the costume designer that worked on many of the top Paramount films back in the day. Finally, “Paramount in the 50’s” offers some of the most popular film clips of that decade from Paramount.

Bonus Features: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
A cinematic masterpiece, with some of the best acting from Hollywood’s heyday, you’d be a fool not to add Sunset Boulevard to your DVD repertoire. While the audio and video are only slightly better than that of previous DVD releases, the wealth of bonuses added to this collection makes it well worth the upgrade. If you don’t own the film already, this is the set to purchase.

If you’re looking for something spectacular to purchase, perhaps as a Christmas present for the film lover in your life, this is Billy Wilder’s best, most poignant film. This two-disc set comes highly recommended and is a part of our Hot Holiday Recommendations.

Overall Rating: 4.64 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, Sunset Boulevard, The Centennial Collection, Paramount, William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Billy Wilder

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: Direct to DVD
DVD Release Date: September 23, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $61.95

The first time I watched The Godfather I was hooked. It became my favorite movie at that time and has held that spot ever since. Movies have come and gone, but no matter how many times I watch this it never gets old. Sure, some might say that’s because it’s The Godfather and something this amazing couldn’t get old, but I think it’s more than that. I think it’s that the first and second movies were so much more than movies.

I think it’s safe to say that these first two films were art, serving as examples of what Hollywood used to produce and isn’t as frequent to offer anymore. The Godfather has been reviewed by countless critics and is one of the most loved movies of all time. It’s almost loved more than The Godfather II.

When you think about it, what isn’t there to love about this series? The young (at the time), emerging talents were all involved. Distinguished names like James Caan, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire (Coppola’s sister) and many others are present and accounted for. Al Pacino was practically unknown when he was given the role of Michael Corleone, a role that would change his career and launch him into stardom. Despite the fact that the role did that, he earned it.

This is one of his most powerful roles. Even though I know every move he will make in these films, some of those moves still chill me when I watch them. He is icy cold and always attempting to remain in control, until it’s necessary that he let go. When he does, it is still hard to watch. He is one of the most enigmatic actors in this movie and his presence glues me to my seat every time I watch.

In the first and second film, Pacino’s only real competition for an absolutely amazing performance is Brando and De Niro. Don Vito Corleone is a character that was made to be adored. Starting out small and rising from adversity, Vito was made to be the man he became in every single way.

He learned first hand the importance of power and how to handle himself once he got it. He never showed the lack of compassion that others showed him when he was a young child, but he was never one to back down and he always did what he had to in order to protect his family. Brando was perfect for the first movie and while he could have played in the second, De Niro was chosen instead. Brando was simply never asked to reprise the role. It’s probably all the better as Brando was monetarily screwed out of the deserved money for his part in this series.

Like all good films, you could watch any of these alone and take away a great deal without needing to see the others. You will want to see them, but you won’t need to. One of the things that makes these films so popular is the fact that they seem to cater to a range of different people. People searching for symbolism will love these movies. They will look at the meanings of fish and oranges in a whole new light. However, as blatantly obvious as these symbols are to me, they could easily be ignored without a problem. People manage to get as much or as little as they want from these movies and it works out well.

This was a series that no one wanted to give the benefit of the doubt. They never knew how wrong they would be. The studio execs wanted a small time movie set in present day. Coppola wouldn’t hear of it, instead making it the grand 1940′s affair that will go down in history as one of the best movies of all time. The first film set the way for the second, which I believe was one of the only sequels to surpass its original in terms of magnificence and popularity. It becomes increasingly hard to explain how good these movies are because I feel like I am repeating something that has been said before. If you haven’t seen these movies, no words will do them justice. If you have seen them, then you already know what I am talking about.

What it comes down to is that this set is one of the hottest collector’s items that will be offered this Christmas. Everyone knows someone that loves these movies and you can bet they will be selling like hotcakes. Ashtyn also did a review of the standard definitive set, The Godfather Coppola Restoration Box Set. Like this one, it received high recommendations and rave reviews. This is just one set that everyone needs to own and that’s the best way I can put it.

The The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration Giftset Blu-ray Plot
The Corleone family is laid bare before our eyes in this heartwrenching tragedy that details the history of one mob family through two mob bosses and a lifetime of pain. Like all tragedies, this history has three parts. In three movies you learn how the Corleone family came to be, how Michael (Al Pacino) changed the direction of the family, and how things end. Each section is shown the respect it is due and a hard working set of actors make sure that everything runs smoothly.

After the first film, no one could wait for the second. After the second, there was a long pause until the third picked up. That was unfortunate as some feel that too much time had passed. Others, like me, feel that there is no way that the third film could ever live up to the legacy of the ones before it. That being said, watching it without the pause ensures things make more sense and it doesn’t feel as bad as people waiting over a decade to see it remember it to be.

The movie opens in 1946 at Connie Corleone’s (Talia Shire) wedding to Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo). The wedding is a traditional, old world Sicilian wedding to appease Connie’s father, Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). In attendance is the entire Corleone family, including two of Connie’s older brothers, Sonny (James Caan) and Michael (Al Pacino). Sonny wants to be just like his father. He is strong willed, fiery, and fiercely loyal to the family. Michael has shunned the family ways and instead went off to fight the War. Now that the war is over, he is able to attend the family wedding as a decorated war vet. In tow, he brings his future wife Kay Adams (Diane Keaton).

It is obvious from the beginning that Michael is the lone child that does not embrace the family philosophy. In the beginning, he promises his girlfriend that he is nothing like his family. Later, once he embraces the ways thanks to a hit on his father and the murder of his brother Sonny, he tells Kay that he will be the one to make the Corleone family legitimate. We all know it’s not that easy though. Once you’re in the mafia you rarely, if ever, get out.

Michael takes control of the family after Sonny’s hot headed ways lead to his demise and his father eventually dies. Michael is the natural choice because, as it is shown in subtle ways, he is the most like his father. Later we learn how different he is. He runs his business differently, conducting business in a way that Don Vito would have never wanted. In some ways, he may be trying to get rid of the hassles of the other five families to become a legal empire, but in other ways it appears that he is drunk on power and his iron fist demands respect or murder.

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: September 23, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $62.99

This is probably one of the hardest reviews that I have ever had to write. What does one say about The Godfather that hasn’t already been said in the past? This is one of the best movies of all time and is certainly the best movie series of all time. The story is addicting, the acting is engaging, and the direction is flawless. I shy away from calling any movie perfect, but I fail to see how these movies could have been any better than they are.

Marlon Brando was just one of the men considered for the part of Don Vito Corleone. Francis Ford Coppola wanted him or Laurence Olivier, who could not do the role, from the beginning. However, the studios looked at several other options including Ernest Borgnine, Edward G. Robinson, Orson Welles, Carlo Ponti, and George C. Scott. Burt Lancaster was never considered, but he did lobby for the role.

And then there was old blue eyes. Frank Sinatra was against both the novel, as a whole, and the idea of a movie being made, but at one point after he had talks with Coppola, he offered himself for the role. Coppola was adamant about Brando though and it’s obvious how that turned out. The studio paid him a paltry sum for the film, but that would not be something that changed the course of the film for the viewers.

You could easily call this movie series a Coppola family affair. Coppola included many of his relatives in this film. Most notably, Talia Shire, his sister, played Connie Corleone. Many relatives had small parts as extras including his mother (Italia Coppola), his sons (Gian-Carlo and Roman Coppola), and even his daughter, Sofia Coppola, who was just three weeks old at the time of her big screen debut.

Without Coppola, this could have been a very different movie. Paramount didn’t realize the type of film that they had on their hands. Originally, The Godfather was going to be a small, low budget picture about the mob, written in present day. Coppola rejected that version, going for the period piece that you see today. Consequently, the film had so much buzz and was so well favored prior to the release that a sequel was being worked out. That sequel would be one of the only movies that would be better received than the original film in a series.

It is so surreal watching these films and seeing how young some of these actors are. Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and James Caan appear so young. You know who they are, but its interesting seeing them compared to how you see them today. Aging is a fact of life, of course, but these actors have had the benefit to have a movie like this to show their beauty and talent in such a young state. In the case of most of the actors, this series boosted their careers into superstardom. Al Pacino was relatively unknown and this would seal his fate as an A-list actor. Likewise, when Robert DeNiro starred in the sequel, the same would be said for him.

There are many words that can be used to describe these movies. Intense, dramatic, violent, emotional, powerful, engaging, and engrossing are just a few words that come to mind. I am sure some might say these movies were disrespectful, but I don’t necessarily see it that way. Others might say that these films immortalized the Mafia, and while The Godfather was certainly the best at making the oldest organization seem sexy and alluring, it would not be the last movie to attempt to capture this level of strength about this subject.

This set is absolutely a necessity for any movie collector. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Even if you own the previously released films, you still need to purchase this set. The quality is near flawless, unlike the first two releases, and there are new bonuses to appease the loyal fans and make up for past mistakes. This is definitely the set to own so if you have the others you might want to head over to an auction site or to Amazon and get rid of them for this one.

The The Godfather – The Coppola Restoration Giftset Plot
The Godfather can most easily be described as an Italian/American tragedy. This tragedy occurs in three parts that have been separated into three movies in order to ensure that each portion is given ample opportunity to tell the story in a way that it should be told. Prior to these films being made, The Godfather was a novel that received a high measure of success. When the original film came out in 1972, it was anticipated, but for many, including Paramount there was a baited sense of anticipation thanks to a relatively young, unknown cast and an unknown director. However, the film and the subsequent films that would come later could not have turned out any better than they did.

Each film is able to stand on its own, though they are amazing as a trilogy. It’s crazy how fast the time seems to fly by as you watch each film. The films are so smooth that by the time each one ends you cannot fathom that you spent over two hours watching the lives of the Corleone family. The film is filled with symbolism including the presence of religion (many of the biggest hits occur during a religious ceremony) and simpler symbols such as oranges (Corleone gets shot buying oranges and later dies while eating one) and fish (Luca Brasa’s strangulation occurs behind a stained glass window with a fish imprint and later Fredo is murdered while fishing).

The year is set in 1946 and the film opens at a wedding. Michael’s (Al Pacino) sister Connie (Talia Shire) is getting married. The war has recently ended and Michael has come home from the Marines as a decorated war veteran. Unlike his other brothers, Sonny (James Caan) and Fredo (John Cazale), Michael did not want to be a part of his father’s empire. He had other things he wanted to accomplish and he wanted to do it on his own. As the movies progress it is easy to see that Michael, with all of his passionate beliefs and deadly reservations, is the most like Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando).

Soon after the wedding, an attempt to take Don Vito’s life fails when he takes five shots on the street and lives. While in the hospital Sonny takes control of the family and being the hotheaded machine he is, he creates a war that eventually costs him his life. During this war, Michael picks sides, aligning with his father and sealing his fate in the family. His actions during this war lead him to Sicily where he must hide out. He is forced to leave Kay (Diane Keaton), the woman that would eventually bear his children, but while there, he marries his first bride, Apollonia (Simonetta Stefanelli) who teaches him, first hand, the major downside of his work. By the end of the film, Michael has married Kay and takes full responsibility for the family, thankfully, as he is the only child of Don Vito’s that was truly fit to handle the responsibility.