 |
The Criterion Collection's new two-disc set of Polanski's Knife in the Water (1962) is certainly cause for celebration as not only does it present Knife in its most beautiful transfer yet, it also includes eight of the director's famed short films; Murder (1957), Teeth Smile (1957), Break Up the Dance (1957), Two Men and a Wardrobe (1958), The Lamp (1959), When Angels Fall (1959), The Fat and the Lean (1961) and Mammals (1962). These peculiar embryonic artifacts profoundly demonstrate an unusual talent at work, and coupled with Knife, his debut feature, the package is an educational introduction to a striking artist's beginnings. All of the shorts were made during Polanski's five-year tenure in the Lodz Film School's director's program, and Peter Cowie's informative booklet notes detail the young director's transition from student to notorious cult-celebrity. In crisp, startling black-and-white, the drama of Knife unfolds with the three protagonists on a yacht. The memorable and mesmerising compositions were made up as they went along, says Polanski in an accompanying video interview, after he had abandoned his storyboards and the screenplay co-written with Jerzy Skolimowski, is nuanced, spare and sinister.
Just issued on Paramount Home Video is Polanski's The Tenant (1976), a lesser known gem from his post-Chinatown period. It's a sharp reminder of what a good actor he is as his character descends into madness, assuming the personality of the young woman who may, (or may not), have lived in the apartment he rents before him. The Tenant, with its terrific supporting cast of Shelley Winters, Isabelle Adjani, Melvyn Douglas and Jo Van Fleet, elegant camerawork by Sven Nykvist, and unsettling music by Philippe Sarde is well worth seeking out.
top of page
|
|
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1939) has finally arrived on DVD in a glorious new transfer, and in a package that is a veritable archive of extras. This spectacular classic starring Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone, Olivia de Havilland and Claude Rains (spelled "Raines" on the cover art!) needs no introduction, so we'll just mention the special features; a terrifically informative audio commentary by veteran historian Rudy Behlmer tells you practically everything you need to know; an hour-long documentary with participation by Rudy, Leonard Maltin, Robert Osbourne and Bob Thomas; vintage shorts and Warner Bros. cartoons; a wonderful collection of color outtakes and behind-the- scenes footage; and the marvelous benefit of an isolated score, which allows the wonder of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's music to shine like a diamond, unencumbered by dialogue and effects. Michael Curtiz's beloved adventure is as fresh today as it must have been, 65 years ago, bursting from the screen like a multi-colored firework.
top of page
|
|
Warners has lavished the same care and attention on The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), with an hour-long documentary narrated, with appropriate masculine gravitas, by iconic writer/ director John Milius. Huston had directed the Milius-scripted The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), and in his narrative delivery you can feel Milius remembering the experience. The documentary also has interviews with Martin Scorsese and the historians featured on Robin Hood. The audio commentary on Sierra Madre is handled by Eric Lax, a biographer of Humphrey Bogart, and a similarly abundant trove of archival treasures is available for those wishing to dig for it. Sierra Madre is one of the great south-of-the-border movies of all time and its cast, Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt and Bruce Bennett could never have been bettered. Two bonuses of note: an additional documentary with Robert Mitchum giving a blow-by-blow of Huston's career; and a Lux Radio Theater presentation of Sierra Madre dating from 1949, with Bogart and Walter Huston reprising their roles.
top of page
|
|
Like Michael Curtiz, Dieterle had emigrated to the United States and found in film the ability to allegorize both his own situation and that of his adopted country itself. With The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), Dieterle had somehow found a way to meld the old world with the new, and in The Devil and Daniel Webster or All That Money Can Buy (1941), the material again suggests with its narrative, based on Stephen Vincent Benet's short story, a country, a world, a universe, on the very edge of chaos, perching as it were on the very brink of the abyss. With Europe torn apart by war, and America's imminent involvement, the little saga of a devil figure creeping and insinuating itself in an ordinary town takes on larger implications. Criterion's new disc is splendid, and Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston) is brought once again to vivid life. Essentially a "porting over" of the old 1991 laser disc — aspects of Bruce Eder's audio commentary are invariably outdated — the transfer benefits from newer technology, and a plethora of features fill out a fine package. A reading of the source story by actor Alec Baldwin is a nice touch, and an "interactive" essay by Bernard Herrmann expert Christopher Husted makes for a detailed examination of the movie's excellent music. The booklet essay by Tom Piazza is eloquent and measured.
top of page
|
|
MGM/UA Home Video is also responsible for a nice new disc of Women in Love (1969), Ken Russell's award-winning adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's controversial masterpiece. Cementing Russell's reputation, it helped launch his distinguished career when his leading lady Glenda Jackson won an Oscar. Two audio commentaries are included, one by Russell, and one by screenwriter/producer Larry Kramer. It probably wasn't a good idea to have them both in the same room as their reminiscenses have few points of convergence. Russell, an amusing raconteur, rambles agreeably on all aspects of the process, and describes his direction of Oliver Reed the following way; "He had three acting styles; moody one, moody two and moody three. I'd say, (depending on the scene), give us moody one, or moody two, and he knew exactly what to do."
For those of you with multi-region players, the British Film Institute has recently put out region 2 transfers of two of Ken Russell's seminal works for television; Elgar (1962) and Delius, Song of Summer (1968). These extraordinary docudramas are models of the form, and for many years Elgar was regarded as the best documentary ever broadcast. For the series Monitor, Sir Huw Wheldon's arts program on the BBC, Russell directed many films on artists, poets, composers and literary figures over a period of ten years. One can only hope the BFI will get around to releasing more (or all) of them.
top of page
|
|
Sticking with Britain, BBC Video, distributed by Warner Bros., has timed its release on DVD of The Office season one, to coincide with the debut of season two on BBC America. The Office (2002), which has been officially designated the most popular show ever on home video in Britain is gaining wide acceptance in the United States. A six-part mockumentary on dreary office life, it focuses on a paper company situated on an industrial estate in Slough, near Heathrow Airport. The office boss, David Brent, played by Ricky Gervais (the creator of the show who'd never acted before), is a frightful narcissist. A nightmare of fragile sensibilities, bolstered by a monstrous, festering ego. His abuse and maltreatment of the staff is some of the funniest, yet cringe-inducing writing in contemporary comedy. There isn't much like it over here; Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO would be the closest thing, but The Office with its rogue's gallery of sadsack losers has to be seen to be believed. Directed by co-creator Stephen Merchant, he and Ricky Gervais have left an indelible mark on popular culture. Not since Basil Fawlty has there ever been anything like this, and the second season is every bit as good as the first. Absolutely brilliant stuff. Not to be missed for anything.
top of page
|
|
|
|
