Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 21st, 2002
Synopsis
The story unfolds in something close to real time. Gary Cooper is on the point of retiring asMarshal of a small town. He is also about to leave, accompanied by new wife (and pacifist)Grace Kelly. But then a villain from his past returns with vengeance in mind. Cooper turns to thetownspeople for help, but nobody wants to know. Released during the McCarthy witch hunts, thefilm invites (and rewards) political analysis. But it is also a damn fine suspense film.
Audio...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 21st, 2002
Synopsis
Country boy John Travolta arrives in the big city of Houston. He finds a home away fromhome in Gilley’s, a huge country & western bar. There he meets and falls in love with DebraWinger. But when villain Scott Glenn tries to steal her from him, will Travolta rise to thechallenge of the mechanical bull?
Audio
A pretty nice job done of giving an older soundtrack a solid surround mix. The music and thesound effects both come through very well. You won’t...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 21st, 2002
Synopsis
Tony Manero (John Travolta) is still dancing up a storm (snort). He’s a dance instructor now,but he’s hoping to land the big gig on Broadway. Duly that break comes, and he must choosebetween the two women in his life, one of whom (Finola Hughes) is British, so you know she’sa bitch. Finally we reach the big finale, and it’s everything that was wrong with the 80s.
Audio
The soundtrack is showing its age, and up to the crystalline clarity and richness w...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 19th, 2002
Synopsis
The plot is very simple, as the spectacular song-and-dance numbers are the real star of theshow. Gene Kelly and Jean Hagen are big stars of the silent screen. But sound is arriving, andHagen’s voice sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard (and she has a personality to match). Kellyfalls in love with Debbie Reynolds, a struggling dancer with a terrific voice. This is enough of aframework on which to hang the production numbers, but the comedy in between is oftenhowlingly fun...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 14th, 2002
Synopsis
A group of college friends gathers at the isolated island home of Muffy St. John for an AprilFool’s weekend. One by one... Well, you know how the rest of it goes, don’t you?
SPOILER WARNING: ...or do you? The film’s main distinction (other than having somevery funny pranks and actors playing something approaching real characters) is that all of themurders turn out to be a practical joke – no one gets killed. Does this make or ruin the film? Hardto say – my own feeli...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 14th, 2002
Synopsis
Juan is a small-time grifter. Marcos is several steps up the ladder in terms of ambition andexperience. He takes Juan under his wing, and involves him in a possible Big Score, sellingcounterfeit stamps. Can Juan trust Marcos? Can we in the audience trust anything? This superbcrime film takes great delight in making you question absolutely everything you see, and youwind up in a state of grinning paranoia. Sophisticated, fiendishly intelligent, superblyentertaining filmmaki...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 14th, 2002
Synopsis
Rod Steiger, obsessed with his dead mother, adopts one disguise and accent after another(Irish priest, German plumber, gay hairdresser, you name it) as he kills women and marks theirforeheads with lipstick. Frustrated cop on the case is George Segal, perpetually harassed by hiscartoonish Jewish mother, but also falling in love with Lee Remick. Good fun to be had here,especially from Steiger -- an actor who always had a propensity to ham it up, and here he is givenfree reign...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 12th, 2002
Synopsis
This is all special features. So see below.
Audio
It’s a Baz Luhrmann production, so the sound is as spectacular as those on the discs, withspecial emphasis on the music. The narration of the various documentaries is clear though, andnot overwhelmed by the music.
Video
A million different formats (video, film, etc.), and a million different looks, but the transferserves them all well, at least as far as spectacular colour is...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 12th, 2002
Synopsis
Nothing much happens in the nothing town where Tobey Maguire and Wilson Cruz live.Nothing that is, until the arrival of sexy Amy Hathaway and her sleazy dad Adam West (yes, thatAdam West). He uses her as jailbait with which to blackmail local bigshots. Then there’sChristina Naify, in town to kill a sleazy doctor. She has a very nice car too, which Maguire, Cruzand Hathaway steal for a joy ride... A little slow in getting it into gear, and a little uncertain intone, but an i...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 8th, 2002
Synopsis
A colony of genetically mutated rats is making more and more violent forays into the livesof New Yorkers. Department store security head Madchen Amick and exterminator VincentSpano are on the front lines, determined to stop the assault. The plot and characters are standard-issue TV fare. This is the R-rated version of the film, so you see stuff that won’t be showing upon the TV broadcast, and it’s pretty obvious what that stuff is: an ear-removal moment, and somelaughably g...
