Disc Audio

Producers, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 31st, 2002

Synopsis

Zero Mostel is a down-on-his-luck play producer. Gene Wilder is a neurotic accountant.Together they cook up a scheme to raise a million dollars (from old ladies) to produce a playguaranteed to flop (and thus they keep the money.) The play they choose is a little romp called“Springtime for Hitler.” This being a Mel Brooks film, the humour ain’t subtle, and Brooks doesrun some sequences into the ground (he never has known when to quit). But there is a lot oftremendously funny…
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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 30th, 2002

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In an interview with producer Harve Bennett he tells us that Star Trek II was so successful that he was given the green light for Star Trek III three days after its predecessor’s release. The Search For Spock is not the best of the franchise, but it is certainly the most underrated. Trek lore states that even numbered films are great and odd numbered films bite. This is certainly an exception. Christopher Lloyd is surprising as the main villain, the Klingon Kruge. Shatner actually provides one of his best scenes with Mark Lenard as Spock’s father.
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Spider-man

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 30th, 2002

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This disc combines excellent sound, a fantastic movie, and bales of extras with murky video to create a very acceptable – if not truly outstanding – first release of Spider-Man. I would heartily recommend this disc to anyone, but with some caution: this release (“Widescreen Special Edition” reviewed) leaves plenty of doors open for SuperBit Deluxe and later Collector’s releases. Both sound and video are good – but definitely not the best – so, watch for re-releases after the holidays.

This two-disc set is b…
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Don’t Look Down

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 24th, 2002

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Synopsis

Unable, to save her sister from falling off a high cliff, Carla develops a crippling fear ofheights. She also starts to have visions of her sister stalking her. Sister, it seems, wants Carla tojoin her in death. Carla joins a therapy group, hoping to overcome her fears. While she makessome progress, the members of the group start being killed off one by one. There are someeffectively vertiginous moments here, and some okay spookiness, but the film is torpedoed by anending s…
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Quiet Man, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 23rd, 2002

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Synopsis

John Wayne plays an American returning to his Irish roots in the town of Innisfree. He fallsin love with the fiery Maureen O’Hara, but the path to true love does not run smoothly. This isbecause O’Hara’s brother is the bully Victor McLaglen. Wayne refuses to fight back, though,because of accidentally killing a boxing opponent in the past. Sooner or later, though… A changeof pace, this, for Wayne: essentially a romantic comedy (loaded with Irish stereotypes) ratherthan a w…
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Triumph of Love

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2002

Synopsis

The Princess (Mira Sorvino) is in love with Agis (Jay Rodan), the man who is the true heir tothe throne. He has been raised by philosopher Ben Kingsley to hate not just the Princess, but allwomen. So the Princess dons male clothing to infiltrate Kingsley’s home. Her scheme gets moreand more complicated as she winds up having to win the hearts not just of Agis, but of Kingsleyand his spinster sister (Fiona Shaw) as well. Deliberately stagey, and with a script thatcarries dis…
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Rio Grande

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2002

Synopsis

Wayne is veteran Lt. Col. Yorke, bedevilled by the fact that the Apaches attack and thenretreat across the Rio Grande, while the cavalry can’t pursue into Mexico. Further complicatinghis life are the arrival in camp of his young son as a fresh recruit, and his estranged wife(O’Hara) wanting to bring sonny home. This isn’t the greatest of Ford’s westerns, largely becauseof its meandering plot. But it does have those great Monument Valley vistas, and it is goodfun.

Wishmaster: The Prophecy Fulfilled

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2002

Synopsis

The Djinn (John Novak) is unwittingly released by Tara Spencer Nairn. Adopting the identityof one of her friends, the Djinn insinuates himself into her life. If she makes three wishes, hisentire race will be unleashed upon the earth. The tricky thing is, her last wish is that she couldlove him for himself. Oops. How is the Djinn supposed to grant a wish that only she can grant?He certainly has an odd way of courting her. Very, very, very low-budget stuff, mildly divertingfo…
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High Noon

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 21st, 2002

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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…
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Urban Cowboy

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…
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Staying Alive

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…
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Vulgar

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 21st, 2002

Synopsis

Poor Will, AKA Flappy the Clown. He lives in a dump, is dumped on by his mother, andis tormented by just about everyone he meets. Then he’s brutally raped. Just when he’s ready toend it all, he saves a little girl, and his instant celebrity turns his life around. But the men whoassaulted him haven’t forgotten him… I really didn’t know what to make of this flick, and thisis reflected in the middling star rating. Is it supposed to be a comedy or not? There are enoughcharact…
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Insomnia (2002)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 19th, 2002

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Written by Dan Bradley

I’ve experienced sleepless nights, as I’m sure most everyone has at some point in their life. But for some, this conscious prison can linger for many days, sometimes weeks at a time. Christopher Nolan’s remake of Insomnia manages to capture this feeling through terrific writing and strong sensory cues littered throughout.

On the verge of a departmental decision that could jeopardize his career, detective Dormer (Al Pacino) travels to Alaska with his partner, Detective Ekhart (Martin Donovan) to investigate…
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Casino Royale

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 19th, 2002

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Synopsis

Sir James Bond (David Niven), a superhuman prude with a stutter, is forced out of retirementto discover who is killing off all the world’s spies. He recruits a whole load of other 007s, fromPeter Sellers to Ursula Andress (don’t ask), and the villain turns out to be Woody Allen.Comedies should rarely run more than 90 minutes. This clocks in at 137. Interminably,mortifyingly dull. I defy anybody to sit through this.

Audio

The sound comes in both 5.1 …
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Singin’ in the Rain

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 19th, 2002

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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…
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Frailty

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 18th, 2002

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“I think they pulled it together in a way only Texans working together could.”
David Blocker – Producer, Frailty

Well, those Texans certainly did bring it together in a unique fashion, and Lions Gate has packaged it in an excellent DVD release. Bill Paxton’s directorial debut captures a family’s descent in dementia in 1979 in a performance that is surreal and believeable. The everyday and the unexpected are blended into a nightmare world where the mundane and supernatural are superimposed…
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Band of Brothers

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 17th, 2002

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Band of Brothers, as should be expected from multiple emmy award winner, is an amazing miniseries. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks have collaborated on creating a memorable and poignant story that can be appreciate by all.

”Based on Stephen E. Ambrose’s nonfiction bestseller, BAND OF BROTHERS tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Starting with their rigorous training in Georgia in 1942, it recounts the achievements of the elite rifle company fr…
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Vampires: Los Muertos

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 16th, 2002

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Tommy Lee Wallace. Not John Carpenter. Do not be fooled. Just because “Vampires: Los Muertos” (V:LM) says “Presented by John Carpenter” on the front, doesn’t mean it has anything to do with John Carpenter. It was directed, in fact, by Tommy Lee Wallace, who is a Grade B king, responsible for such other gems as “Stell Chariots” and “Danger Islands”. Whether Carpenter was involved or not (no big prize after Ghosts of Mars, anyway), V:LM was a fairly large disappointment anyway. The sound and video are fine, but the mov…
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Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 15th, 2002

Jason is resurrected by an unfortunate accident involving a boat anchor and a power cable.He climbs aboard a ship carrying a graduating class to New York City, and proceeds to do his stuff. While those of us who caught this on its original theatrical run were disappointed that we had to wait a full hour before Jason reached NYC (or, more accurately, Vancouver), a return trip reveals this as one of the better made entries in the franchise. The characters, though thin, make are a bit more coherent than in Part VII, the action is competently staged, and once Jason hits Manhattan, much is made of the fact that he can chase and slaughter in full public view, and no one wants to get involved.

No Way to Treat a Lady

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…
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Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on October 14th, 2002

Plot? What plot? Oh right: traumatized telekinetic teen accidentally raises Jason from the bottom of the lake. Jason kills folks. That’s about it. But you don’t watch these for the plot –you watch them for the killings. These are, sad to say, relatively restrained, and some of Jason’s tool acquisitions are silly (where did he get that electric hedge trimmer from?). The characters (I use the word loosely) are even more interchangeable than ever, and the continuity goes all to #%&@ in the latter part of the film.
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April Fool’s Day

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 14th, 2002

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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…
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Nine Queens

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…
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Ice Age

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 13th, 2002

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As my odds-on favorite to win Best Animated Film at this years Academy Awards, Ice Age combines a wonderful mix of breathtaking digital animation, and a wonderful story full of entertaining characters. Fox, with this film, has jumped into the upper echelon of digital animation studios, along with Disney and Dreamworks.

”Twenty thousand years ago, the Earth was being overrun by glaciers, and creatures everywhere were fleeing the onslaught of the new ICE AGE. In this time of peril, we meet the…
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Behind the Red Curtain

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…
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