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November Classic DVD Roundup - Page 3 |
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Page 3 of 3
Nosferatu Kino
directed by F.W. Murnau
starring Max Schreck, Gustav von Wangenheim, Greta Schröder, Alexander Granach
F.W. Murnau’s classic take on “Dracula” has actually gained in stature in the 80-plus years since its release in 1922. I’m sure part of the reason is the extensive, glorious restoration included on this disc, giving the film staggering visual power, but it’s also due to Murnau’s genius at visualizing this story without resorting to the clichés later films on the subject (including Coppola’s, above, and Herzog) seem to have not been able to avoid. It’s also nice to hear Hans Erdmann’s original music in its original orchestration.
Extras: Original score available in 5.1 Surround; “The Language of Shadows,” a 52-minute making-of documentary; short doc “Nosferatu: An Historic Film Meets Digital Restoration”; option to watch the film with original German intertitles (with subtitles) or with English ones.
O Lucky Man! Warners
directed by Lindsay Anderson
starring Malcolm McDowell, Ralph Richardson, Rachel Roberts, Arthur Lowe
Lindsay Anderson’s ambitious follow-up to his 1968 youth rebellion drama, “If...” again follows Nick Travis–once more persuasively enacted by Malcolm McDowell –starting to make his way in the business world. As an allegory of Britain, this 1973 drama is less than subtle, but as a vehicle for the brilliant, unpredictable acting of McDowell (Anderson’s muse of sorts), it’s memorably exciting. The musical interludes of Alan Price would have had more staying power if more than a few of the songs had musical or satirical bite.
Extras: “O Lucky Malcolm!” career retrospective documentary; commentary by McDowell, Price and screenwriter David Sherwin.
The Princess Bride – 20th Anniversary Edition MGM
directed by Rob Reiner
starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Penn, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest
For my money, this is Rob Reiner’s best film, which really isn’t saying much: a fractured fairy tale from the cynical (and slightly leaky) pen of William Goldman, “The Princess Bride” usually takes the easy way out with its musty sight gags, soap-opera romance and by-the-numbers action sequences. But it somehow works, notably for two underrated reasons: Robin Wright’s magical, lovely performance as the heroine; and Mark Knopfler’s charming, sugar-free musical score. Of course, we also have self-conscious turns by Billy Crystal, Peter Falk, Andre the Giant and Wallace Shawn; still, for once, Reiner doesn’t drag the material down to his mediocre level.
Extras: 3 new featurettes; DVD game; reversible storybook with two versions of the story.
Stalin By Those Who Knew Him Facets
directed by Semyon Aranovich
This boxed set brings together a trio of remarkable documentaries by Semyon Aranovich–1990’s “I Was Stalin’s Bodyguard” and 1989’s “I Worked for Stalin” peel away the secrecy behind the brutal dictator’s tactics with insightful and eye-opening interviews with men who were there; and 1990’s “The Anna Akhmatova File” is an overview of the politically oppressed life of Russia’s most important 20th century poet. The Iron Curtain is revealed for the oppressive, murderous ideology it was by these films, which created a firestorm of controversy in Russia when first shown–and their power has not worn off, either.
A Woman Without Love
Facets
directed by: Luis Bunuel
starring Roberto Canedo, Dolores Del Rio, Columba Dominguez, Pedro Armendáriz
Maybe Luis Bunuel’s least memorable film during his self-imposed exile in Mexico, this soap opera about an unhappy wife’s brief affair has none of the subversive wit distinguishing several of his other Mexican features. The themes of sexuality, class division and religion which Bunuel delighted in—and which reached their apogee after Bunuel left Mexico—are nowhere in sight in this creaky melodrama. Bunuel completists will want this, but others should check out Facets’ discs of two other Mexico-era films–“Susana” and “The Brute” to see how Bunuel could transcend inferior dramatic material. (Too bad the prints for all three discs are unrestored.)
{mos_ri}
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