| More Classics on DVD: From Shakespeare to Showgirls |
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| Written by Kevin Filipski | |
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Page 1 of 2 Usually, I preface my DVD roundups by noting that the discs are listed in alphabetical order. But occasionally, something warrants placement above the fold, so to speak, and for this column about new and recent releases of older—sometimes even truly classic—films on disc, it’s Warner Home Video’s massive Shakespeare Collection, which includes four films based on the Bard’s immortal plays–1935's "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," 1936's "Romeo & Juliet," 1965's "Othello," and 1996's "Hamlet"–along with the usual superlative transfers and many extras.  A Midsummer Night’s DreamWarnersdirected by Max Reinhardt starring Mickey Rooney, Jimmy Cagney, Joe E. Brown “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is the famous Max Reinhardt production (co-directed by William Dieterle), with a young Mickey Rooney as Puck, Jimmy Cagney as Bottom, and Joe E. Brown as Flute, one of Bottom’s “mechanical” cohorts. Reinhardt smartly uses Mendelssohn’s famous music arranged by another master composer, Erich Korngold. The result is fabulous enchantment—even if it’s not entirely faithful to Shakespeare—that has been given a sparkling DVD transfer, which makes this 70-year-old movie look new. Extras: historian Scott MacQueen commentary; vintage behind-the-scenes featurette; Olivia de Haviland screen test; musical short “Shake Mr. Shakespeare.”
 Romeo & JulietWarners
 OthelloWarners
 HamletWarnersdirected by Kenneth Branagh starring Robin Williams, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal, Charlton Heston Kenneth Branagh’s decision to film the entire text of “Hamlet” can be seen as an act of hubris, since this four-hour marathon centers around Branagh’s own portrayal of the most famous theatrical character in history. Although Branagh clearly loves Shakespeare, there’s the rub–he updates the action to 19th century Europe with sets and costumes that are more fit for this 70mm big-screen epic, and he stuffs his film with more “names” than are, seemingly, speaking roles. Among Robin Williams, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal, Charlton Heston, et al, blink and you’ll miss Gielgud and Depardieu! Branagh himself speaks the poetry compellingly, but is also self-indulgent, even hammy, in quieter moments. The extraordinary widescreen photography is caught brilliantly in this transfer from the original 70mm print. Extras: Branagh’s introduction and his commentary with scholar Russell Jackson; retrospective interviews; original making-of featurette. - - -The rest of this month’s reviews, alphabetically:
 The CastleWarnersdirected by Michael Haneke starring The Castle (Kino) - Ever the defiant director, Michael Haneke brought Kafka’s unfinished novel to the screen with his usual relentless singlemindedness. Nominally straightforward and faithful, Haneke’s “The Castle” is of a piece with his other films in its clinical depiction of widespread alienation in society. Kafka, of course, was a master of this in his writing, and Haneke’s decision to emulate the logical working out of the story and characters in Kafka’s novel with many closeups, minimal fancy editing or camera set ups, and frequent use of a cut to black then directly to the next scene serve to unnerve and disorient like Kafka’s story does. Haneke even ends his film in mid-dialogue, at the exact point Kafka’s novel ends. Ulrich Muhe–that remarkable actor from “The Lives of Others”–plays K., our anti-hero, with utter naturalness. Extras: none.
 DeliveranceWarnersdirected by John Boorman starring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ronny Cox Deliverance (Warners) - John Boorman’s adaptation of James Dickey’s disturbing novel about the downward spiral of a group of “civilized” men on a rafting trip receives a 35th anniversary edition: although it can’t hope to approach Dickey’s sublimely poetic writing–his elegant descriptions and remarkably-constructed sentences can’t be replicated onscreen–the movie is a heartstopping thriller wherein men are subjected to terrors far removed from the usual madmen and evil spirits. Shot with a tough poetry of its own by Vilmos Zsigmond and acted with utmost bravery by Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ronny Cox and–in the movie’s most famous scene–Ned Beatty, Boorman at least brought the novel to the screen, which was achievement enough. Extras: Boorman commentary; featurettes on the film from novel to script to screen; original making-of featurette.
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