Unstoppable (20th Century Fox Home Ent.): Tony Scottâs latest film is stimulating mainstream fare about two railway engineers (Denzel Washington and Chris Pine) who must stop a runaway train loaded with toxic chemicals. [Read our full review here] [Blu-ray / Normal]
Babies (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Charlie Chaplin: Limelight (Park Circus) [Blu-ray / with DVD – Double Play] Concert for George (Warner Music Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Fantasia (Walt Disney) [Blu-ray / Normal] Fantasia 2000 (Walt Disney) [Blu-ray / Normal] Life As We Know It (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Normal] Locked Down (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] Machete (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] Mad Men: Seasons 1-4 (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / Box Set] Secretariat (Walt Disney Studios Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / Normal] Tamara Drewe (Momentum Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Warrior’s Way (EV) [Blu-ray / Normal] Top Gear – The Great Adventures: Volume 4 (2 Entertain) [Blu-ray / Normal] Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (New Wave Films) [Blu-ray / Normal]
The fourth season of the acclaimed TV show continues its fascinating exploration of the life and times of a New York ad agency.
By now Mad Men is something of a phenomenon. Even though it doesn’t get huge ratings, it has captured the hearts and minds of critics, cultural tastemakers as well as receiving multiple awards, including thirteen Emmys and four Golden Globes.
The end of Season Three saw the partners at ad agency Sterling Cooper dissolve their copmany to start afresh and the cultural eruptions of the 1960s and the personal dramas of the characters continue.
Opening in November 1964, this series begins with recently divorced Don Draper (Jon Hamm) still struggling to balance his personal and professional life, as he juggles relationships and deals with revelations about his past rising to the surface.
Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss) continues her rise at the agency despite the sexism of the times; the senior partners have to deal with a tricky major client; the Vietnam War is beginning to rear its head and affect Joan (Christina Hendricks), whilst Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) deals with the personal ties that conflict with his work.
As with previous seasons the creative standards are very high, with the acting, writing and direction as good as anything you’ll see on television.
The production values and period setting are as impressive as ever, but Weiner and his creative team go beyond just recreating a past era and skilfully explore the social anxities of the time, which also neatly reflect the current turmoil in Western culture.
One of the chief pleasures of the show as it progresses is the way in which it conveys the compleys layers of the characters lives. Don still remains enigmatic despite numerous revelations about his life, Pete is a much more sympathetic character than he was in Season One and the painful realities of divorce are explored through Don daughter Sally (Kiernan Shipka).
As for new characters, perhaps the most notable is Dr. Faye Miller (Cara Buono), a market research consultant who represents the data driven approach to advertising that contrasts with Don’s old school approach.
There are some outstanding episodes this season: the opener “Public Relations” sets the tone for the season; “The Rejected” explores the very real drama of a market research group; “The Chrysanthemum and the Sword” depicts the lingering tensions of World War II and what can be learned from Eastern culture; and “The Suitcase” sees Don and Peggy stay up all night to work on a Samsonite ad, in what could be the best single episode in the history of the show.
If I had a quibble about Season Four it would be a major late development that had my head spinning after the final episode, although how Wiener and his writers develop it will be interesting, to say the least.
Visually, Mad Men is the most filmic of TV shows. Not only is it shot on 35mm, but the compositions and attention to detail are reminiscent of cinema, whilst the influence of Hitchcock can be felt throughout the series in the opening credits, the blonde females and camera movements.
It is worth remembering that when it began life what was primarily on a movie channel in the US (AMC) and Matthew Wiener didn’t want it to look out of place.
The visual craft and attention to detail make it perfect for the Blu-ray format and the show looks gorgeous in high definition – with a AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1 – and the costumes and production design come across in exquisite detail.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The box sets for the series have been notable for some fine supplementary features, which include documentaries and news footage exploring the historical backdrop to the show. Season Four is no exception.
Commentaries: Every episode has at least one commentary and although the most revealing tend to involve show creator Matthew Weiner, often alongside a key crew member, the actors can also be good value, providing another perpective on their characters. The list of commentaries includes:
“Public Relations”: 1) Weiner and Hamm; 2) David Carbonara and Jane Bryant
“Christmas Comes But Once a Year”: 1) Joel Murray and Alexa Alemann; 2) Weiner and Michael Uppendahl
“The Good News”: 1) Melinda Page Hamilton and Jared Harris; 2) Weiner and Jennifer Getzinger
“The Rejected”: 1) Vincent Kartheiser, John Slattery and Cara Buono; 2) Weiner and Chris Manley
“The Chrysanthemum and the Sword”: 1) Weiner and Erin Levy
“Waldorf Stories”: 1) Aaron Staton, Jay Ferguson and Danny Strong; 2) Weiner, Brett Johnson and Scott Hornbacher
“The Suitcase”: 1) Elisabeth Moss; 2) Weiner, Tim Wilson and Chris Manley
“The Summer Man”: 1) Christopher Stanley, Matt Long, and Rick Sommer; 2) Weiner and Leo Trombetta
“The Beautiful Girls”: 1) Christina Hendricks, Cara Buono and Kiernan Shipka; 2) Weiner and Dahvi Waller
“Hands and Knees”: 1) Vincent Kartheiser and Christina Hendricks; 2) Weiner and David Carbonara
Divorce: Circa 1960’s (HD; 1:19:36) A three-part documentary that explores the issue of divorce during the 1960s, a major theme in Season Four as Don and Betty’s separation begins to affect their children. Various experts give us insights into the subject, such as how people viewed it at the time and the difficulties it posed for people involved, whilst using illustrative clips from the show.
How to Succeed in Business Draper Style (HD; 56:29): A two-part featurette which interviews several businessmen and how Don Draper is a role model for today’s business executive. Most of this plays like a Tony Robbins-style seminar and I can only imagine it was included as an ironic comment on how some modern males perceive the central character as a hero (i.e. they love the smoking and drinking, whilst ignoring the emotional turmoil).
Marketing the Mustang: An American Icon (HD; 27:07): An excellent featurette on the iconic car that was introduced by Ford in 1964, which Don is seen driving in some of the episodes.
1964 Presidential Campaign (HD; 31:12): A fascinating compilation of campaign ads for the 1964 presidential election between Lyndon Johnson and Barry Goldwater, which resulted in a landslide for the Democrats. There is the infamous ‘Daisy‘ TV spot of a little girl picking daisies followed by a nuclear explosion, which played on the fear that Goldwater would use nuclear weapons in Vietnam. But there is also the inclusion of several others, which show how much (and how little) political campaigning has changed since.
Mad Men Season Four is out on DVD & Blu-ray from Lionsgate on Monday 28th March 2011
The discussion is nearly an hour long and touches on various aspects of the show, including: his work on The Sopranos and how it connected to Mad Men; how he cast Jon Hamm as Don Draper; the fact that a lot of the cast are from the Midwest; his background growing up in California; and the influence of Carnal Knowledge (1971).
Mad Men Season 3 (Lionsgate): One of the best Blu-ray releases of the year also happens to be the third season of the best show currently on television. Depicting the professional and personal lives of those who work at fictional New York ad agency Sterling Cooper, this series is set during 1963 and explores tensions with the new British owners, the ongoing personal conflicts (and infidelities) in the office and the gradual changes in US society.
The first two seasons touched on events such as the 1960 US election and the death of Marilyn Monroe, but this series manages to gradually combine the serious social changes of the era with the complex emotional situations facing the characters, culminating in brilliantly orchestrated season climax. *Read our full review here* [Blu-ray / DVD]
Avatar (20th Century Fox Home Ent.): James Cameron’s futuristic sci-fi epic about a paraplegic marine (Sam Worthington) who ventures to another planet and becomes one of the alien natives through a host body (or ‘avatar’) was a box office phenomenon that surpassed expectations to become the highest grossing film of all time. After a 12 year absence from feature films Cameron utilised ground breaking visual effects to craft a tale that was a dazzling 3D experience at cinemas and one that resonated with cultures around the globe.
Although some of the dialogue didn’t match the eye-popping visuals, there was something pleasing about the way in which vast technological resources of the Hollywood machine were used to create a film with a simple anti-war, pro-environmental message. Because the Blu-ray release is so hotly anticipated, it is worth stating that there are no extras at all on this version. Cameron said he didn’t have the time to do them right and there will be a fuller package later this year with extended extras. Also, for this release Cameron has opted to use go for the 1.78:1 version (that was screened in IMAX cinemas) and not the 2.35:1 version that most people saw in 3D at the cinema. Despite that, the Blu-ray transfer is stunning and the visuals (including the live action sequences) are rendered with stunning detail and depth. [Blu-ray / DVD]
The Kreutzer Sonata (Axiom Films): Based on a story written by Leo Tolstoy in response to Beethoven’s eponymous composition, director Bernard Rose dissects a modern marriage between a wealthy philanthropist (Danny Huston) who becomes possessive of his pianist wife (Elisabeth Rohm). Following up his superb drama Ivansxtc, Rose continues his reworking of the great Russian novelist’s work, and this is the second part of a planned trilogy.
Danny Huston, who was outstanding in Ivansxtc, returns with another excellent performance, and the film is an interesting exploration of fairly juicy themes including love, sex and obsession. Whilst not quite as good as its predecessor, it represents another interesting chapter in Rose’s career outside the Hollywood mainstream. [DVD]
ALSO OUT
Prince Valiant (Eureka) [Blu-ray / DVD] Saving Private Ryan (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray] Smokin’ Aces (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray] Sword of the Stranger (Beez Entertainment) [Blu-ray] The Girlfriend Experience (Revolver Entertainment) [Blu-ray / DVD] Mad Men: Seasons 1-3 (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / DVD] Carriers (Paramount Home Entertainment) [DVD] Dillinger (Icon Home Entertainment) [DVD]
The latest season of Mad Men is another reminder of why it is one of the outstanding TV shows of the past decade.
Depicting the fictional New York advertising agency Sterling Cooper during the early 1960s, it explores lives of those that work there and the quality of the writing puts it on par with landmark shows such as The Wire and The Sopranos.
Created by Matthew Weiner, it centres around creative director Don Draper (Jon Hamm), his wife Betty (January Jones) and and various characters at the agency such as Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss), Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), Roger Sterling (John Slattery), Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks) and Bert Cooper (Robert Morse).
It has deservedly won huge critical acclaim along with consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Drama since it first premiered on US cable channel AMC in 2007.
Season One introduced us to the world of Madison Avenue in 1960, a place filled with surface glamour and backward social attitudes where many of the characters struggle to deal with their professional and personal lives.
Season Two explored the enigma of protagonist Don Draper, his mysterious past and professional ambitions, as well as examining the changes during 1962 for various female characters in the office.
Season Three is set during 1963 and explores tensions at the agency with the new British owners, the ongoing personal conflicts (and infidelities) in the office and the gradual changes in US society as it entered a tumultuous decade.
One thing that distinguishes Mad Men from the mediocrity of contemporary televison is just the intelligence of the writing but the fact that it somehow manages to highlight contemporary uncertainties through the prism of history.
Much of the early appeal of the show was the excellent period detail, but the show’s astute probing into emotional issues (divorce, social attitudes) against the backdrop of famous events has proved to be a killer combination.
The first two seasons touched on events such as the 1960 US election and the death of Marilyn Monroe, but this series manages to gradually combine the serious social changes of the era with the complex emotional situations facing the characters, culminating in brilliantly orchestrated season climax.
Although the period details are excellent, the show mines a lot of dramatic irony out the way in which characters often seem initially oblivious to seismic events: characters flirt whilst the March on Washington can be heard on the radio; a man turns off the TV just before Walter Cronkite is about to make an important announcement.
This series picks up soon after the events of Season Two and Don is still having fidelity issues (taking a special interest in a local teacher) whilst Betty has her own dalliances, despite recently giving birth to a son.
Meanwhile, at the ad agency, tensions continue with the new British bosses and many of the staff have to face big changes in their working and personal lives.
Perhaps the biggest development this season is the way in which the changes in American society closely mirror those of the main characters. In the hands of less skilled writers this could have been clunky but Weiner and his team pull it off with taste, skill and intelligence.
With its detailed period look, costumes and production design it is perfectly suited to the high definition Blu-ray format. On a purely technical level, it is one of the best looking shows I have ever seen on an HD television.
The 13 episode box set has is supplemented by various featurettes and audio commentaries on key episodes, with insights from the show’s creator Matthew Wiener, cast members and directors.
Over the three discs the extras include the following:
Audio Commentaries: On the Blu-ray there are several commentaries from cast and crew (a lot more than is usual for a TV series) with two for each episode. Matthew Weiner is a ubiquitous presence on the tracks with some insight and context for the creative choices in each episode, but the commentaries from actors are also insightful and witty. The sheer amount of commentaries might seem a bit much, but for a show as layered as this, they are a welcome addition for aficionados.
Mad Men Illustrated (HD, 14:01): One thing you may have noticed about the popularity of Mad Men is the various avatars fans use online (especially Twitter) based on characters from the show. (The official website has a section where you called MadMenYourself). These drawings are the work of illustrator Dyna Moe who knew an actor on the show and was initially recruited to do Christmas cards for the cast and crew. When she put them up online they were an instant hit and her subsequent illustrations of characters and scenes from the show have become something of a phenomenon. This short featurette is an extended interview with her alongside her work.
Clearing the Air (HD, Part 1 25:28 & Part 2 19:58): This lengthy two-part documentary is a fascinating exploration about the history of how tobacco companies advertised cigarettes to the American people. (Fans of the show will remember the pilot episode featured a plot line about a tobacco company and this season also features a key plot strand involving Lucky Strike) It features several academics, historians and experts who discuss the often ingenious ways in which tobacco companies sold the myth of tobacco, from recruiting Hollywood stars, to downplaying research and how various different companies targeted different demographics. For instance, we find out that Marlboro initially targeted women despite later becoming famous for the image of the ‘Malboro Man’ and an eye-popping revelation about Philip Morris brands.
Flashback 1963 (HD): This is an interactive photo feature that charts the big historical and cultural moments of the year.
Medger Evers: Unsung Hero (HD, Part 1 39:13 & Part 2 31:15): Another two part documentary, which explores the life of civil rights campaigner Medgar Evers, the NAACP field secretary who was assassinated in his driveway in 1963. Told through lengthy interviews with Medgar’s brother, Charles; his widow, Myrlie; and daughter, Reena. A moving portrait of a one of the key figures in the battle to end segregation.
We Shall Overcome: The March on Washington (HD, 16:56): A simple but powerful feature in which the full audio of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” in August 1963 is accompanied by images from the March on Washington.
Mad Men Season 3 is released on Blu-ray and DVD on Monday 26th April
It isn’t that often that you can see full length TV shows for free on the web (outside of Hulu and iPlayer) but AMC have put up the full pilot for Mad Men on their website.
Religulous (Momentum): A smart and frequently hilarious documentary directed by Larry Charles in which US comedian Bill Maher explores the subject of religion.
Mad Men Season 2 (Lionsgate): The second season of the best show currently on television continues to explore the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency on New York City’s Madison Avenue during the early 1960s.
The story lines still centre around creative director Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and the people in his work and personal life.
With the action now moving to 1962, notable plot lines in the second season include more revelations about Don’s personal life and big changes at Sterling Cooper.
After the first season proved a huge critical hit, it won numerous awards including three Golden Globes, a BAFTA and six Emmys and became only the second cable series ever to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series.
US cable network AMC deserve a credit deal of credit for green lighting the show and when an HBO exec like Richard Plepler says: “Mad Men is a magnificent show, and the only problem with it is itâs not on HBO”, you know that the quality must be high.
The level of writing, direction, acting and production design is as good as anything you can currently see on TV or at the cinema.
The true genius of the show, created by Matthew Wiener, is that it manages to put a modern slant on the past by going beyond the period detail into something genuinely absorbing and profound.
The regular DVD has episodes are spread across three-discs presented in anamorphic widescreen with English DD5.1 Surround audio.
Extras include:
Those Who Think Young: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner
The Gold Violin: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Elisabeth Moss
Six Month Leave: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, John Slattery and Joel Murray
The Inheritance: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, January Jones and Vincent Kartheiser
âBirth of an Independent Woman, Part 1 and Part 2â â from housewives to working women, this featurette examines the rise of female independence in the Mad Men era
âAn Era of Styleâ – featurette explores the fashion of the 1960âs and its lasting influence on designers today
On the Blu-ray Disc there are a few more extras, with a lot more audio commentaries:
For Those Who Think Young: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner
For Those Who Think Young: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm and January Jones
Flight 1: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Jon Hamm
Flight 1: Audio Commentary by Lisa Albert and Vincent Kartheiser
The Benefactor: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Elisabeth Moss
The Benefactor: Audio Commentary by Lesli Linka Glatter, Melinda McGraw and Rich Sommer
Three Sundays: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Marie and Andre Jacques
Three Sundays: Audio Commentary by Elisabeth Moss and Colin Hanks
The New Girl: Audio Commentary by Jennifer Getzinger and Robin Veith
The New Girl: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss and Melinda McGraw
Maidenform: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Robin Veith
Maidenform: Audio Commentary by Phil Abraham and Mark Moses
The Gold Violin: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Elisabeth Moss
The Gold Violin: Audio Commentary by Bob Levinson, Josh Weltman and Bryan Batt
A Night To Remember: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Robin Veith
A Night To Remember: Audio Commentary by Lesli Linka Glatter and January Jones
Six Month Leave: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Mike Uppendahl
Six Month Leave: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, John Slattery and Joel Murray
The Inheritance: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Lisa Albert
The Inheritance: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, January Jones and Vincent Kartheiser
The Jet Set: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner, Phil Abraham and David Carbonara
The Jet Set: Audio Commentary by Scott Hornbacher, Dan Bishop and Amy Wells
The Mountain King: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Blake McCormick
The Mountain King: Audio Commentary by Robin Veith, Christina Hendricks and Robert Morse
Meditations in an Emergency: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and January Jones
Meditations in an Emergency: Audio Commentary by Kater Gordon, Elisabeth Moss and Vincent Kartheiser
âBirth of an Independent Woman, Part 1 and Part 2â â from housewives to working women, this featurette examines the rise of female independence in the Mad Men era
âAn Era of Styleâ – featurette explores the fashion of the 1960âs and its lasting influence on designers today
âTime Capsuleâ – interactive featurettes paying homage to historical events of the 1960’s and the daring generation that lived through them
There are also supporting performances from Paul Bettany (as Prime Minister Lord Melbourne) and Miranda Richardson as Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent.
All of them have combined to make a much more substantial film than may have been expected which explores part of Victoria’s reign not really seen on screen before, namely the problems of her accession to the throne and her early relationship with Albert.
Extras include:
Deleted Scenes
Making of The Young Victoria
The Coronation & The Wedding: Behind the scenes look at the production
Lavish History: Look at the costumes and locations
Mad Men is my favourite TV show of the last year, but it is also nice to see that actor Jon Hamm is not above spoofing the super-smooth ad man he plays on the show, in this recent SNL sketch.