The DVD highlight of the week is this special edition re-release of The Elephant Man – the superb 1980 period drama about the life of Joseph Merrick.
Based on the real story of a man so disfigured he was dubbed ‘the Elephant Man’, it explores how he was taken in by a doctor and his struggle to be recognised as a dignified human being in Victorian London.
However, in the lead role John Hurt is mesmerising, despite being buried under a lot of (quite brilliant) make-up which took hours each day to apply.
Although he would go on to have considerable success as an actor – often in supporting roles – this perhaps remains his greatest screen performance.
It is also a moving study of an individual struggling to come to terms with deformity and being a social outcast.
Another interesting aspect of the film is that it was produced by Mel Brooks, who became instrumental in getting the film made after his wife Anne Bancroft gave him the script to read.
When viewed in the context of Lynch’s career it has may seem different to his darker films such as Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart or Mulholland Drive but it demonstrates his early skills as a filmmaker and his taste for the fringes of society.
The extras include the following:
Joseph Merrick – The Real Elephant Man: An highly informative 20 minute featurette on the real life of Merrick introduced by Jonathan Evans, an archivist of Royal London Hospital Museum. He describes the historical context but also explores the differences between the film and Merrick’s actual life. One of the most interesting snippets is that Merrick sought out his career in a freak show as a way to make money and that he was not such a victim as the film presents. It also speculates what disease Merrick was actually suffering from, a question that continues to baffle medical historians.
Interview with John Hurt: In a 20 minute interview, the actor describes various aspects of his experience playing the role: how he based his physical movements on a corkscrew; the unlikely success of the film in Japan; working with fellow actors Anthony Hopkins, John Gielgud, Michael Elphick and Hannah Gordon; the difficulty of the shoot, how he completed all of his work in between making Heaven’s Gate in two parts (he notes that the whole of The Elephant Man cost less than the prologue of Heaven’s Gate!); the studio exec who didn’t know how to sell the film and how he kept some of the props from the film.
Interview with David Lynch: Another revealing 20 minute interview, this time with director David Lynch. He reveals several things about working on the film such as: his struggles after Eraserhead when he couldn’t find financing for his own script called ‘Ronnie Rocket’; how the pitch for The Elephant Man immediately appealed to him; the initial resistance to the project from studios; how Anne Bancroft loved the script and gave it to her husband (and producer) Mel Brooks; how Brooks loved Eraserhead and supported Lynch throughout the production; the origins of the script; the ‘beyond-the-beyond great’ cast who Brooks helped recruit; the importance of veteran cinematographer Freddie Francis in shooting the film in black and white; the makeup for Merrick, which Lynch actually worked on in a garage Wembley for a time before makeup artist Chris Tucker took over; how Hurt underwent 6-8 hours of makeup every day to become Merrick; the importance of visiting an old Victorian hospital and how only wants to work on digital film.
It also contains the original theatrical trailer:
Overall the extras are very good without being spectacular but this remains an excellent film, well worth checking out if you don’t already own it.
In it he plays David Kepesh, a cultural critic who forms a relationship with a younger woman (Penélope Cruz) and is gradually forced to confront his attitudes to relationships and intimacy.
I spoke to him recently about his work on the film which you can listen to here:
Here are the UK DVD releases for this week, along with our picks.
DVD PICKS
The Elephant Man – Special Edition(Optimum): The DVD highlight of the week is this special edition re-release of David Lynch’s superb 1980 period drama about the life of Joseph Merrick (he is named John on the film). Based on the real story of a man so disfigured he was dubbed ‘the Elephant Man’, it explores how he was taken in by a doctor and his struggle to be recognised as a dignified human being in Victorian London. [Read our full review here]
Escape From New York (Optimum): John Carpenter’s smart, dystopian thriller from 1981 gets re-released on regular DVD and Blu-ray. It imagines a futuristic New York where crime has spiralled out of control to the point where Manhattan has been turned into a maximum security prison. When Air Force One crashes over the island, the prison governor (Lee Van Cleef) recruits a notorious criminal named “Snake” Plissken (Kurt Russell) to go in and rescue the leader of the free world. The major snag is that he has less than 24 hours to complete his mission and must survive in a completely lawless and hostile environment. [Read our full review here]
Total Recall (Optimum): Optimum have released a selection of Arnold Schwarzenegger action movies from the 80s and 90s on regular DVD and Blu-ray. The best of these is this 1990 sci-fi adaptation of Philip K Dick‘s story ‘We Can Remember It For You Wholesale‘ directed by Paul Verhoeven, which stars the Teutonic Austrian as a blue collar worker who dreams of Mars. When he visits a company offering him a virtual holiday by implanting memories, it inadvertently unlocks his ‘real’ past as a secret agent and all hell breaks loose as he escapes to the red planet for real. [Read our full review here]
ALSO OUT
Aces: Iron Eagle III (Optimum): The third part of the series of films about a young fighter pilot that came out in the same year as the more successful of Top Gun.
Cliffhanger (Optimum): A Blu-Ray release for this surprisingly satisfying 1993 action film with Slyvester Stallone battling it out with a bunch of crooks on a mountain.
First Blood (Optimum): A Blu-Ray release for the first of the Rambo series – probably the best of the lot as it has a darker and more serious vibe, exploring a drifting Vietnam veteran (Sylvester Stallone) who is hunted by the police in Washington State.
Rambo: First Blood Part II (Optimum): A Blu-ray release for the 2nd of the Rambo films, which despite it’s confusing title was the most successful. A balls-to-the-wall 80s action film with Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) going back to Asia to get POWs missing in action from Vietnam. Efficiently done, even if the climactic speech is unintentionally hilarious.
Rambo III (Optimum): The 3rd Rambo film also gets the Blu-ray treatment and this is perhaps the most fascinating as the plot – set in 1988 – involves Rambo allying with freedom fighters in Afghanistan against the Russian invaders. These allies would of course go on to destroy the World Trade Centre spark global warfare, but as Stallone told me earlier this year ‘who knew?’.
Flash Gordon (Optimum): Mike Hodges’ 1980 film version of the famous comic book character gets a DVD release and although its just too campy and dated it does have its moments notably Brian Blessed‘s immortal cry of ‘Gordon’s Alive!’.
Hell’s Ground (TLA Releasing): A release for this ‘Danger After Dark’ title which is notable for being Pakistan’s “first-ever splatter flick” about zombies attacking teenagers in a remote location.
How She Move (Paramount): The current craze for dance themed movies continues with the release of this film about a young woman’s battle to escape her crime-filled neighbourhood through step-dancing.
Iron Eagle II (Optimum): The 1989 sequel to Iron Eagle, which saw a Perestroika-style team-up between US and Soviet forces in order to combat an unnamed Middle Eastern country.
Lupin the Third: Secret of Mamo (Manga): A release for this Manga film – the first of five animated features based on the popular Lupin the Third manga character created by ‘Monkey Punch’ (aka manga writer and illustrator Kazuhiko Kato).
Raw Deal (Optimum): A pedestrian Schwarzenegger vehicle from 1986 in which he plays a cop taking on the mob. The highlights were probably the tag line “NOBODY gives him a raw deal….” and the scene where he shoots someone and then pours sweets over them – indications that this probably wasn’t Arnold’s finest hour.
Red Heat(Optimum): One indication that the Cold War was coming to an end was that Russians started becoming allies in movies rather than villains. This 1988 action film saw Arnold Schwarzenegger play a Russian cop who comes to Chicago to hunt down a vicious fellow countryman (Ed O’Ross). James Belushi starred as the mismatched cop he must team up with, whilst Walter Hill directed.
Red Sonja (Optimum): A re-release for for this sword and sorcery action film in which Arnold Schwarzenegger took on more of a supporting role (despite the then recent success of the Conan films) and Bridgitte Nielsen took centre stage as a mystical warrior. Rose McGowan will soon star in a remake.
Space Adventure Cobra (Manga): Based on the comic books by Buichi Terasawa, this feature has been described as ‘an animated space opera packed with unfeasibly pneumatic heroines, psychedelic drug-inspired imagery, cracking cosmic combat sequences, a Darth Vader-like villain and a retro-styled, wise-cracking hero for whom saving the universe is about as taxing as a walk in the park’. Well that’s alright then.
Stargate- Special Edition(Optimum): The 1994 action film from director Roland Emmerich gets a regular DVD and Blu-ray re-release. Despite spawning a seemingly never-ending TV spin off, the action and effects hold up reasonably well in this tale of marines and a scientist finding a portal to another world.
The Fog (1979): A Blu-ray release for the John Carpenter original rather than the ropey 2005 remake. Be warned though that there are no extras on this disc, so only get it if you are dying to see it in HD.
Trouble in Mind (Nouveaux): A re-release for this 1985 neo-crime drama directed by Alan Rudolph and starring Kris Kristofferson, Keith Carradine, Lori Singer, Genevieve Bujold, Joe Morton and Divine.
The X-Files: I Want to Believe (15): Although the last X-Files movie was 10 years ago and the TV show ended in 2002, agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) are back, although no longer at the FBI. However, when a missing person’s case baffles the bureau they – along with a mysterious priest (Billy Connolly) – are recruited to solve the mystery. It is hard to discuss a lot of specifics about the plot (which has been kept tightly under wraps) but this is a grittier than some might expect, eschewing the alien conspiracy plot that dominated the TV show. Although there may be fans curious to see it, a disappointing US opening combined with Batman dominating the box office doesn’t bode well for Fox. (At multiplexes everywhere)
The Love Guru (12A): Mike Myers has had a tough time since the last Austin Powers movie with misfires like The Cat in the Hat and the last Shrek movie (easily the worst of the three). His latest comedy is about a US/Indian guru helping out a Canadian hockey team on a losing streak. Sadly it doesn’t work and although there are a couple of laughs here and there, the central character and over reliance on stupid humour only confirms the US critical reaction, which was mostly hostile. Paramount will be hoping it will offer an alternative to the darkness of Batman (and the X-Files) but I don’t see this dumb comedy attracting many converts. (At multiplexes everywhere)
Space Chimps (U): A lighthearted animated film who’s title gives you some idea of what to expect – when a NASA probe goes missing in space, a bunch of chimps are recruited to retrieve it. Given the poor critical and commercial response in the US, Entertainment will be hoping that family audiences who are put off by the violence in The Dark Knight – and have already seen WALL-E – might go and see this. (At multiplexes nationwide)
IN SELCECTED CINEMAS
Man on Wire (15): The film of the week is this thrilling and fascinating documentary about Philippe Petit, the man who did a spectacular wire walk between the twin towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. Directed by James Marsh (who made Wisconsin Death Trip) it explores Petit’s extensive preparations and the actual incredible act itself. With good word of mouth, critical acclaim and a decent smattering of publicity, Icon have every right to think that this could do very well in selected release. (Key cities and Curzon Soho in London)
Cass (18): Another British film about football violence deals with Cass Pennant, who became a football hooligan who led West Ham’s Inter City Firm in the 80s. It stars newcomer Nonso Anozie in the lead role and director Jon S Baird has been touted as a filmmaker to watch. As with a film like The Football Factory, it may find a better audience on DVD but Optimum will be hoping it gets a good lift off in limited release. (London & Key Cities)
El Bano Del Papa (The Pope’s Toilet) (15): A story about a poor Uruguayan family in 1988, who try to capitalise on the visit of the Pope to their their village by building a toilet. Some positive reviews and the fact that it was directed by Fernando Meirelles’s regular cinematographer César Charlone alongside debutant Enrique Fernández, this could do well in limited art-house release.
Married Life (PG): Verve Pictures release this adaptation of John Bingham’s novel which despite it’s impressive cast (Chris Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Patricia Clarkson and Rachel McAdams) is only getting a smallish release. (Cineworld Shaftesbury Avenue in London & Key Cities from 8th August)
A Letter to True (PG): Metrodome re-release this 2004 documentary by photographer Bruce Weber about his and other people’s dogs. (Curzon Soho in London)
If you have any questions about this week’s cinema releases or any upcoming titles then just email me or leave a comment below.
This is a clip from a 2001 film called The Ghost (also known as ‘Code of the Dragon’ in some countries) which was a forgettable action film about a Chinese soldier going undercover in America as an Asian Internet bride.
However, it involves this soon-to-be-a-viral-classic clip of a guy with no legs beating up some thugs (the bad German dubbing makes it even more surreal).
Whether that’s true or not, for years PRs – that mysterious and dark breed of fixers, stuntsters and arch media manipulators – have, for more than a century now, been as fundamental to the Tinseltown fantasy as the Hollywood sign itself.
No doubt film PRs have been important in maintaining the mystique and aura of the film business, but isn’t describing them as a ‘mysterious and dark breed’ making them sound a little like followers of Lord Voldemort?
It goes on:
They are, according to Borkowski, in his new book The Fame Formula, the hidden gatekeepers of the Hollywood dream machine “who guard its formula, often to the death”.
Can you name me one publicist in history who has literally guarded the the formula to the death? Or is this just hyperbole?
But here is the interesting bit:
As recounted in his detailed analysis of publicity through the ages, they are an invisible army of Machiavellian schemers who were ferociously protective of their clients.
Publicists also covered up the fact that the sexually rapacious Gable had apparently attended orgies with underage girls, organised by the English actor Lionel Atwill.
They hid Spencer Tracy‘s alcoholism and his alleged affair with Judy Garland when she was only 14.
The Crawford abortion story isn’t such a biggie, although no doubt it would have caused a huge outcry at the time, but Gable attending orgies? It certainly makes you look at Gone With The Wind in a different light.
As for Tracy, although his alcoholism was fairly common knowledge, an affair with a 14 year old Garland is another matter entirely. Is this really true?
I know the fact that he’s been dead since 1967 means that the Times legal department won’t be pulling an all-nighter, but some more details on this allegation would be appreciated.
There is also an interesting stat from Charlotte Tudor – a VP of publicity at Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures UK who says that an internal study found that:
“the estimated value of the Pirates of the Caribbean premiere, in print coverage alone, was £1.4 million – ie, if you bought the equivalent space in pure advertising it would cost that much money”.
As for the Bale incident, why didn’t the police question him after the premiere? Maybe it wasn’t because a sinister cabal of film publicists brainwashed them, but because they may have had reason to believe that ruining the premiere was – to paraphrase The Joker – ‘part of a plan’.
It follows two teenagers adrift in an adult world, who develop trust and acceptance through their unlikely friendship.
Tomo runs away to London from a lonely, difficult life in the Midlands. Through a chance encounter he meets Marek, a Polish immigrant living with his father in Somers Town, central London.
Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the highly anticipated 22nd James Bond adventure “Quantum of Solace,” announced today that multi-Grammy Award-winning and platinum selling recording artists Jack White of the rock band The White Stripes, and Alicia Keys, have recorded the theme song for the film, which will be released worldwide this November.
Their song, written and produced by Jack White, and titled “Another Way to Die,” will be the first duet in Bond soundtrack history.
In addition to writing the song, Jack White is also featured as the drummer on this track.
The soundtrack to “Quantum of Solace” will be released by J Records on October 28, 2008.
Daniel Craig reprises his role as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in “Quantum of Solace,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures release of EON Productions’ 22nd adventure in the longest-running film franchise in motion picture history.
The film is directed by Marc Forster. The screenplay is by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade as well as Paul Haggis and the film’s score will be composed by David Arnold.
Wilson and Broccoli said: “We are delighted and pleased to have two such exciting artists as Jack and Alicia, who were inspired by our film to join together their extraordinary talents in creating a unique sound for Quantum of Solace.”
Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis had previously been rumored as the vocalists for the latest Bond theme.
Quantum of Solace is out in the UK on October 31st and in the US on November 7th.
On August 7th 1974 Philippe Petit gave an incredible high-wire performance by walking between between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center eight times in one hour.
It is the subject of a new documentary called Man on Wire from director James Marsh (who made Wisconsin Death Trip) and I recently spoke to Philippe about his historic wire walk and the film.
Our picks for DVDs released on Monday 28th July are:
Funny Games US (Halcyon): A dark and often brutal shot-for-shot remake of the 1997 original made again by Austrian director Michael Haneke. Tim Roth and Naomi Watts plays a well-to-do couple terrorised at their holiday home by two mysterious young men (Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet). Although parts of it are difficult to endure, it is fascinating to compare it to the original.
Paris, Texas (Axiom): One of the iconic art house movies of the 80s gets a re-release and it stars Harry Dean Stanton as a drifter taken in by his brother (Dean Stockwell), trying to put his life back together with his wife Jane (Nastassja Kinski), and son Hunter (Hunter Carson). A fascinating slice of Americana seen through the eyes of German director Wim Wenders, it is notable for the fine performances, beautiful images of the Texan landscape and a truly memorable slide guitar score by Ry Cooder.
Wings of Desire (Axiom): Another iconic 80s art house movie by Wim Wenders also gets re-released, the story of a guardian angel (Bruno Ganz) who wants to be human. Made in 1987, before the collapse of the Berlin wall, it is a beautiful meditation on mortality, existence and the German capital. The extras include a feature-length commentary by Wim Wenders and Peter Falk, along with some deleted scenes and a featurette.
The Terence Davies Trilogy(BFI): A re-release of the early films of Terence Davies, presented as a trilogy. Children (1976) shows the central character Robert Tucker as a child bullied by his contemporaries, his Catholic schoolteachers, and his father. Madonna and Child (1980) explores Tucker’s middle-age as a Liverpool office worker struggling with his sexuality and his Catholic faith. Death and Transfiguration (1983) shows Tucker as an old man in hospital, haunted by his troubled life. All have been re-released in one box set by the BFI.
Also out are the following titles:
27 Dresses (Fox): A romantic comedy with Katherine Heigl going to a lot of weddings.
American Crude (Sony): A comedy with Rob Schneider, Ron Livingston and Jennifer Esposito about a group of strangers whose lives collide during one ‘crazy’ night.
Big Stan (Momentum): Rob Schneider stars in this comedy set inside a prison.
Black Five: The Last Days of Steam (BFI): Three films by Paul Barnes that explore the last days of steam trains with footage from the BFI National Archive.
Bloodbath at the House of Death (Nucleus Films): 1984 cult horror spoof gets released on DVD for the first time with a long list of UK actors and comedians including Kenny Everett, Pamela Stephenson, Gareth Hunt, Don Warrington, John Fortune and Vincent Price.
Death Note (4Digital Media): A live-action version of the hit manga film, directed by Shusuke Kaneko.
Death Note Volume 2 (Viz Media/Manga Entertainment): The second volume of the animated manga adaptation about the story of Light Yagami – a school kid who gets the power of life and death in his hands in the form of ‘the Death Note’.
Eden Log (Momentum): The debut film by director Franck Vestiel is a sci-fi thriller starring Clovis Cornillac in a tale of a man who wakes up in a dark and mysterious undergound world.
Four Minutes (Peccadillo Pictures): A German drama from directed by Chris Kraus about the relationship between a female prisoner and an older piano teacher.
Heroes – Season 2 (Universal Playback): The second season of the hit US show about a collection of different people with super powers.
Kings of the Road (Axiom): Another Wim Wenders re-release, this is the final film in his road movie trilogy (the first two being Alice in the Cities and Wrong Move).
Let’s Get Lost (Metrodome): A documentary by director Bruce Weber about life and music of legendary jazz trumpeter Chet Baker.
Reservation Road (Universal): A drama directed by Terry George (Hotel Rwanda) about two fathers as their respective families as they converge after the events of one fateful night. Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly and Mira Sorvinostar.
The Gerard Depardieu Collection (Optimum): A box set celebrating the famous French leading man, which includes Buffet Froid, Mon Pere Ce Hero, Le Colonel Chabert and Tous Les Matins du Monde.
The Kovak Box (DNC Entertainment): A thriller with Timothy Hutton as a bestselling author caught up in a series of deaths in Majorca.
The Long Day Closes (BFI): Another Terence Davies film gets a re-release with this 1992 film focusing on his own memories of growing up in a working-class Catholic family in Liverpool.
Under the Bombs (Artificial Eye): Drama exploring the 2006 Lebanese-Israeli conflict about mother’s frantic search for her lost child amongst Lebanon’s bombed out ruins.
Uniform (Axiom): Chinese thriller directed by Yinan Diao about the corrupting influence of poverty in contemporary China.
If you have any questions about this week’s DVD releases or any upcoming titles then just email me.
(To buy any of the DVDs above just click on the title and you will be redirected to our Amazon affiliate)
Every Friday from now on I’m going to post a breakdown of what’s being released in UK cinemas be it a big, small or medium sized release.
I’ve broken it down into national releases (e.g. films that play on multiplexes in most towns and cities) and limited releases (which basically means the big UK cities and other places with an arthouse cinema).
Hopefully you’ll find it a helpful guide to what’s on and – as ever – if you have any information or feedback just get in touch.
Plus, you can also check out our recent DVD release breakdown if you fancy staying in.
The Dark Knight (12A): The new Batman film arrives in the UK on a wave of hype, critical acclaim, record breaking box office numbers and news that Batman himself (or rather Christian Bale) has been questioned by police(!). Warner Bros’ accountants must already be giddy, counting the $158m it took in the US last weekend – breaking the 3-day opening weekend record. It looks set to dominate UK cinemas this week and also opens in IMAX on the same day, with previews yesterday (Thursday).
Baby Mama (12A): The female orientated alternative to the Batman juggernaught is a comedy with Tina Fey as a career woman in Philadelphia who can’t have children and has to recruit a surrogate mother (Amy Poehler) who has a very different outlook on life. Universal will hope that this will act as counter-programming to The Dark Knight but with Mamma Mia already taking up that slack, things might prove tough for this comedy.
The following films are released in selected cinemas nationwide, which usually means a large city or a place with a decent arthouse cinema. Check local listings (like Google Movies) to see if any are near you.
Before The Rains(12A):A limited release in key cities for the second film from Indian director Santosh Sivan set during the twilight years of British colonial rule, about a tea plantation owner (Linus Roache) having an affiar with a young Indian servant (Nandita Das).
Buddha Collapsed Out Of Shame (PG) Slingshot Studios are releasing this Iranian film about the destruction by the Taliban of the gigantic statue of Buddha in 2001, as seen through the eyes of children. It is in a limited run at the ICA cinema in London before going out to selected cities from August (dates TBC).
Lou Reed’s Berlin (12A): Artificial Eye give a release in selected cinemas for this concert film by Julian Schnabel of Lou Reed performing his acclaimed album Berlin in St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn back in December 2006.
Money Hai To Honey Hai (Eros): A release in key cities for this Bollywood film about six different characters getting a text message informing them that they own a big company but must also repay it’s debts.
Quiet City & Dance Party: A double bill of low-budget short features from young American film-maker Aaron Katz that is showing at the ICA Cinema in London.
If you have any questions about this week’s cinema releases or any upcoming titles then just email me or leave a comment below.
It was a discussion of The Dark Knight but also got into other areas such as the new Watchmen trailer, the Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher films (my favourite anecdote was what Kevin was doing the day in 1989 when Batman came out) and the possible villains in the next Nolan film.
What’s nice is that the conversation is relaxed but intelligent (I liked the use of the term Nolan-verse) and full of passion about the Batman character and films.
One point that stuck out for me was when they mused on the fact that Warner Bros actually greenlit and stumped up the cash for a blockbuster as ambitious and dark as this – so props to the suits at Burbank for allowing Nolan to bring his vision to the screen.
A few years ago a friend of mine showed me the first DVD of An Evening with Kevin Smith and I was surprised how funny and engaging he could be on stage (especially as he plays Silent Bob in his movies). But some of the stories are hilarious.
One of the most accomplished films of the last twelve months was The Orphanage, an intelligent and highly effective supernatural thriller from Spain.
I thought of describing it as a ‘horror’ film, but this is much closer in style on tone to Pan’s Labyrinth or The Others and a world away from the glut of remakes that have been clogging up multiplexes of late.
The story involves a woman named Laura (Belén Rueda) who returns to the orphanage where she grew up and buys the property with the intention to turn it into a home for disabled children.
Along with her husband (Fernando Cayo) and son Simón (Roger Príncep) things seem to settle down well, but things take a darker turn when their young boy says he has an imaginary friend.
To say much more about the plot would be to spoil a beautifully crafted script that not only satisfies connoisseurs of atmospheric ghost stories but also those in search of something more emotionally involving than the standard horror movie.
It is a highly impressive directorial debut for Juan Antonio Bayona and after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival last year it went on to win considerable critical acclaim in limited release.
Guillermo del Toro helped bring it to the screen in his capacity as producer and the film bears some similarities to Pan’s Labyrinth with the exploration of parallel worlds and the importance of a child’s perspective on the cruelties of the adult world.
If you didn’t manage to catch it at cinemas then the DVD is well worth catching up with, especially as Optimum Home Entertainment have done a fine job with a very tasty 2-disc package.
Disc 1 includes:
The Main Feature: The transfer is presented in the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and is anamorphically enhanced. There are two Spanish language tracks, in Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo.
Disc 2 contains all the extras, which feature the following:
UK Exclusive Q&A with Bayona at Curzon Mayfair in London: This is video footage from a Q&A session held after a screening around the UK theatrical release. Hosted by Mark Kermode, it features Juan Antonio Bayona, sound designer Oriol Tarrago and a translator (Corrina Poore). It lasts about 40 minutes and covers some interesting points, such as: the origins of the project; the role of Guillermo Del Toro in getting the film made; the sound design of the film (and how hearing horror movies on TV as a child influenced Bayona’s work); whether or not the story is especially Spanish, the importance of suggestion over showing horror and a few other things as well. My favourite bit is when they discuss the proposed Hollywood remake and Bayona asks why people in Hollywood don’t like subtitles, to which Kermode gives the simple but immortal reply: “Because they are thick.” Disappointingly though, the sound feed wasn’t taken from the mixing desk so it sounds a little echoey, but nonetheless it is a solid discussion of the film.
The Making of The Orphanage: A general 12 minute promo that covers the making of the film, featuring talking head EPK bites from the cast and crew.
The Set of The Orphanage: A short 2 minute featurette on the set, which shows how they built the set of the orphanage in an enormous set.
The Sound of The Orphanage: A 6 minute featurette with commentary by Oriol Tarrago, showing the scene with the parapsychologists, but adjusting the sound to demonstrate how vital it was to the film.
Interview with Bayona and Del Toro in Budapest: An 8 minute interview with director and and producer in Budapest (or as Guillermo calls it ‘the porn capital of Europe’). I guess Guillermo was shooting Hellboy 2 in Hungary and bayona joined him out there to film this discussion of the film. It focuses on the themes and issues deep within the film and is an interesting – if brief – conversation.
Lighting the Darkness: A 5 minute piece on how the film was lit and how atmosphere was created without resorting to obviously ‘big’ effects. The mix and match of shots is also quite interesting as all the interiors were shot on a set and had to blend with the exteriors, shot on location.
Roger Princep – The Casting: An interview with the young actor who plays a key role in the film and is surprisingly lucid for his age.
Alternative Beginning and Alternative Ending: The alternative ending is more of an extra scene that was cut, it doesn’t really replace the original end in any big way – however, the final shot is very nice. The alternative prologue is a different matter, as it is quite a detailed sequence that foreshadows a lot of key developments in the plot. Bayano explains that he wanted to keep things simpler and that it was ultimately too complicated a sequence for the opening of the film.
Deleted and Extended Scenes: The deleted scenes vary in interest but most of them are very intriguing, especially one involving a face-to-face meeting with two important characters.
Storyboards for 3 scenes: The storyboards for the seance, treasure hunt and appearance of Tomas offer the early visual conceptions of these scenes and are played parallel to the final cuts.
Shooting the Credits:A short piece on how the credit sequence was designed using footage of real children then mixed together with digital footage.
Animatics:More storyboards showing how they previsualised scertain sequences in the film.
Trailer: US theatrical trailer with the requisite deepthroated voice over.
Projections: Appears to be handheld test footage of characters from the film.
So all in all a highy impressive DVD package for what was one of the best films to come out in the last year.
Watch the trailer here:
The Orphanage is out now on DVD from Optimum Home Entertainment
Here are our DVD picks for the week beginning Monday 21st July 2008:
La Vie de Jesus (Eureka): Director Bruno Dumont’s debut film from 1997 about two teenage lovers, set in a Flemish town – available on UK DVD for the first time.
The Office – Season 3 (Universal): The third season of the surprisingly good US version of the series with Steve Carrell in the Ricky Gervais role.
The Orphanage (Optimum): Superb Spanish ghost story set in an orphanage, directed by Juan Antonio Bayona and produced by Guillermo Del Toro.
The Patrice Leconte Collection (Second Sight): Box set featuring the films of the noted French director including: The Hairdresser’s Husband, Ridicule, Monsieur Hire, Le Parfum D’yvonne And Tango.
Also out are the following titles:
10,000 B.C. (Warner Bros): Prehistoric epic from director Roland Emmerich.
Redacted (Optimum):Brian De Palma’s drama about US troops committing rape and murder in Iraq.
Robbery (Optimum): A crime drama inspired by the great train robbery of 1963 directed by Peter Yates and starring Stanley Baker, Frank Finlay, Barry Foster and William Marlowe.
The Mechanik (DNC Entertainment): Dolph Lungdren stars in a revenge tale involving a Russian paratrooper.
The Mummy [1999](Universal): The 1999 action remake with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz is re-released on Blu-ray.
The Mummy Returns (Universal): The 2001 sequel – re-released on Blu-ray also.
WTC View (Peccadillo Pictures): Based on the stage play by Brian Sloan, exploring life in New York after 9/11 through the struggles of one man.
Zombies(Momentum): J.S. Cardone directs this tale of a group of young children zombies who come back from the dead looking for revenge, after their murder a century ago.
If you have any questions about this week’s DVD releases or any upcoming titles then just email me
(To buy any of the DVDs above just click on the title and you will be redirected to our Amazon affiliate)
There is no doubt that this film has transcended its comic book origins to become one of the most accomplished and ambitious blockbusters in years.
As I couldn’t make the IMAX screening I had to go to the standard 35mm one earlier in the evening, so when I catch it on IMAX next Friday I’ll write something about seeing on that format.
But even in a conventional cinema it is probably worth beginning with how I felt as it ended – drained. There is a lot of stuff going on and at just over two and a half hours it looks and feels like a serious crime epic, rather than a conventional summer movie.
The realistic approach to the Bruce Wayne character and Gotham City worked well and has really reaped dividends with this sequel, which not only builds on the foundations established that film but makes this a richer and more rewarding experience.
In the same way that the first film rebooted our expectations of a comic book movie, this one takes it to another level – imagine a dark, sprawling and realistic crime saga set in a modern city, that just happens to have Batman and The Joker in it.
Emboldened after the success of the first film, director Christopher Nolan and co-screenwriter Jonathan Nolan (with story credit by David S Goyer) have crafted a spectacularly ambitious summer blockbuster, one that has many layers and twists alongside some brilliant work from the cast and crew.
The story, set in a Gotham City soaked in crime, violence and corruption, revolves around three central characters: Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), a billionaire vigilante dishing out justice at night time; Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the District Attorney boldly taking on organised crime; and The Joker (Heath Ledger), a mysterious psychopathic criminal wreaking havoc on the city.
What’s quite startling about the film is the way in the plot doesn’t just revolve around Batman – it gives equal weight to Dent and Joker, forming an impressive triangular narrative.
Added to that, some of the supporting cast (especially Gordon) are given much stronger roles than you might expect for a film of this type.
Most impressively of all, these different strands are developed in ways that are engrossing and genuinely surprising – at times it is so layered, with key sequences often having parallel consequences.
There are points when the narrative (especially in the later stages) stretches to near-breaking point, so exhaustive are the plot lines and events on screen.
But despite the almost suffocating nature of the storytelling, it gives the film a grandeur and seriousness that complements the darker tone of this rebooted Batman franchise.
As for the action, it follows the script in being similarly dense, and some of the big set pieces – especially two key sequences – have an unpredictable and chaotic quality to them.
This at times makes it a little dizzying (I can only imagine what they felt like in IMAX) but also refreshing for this kind of movie, where the beats and outcomes are often too predictable.
What I particularly loved was the old school stunt work in the chase sequences and that actual (although presumably disused) buildings were blown up – it was a raw, effective contrast to the type of CGI-driven sequences that have become the norm for big budget blockbusters.
The performances too are a revelation for this type of genre movie. Bale continues his solid work from the first film but Ledger and Eckhart bring much more to their roles than what might have been expected.
As The Joker, Ledger has managed to completely reinvent him as a wildly unpredictable psychopath who brings Gotham to it’s knees.
Although – due to his tragically early death – there was always going to be added interest in his performance, he really is outstanding.
Completely immersing himself the role, he creates a villain who is scary, funny and unpredictable. Caring only for chaos and death, The Joker uses his considerable ingenuity to alter a city and the two figures (Batman and Dent) who can save it.
Eckhart has perhaps received less press but Harvey Dent is no less important to the story – in some ways his character is where Batman and The Joker meet.
He radiates an old-school charisma and integrity that fits his crusading DA perfectly, making his later problems all the more powerful.
Another interesting aspect of the script is the way in which it taps into modern fears about terrorism and the struggle to fight for good in a world that has become severely infected with violence and evil.
Many aspects of the film raise interesting questions and parallels. Can we see Batman – a sophisticated force for good caught up in a moral dilemma – as a metaphor for the US military? Could The Joker – a psychopathic enigma wreaking terror on society – be a twisted version of Osama Bin Laden?
The fact that a comic book adaptation subtly provokes these questions is daring, but what’s also clever is that they have mined the comic books (especially The Killing Joke) for themes and story lines which have a contemporary echo.
What is behind on all this mania? I think this is a film that appeals to many different types of audience: fanboys eager to see a cool comic book adaptation; Batman fans; summer moviegoers keen for escapism; cinephiles who loved Nolan’s earlier films (especially Memento) and those caught up in the recent hype.
Time will tell how well it will ultimately do, but for now I can’t wait to see this on an IMAX screen next Friday.
Have you seen The Dark Knight? Why do you think it has become such a success?
Today the new Batman film The Dark Knight hits US cinemas and will be opening in the UK a week later.
It is one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year and so I thought I’d write about the history of Batman on film, how the franchise was rebooted under director Christopher Nolan, the latest film, Heath Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker, how some of the film was shot on IMAX and the viral marketing campaign.
Hopefully the videos, images and links will help you get in the mood for what looks like one of the most interesting blockbusters in quite some time.
I’m seeing it tonight, so I’ll put up some reaction over the next 24 hours, but in the meantime let’s begin with the history of the caped crusader on film.
It was the biggest film of 1989 in the US (though Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade pipped it worldwide) and sold millions of dollars worth of merchandise, becoming a pop culture phenomenon.
Similar in tone to the original it was also a big hit, grossing $266 million worldwide, although not as big a hit as the original film.
However, Tim Burton had grown weary of the demands of making summer tent pole movies and when the director and Keaton opted not to come back for a third film, Warner Bros took the character in new – and lighter – direction.
Some cast members, such as Michael Gough and Pat Hingle, were kept on but the film was markedly different in tone and style. Despite that, it was still a huge hit and led to another sequel two years later.
Batman and Robin was the fourth film in the franchise and was scheduled to be Warner Bros biggest blockbuster that summer.
However, things started to go wrong when Val Kilmer (like Keaton before him) refused to return and was replaced by George Clooney, who was then breaking into mainstream movies after the success of the hit TV show ER.
However, the camp tone, poor script and shoddy direction all contributed to a mess. It would be 8 years before another Batman movie but in retrospect the release Batman and Robin was quite interesting.
The negative advance buzz saw a major studio realise that online buzz could have an influence as much of it was fanned by Harry Knowles of Ain’t Cool News, a site then just over a year old.
Harry posted negative reviews from people who had seen advance screenings and the film – which opened to respectable numbers – never did the business the accountants at Burbank were expecting.
Knowles accurately summed up how a lot of people felt in his review, saying:
Because no matter how bad you have heard this film is, nothing can prepare you for the sheer glorius travesty of the 200-megaton bomb of a film this is.
This film is so bad, so awful, so vanity ridden with horrible over the top performances, that nothing I can say, can prepare you for it.
Even George Clooney seemed to agree, joking that:
“I think we might have killed the franchise.”
But it is interesting to note how his career has progressed since then. He would soon go on to be a major star, often appearing in films that were more left field than many might have expected.
For director Joel Schumacher it took a while to recover – he even recorded a semi-apologetic commentary for the DVD release – and he went back to basics with the low budget Tigerland, a film that effectively launched Colin Farrell‘s movie career.
REBOOTING BATMAN WITH CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
In the following years things started to get a little interesting.
After the success of X-Men in 2000 and Spider-Man in 2002 a rash of comic book adaptations hit the big screen and it was a logical move to start from scratch and give the character a reboot.
A number of projects were considered – perhaps the most tantalising being Batman: Year One with Darren Aronofsky directing – but things finally started to happen when Christopher Nolan was hired to direct a new film in January 2003.
Nolan was an interesting choice, as he had only made two films up to that point – Following (1998) an ultra low budget tale of a writer obsessed with following people around London and Memento (2000), a dazzling neo-noir thriller about a widower (Guy Pearce) struggling with short term memory loss.
It won widespread critical acclaim for its innovative narrative structure – the screenplay was nominated for (but somehow didn’t win) an Oscar – and established him as major directing talent.
His next film Insomnia (2002), was a more conventional thriller about a police officer (Al Pacino) in Alaska on the trail of a killer (Robin Williams), who is haunted by guilt and is unable to sleep. A remake of the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, it was still a highly accomplished piece of work.
Nolan said at the time of getting the Batman job that he wanted to re-imagine the franchise by:
“Doing the origin story of the character, which is a story that’s never been told before”.
In stark contrast to the Schumacher films, the emphasis here would be on portraying Batman realistically.
Entitled Batman Begins, it would show the origin story of how Bruce Wayne became a crime fighter who dresses up like a bat.
Christian Bale was cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Nolan stated that Richard Donner‘s 1978 Superman film was an inspiration, especially the first half which has – for a superhero movie – a long, extended backstory for the main character.
The latter comic book influenced the plot details of Bruce Wayne’s extended absence from Gotham City, the idea of a younger Commissioner Gordon (who in this film is a Sergeant) and the general setup of a corrupt city that is crying out for an outsider to bring justice.
Another important influence on the film was Blade Runner, which Nolan screened to his cinematographer Wally Pfister to show the kind of look and tone he was aiming for. The casting of Hauer (who came to fame as replicantRoy Batty) was also a nod to Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi classic.
When it was released in 2005, the film was warmly received by critics and audiences, going on to earn nearly $372m worldwide and becoming the 8th highest grossing film that year.
THE RETURN OF THE DARK KNIGHT
After completing The Prestige in 2006 – his dark and complex tale of two rival magicians (played by Bale and Hugh Jackman) – Nolan got to work on the Batman sequel The Dark Knight with co-writer David S Goyer.
Batman: The Long Halloween was an important touchstone for the story. The 13-part comic book series takes place during Batman’s early periods of crime fighting and involves a mysterious killer who murders people around the holidays.
Along with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman has to solve the murders and uncover the killer. This film also sees the return of The Joker, a development that was strongly hinted in the final scene of Batman Begins.
Nolan was resistant in doing a full on origin story but was influenced by the iconic villain’s first two appearances in DC comics, which were both published in the first issue of Batman in 1940.
They even consulted Jerry Robinson, one of the Joker’s co-creators, about the character’s portrayal. Instead of a straight origin story they focused on his rise to notoriety, saying:
“We never wanted to do an origin story for the Joker in this film. The arc of the story is much more Harvey Dent’s; the Joker is presented as an absolute.
It’s a very thrilling element in the film, and a very important element, but we wanted to deal with the rise of the Joker not the origin of the Joker….”
He also cited Alan Moore’s Batman: The Killing Joke and Michael Mann’s 1995 crime drama Heat as inspirations for a story that would show Gotham’s key characters in the context of a crime ridden city.
HEATH LEDGER AS THE JOKER
Heath Ledger was cast as The Joker after Nolan had expressed interest in working with him in the past. After Batman Begins, Ledger went for an interpretation consistent with the more realistic tone of that film.
Reportedly, Ledger prepared by living alone in a hotel room for a month, formulating the character’s physical movements and voice, even keeping a diary of the Joker’s thoughts and feelings.
It would become a much darker character and he said that the Droogs of A Clockwork Orange and Sid Vicious were starting points for the character.
The aim was for a colder kind of sociopath, far removed from the lighter versions popularized by Cesar Romero in the 60s TV show or Nicholson’s in the 1989 film.
Ledger’s portrayal was key to a lot of the early marketing to the film and anticipation was high, especially after his Oscar-nominated performance in Brokeback Mountain.
However, tragedy struck on January 22nd this year when Ledger died in New York during a short break from filming Terry Gilliam’s forthcoming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. His work on The Dark Knight had been completed but it none the less was a deep shock to the film world and his colleagues on the film.
Heath was bursting with creativity. It was in his every gesture. He once told me that he liked to wait between jobs until he was creatively hungry. Until he needed it again. He brought that attitude to our set every day.
There aren’t many actors who can make you feel ashamed of how often you complain about doing the best job in the world. Heath was one of them.
When you get into the edit suite after shooting a movie, you feel a responsibility to an actor who has trusted you, and Heath gave us everything.
As we started my cut, I would wonder about each take we chose, each trim we made. I would visualize the screening where we’d have to show him the finished film—sitting three or four rows behind him, watching the movements of his head for clues to what he was thinking about what we’d done with all that he’d given us.
Now that screening will never be real. I see him every day in my edit suite. I study his face, his voice. And I miss him terribly.
All of Ledger’s scenes were unaffected and Nolan added no “digital effects” were used to alter his performance posthumously.
Recently Christian Bale has been quick to dismiss the idea that Ledger playing such a dark role had any part in his death.
Lauer: So much was made of Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker. It was such a dark role.
In some way, perhaps, do you think in real life, it caused him to slip across some line of reality and may have had some role in his accidental death?
Bale: Personally, I find it to be a complete lack of understanding of acting. I also find it very rude to try to create some kind of sound bite for such a tragedy. The man was a complex man, a good man, but you know what?
I saw him having the best time playing The Joker. He was someone who completely immersed himself in his role. As do I. But in the end of the day, he was having a wonderful time doing it, He couldn’t have been happier doing it.”
Watch the full interview here:
Nolan has dedicated the film in part to Ledger’s memory, as well as to the memory of technician Conway Wickliffe, who was killed during a car accident while preparing one of the film’s stunts.
SHOOTING ON IMAX
On a technical level, The Dark Knight is the first mainstream movie to have several major sequences shot in the IMAX format.
Nolan was particularly enthusiastic about shooting on the larger cameras, saying:
“There’s simply nothing like seeing a movie that way. It’s more immersive for the audience. I wish I could shoot the entire thing this way.”
Typically, feature films that play in IMAX cinemas are converted to fill the enormous screens.
With The Dark Knight the sequences shot in IMAX will fill out the full screen, whilst on traditional cinema screens they will appear more vivid than usual.
However, there were obstacles in shooting in the format such as the bulkier cameras (IMAX film stock is 10 times the size of standard 35mm), the extra cost and the noise they make, which made filming dialogue scenes difficult.
So far, showing films in IMAX cinemas doesn’t have a huge effect on the overall grosses as there are currently only about 280 IMAX theatres worldwide.
But The Dark Knight could be an important film in making the format more popular, as it will be released on IMAX the same day as it is in regular cinemas (in the UK there was nearly always a delay between the two).
Last December I saw the opening sequence at the BFI London IMAX and producer Charles Roven spoke to the audience afterwards about the film.
I noted down some of the discussions that came up in the post-screening Q&A:
Heath Ledger was cast as The Joker because of his range and his initial meetings with Chris Nolan about the character
3-D was never really considered as an option for the IMAX portions of the film
Prior to these Batman films he’d been trying to work with Nolan ever since he saw Memento
The Alfred/Bruce Wayne relationship continues
It is the first time Christian Bale has repeated a role
There is a sequence actually set in Hong Kong – they filmed a key sequence there where Batman jumps off a building. The idea of the setting was to get outside the world of Gotham and place it in a more believable context as a world city.
They aren’t even thinking about the villain for the next movie.
David Goyer, Chris Nolan and Jonathan Nolan wrote the first draft of the script and Jonathan wrote the later drafts whilst Chris was filming The Prestige.
The story is not directly based on anything by Frank Miller but has been influenced by him and other classic Batman writers.
Chris Nolan reportedly used the London IMAX cinema during the making of the film.
Gradually the site revealed itself to be “vandalized” with the slogan “I believe in Harvey Dent too,” and revealed the first image of the Joker. It was then replaced with a hidden message that said “see you in December.”
The site encouraged visitors to find letters composing a message from the Joker which said:
“The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules.”
In October last year the film’s official website turned into another game with hidden messages, telling fans to uncover clues in certain US cities.
Those who finished that task were directed to another website called Rory’s Death Kiss (which was how the film was referred to on location). There fans could submit photos of themselves dressed as the Joker.
In December last year, the opening sequence of the film – which involves a bank raid featuring the Joker – was shown in selected IMAX cinemas before selected showings of I Am Legend.
After Heath Ledger’s death in January Warner Bros marketing campaign shifted a little, as up to that point the Joker had been a central part of the campaign.
Back in March I came across a highly impressive montage of the films of Paul Thomas Anderson on YouTube.
The user-name of the video was barringer82 and a couple of days ago whilst listening to the FilmCouch podcast (which you can subscribe to here), I found out more about the creator of this video and other montages of great directors.
By the time I reached my senior year in college, I was the go-to guy when someone needed an editor. It’s weird how, in film school, everybody branches off into their own specialty areas – and it’s usually not by choice. It’s not like it’s always been my dream to be an editor.
After I graduated, I spent a year shooting and cutting my own stuff; doing all the stuff I couldn’t do before because school got in the way.
Once I got a decent demo together, I began looking for a job. Thing is, people don’t put out ads for writer/directors – the best someone in my position can do is finding editing jobs – and there are quite a few (though many of them are for porn sites).
I’ve been getting by as a freelance editor for the past year – doing most of my work for a pop culture website called sly-fi.com.
And how he got in to doing montages:
As I’m thinking of it, I started doing this when I was 12 – I used to cut Queen songs together using audio cassettes. I was always fascinated by the quick little music montages radio stations play to give a sense of their genre. But I guess more than that, it was the Oscar montages.
People complain there are too many of them during any given telecast – I wish the whole ceremony were those. (Anyone who loves them as much as I, I suggest you seek out the 69th Oscar opener).
But the first video I did was a Scorsese tribute. Apart from being one of my favorites, he shoots his movies in a way that is both specific and open to edits – they simply gel together in way no one else’s pictures do. But
I think the real reason I actually sat down and DID IT was because, plainly I had nothing else I could do. Unfortunately, I don’t have actors, money, or locations. I do have editing software and DVDs. Lots of DVDs. So, if I had nothing to shoot, why not cut some of the best existing footage.
The DVD highlight of the week is this special edition re-release of The Elephant Man – the superb 1980 period drama about the life of Joseph Merrick.
