Below is the alternative ending for I Am Legend which features as an extra on the upcoming DVD, out in a couple of weeks.
Do you think it works better than the theatrical version?
[flv]http://fsnetmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/iamlegend-orig-ending.flv[/flv]
In 1975 director Stuart Cooper made Overlord – a drama about a soldier in the run up to the D-Day landings.
What makes the film unique is that it was filmed with the help of the Imperial War Museum and uses documentary footage from their vast archive, set against the central narrative.
Starring Brian Stirner, Davyd Harries, Nicholas Ball and Julie Neesam it is now being re-released on DVD after showing to great acclaim at the Telluride Film Festvial in 2006 and a short run at the ICA in London last month.
It was then that I spoke with Stuart Cooper about the film and you can listen to the interview here:
To download this as a podcast via iTunes just click the image below:
Overlord is out now on DVD from Metrodome
> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Buy Overlord on DVD from Amazon UK
> An article by Stuart Cooper in The Guardian about the re-release of Overlord
> Roger Ebert reviews the film in 2006
> Various reviews of Overlord at Metacritic
One of the most delightful and surprising films to come out last year was Once, the charming tale of the relationship between a Dublin busker (Glen Hansard) and a Czech girl (Marketa Irglova) he meets on the street.
Featuring songs by Hansard and Irglova, it is a music film without being a musical and was a big hit at Sundance back in January 2007.
So much so in fact that Fox Searchlight released it to rave reviews and the film won a lot of fans, including none other than Steven Spielberg who said:
“A little movie called Once gave me enough inspiration to last the rest of the year.”
It recently won an Oscar for Best Original Song with Falling Slowly:
It also provided one of the most memorable moments of Sunday’s ceremony as host Jon Stewart allowed Marketa Irglova to come back on stage to finish her speech:
I spoke with the director John Carney about the film when it got released here back in October, which you can listen to here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-10-21-28676.MP3]Once is out now on DVD
> Buy Once on DVD from Amazon UK
> Read reviews for Once at Metacritic
> Download the interview with director John Carney as an MP3 file
Since his breakthrough role in Mathieu Kassovitz’s La Haine, Vincent Cassel has gone on to star in a variety of European films such as L’Appartement and Irréversible.
He has also appeared in a number of Hollywood productions such as Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, Derailed, Birthday Girl, Elizabeth and Shrek (he was the voice of Monsieur Hood).
His latest film is Eastern Promises, a dark tale of Russian gangsters in London, directed by David Cronenberg and co-starring Naomi Watts, Viggo Mortensen and Armin Mueller-Stahl.
Listen to the interview here:
[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Vincent_Cassell_on_Eastern_Promises.mp3]To download this as a podcast via iTunes just click the image below:
Eastern Promises is out now on DVD
> Buy Eastern Promises on DVD from Amazon UK
> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Vincent Cassel at the IMDb
> Official website for Eastern Promises
> Listen to our interview with director David Cronenberg about Eastern Promises
This week sees the release of Michael Clayton on DVD in the UK.
Although it got a lot of award nominations and critical praise, this brilliant legal thriller didn’t quite do the box office business it deserved in the US or over here.
Despite the presence of A-lister George Clooney and some fantastic performances from superb supporting cast (including the likes of Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton and Sydney Pollack) I think some people mistook it for some kind of John Grisham-style pot boiler.
In truth, it is a glorious throwback to 70s style conspiracy thrillers like The Parallax View and All the President’s Men, as writer-director Tony Gilroy explores the dark side of corporate America and the moral dilemas of those trapped in that world.
Clooney plays the title character, a fixer at a prestigious New York law firm who is facing a personal and professional crisis.
When one of his bosses (Tom Wilkinson) has an embarrasing breakdown in the middle of a huge class-action lawsuit involving a giant corporation, Michael is sent to sort things out. But he soon discovers that things are not what they seem.
Check out the trailer here:
Also, this interview Clooney did with Charlie Rose is interesting:
[googlevideo]http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=2968880446883512521[/googlevideo]
> Buy Michael Clayton on DVD from Amazon UK
> IMDb entry for Michael Clayton
> More reviews of Michael Clayton at Metacritic
The hi-def DVD format war looks like it is officially over.
The writing was on the wall when Warner Bros went exclusively with Blu-Ray and key retailers like Netflix, Best Buy and Wal-Mart followed suit.
But now Reuters are reporting that Toshiba – the originator of HD-DVD – are ready to surrender:
Toshiba Corp is planning to give up on its HD-DVD format for high-definition video, conceding defeat to the competing Blu-Ray technology backed by Sony Corp, a company source said on Saturday.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK had earlier reported that Toshiba would suffer losses in the tens of billions of yen (hundreds of millions of dollars) as it scrapped production of HD DVD players and recorders and took other steps to exit the business.
The company source told Reuters that Toshiba was in the final stages of planning to exit the HD DVD business and that an official decision would be made soon.
Now that this fight seems over, will we now see a wider battle between downloads and optical discs?
Or will consumers keep resisting hi-def and stick with regular DVDs for the foreseeable future?
UPDATE 19/02/08: Toshiba themselves have now officially confirmed the inevitable.
They will phase out production of HD DVD players and recorders and will shut the business by the end of March.
BBC News quote Toshiba president Atsutoshi Nishida as saying:
“It was an agonising decision for me, but I thought if we kept running this business it would have grave ramifications for the management of our company. We made a quick decision, judging that there is no way of winning the competition.”
They also have an article on why Blu-ray won which can be boiled down to three salient points:
> Deadline Hollywood Daily with more details on the end of the format war
> Comparison of HD-VD and Blu-ray formats
> The Downfall of HD-DVD – the funny viral video which used scenes from the WW2 film Downfall to comment on Warners leaving HD-DVD
> Variety report on the end of the format war
> Official press release from Toshiba
> Yuri Kageyama of the AP in Tokyo on the news
> BBC News on why Blu-ray won
With Warner Bros going exclusively to the Blu-ray DVD camp and the end of the format war in sight, someone has re-subtitled a key scene in Downfall and created a very funny video.
The premise is that Hitler (played by Bruno Ganz) was rooting for HD-DVD to come out on top:
[Link via Digg]
The ongoing DVD format war between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD took a major development this weekend when it was announced that Warner Bros would be signing an exclusive deal with Blu-Ray.
So far, WB has been the only major studio to release its discs on both formats, but it seems that they have gone with Blu-Ray over concerns that the format war will damage the long term prospects of high-definition DVD and because Blu-ray has outsold HD-DVD so far.
Whatever the outcome it is a massive blow for the HD-DVD camp.
Here is WB’s official press release:
In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.
“Warner Bros.’ move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want,” said Meyer.
“The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers.”
Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.
“Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices,” said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment.
“Today’s decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner.”
“A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry,” said Tsujihara.
“Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to the widest possible audience.
Warner Bros. has worked very closely with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we have enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working with them on other projects in the future.”
Variety report that the HD-DVD camp were surprised by the announcement:
Warner’s timing apparently took the HD DVD camp by surprise, however. Thursday afternoon, shortly before Warner said it notified Toshiba of the decision, HD DVD backers were paying media calls.
The North American HD DVD Promo Group cancelled its Sunday CES confab after Warner’s went public with the decision Friday afternoon.
Nikki Finke reports that Blu-ray was chosen because it can grow and evolve as a format:
I’d been hearing rumors for months that Warner Bros had been offered in the neighborhood of $250 million for “promotional consideration” to go exclusively with HD-DVD.
Less lavish but still big payments already had been offered and accepted by the HD DVD side to both Paramount (I was told $50 million) and DreamWorks Animation (I was told $100 million) for “promotional consideration”. (And yet director Michael Bay, whose Transformers was a big lure in HD-DVD, still is flip-flopping by publicly questioning the wisdom of choosing that format over Blu-ray.)
A source for another studio in the Blu-ray camp explains the Warner Bros decision to me as a “marketplace realization”. “Their decision creates overwhelming momentum for Blu-ray as the only format that could possibly win in this battle. HD DVD is as good now as it will ever be. Blu-ray will continue to grow and evolve.”
I spoke to a number of different people over the holiday season about how they felt about hi-def DVDs. Unless they were gamers who had an Xbox 360 or PS3 (the former plays HD-DVDs and the latters plays Blu-ray), they tended to be cautious.
Firstly, there was concern about which format would triumph as you don’t want to invest in something that will be redundant in a couple of years.
Secondly, you need a hi-def TV and DVD player in order to play high-def DVDs. It might sound obvious but given that most people don’t have these essential pieces of equipment, it is a large outlay for consumers to make.
Finally, the uncomfortable truth for the entertainment industry is that the jump to high-def DVDs is just not as attractive as the move from VHS to DVD. Ten years ago DVDs offered a vastly improved experience and you only needed a player, rather than a player and a TV.
For high-def to really catch on, not only does the format war have to end but equipment costs have to come down dramatically.
Consumers have invested a lot of money in building their DVD libraries over the last few years. Just how soon will the average viewer make the jump to high-def?
I think it will take longer than the entertainment industry expects.
> Comparison of Blu-ray and HD-DVD at Wikipedia and a simpler version here
> Variety report on the story
I saw some of The Bourne Ultimatum being filmed at Waterloo Station earlier this year and last night – on the day of the DVD release – I noticed there is now a stand in the Threshers off licence that features in the film.
This is the store Bourne tells Guardian journalist Simon Ross to go into whilst he takes on some CIA goons.
Here is some footage of Matt Damon filming the sequence:
> Buy The Bourne Ultimatum on DVD from Amazon UK
> Check out our photos from Waterloo whilst they filmed this sequence back in January
Those clever marketing folk at Fox have created a Simpsons version of recently sacked England manager Steve McClaren in order to tie in with release of The Simpsons Movie on DVD.
For those outside the UK, the England football team lost to Croatia on Wednesday night meaning that they won’t qualify for Euro 2008.
> Listen to our interview with Simpsons creator Matt Groening
> Pre-order The Simpsons Movie on DVD at Amazon UK
This week sees the release of Seinfeld: Season 9 on DVD and we have one set to give away courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Season 9 was of course the last ever one and this four-disc set features all 24 episodes.
Plus, there are approximately 13 hours of exclusive bonus features from the folks behind the show, including all-new interviews with Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Jason Alexander.
To win all you have to do is name your favourite ever Seinfeld episode, either in the in the comments section below or via email and I’ll select a random winner in 9 days time – that means you have to get your entry in by the end of next Tuesday (29th of November).
The winner will get the DVD set:
…and 4 runners up will get either:
A Seinfeld Salt Cellar (“Property of Monks”):
…a Seinfeld stress ball (“Serenity now!”):
…a script for The Big Salad episode:
Or a set of Seinfeld playing cards in a collectable tin:
So get those entries in now.
> Check out the official site for Seinfeld Season 9
> Find out more about Seinfeld at Wikipedia
> Seinfeld at the IMDb
This week sees the release of a new batch of Monty Python DVD titles including Monty Python’s The Life Of Brian: The Immaculate Edition and Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl.
I recently spoke to Neil Innes and Carol Cleveland about the DVD releases and their roles in the world of Monty Python. Both worked closely with the legendary comic outfit on numerous projects.
Neil played a major role in performing and writing songs and sketches for Monty Python’s Flying Circus, wrote the songs for Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and appeared in the film as a head-bashing monk, the serf crushed by the giant wooden rabbit, and the leader of Sir Robin’s minstrels.
He also performed with the Pythons on stage, including at their legendary Hollywood Bowl concert where he performed the songs “How Sweet to Be an Idiot” and “I’m the Urban Spaceman.” He would go on to work with Eric Idle on the Python-esque sketch show Rutland Weekend Television, which spawned The Rutles (the “prefab four”), a Beatles parody band, in which Innes played the character of Ron Nasty.
Carol performed various roles with the Pythons in “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, Live at The Hollywood Bowl, Life of Brian, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail and has been referred to as “The Female Python”.
Have a listen to our interview here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-11-09-24557.mp3]
> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Neil Innes and Carol Cleveland at the IMDb
> Pythonline
Ken Loach has been one of England’s best and most important directors for many years.
Since making his mark in the 60s with the landmark TV dramas Cathy Come Home and Up the Junction, he has show a keen and uncompromising ability to tackle social issues head on in his films.
They have ranged from adolescence (Kes), Northern Ireland (Hidden Agenda), builders (Riff-Raff), the Spanish Civil War (Land and Freedom), the social services (Ladybird, Ladybird), alcoholism (My Name is Joe) and the plight of Californian workers (Bread and Roses).
I spoke with Ken recently about his latest film It’s A Free World and the release of The Ken Loach Collection which is out now on DVD in two volumes.
Have a listen to the interview by clicking below:
[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Ken_Loach_Interview.MP3]You can also download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here
> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Ken Loach at the IMDb
> Find out more about Ken’s career at Screen Online
> Senses of Cinema essay on Ken by Mike Robins
> Buy The Ken Loach Collection on DVD at Amazon UK
The marvellous thriller Tell No One is out on DVD this week and we have 5 copies to give away.
An adaptation of US crime writer Harlan Coben’s multi-million best-selling novel, the film portrays one man’s frantic race against time when he begins to believe his wife, murdered several years before, may still be alive.
Pediatric Alex Beck (François Cluzet), is still devastated by the savage murder of his wife Margot (Marie-Josée Croze) when – years later – he receives an anonymous email. When he clicks on the link he sees a woman’s face standing in a crowd and being filmed in real time – Margot’s face. Is she still alive? And why does she instruct him to ‘tell no one’?
At the same time the unearthing of two bodies near the site where Margot was discovered leads to the police to reopen their case. Alex is number one suspect – and eight years down the line the police are determined that he will take the rap for murder.
Directed by young French actor/director Guillaume Canet, who starred opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in The Beach, it stars Kristin Scott Thomas alongside a stellar cast of French actors including Nathalie Baye, Jean Rochefort and François Cluzet.
We have 5 DVDs to give away courtesy of Revolver Home Entertainment and one lucky winner will also get a poster signed by the director, plus a copy of the novel and soundtrack.
To stand a chance of winning just email us your contact details, including your postal address, to [email protected] or via the contact page.
In the meantime check out an interview I did with Guillaume back in June by clicking below:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-06-14-86754.mp3]> Download this interview as an MP3 file (just right click, save as and rename)
> Check out the official UK website for Tell No One
> Check out Guillaume’s official site
Invincible is the real life tale of Vince Papale, a former American football player who played three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.
What makes his story interesting is that he made his NFL debut at the late age of 30.
Despite being an accomplished athlete and playing in the short lived World Football League he was working in a bar before getting a shot at trying out for the Eagles.
He went on to play three seasons in the NFL and his story was made into a film last year with Mark Wahlberg portraying him.
I spoke on the phone to Vince this week about his story and the release of the film on DVD.
Listen to the interview here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-10-02-94899.mp3]To subscribe to the Interview Podcast via iTunes just click the image below:
Invincible is out now on DVD from Buena Vista Home Entertainment
> Buy Invincible on DVD from Amazon UK
> Find out more about Vince Papale at his official site
> Check out the official site for the film
After years of speculation about when a fitting version of Blade Runner would be released on DVD, Warner Brothers have announced all the details about the forthcoming release of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic.
Blade Runner: The Final Cut will be released as a 2 Disc Special Edition DVD and a 5 Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition DVD on Monday 3rd December. It will also be available on Blu-ray and HD-DVD.
There will also be a limited theatrical release at selected UK cinemas on Friday 23rd November.
According to director Ridley Scott, this version has been seven years in the making:
“The Final Cut is the product of a process that began in early 2000 and continued off and on through seven years of intense research and meticulous restoration, technical challenges, amazing discoveries and new possibilities.
I can now wholeheartedly say that Blade Runner: The Final Cut is my definitive director’s cut of the film.”
All the major cast members including Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos, Joanna Cassidy, Sean Young and Daryl Hannah are among the actors, filmmakers and crew who participate in the extensive bonus features.
The bonus material includes a brand new, feature length documentary called Dangerous Days directed by award-winning DVD producer Charles de Lauzirika. It takes an in depth look into the many different aspects of the film: the literary origins, the difficult production and its legacy.
Here is a breakdown of what will be on the two different editions:
BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT SPECIAL EDITION (2-DISC)
Disc One: Ridley Scott’s All-New “Final Cut” Version
Disc Two: Dangerous Days – Making Blade Runner
BLADE RUNNER: ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION (5-DISC)
The 5-disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition includes everything from the 2-Disc Special Edition plus four additional versions of the film.
It will come in a collectible tin which will include a Blade Runner film lenticular, art cards and a letter from Ridley Scott.
Disc Three: Three Previous Versions of the Film
Disc Four: Bonus Disc “Enhancement Archive”
Disc Five: Workprint Version
This rare version of the film is considered by some to be the most radically different of all the Blade Runner cuts. It includes:
All in all it looks a pretty tasty package for this landmark film.
> Blade Runner at the IMDb
> Pre-order the 2 disc and 5 disc DVDs at Amazon UK
> Find out more about the film at Wikipedia (an impressively detailed entry)
> Follow the latest buzz about the DVD at Tailrank
> Ridley Scott recently spoke to the New York Times about the DVD
> BRmovie – Extensive fansite
> Off World – A Blade Runner wiki
> Blade Zone – Online fan club and museum
Half Nelson is out on DVD this week in the UK and earlier this year I spoke to the director Ryan Fleck and the co-writer/producer Anna Boden about the film.
It tells the story of a talented Brooklyn school teacher (Ryan Gosling) who is caught smoking crack by one of his pupils (Shareeka Epps).
But this is not a traditional classroom drama by any means. With two pitch perfect lead performances and a wise, heartfelt script, it is one of the finest films to come out of the US in the last year.
Have a listen to the interview below:
You can also download this interview as an MP3 by clicking here or subscribe to our interview podcast via iTunes below:
> Check out the official website for the film
> Buy Half Nelson on DVD at Amazon UK
> Buy the soundtrack (which is superb by the way) at Amazon UK
According to DVD Times, Paramount have announced that a director’s cut of Zodiac will be available on Region 1 DVD in January:
Paramount Home Entertainment have announced the Region 1 DVD release of Zodiac (Director’s Cut) on 8th January 2008.
Based on the actual case files of one of the most intriguing unsolved crimes in the nation’s history, “Zodiac” is a thriller from David Fincher, director of “Se7en” and “Panic Room.”
As a serial killer terrifies the San Francisco Bay Area and taunts police with his ciphers and letters, investigators in four jurisdictions search for the murderer. The case will become an obsession for four men as their lives and careers are built and destroyed by the endless trail of clues.
If you haven’t seen it yet Fincher’s brilliant procedural police drama about the Zodiac killings is one of the best films to come out this year.
Unfortunately the recent R1 and the upcoming R2 DVDs were bereft of decent extras. According to David Prior (the producer of the upcoming director’s cut) in a post on the Home Theater Forum, this vanilla edition was only reluctantly agreed to by Fincher:
Before you all get too bent out of shape about the staggered release dates of the vanilla and the director’s cut, you should be aware that it was only reluctantly agreed to by Fincher because I needed more time on the bonus material.
The studio was locked into their release date (and bound and determined to release a single-disc, which nobody except them wanted), so Fincher allowed that to be released first.
It had nothing to do with Fincher “double dipping his own movie before it even makes it to stores” and everything to do with buying more time for the special edition.
Hope that clears things up. In the interests of full disclosure, you should also know that the theatrical cut will only be available on the single disc.
Apparently the extras on the director’s cut will include:
I think its probably best to wait for this edition, even though the theatrical cut is worth seeing for the film alone.
> Zodiac at the IMDb
> Listen to Jake Gyllenhall speak to us about Zodiac
> Check out the trailer for Zodiac
> Reviews of Zodiac at Metacritic
> Digital Content Producer on the digital workflow Fincher employed whilst making Zodiac
This is England is one of the best films to come out this year and is out on DVD this week.
Directed by Shane Meadows it is a coming of age story in early 80s Britain about a young boy named Shaun who finds new friends in a skinhead gang.
But when the gang is taken over by a far right member named Combo (Stephen Graham) he soon learns some harsh lessons about life.
Brilliantly observed and acted, it is a raw and moving depiction of the joys and pains of growing up in the early 80s.
I recently spoke to three of the actors in the film: Thomas Turgoose (who plays Shaun); Andrew Shim (who plays Milky) and Vicky McClure (who plays Lol).
Listen to the interview here:
[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/This_is_England_Interview_Special.mp3]To subscribe to the Interview Podcast via iTunes just click the image below:
This is England is out now on DVD from Optimum
> Download the interview as an MP3 file
> Buy This is England on DVD from Amazon
> IMDb entry for This is England
> Check out reviews for This is England at Metacritic
> Check out the official Shane Meadows site
It would appear that Michael Bay is upset again.
After the huge success of Transformers (and his dispute with some producers on the film) he now appears to be angry at Paramount’s recent decision to drop support for the Blu-ray DVD format.
Posting on a forum on his website he says:
I want people to see my movies in the best formats possible. For them to deny people who have Blu-ray sucks! They were progressive by having two formats.
No Transformers 2 for me!
Unless there is some joker with access to Michael Bay’s login I’m guessing this is real.
Given that Transformers was Paramount’s biggest live action hit this summer and their best hope for a genuine franchise over the next 5 years, losing the director would be a big blow.
But even more puzzling is the decision for Paramount and DreamWorks Animation to go exclusively down the HD-DVD route.
According to Variety, DreamWorks Animation hasn’t released any movies in HD DVD. They even quote head honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg saying back in March that:
“Blu-Ray and HD DVD are a niche business. They’re not going to become the next platform. I think for the general consumer, there is not a big enough delta between the standard DVD in terms of where it is today and the next generation.”
But on Monday he says:
“We believe the combination of this year’s low-priced HD DVD players and the commitment to release a significant number of hit titles in the fall makes HD DVD the best way to view movies at home.”
At the moment Blu-Ray outsells HD-DVD but surely it makes sense for a studio to sell titles in both formats?
Whatever short term deals Paramount may have struck with HD-DVD miss the bigger picture. With emerging DVD formats shouldn’t they be making it easy for the customer to decide what they want?
Imagine you have just expensively upgraded your HD television and have invested in a Blu-Ray DVD player. Now Paramount is effectively saying “sorry you can’t watch our movies”.
As one poster on the Bay forum puts it:
Wow. I’m both surprised and glad to hear you say that, Bay. I have a Blu-ray player and was more than a little disappointed today to find out that I wouldn’t be able to get my favorite film of 2007 on it.
Why the hell would Paramount give up 66% of their HD profit (Blu-ray outsells HD DVD by about 2:1)? Their decision makes no sense to me. Oh well, if Microsoft were to give me $150 million, I’d probably bark like a dog too!
Michael: Could you please yell at some Paramount idiots for me?
For commercially successful film makers like Michael Bay (and even those not churning out big hits) will they really want to make films for a studio who are effectively limiting DVD distribution to one format?
** UPDATE **
Bay has now posted this on his site saying he over reacted in his initial post:
Last night at dinner I was having dinner with three blu-ray owners, they were pissed about no Transformers Blu-ray and I drank the kool aid hook line and sinker.
So at 1:30 in the morning I posted – nothing good ever comes out of early am posts mind you – I over reacted.
I heard where Paramount is coming from and the future of HD and players that will be close to the $200 mark which is the magic number. I like what I heard.
As a director, I’m all about people seeing films in the best quality possible, and I saw and heard firsthand people upset about a corporate decision.
So today I saw 300 on HD, it rocks!
So I think I might be back on to do Transformers 2!
But why do I get the feeling both formats will still ultimately lose if the studios persist in exclusive deals?
> Check out the forum at Michael Bay’s website
> Read an article by Walt Mossberg of the WSJ on the DVD format war
Michael Apted is a director whose work includes the landmark Up series, a Bond film, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Gorillas in the Mist, the official film of the 2006 World Cup and he’s also the current president of the Directors Guild of America.
His latest film is about William Wilberforce and is called Amazing Grace.
I spoke with him back in March around the UK cinema release of the film and we discussed Wilberforce, the Up documentaries and his passion for football.
Note that at the time we recorded the interview West Ham looked certain to be relegated despite a lucky win against Blackburn, hence our gloomy forecast for the club. Miraculously they escaped the drop despite all the controversy over the signings of Tevez and Mascherano.
Listen to the interview here:
You can also download it via iTunes by clicking the image below:
Amazing Grace is out on DVD now
> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Buy Amazing Grace on DVD at Amazon UK
Blades of Glory (12A)
After the slapstick antics of Anchorman and Talladega Nights, Will Ferrell ventures into the world of ice skating with another goofy comedy.
He plays a maverick skater who is forced to team up with his more conservative rival (Jon Heder) in order to compete at the Olympics.
Somehow managing to make a virtue out of its own self conscious stupidity, the laughs arrive with surprising regularity. Jenna Fischer, from the US version of The Office, turns up in a supporting role.
> Buy Blades of Glory at Amazon UK
William Wilberforce is give the biopic treatment in this old fashioned but polished tale of the man who helped bring about the end of slavery in the 18th century.
Ioan Gruffud plays Wilberforce and is joined by an illustrious cast that includes Albert Finney, Michael Gambon and Toby Jones.
Michael Apted directs the film with his usual solid professionalism and although the film is fairly old fashioned in its approach the power of the story makes it worth seeing.
> Buy Amazing Grace at Amazon UK
Listen to the review podcast here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-08-06-21859.MP3]Download the review as a podcast via iTunes:
> Download the review as an MP3 file
> Check out other new DVD releases at Amazon UK
Dream On was one of the great American sitcoms of the 90s and Series 1 finally gets a UK release on DVD this week from Universal Playback.
In the States it screened on HBO and here it was initially shown on Channel 4 and more recently by ITV4.
It centres around a divorced New York book editor named Martin Tupper (Brian Benben) and explores how he deals with his chaotic love life, his ex-wife and his job.
The central conceit of the show is that his interior thoughts are depicted via clips of old black and white TV shows.
Clever, funny and superbly edited, it is well worth a look if you are a fan of shows like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Listen to the review here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-07-30-31755.MP3]Download the review as a podcast via iTunes:
Dream On – Series 1 is out now on DVD from Universal Playback
> Download this review as an MP3 file
> Buy Dream On Series 1 on DVD from Amazon UK
> IMDb entry fro Dream On
> BBC Comedy guide on Dream On
> Wikipedia entry for Dream On
Fans of Led Zeppelin take note – on November 12th a new 2 CD set entitled Mothership is coming out.
Plus, there is a special edition re-issue of concert film The Song Remains The Same out on DVD.
Here is the official press release:
After nearly forty years, Led Zeppelin continues to inspire generations with their groundbreaking blues-infused, guitar-driven rock n roll.
Arguably the biggest rock band in the world throughout their 12-year reign, they remain one of the most influential and innovative groups in music history.
With over 200 million albums sold worldwide, their catalog is one of the most enduring bodies of musical composition to come out of the 20th century, and it has influenced countless bands along the way.
They had the biggest tours; the biggest sound; the biggest record sales; the biggest reputation. Quite simply Led Zeppelin was the ultimate rock band.
Available November 12, worldwide, Atlantic Records/Rhino Entertainment will honor Led Zeppelin with the release of Mothership, a 24-track, two-CD comprehensive collection that spans their illustrious career.
All eight of the band’s classic studio albums are represented here, with the tracks being personally selected by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones. Mothership includes landmark songs such as ?Whole Lotta Love, Immigrant Song, Kashmir, Rock And Roll, Dazed And Confused and Stairway to Heaven.
The set will also include new liner notes.
Available at all physical retail outlets and www.ledzeppelin.com, Mothership collectible packages will be available in multiple configurations:
– Standard Package: 2-CD set
– Deluxe Edition: 2-CD/ 1-DVD featuring the 90-minute, premiere-version of the Led Zeppelin DVD (£12.20 SRP)
– Collector’s Edition: 2-CD/1-DVD ultra-deluxe, collectible limited edition
– Vinyl Edition: LPs, high-end, audiophile quality vinyl with collectible memorabilia
Originally released in 1976, The Song Remains The Same soundtrack album of the concert film features songs from the band’s three-night stint at Madison Square Garden in July 1973. On November 19, The Song Remains The Same soundtrack gets the deluxe reissue treatment, with the band members overseeing the remixing and remastering of the original release.
The new version of the soundtrack includes six songs that were not on the original release Black Dog, Over The Hills And Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I’ve Been Loving You, The Ocean, and Heartbreaker, plus new liner notes by Academy Award-winning director Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous).
Slated for a simultaneous release, Warner Home Video debuts brand-new DVD editions of The Song Remains The Same, now for the first time with all 14 songs from the original concert.
The DVD features newly remixed and remastered sound, 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound, and boasts more than 40 minutes of added bonus material*, including never-before-released performance footage of Over The Hills And Far Away and Celebration Day; plus performances of Misty Mountain Hop and The Ocean; a rare 1976 BBC interview with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page; vintage TV footage from the Drake Hotel robbery during the New York concert stand; and a Cameron Crowe radio show.
The discs will be available as follows:
– Deluxe Edition DVD
– Deluxe Edition HD DVD and Blu-ray
– Limited Collectors Edition 2-disc set includes collectible vintage
T-shirt with original album artwork design, soundtrack CD, lobby cards, reproductions of original premiere invites, tour schedule, and more
‘We have revisited The Song Remains The Same’, says Jimmy Page, ‘and can now offer the complete set as played at Madison Square Garden. This differs substantially from the original soundtrack released in 1976, and highlights the technical prowess of Kevin Shirley, who worked with us on How The West Was Won. When it comes to The Song Remains The Same, the expansion of the DVD and soundtrack are as good as it gets on the Led Zeppelin wish list’.
MOTHERSHIP
Track Listing:
Disc One
1. Good Times Bad Times
2. Communication Breakdown
3. Dazed And Confused
4. Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
5. Whole Lotta Love
6. Ramble On
7. Heartbreaker
8. Immigrant Song
9. Since I’ve Been Loving You
10. Rock And Roll
11. Black Dog
12. When The Levee Breaks
13. Stairway To HeavenDisc Two
1. Song Remains The Same
2. Over The Hills And Far Away
3. D’Yer Maker
4. No Quarter
5. Trampled Under Foot
6. Houses Of The Holy
7. Kashmir
8. Nobodys Fault But Mine
9. Achilles Last Stand
10. In The Evening
11. All My LoveTHE SONG REMAINS THE SAME
Track Listing
Disc One
1. Rock And Roll
2. Celebration Day
3. Black Dog (including Bring It On Home)*
4. Over The Hills*
5. Misty Mountain Hop*
6. Since I?ve Been Loving You*
7. No Quarter
8. The Song Remains The Same
9. Rain Song
10. The Ocean*Disc Two
1. Dazed And Confused
2. Stairway To Heaven
3. Moby Dick
4. Heartbreaker*
5. Whole Lotta Love* Not on original soundtrack release
I for one am looking forward to this, especially after the superb live DVD released in 2003.
> Official Led Zeppelin website
> Find out more about Led Zeppelin at Wikipedia
This week sees the release of Harold Lloyd: The Definitive Collection on DVD, a box set featuring wide range of Lloyd’s most famous films.
Harold Lloyd is one of early cinemas most enduring icons alongside such greats as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
He was one of the most prolific and successful comedians of the silent film era, making nearly 200 comedies between 1914 and 1947.
I recently spoke to his granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd about his career and enduring cinematic legacy.
Listen to the interview here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-07-06-10713.MP3]Download this interview as a podcast via iTunes:
Harold Lloyd: The Definitive Collection is out on DVD in the UK from today.
> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Buy Harold Lloyd The Definitive Collection on DVD from Amazon UK
> Find out more about Harold Lloyd at Wikipedia
Henri-Georges Clouzot is one of the great masters of suspense and Optimum have a new box set out featuring three of his best films: Le Corbeau, Quai Des Orfevres and the enduring classic The Wages of Fear.
Seen by many as the “French Hitchcock”, his reputation rose and fell throughout his 40 year career, but his best work still resonates today.
Clouzot began his film making career as a screenwriter, but it wasn’t until the early 1940’s that he made his mark as a director.
Le Corbeau (1943) is a noir thriller set in a small French town about a spate of poison pen letters. A dark and intriguing drama starring Pierre Fresnay and Ginette Leclerc, it was actually made under the occupation and thus attracted a good deal of controversy.
After the Allied liberation of France in 1944, it sparked a debate: was it a work of resistance or an act of collaboration with the Nazi’s? Today it is a fascinating film precisely because of that dichotomy. However, the furore meant that Clouzot was suspended from film making for two years.
In 1947 he returned with Quai des Orfèvres, another thriller dealing with the dark side of France. A music hall singer (Suzy Delair) is willing to go to any lengths to further her career, much to the chagrin of her husband and manager Maurice (Bernard Blier).
When an admiring businessman is found dead, Maurice become the suspect in an investigation headed by Inspector Antoine (Louis Jouvet). A smart and clever drama, it won at the Venice Film Festival and helped reestablish his career. Released here on DVD for the first time, it has also been remastered.
However, it was with The Wages of Fear (1953) that Clouzot was propelled to international acclaim. Widely regarded as his masterpiece (along with Les Diaboliques) it is a magnificent drama filled with suspense. Based on the novel by Georges Arnaud, it deals with four drivers stuck in a dead end South American town.
When a US oil company offers them $2000 dollars a man to transport a deadly cargo of nitroglycerin across the country they sign up. What follows is a tense and brilliantly constructed thriller exploring the desperation of the drivers who take on the challenge: Yves Montand, Folco Lulli, Peter Van Eyck and Charles Vanel.
The first half of the film sets the scene with a slow but biting precision whilst the grueling second section detailing the drive itself is a full blooded attack on the audiences nervous system. A classic film of its era, it inspired a remake by William Freidkin in 1977 and more recently has even been referenced in modern TV shows such as Lost (a minor, unseen character called “Montand” is named after Yves Montand).
The Henri-George Clouzot Collection is out now from Optimum Home Entertainment
> Buy the DVD box set from Amazon UK
> Find out more about H.G. Clouzot at Wikipedia
> Check out the IMDb entry for H.G. Clouzot
British actor David Harewood has starred in recent films such as Separate Lies (2005) and The Merchant of Venice (2004) as well as TV shows like Silent Witness and Babyfather.
But more recently he played Captain Poison in Blood Diamond which is out this week on DVD from Warner Home Video.
I spoke with him about the film and his experiences on it.
Listen to the interview by clicking here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-06-18-25948.mp3]To subscribe to The Interview Podcast via iTunes just click the image below:
> Download the interview as an MP3 file (just right click, save as and rename the file)
> David Harewood at the IMDb
> Buy Blood Diamond on DVD from Amazon UK
Blood Diamond (18)
A drama set amidst the conflict in Sierra Leone in the late 90s, this drama sees Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a mercenary turned diamond smuggler, cross paths with a Mende fisherman (Djimon Honsou).
He has come across – and hidden – a large diamond before being imprisoned as a rebel. Along with a US journalist (Jennifer Connelly) they are all drawn into the murky world of the African diamond trade. David Harewood and Arnold Vosloo also co-star.
Directed by Ed Zwick.
The Good Shepherd (15)
Matt Damon stars as one of the founders of the CIA in this Cold War drama directed by Robert De Niro.
Depicting the paranoia and intrigue of the era it examines the murky world of US foreign policy and the toll it takes on those involved.
Angelina Jolie, William Hurt, Joe Pesci and De Niro himself co-star and the screenplay (which has been around since the mid-90s) is by Eric Roth.
Two Lane Blacktop (15)
This 1971 cult road movie sees James Taylor and Dennis Wilson as two drifters racing people (such as Warren Oates) across the US.
Similar in feel to other road movies of the early 70s like Vanishing Point and Electra Glide in Blue it is worth checking out just to see wheter it lives up to its exalted status.
Directed by Monte Helman it has been unavailable on DVD up until now.
Listen to The DVD Review Podcast by clicking here:
To subscribe to The Review Podcast via iTunes just click the image below:
> Download The DVD Review as an MP3 file (just right click, save as and rename the file)
> Check out the latest DVD releases at Amazon UK
> Get more DVD reviews over at Metacritic
Hot Fuzz (15)
The second feature from the team behind Shaun of the Dead and is a smart and riotous spoof of cop movies.
Simon Pegg stars as a London cop who is so effective at his job he embarrases the Met and gets transferred to a sleepy Somerset village. There he finds it difficult to adjust to the local ways but soon finds himself drawn into a series of grisly murders.
A highly entertaining and surreal mix of Lethal Weapon and The Bill, this is made with a loving attention to detail and looks set to further the careers of director Edgar Wright and actor/writer Pegg.
> Buy Hot Fuzz on DVD from Amazon UK
Apocalypto (18)
A bold and brutally violent drama set in the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico before the Spanish conquest, it depicts one man’s experience during the decline of the ancient Maya civilization.
It follows a young tribesman named Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) who is enslaved and taken to a city in order to be sacrificed before the gods.
Director Mel Gibson attracted all the wrong headlines last summer for his now infamous drunken anti-Semitic rant but this shows him to be a daring and accomplished director.
> Buy Apocalypto on DVD from Amazon UK
Listen to the DVD Review podcast here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-06-11-95362.mp3]To subscribe to The Review Podcast via iTunes just click the image below:
> Download this podcast as an MP3 file (just right click, save as and rename the file)
There are some interesting retro titles out from Optimum Releasing this week involving musicians from the 60s:
Catch Us If You Can (15)
Making its debut on DVD is this cult film from the 60s which saw the Dave Clark Five make their debut on the silver screen. But unlike The Beatles in A Hard Day’s Night or The Monkees TV show, this is a slightly more downbeat affair.
Dave Clark plays a stuntman on a TV commercial who runs off with a model (Barbara Ferris) after they both become disillusioned with their lives. On their travels in the West Country they come across hippy squatters, a middle aged couple whilst ad men pursue them.
Exploring a more melancholy side of the 60s if you compare it to other films with pop stars, it is also noticeable for being the directorial debut of John Boorman who would go on to direct Point Blank and Deliverance.
> Buy Catch Us if You Can at Amazon UK
Gonks Go Beat (U)
A slightly more surreal film that plays as a kind of 60s version of Romeo and Juliet mixed in with some serious amounts of psychedilia.
The two rival camps here are “Beatland” and “Balladisle” and an alien race sends someone to broker a peace. Mix in a race of glove puppets called Gonks (!), a character called “Mr. A&R” and an appearance from Lulu (as herself) and you have a film so groovy it would make Austin Powers blush.
Rock fans should look out for two cameos from Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker of Cream. Sadly Eric Clapton isn’t in it but Baker’s extended drum solo is worth checking out.
> Buy Gonks Go Beat at Amazon UK
Pop Gear (U)
An interesting assembly of 60s bands that featured many of the key bands that made up the British Invasion in 1964: Herman’s Hermits, The Spencer Davis Group and The Animals.
Plus, there are some rare performances of The Beatles singing She Loves You and Twist and Shout. If you have any interest in the pop music of the 60s then this is well worth a look.
> Buy Pop Gear on DVD from Amazon UK
All these titles are out from Optimum Releasing from today
The Fountain is an ambitious sci-fi from director Darren Aronofsky set amidst three different time periods in the past, present and future.
Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz star in multiple roles across time periods stretching from the 16th to the 26th century. It split audiences when it opened at cinemas a few months ago.
Flawed but ambitious, it is still worth a look and the score by Clint Mansell is excellent.
> Buy The Fountain on DVD from Amazon UK
Fitzcarraldo is the classic 1982 film starring Klaus Kinski as a rubber baron who goes to extreme lengths to bring opera to the Peruvian jungle.
Directed by Werner Herzog, this 25 anniversary edition has the documentary ‘Burden of Dreams‘ which details the extraordinary production which involved hauling a huge boat over a mountain.
Kinski and Herzog are two of the most interesting actor-director partnerships in the history of cinema. They collaborated on several films but this is one of the finest.
> Buy Fitzcarraldo on DVD from Amazon UK
Listen to the podcast here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-05-28-26060.mp3]> Subscribe to our Review Podcast via iTunes
> Download this podcast as an MP3 file (just right click, save as and rename the file)
> Check out this week’s releases at Amazon UK
James McAvoy is one of the most promising actors currently working in the UK today and he stars in The Last King of Scotland which is out on DVD this week.
I spoke with him back in January when the film came out at UK cinemas and we talked about his role, acting alongside Forest Whitaker and the deeper themes of the film.
Listen to the interview here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-05-15-74137.mp3]> Subscribe to the Interview Podcast via iTunes
> Download the interview as an MP3 file (just right click, save as and rename the file)
> Buy The Last King of Scotland on DVD from Amazon UK
> James McAvoy at the IMDb
Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight
The Pursuit of Happyness is out this week on DVD and tells the remarkable true life tale of Chris Gardner.
He was a salesman in San Francisco during the early 80s and battled through numerous personal and financial hardships as he tried to become a stockbroker.
Will Smith was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Gardner in the lead role and was instrumental in hiring Italian director Gabriele Muccino.
I spoke with Gabriele about the film around its UK release in January and you can listen to the interview here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-05-15-72834.mp3]> Subscribe to the Interview Podcast via iTunes
> Download the interview as an MP3 file (just right click, save as and rename the file)
> Buy The Pursuit of Happyness on DVD from Amazon UK
Image courtesy of Columbia Pictures
On the DVD Review this week we examine the following releases:
The Last King of Scotland – Forest Whitaker stars as 70s Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in this adaptation of the Giles Foden novel about a young Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) who befriends him.
The Pursuit of Happyness – Will Smith plays Chris Gardner, a single father who has to cope with living on the poverty line in early 80s San Francisco whilst he tries to become a stockbroker.
My So Called Life – The mid-90s TV show about the trials and tribulations of teenage life starring Claire Danes finally gets released in the UK as a 5 disc set.
Deja Vu – A daft but enjoyable thriller from director Tony Scott and producer Jerry Bruckheimer see Denzel Washington try to solve a crime in New Orleans two days after it actually happened.
Little Children – One of the best films of last year sees Kate Winslet on great form as a frustrated suburban housewife who has an affair with a neighbour (Patrick Wilson) in this intelligent adaptation of Tom Perotta’s novel.
Listen to the DVD Review podcast here:
[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-05-15-33580.mp3]> Subscribe to our Review Podcast via iTunes
> Download this podcast as an MP3 file (just right click, save as and rename the file)
> Check out this week’s releases at Amazon UK
Interesting news on the ‘proper’ director’s cut of Blade Runner.
Film Ick reports:
The director’s cut of Blade Runner is finally due later this year. Not the so-called director’s cut – the real director’s cut. The film the way, at last, Ridely Scott wanted it.
Joanna Cassidy’s official site has broken the news that she has completed reshoots of her scenes: “Joanna has just finished re-shooting her scenes from the original Blade Runner movie. Joanna is wearing her original outfit (which she kept over from the first production). These new scenes will be part of the upcoming special Blade Runner DVD re-release. Check back for more details”.
Plus, they have more information from another source about the re-shoots for the DVD:
The shots are for the sequence in which Cassidy’s character Zhora is chased through the streets. In the original film, the chase shows Zhora in flat boots but previously we saw her put on heels – the reshoots feature heels; the control wires for the squib that released Zhora’s blood was previously visible – not any longer; a wound make-up that was missing in some angles is now in place;
Zhora gets a second shot in the chest now, whereas she didn’t before; the lighting is much improved; several new angles have been taken and, depending on the edit, the sequence could end up looking rather different overall.
All very interesting but it makes you wonder how much longer we’ll have to wait for this landmark film to be available as Ridley Scott intended it.
> Find out more about the Blade Runner at Wikipedia
> Extensive Blade Runner fansite
In the late 70’s Warren Beatty somehow persuaded a major American studio (Paramount) to fund a huge sweeping epic about communist journalist John Reed. He was the man famous for chronicling the Russian revolution with his classic memoir ‘Ten Days That Shook the World‘ and the film explores his work and his relationships with other writers of the time, such as Louise Bryant, Eugene O’Neill, Emma Goldman and Max Eastman.
Beatty assembled a terrific cast featuring the likes of Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Edward Hermann, Maureen Stapleton and Gene Hackman but also recruited some heavyweight talents behind the camera. Most notably, Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (whose other films include Apocalypse Now and The Conformist) brings some beautiful visuals to the screen.
The first half of the film deals with Reed (Beatty) and his relationships with fellow writers on the American left, in particular Bryant (Diane Keaton) with whom he has a tempestuous love affair. The second half sees the couple go to Russia and Reed grow ever more disillusioned with the Revolution, finally come to see the cost of his political beliefs to his personal life.
At a running time of over three hours (the film clocks in at around 194 minutes) Reds does demand a fair chunk of your time and attention. But that time is worth your while – it is a rich portrayal of characters in the turbulent years of the early 20th century but it also deals with history and politics with a scope and ambition that you don’t see in contemporary Hollywood.
The extras for this special 2 disc edition mostly consist of a lengthy in an in depth documentary detailing the making of the film. Warren Beatty admits from the beginning that he doesn’t like talking about his work in this way (!) but then goes on to be a lucid and entertaining narrator of how the project got off the ground and became his most ambitious film as a director.
Other notables involved such as Storaro and Nicholson also make worthwhile contributions (although Keaton’s absence sticks out) and shed light on the struggles involved to bring it to the big screen. Also look out for production designer Simon Holland who details the extraordinary amount of locations used for the original shoot which included the US, Helsinki, Spain, Manchester, London and even the beaches at Rye.
Reds is out now on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment
> Buy the DVD from Amazon UK (Region 2)
> If you are based in the US buy it here on Region 1 DVD
> IMDb entry for Reds
> Find out more about John Reed at Wikipedia
At long last the second season of David Lynch‘s classic TV show Twin Peaks is available on DVD.
At the moment it just being released on Region 1 but if you have a multi-region player that won’t be a problem.
It was one of the best TV shows of the early 90s and although it lost its way somewhat towards the end it still featured some memorable episodes.
A lot of people have asked me over the years about when this was going to be available and the reason it was delayed for so long was a complex web of legal and distribution issues.
But if you are a Lynch fan then this is well worth a look. IGN have posted a review of the package along with some screenshots.
> Buy Twin Peaks Season 2 from Amazon USA
> Find out more about the show at Wikipedia
> Interstate 95 – Twin Peaks fansite
> David Lynch’s official site (the ringtones are fantastic)
(DVD & Artwork © 2006 Paramount Home Video. All Rights Reserved.)
UPDATE: Thanks to Mark for pointing out in the comments below that Twin Peaks Season 2 is only out on Region 1 DVD at the moment.
I was wondering why this post was getting so much traffic but in my haste to state that the Region 1 DVD was available I mistakenly said it was out on Region 2. Alas, it isn’t yet as the tortuous rights issues to this title drag on.
Thw Wikipedia entry for Twin Peaks has the following to say on the release problems both seasons have had:
The release of Season Two was complicated by the sale of Republic Pictures, the successor-in-interest to Worldvision Enterprises (the series’ former distributor) and which currently holds ancillary rights in North America, to Paramount/Viacom in 1998; the transition of home video rights; and the later 2006 split of Viacom into two separate companies. Also, David Lynch oversaw the transfer from video to DVD personally, but was delayed by the production of his new film, Inland Empire. The first season was released to DVD on Artisan Entertainment, the video licensee for Republic, but Artisan/Lions Gate’s rights expired in September 2005, and thus were transferred to Paramount.
The second season release was postponed several times, from September 2004, to early 2005, to September 2005, to early 2006. Despite its long delay, Season Two was finally released in the United States and Canada on April 3, 2007. In Germany, where Season 2 is to be released in two parts on separate dates in 2007, Part 1 went on general release on January 4, 2007.
North American rights to the Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me film are owned by New Line Cinema, a division of Time Warner (which also owns Warner Bros.), and is available on video and DVD through New Line. In Canada, the DVD was distributed through Alliance Atlantis, which holds all Canadian rights to the New Line library.
Although Republic technically holds major ancillary rights, Paramount’s home entertainment division (a Viacom unit) now holds home video rights. Television distribution rights are now held by CBS Paramount Television, the successor-in-interest to Paramount’s television unit.
Perhaps it’s best to get that multi-region DVD player after all…
Dave Chen makes some salient points on why DVD cover art can be so disappointing over at More Than This:
In all seriousness though, why is DVD box art, in general, so bad? There are undoubtedly many factors that go into this, including artist fees and movie-related art availability in general.
But the biggest contributor to the horrendous art collection you have sitting on your DVD shelf is undoubtedly the actual purpose of DVD box art, which differs greatly from the purpose of movie poster art. Movie poster art is supposed to make you aware of the film and to create buzz.
Read the post in full here.
Casino Royale is out now on DVD and to coincide with the release I recently spoke with composer David Arnold about his work on the film.
We spoke about a number of things, including his involvement with cinema’s longest running franchise, the decision to hold off from the signature tune and where 007 might be headed next.
Listen to the interview here:
[audio:david_arnold_on_casino_royale.mp3]
You can also download it an as MP3 here
Casino Royale is out on DVD today from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
> The official site for Casino Royale
> Buy Casino Royale on DVD from Amazon UK
> Have a listen to interviews I did with the cast and crew of Casino Royale back in November
> Find out more about the next Bond film at Wikipedia
> Visit David Arnold’s official website
Since coming to prominence in his native Mexico with Sólo Con Tu Pareja (1991) Alfonso Cuarón has shown himself to be a remarkably versatile director.
His films have ranged from The Little Princess (1995), a beautifully crafted adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s children’s novel to the exuberant road movie Y Tu Mama Tambien (2002).
After the international and critical success of that film he made Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), the third – and so far, best – instalment of the series.
Children of Men was another shift in subject matter and tone, as he adapted P.D. James’ dystopian novel about infertility in a futuristic England.
Released in the UK last September (and the US in December) it garnered lavish critical praise and award recognition, winning 2 BAFTAs and 3 Oscar nominations.
It was richly deserved, as it remains one of the best films of last year.
It functions as a riveting thriller, but also explores contemporary issues with an intelligence that is rare in mainstream movies.
It also features some truly stunning cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki, who has helped create images and sequences that will live long in the memory.
I recently spoke to Alfonso about the forthcoming release on DVD.
He was articulate, passionate and keen to discuss many aspects of the film, including:
You can also download here it as an MP3 (just right click on the link and save it to your computer)
The Children of Men 2-disc Special Edition is available on DVD from 19th March, courtesy of Universal Pictures
(Film & Artwork © 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.)
> Buy Children of Men on DVD or the Blu-ray from Amazon UK
> IMDb entry for Alfonso Cuaron
> Reviews for Children of Men at Metacritic
> Dana Stevens of Slate on why Children of Men is the ‘movie of the millenium’
