Knight at HOME at the Movies
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Fantasy! Sci-Fi! Magic!
Three of my favorite film genres; two in extended or re-cut editions. One could say that I'm a happy guy this week. The first two
discs have been out since last month but I've just found the time to explore them while The Illusionist hit stores this Tuesday.
Naturally, all three of these DVD recommendations will give you a reason to stay at home and out of trouble this weekend!
Three of my favorite film genres; two in extended or re-cut editions. One could say that I'm a happy guy this week. The first two
discs have been out since last month but I've just found the time to explore them while The Illusionist hit stores this Tuesday.
Naturally, all three of these DVD recommendations will give you a reason to stay at home and out of trouble this weekend!
It was a given that the original DVD release of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe would
be followed up by a special edition. Now, Disney DVD has once again giving the Harry
Potter series a run for their money (none of which have offered extended versions) with
the 4-disc Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Special Edition. This version includes an extended version of the theatrical release but
it’s only seven minutes – a minute here and a minute there – of new stuff as opposed to
the whopping material rewoven throughout each of the Lord of the Rings special versions.
But even with the slight additions (Lucy allowing Edmond to hold her teddy bear on the
train to the countryside for example) this set is worth having for the extra features.
The packaging, unlike the original 2-disc release, doesn’t replicate the charming red
wardrobe inspired case but it does include ALL the special features from the first release
(commentaries, detailed making of featurettes, fun features for the kiddies, etc.) and
there's also a two hour new making of doc that will answer pretty much everything you
could want to know about the film. For me, the real reason to trade up, however, is the
splendid, feature length biography on the series author, C.S. Lewis, which is included on a
separate disc. There are other new features, a 10 page booklet as well. This should be
enough Narnia to hold you until the first sequel arrives – though it’s now been delayed
until 2008.
As the motion picture enters its second century and the third decade of the home
entertainment business, the film companies finally seem to have learned that extra
footage, deleted scenes, and certainly, director’s cuts are not just highly coveted by fans
of the particular film, but are basically a license to print cash with multiple editions of a
movie.
Who wasn’t lined up ready and willing to plunk down the extra moola for the Ridley Scott
director’s cut of Legend or the restored version of the Judy Garland A Star is Born? Other
eagerly awaited examples? Terry Gilliam’s Brazil was one, Scott’s Blade Runner will be
another. Certainly all the extended versions of the LOTR films (as noted above) were
high on the anticipation list. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Superman II – the
Richard Donner Cut from Warner Home Video was in the Top Ten. The resulting film
– which restores all the Marlon Brando scenes (playing Jor-El, Superman’s father), gives
us more comedy between Lex Luthor and Miss Teschmacher (Gene Hackman and Valerie
Perrine) and includes a different version of the romance between Superman and Lois Lane
(Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder) – is interesting if not quite as exciting as I’d
anticipated.
For one thing, Donner was replaced with a terrific director – Richard Lester – who had a
sure feel for the pulp comic book conventions of the characters and story. Now, it’s
interesting to find that the studio’s version is actually BETTER and that for once they
seemed to know what was best! For example, I missed the build-up to the faux, comedic
honeymoon scene between Clark Kent and Lois that takes a serious, then romantic turn.
On the other hand I loved having more of the three villains (especially the female, Ursa
played by Sarah Douglas) and the additional comic scenes between Hackman and Perrine
give the film a nice jolt. But the Brando stuff – aside from the quickie scene between he
and Reeve – are a tad draggy and I missed the warmth that Susannah York brought to
her moments as Superman’s mother. I understand the importance of it being released
from the vaults and am glad to see it but now I understand why it was tossed. All, in all,
Donner’s cut is certainly worth taking out for a spin and it makes for a fascinating
comparison with Lester’s cut. Actually, for Superman fans (this is, I think, the best film of
the series), it’s probably best to get BOTH versions. This edition includes a brief
introduction by Donner, a featurette on the recovery/restoration process, and some
deleted scenes.
Last up this week is the pretty much bare bones edition of The Illusionist from 20th
Century Fox. This period thriller/romance stars Edward Norton as the mysterious magician
Eisenheim, Paul Giamatti as the wily inspector of the police, a lovely, aristocratic Jessica
Biel as Norton’s love interest, and Rufus Sewel as the boorish Prince Leopold who wants
Biel for himself and is jealous of Eisenheim’s messianic following among the "commoners."
Set in Vienna in the early 1900s, writer-director Neil Burger’s elegant film is one of 2006’s
best and certainly one of the years most beautiful. Old fashioned and assured, the film
played to mostly arthouse audiences but based on its glowing reviews (mine included),
the movie’s going to get a lot of attention on DVD. The disc does include a short making
of featurette, an even shorter one that focuses on Biel and there is also a full length
commentary by Burger that offers a lot of interesting background on the making of the
movie. Highly recommended.
be followed up by a special edition. Now, Disney DVD has once again giving the Harry
Potter series a run for their money (none of which have offered extended versions) with
the 4-disc Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Special Edition. This version includes an extended version of the theatrical release but
it’s only seven minutes – a minute here and a minute there – of new stuff as opposed to
the whopping material rewoven throughout each of the Lord of the Rings special versions.
But even with the slight additions (Lucy allowing Edmond to hold her teddy bear on the
train to the countryside for example) this set is worth having for the extra features.
The packaging, unlike the original 2-disc release, doesn’t replicate the charming red
wardrobe inspired case but it does include ALL the special features from the first release
(commentaries, detailed making of featurettes, fun features for the kiddies, etc.) and
there's also a two hour new making of doc that will answer pretty much everything you
could want to know about the film. For me, the real reason to trade up, however, is the
splendid, feature length biography on the series author, C.S. Lewis, which is included on a
separate disc. There are other new features, a 10 page booklet as well. This should be
enough Narnia to hold you until the first sequel arrives – though it’s now been delayed
until 2008.
As the motion picture enters its second century and the third decade of the home
entertainment business, the film companies finally seem to have learned that extra
footage, deleted scenes, and certainly, director’s cuts are not just highly coveted by fans
of the particular film, but are basically a license to print cash with multiple editions of a
movie.
Who wasn’t lined up ready and willing to plunk down the extra moola for the Ridley Scott
director’s cut of Legend or the restored version of the Judy Garland A Star is Born? Other
eagerly awaited examples? Terry Gilliam’s Brazil was one, Scott’s Blade Runner will be
another. Certainly all the extended versions of the LOTR films (as noted above) were
high on the anticipation list. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Superman II – the
Richard Donner Cut from Warner Home Video was in the Top Ten. The resulting film
– which restores all the Marlon Brando scenes (playing Jor-El, Superman’s father), gives
us more comedy between Lex Luthor and Miss Teschmacher (Gene Hackman and Valerie
Perrine) and includes a different version of the romance between Superman and Lois Lane
(Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder) – is interesting if not quite as exciting as I’d
anticipated.
For one thing, Donner was replaced with a terrific director – Richard Lester – who had a
sure feel for the pulp comic book conventions of the characters and story. Now, it’s
interesting to find that the studio’s version is actually BETTER and that for once they
seemed to know what was best! For example, I missed the build-up to the faux, comedic
honeymoon scene between Clark Kent and Lois that takes a serious, then romantic turn.
On the other hand I loved having more of the three villains (especially the female, Ursa
played by Sarah Douglas) and the additional comic scenes between Hackman and Perrine
give the film a nice jolt. But the Brando stuff – aside from the quickie scene between he
and Reeve – are a tad draggy and I missed the warmth that Susannah York brought to
her moments as Superman’s mother. I understand the importance of it being released
from the vaults and am glad to see it but now I understand why it was tossed. All, in all,
Donner’s cut is certainly worth taking out for a spin and it makes for a fascinating
comparison with Lester’s cut. Actually, for Superman fans (this is, I think, the best film of
the series), it’s probably best to get BOTH versions. This edition includes a brief
introduction by Donner, a featurette on the recovery/restoration process, and some
deleted scenes.
Last up this week is the pretty much bare bones edition of The Illusionist from 20th
Century Fox. This period thriller/romance stars Edward Norton as the mysterious magician
Eisenheim, Paul Giamatti as the wily inspector of the police, a lovely, aristocratic Jessica
Biel as Norton’s love interest, and Rufus Sewel as the boorish Prince Leopold who wants
Biel for himself and is jealous of Eisenheim’s messianic following among the "commoners."
Set in Vienna in the early 1900s, writer-director Neil Burger’s elegant film is one of 2006’s
best and certainly one of the years most beautiful. Old fashioned and assured, the film
played to mostly arthouse audiences but based on its glowing reviews (mine included),
the movie’s going to get a lot of attention on DVD. The disc does include a short making
of featurette, an even shorter one that focuses on Biel and there is also a full length
commentary by Burger that offers a lot of interesting background on the making of the
movie. Highly recommended.
