Hey folks
Doesn't look like there's a lot on offer this week, but look closely, in between all that toss about Bridget Jones Collectors Editions and such, and you'll find the likes of these delights right here.
Jesus Of Montreal
Deny's Arcand's debut seems a bit dated now, and slightly overlong, but there are at least two sequences that make it essential viewing. One involves the dubbing of a porn film, and the other concerns itself with being the full 30 minutes of the passion play central to the story. Unfortunately, they've gone and disgraced it with the kinda cover you'd expect to see on a Robin Williams flick. Very unsatisfactory. No extras, either, but still, the flick rocks.
Before Sunrise / Before Sunset
Richard Linklater's charmingly low-key romantic dramedy and it's recent, similarly sharp sequel, get bundled together on account of the latter gets its DVD release this week. If you don't own the first one, then best to grab this 2-for-1 type deal. Not as obscure as, say, Waking Life, nor as mainstream as School Of Rock, these flicks have most in common with Linklater's debut, Slacker. Well worth an investment.
Zatoichi / Sonatine
Two astounding Takeshi Kitano flicks here, although two very different ones. Zatoichi is, of course, his recent rejuvenation of everyone's favorite blind swordsman (just nudging Rutger Hauer off the top-spot), packed to the teeth with balletic bloodshed and gorgeous visuals. Sonatine is, most likely, his very best film of all ever, a somber, tranquil, hypnotic affair concerning a bunch of Yakuza heading off to a beach-house hideout.
The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection
Five of the finest comedies ever made, plus an extra disc with some Today Show interviews. Best of the bunch is, of course, Duck Soup, with Horse Feathers coming a close second, but that's not to say the remaining three (Animal Crackers, The Cocoanuts and Monkey Business) are anything less than fantastic.
Fritz Lang Epic Collection
Most likely everyone already has Metropolis, but the real joy of this set is being able to own stuff like Woman In The Moon and the complete, restored Die Nibelungen Saga on shiny disc. Also included is proto-Bond caper Spies. No extras, sadly, but still, these flicks need to be on your shelf, is what.
Well folks, here's the full rundown.
Following Released Tuesday 9th November 2004
Ace High (1968)
Widscreen Collector's Edition
Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: Not Rated
Adventures of Roc Raida (2004)
Bonus CD
Studio: BMG Video
Rated: Not Rated
Ahmad Jamal Live in Baalbeck (2004)
Studio: Koch Entertainment Distribution
Rated: Not Rated
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
super as always Duker, full of wit, wisdom and cinematic science - you should write a book!
Classic line: "there's no denying the possibly supernatural charm of these smug motherfuckers"
You want to hate them, but it's not worth the energy
2 - Jim Carruthers
"Jesus of Montreal" is one of those movies, while excellent on its own, is so packed with inside jokes, that it can only be really appreciated by people who lived in Montreal in the 80s, just like Arcand's english language movie "Superstar".
Oh, and Hail Freedonia!
3 - Jim Carruthers
I need to mention one of the inside jokes is the dubbing scene, which is funny by itself (fella turns up to dub a porn film into french, finds out the other fella who supposed be there for gig doesn't show up, so he has to dub multiple parts in a gang-bang scene) Which was a comment on Quebec laws about dubbed movies, which had to be dubbed in the province. So a Hollywood studio couldn't use a version dubbed in France to release in Quebec. And to compound it, France wouldn't allow a dubbed version from Quebec to be released in France.
And there was a requirement that an english movie had to have a dubbed Quebec french version available if it ran more than a couple of weeks. This meant a lot of smaller movies never got theatrical releases in Quebec in the late 80s. But it was good times for the dubbing industry.
4 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
thanks folks!
Eric, you don't wanna go tempting a fella with ideas like that!
Jim - that right there is fascinating. adds plenty to the scene for The Duke, although as you stated, it's marvellous regardless.
5 - Jim Carruthers
Think about "Manhattan" dubbed by voices from Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. Or yer Merchant-Ivory flicks dubbed by people from Glasgow, Dublin and Belfast. (I bet you do a wonderful Helena Bonham-Carter).