This weeks theme: megalomania. You've got Alexander the Great, Hitler, um, Bill Cosby, Ashton Kutcher...okay, maybe just two of these.
Alexander: Director's Cut - Special Edition
Cos' if you're gonna go for the Oliver Stone treatment, you might as well go all the way. This version is actually shorter than the theatrical cut, which also comes out this week. Let's see how they stack up.
1. Both contain the mini-docs "Resurrecting Alexander" and "Perfect is the Enemy of God," the latter title based on one of Stone's favorite on-set sayings, perhaps taken too much to heart here. Both also contain a featurette on Vangelis' score.
2. The most sensible difference: The theatrical cut contains commentary by Stone and historian Robin Lane Fox (easily the most made-up sounding name for a historian ever) whereas the director's cut contains commentary solely by Stone because it is, in fact, the director's cut of history.
3. One featurette on the director's cut not on the theatrical, interviews with the cast on how they prepared for their roles. Finally we get to hear which dye Colin Farrell used and how he picked a haircut that would make him look the most like Treat Williams.
Guess Who
Complete this verbal analogy...
Spencer Tracy: Bernie Mac :: Sidney Poitier:
(a) Edward Norton
(b) Tobey Maguire
(c) Ashton Kutcher
(d) Are you high? On what planet are you comparing Spencer Tracy and Bernie Mac?!?
Those of you who answered "d" probably shouldn't waste your time with this "re-imagining" of the 1967 classic Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, starring Tracy, Poitier, oh, and what's-her-face, right, Katherine Hepburn played here by, um, an actress you've never heard of.
Those of you who answered "c" probably never heard of any of those people or that movie and you deserve all 105 minutes plus deleted scenes and director's commentary.
Downfall
It's not every day that a movie makes it into the IMDB Top 250 and rarer still one that had an egg timer theatrical run, but this is one such creature. And not in a middling 100's or 200's spot. This puppy's hovering at #79. No mean feat considering that this covers the last days of Hitler's reign. Touchy material, but apparently handled extremely well.
The Complete Thin Man Collection
With all this talk of Remington Steele and Moonlighting, it's about time the original sleuthing sophisticates got their due. No, not Hart to Hart (although where is that DVD?). Nick and Nora Charles. Based on Dashiell Hammett's novel and spun into a six-film franchise, The Thin Man gives us William Powell and Myrna Loy at their wittiest, solving a crime because, well, it's there.
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Article comments
1 - Tan The Man
I'm intrigued by Stone cutting minutes from his fillm. Most director's cuts are longer, not shorter.
2 - Walt
"Yatzpan" is the Israeli Leno/Letterman. Click my name for an article about him and the show.
3 - Eric Berlin
Great job on this, David -- very happy to see the franchise is in excellent hands post-Duke.
4 - David Dylan Thomas
Thanks Eric B! And thanks to everyone who has been so supportive over the last few weeks, especially The Duke and Eric O. You've made me feel welcome.
And Walt, I don't know which is more impressive, that you know who Yatzpan is or that you read all the way to the end of this thing. Much obliged.
5 - Temple Stark
Eric Berlin picked this for an Editors' Pick of the Week. Go find out why here