I know, I know. Where the holy hell have you been this past fortnight, The Duke?
I been swimming the seas of malaria, high to the teeth on demented sicknesses. But whilst swimming those seas, I picked up some swell DVD's, which is good, since there ain't much on this list to keep a fella entertained, truth be told.
I can now safely say Predator 2 Special Edition was worth waiting for. The two commentaries alone are worth any and all amount of the green. A nod in the direction of Luis Bunuel Volume 2 wouldn't be out of order either, since it's a box-set shindig featuring That Obscure Object Of Desire, The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie, and, best of all, The Phantom Of Liberty. Glorious.
In addition to all that, The Exorcist - The Beginning has a great commentary from Renny Harlin, and, honestly, who can fail to love the film? So brilliantly, gleefully tasteless and stupid.
But whatever the case, here's a handful picks from a week of fairly slim pickings.
Microcosmos
I picked this up ages ago on Budget Region 2 DVD, but if you Region 1 cats ain't had a chance yet, go get it. What it is, is a beautiful documentary concerning a buncha insects in a French Meadow, made by the folks behind Winged Migration, which I hear is similarly awe-inspiring, but which I ain't seen yet.
This is beautiful though. There ain't no narration, save for a bit at the start and the end, so it's just you and these wonderful creatures for an hour and a half. What could be better?
The Big Red One - The Reconstruction - Special Edition
This is the reconstructed, restored version of Sam Fuller's WW2 epic, running at nearly three hours.
It's only right that it should get the 2-disc treatment, and so in addition to all the additional scenes and such, you get a commentary from Richard Schickel, the producer of the reconstruction, plus a couple documentaries and the like on putting this epic back together after the studio's had had their filthy way with it.
Ain't much reason for passing it up, I'd wager.
Spaceballs - Special Edition
Mel Brooks' Star Wars spoof gets the Special Edition treatment just in time for Episode III. Truth be told, I never especially liked Spaceballs, and never found it all that terribly funny.
Those that do, though, should be pleased with this, since it's got all sorts of commentaries and documentaries and the like.
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Article comments
1 - Eric Berlin
I love the Big Red One, Duke -- I saw it when I was a wee wee lad, and it likely had something to do with my early childhood obsession with World War II (the first "adult" type books I remember reading are The Great Escape and The Longest Day [film of which starred the Not So Duke, I believe]) and studying the history at the university. Believe our man Luke Skywalker himself was in the One as well.
I like Spaceballs, but then again I saw it at that age where it would make a dent. Was about 12 or so when it came out... which still might not make much of an excuse, I suppose. John Candy was pretty great in it though, I have to say.
I love your comments regarding King of the Hill -- very right on.
2 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Eric, im not a big fan of war pictures to be honest. but then i wasnt a big fan of westerns until about three years ago, when i read Preacher an suddenly decided the western genre was one fit to be dived into.
i have also jsut returned from seeing (finally) The Amityville Remake, and whilst it was no Amityville II, it was also rather good.
i shall review it sometimes soon...
and King Of The Hill is great. sometimes it feels more like an animated drama than an animated comedy, which is weird. But good. Not all animated TV shows for grown-ups have to be "comedy shows", i'd wager. Nor indeed do they have to feature monsters having filth with folks. or robots. or all of the above.
3 - Eric Berlin
I've always loved a good war movie, though I'm not even sure why. I'll even sit through that shite-y Hart's War with everyone freezing their yarbles off in a Nazi POW camp.
Have you seen Band of Brothers? Man, that production just blows me away -- great great story telling... and a true story! Should be required viewing for history and film majors both, in my humble ultra-biased opinion.
4 - HW Saxton
Stalag 17 is another great WW2 era film.
With the Billy Wilder direction and all
star cast it's hard to go wrong. A must
watch Senor De Mondo,really man. It's a
bone-a-fied classic,simply put,sir.
I was never that big a Western fan until
about ten years back.But many are great
character studies wrapped up in an ultra
violent coat & sweetened with beautiful
nature photography. Very cool & Unique.
The whole sub genre of Western Noir is
worth examining as well. "Blood On The
Moon,Pursued & Johnny Guitar" all come
to mind readily. "J.G." is in color but
is as "Noir" as any film I've ever seen.
Sterling Hayden stars in "Johnny Guitar"
by the by and it is one of his better
films amongst his greats.
5 - Eric Berlin
HW - My all time classic war film may well be the 1943 version of Sahara, starring Humphrey Bogart. It's a "small" film and kind of character-driven film much more than a war film, but man is it great. There's a new movie called Sahara coming out, but I don't really know what it's about.
There's a whole list of epic/classic war films, of course. I kind of like that Sahara is kind of obscure. "Guns of Navarone" is just about my favorite of the widely known ones -- classic spy behind-enemy-lines flick.
6 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
there are some war flicks i love, regardless of the genre as a whole. All Quiet On The Western Front (the german number, not the John Boy Walton TV Movie remake) is just amazing. as are the first twnety minutes of saving private ryan, as is platoon an the first half of full metal jacket. And also The Hill.
HW, Johnny Guitar just got issued on region 2 DVD, so im lookin forward to pickin it up.
7 - Eric Berlin
Duke - Is The Hill one in the same as Hamburger Hill... perhaps a different European title?
Agreed on Full Metal and Platoon. I love the whole of Saving Private Ryan... though I think Band of Brothers is kind of a brilliant extension, almost a Hobbit to Lord of the Rings leap in storytelling, though that seems an odd analogy in a way.
The German version of All Quiet on the Western Front does the bit where the schoolteacher becomes like the drill Sarge like the day after war is declared. That scene was basically ripped off in the film version of Starship Troopers. I forgot about that until just now... or am I wrong?
8 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
eric, The Hill is a 65 Sidney Lumet offering, starring Sean Connery. It concerns a military camp type affair in the middle of WW2, and the punishing disciplinary measures dished out therein. Fantastic stuff.
9 - HW Saxton
Eric B.,"Sahara" sounds good.I'd like to
check it out."Big Red One" is a favorite
of mine. As a Sam Fuller fan,I always
crack up at the obligatory mention of
"Griff",who is mentioned somewhere in
every single one of Fullers movies.
I really like "Guns Of Navarone" a lot.
And The Skatalites version of the theme
song as well,LOL.
That whole genre of over blown WW2 films
from the early/mid 1960's has a lot of
great stuff amongst the dross. Battle Of
The Bulge,Von Ryans Express,Day Of The
Condor,Where Eagles Dare,etc are really
entertaining if nothing else.I've just
really started watching a lot of these
flicks in earnest as of late.I've always
enjoyed the genre (WW2) in general but
have relaxed my own personal standards
somewhat recently to start taking in a
lot of these.To my surprise many of them
are a pretty good watch.Far from being
classics,but if I'm entertained then it
was worth the watch.
10 - Eric Berlin
Yeah, there's always something great about the whole going into the belly of the beast spy flick, isn't it? And how can you have a "better" enemy than the Nazis? Impossible.
Interesting -- just thought of the similarity of Sam and Frodo and the ring and all these WWII spy flicks.
By the way -- Isn't a young Harrison Ford in Where Eagles Dare? That's a pretty good one, but really really long.
In this range of film, you can't forget the famous Dirty Dozen. That's a fun film -- not great, but entertaining nonetheless.
11 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
and much as it is maligned and torn by all critics, Heartbreak Ridge was a flick i really rather enjoyed back in the day.
12 - Eric Berlin
Yep -- I agree, Duke. Some great lines in that movie.
"It's mind over matter. You see, I don't mind so you don't matter."
Wasn't Mario Van Peebles part of that epic struggle, by the way?
Clint was pretty damned good throughout that one as well.
13 - Eric Berlin
You know what we have too much of, though? Bad military comedies... and not too many good ones, off the top of my head. Renaissance Man, that Sgt. Bilko thing, In the Army Now (or something) with the unlikely pairing of Andy Dick and Pauley Shore... wow, that was painful just to write.
Stripes, of course, sets the bar here. Great great movie. You rarely here from an anti-Stripes person, I find.
14 - HW Saxton
Eric, Dirty Dozen was a good watch.I was
gonna mention it but forgot to list it.
Have you ever seen: "Force Ten From
Navarone? It's the sequel to "Guns Of"..
of course, but came out about 15 years
later.Harrison Ford WAS in that and he
was pretty good. I don't remember if he
was in Where Eagles Dare.Eagles was long
you're right about about that. A little
over 2 and a 1/2 hrs.But it unfolds slow
so it seems longer.Clint E. and Richard
Burton were both really good, Burton is
bordering on intense here.Kelly's Heroes
is an excellent war flick. It has some
pretty funny spots but I don't know if
I could consider it comedy.A "Dramedy"
maybe??? Don Rickles should've been in
more films as he was natural in K.H's.
15 - Eric Berlin
Yeah, I did see Force Ten From Navarone -- I used to rent every bloody video available at my library when I was a kid. And it was pretty good.
By the way: was just looking over The Duke's list and came across this classic:
Bass Fishing: The Basics With Chuck Woolery (2004)
That just makes me want to say... wow.
16 - HW Saxton
WOW!! is right.LOL The Duke D M is one
twisted Mick. And I really mean that as
complimentary as is possible.
17 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Bass Fishing With Chuck Woolery can only be a masterpiece.
Much like In The Army Now, which you so cruely slight. Just cause it's shit don't mean we should snub it. I would imagine.
18 - HW Saxton
Chuck W. also has own brand of motorized
fishing lures called "Moto-Lures".
19 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
it's high time Chuck D got involved.
Bass in yo face! Bass fishing with Chuck D.
20 - HW Saxton
This reminds of those documentaries that
BBC America shows on Sunday afternoons
of the trout farmers up in the Scottish
Highlands.
Chuck D. is much too loud,he'd scare all
the fish away. On the same hand, I don't
think anyone would bother you to see a
fishing license.
21 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
"reel it in booooooooooyyyyyyeeeeeee"
i wanna see this! now!
22 - Eric Berlin
Duke -- You've been listening to hip hop the last day or two.
Come on now, admit it...