Sunday, October 19, 2008
A+E, Movies, Reviews
Fright night
Pop in these recent DVDs for some cinematic chills
By David Lee Simmons
For Halloween, consider a range of DVD releases that span the spectrum of thrills, from old-school science fiction to a classic thriller and a hip updating of gory horror.
“RAY HARRYHAUSEN COLLECTION”
“It Came From Beneath The Sea,” “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers,” “20 Million Miles to Earth,” “The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad”
(Sony Pictures)
The scary monsters and space invaders of special-effects wizard Ray Harryhausen were, by far, the stars of his shows. Whether it was the broad-shouldered Ymir of “20 Million Miles to Earth” or the all-embracing octopus of “It Came from Beneath the Sea,” the master of stop-motion animation created bigger-than-life nemeses that dwarfed the screen and our imagination.
“Ray Harryhausen Collection” proves that point over and over again, and with novel approaches. Here Harryhausen’s work can be seen for the first time in color. In fact, the viewer can use the “angle” option on the remote to switch from black-and-white to color and back.
That’s not always a good thing. Too often, and despite a vastly improved technique, the colorization process still feels a bit reminiscent of Ted Turner’s attempt at “improving” black-and-white movies. The results are often over-saturated images that heighten the artifice of the monsters, thereby making them feel less realistic.
On the other hand, one of the great talents of Harryhausen’s work is how artful his creations seemed, which is a major reason why purists scoff at the hyper-realism of computer-generated imagery (CGI). So while the flying saucers of “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers” lose some of their metallic sheen in the translation, the Ymir of “20 Miles” benefits from a green glow that accentuates his reptilian skin texture.
The set also benefits from tons of extras on each of the second discs, including an interview of Harryhausen conducted by one of his biggest fans, director Tim Burton. The master himself, still alive and kicking, also offers commentary to the films.
Also, fans will love the Ymir collectible toy included. Ooh, scary! 4 STARS
“THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY”
(Warner Home Entertainment)
Oscar Wilde knew more than anyone the high price of individualism, which he captured in his lone novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” For years, Albert Lewin’s 1945 adaptation was criticized for playing a bit with the text, but its critique on our obsessions with beauty, youth and (at worst) hedonism remains timeless.
The Dorian Gray of the title (Hurd Hattlefield) has made a Faustian pact, in which he will remain forever young, with any signs of aging confined to a portrait painted by a loyal friend. Left to pursue pleasure with impunity, Gray leaves a path of devastation behind him.
He’s made this pact at the passive-aggressive urgings of an admirer, Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders), who in this context becomes Dr. Frankenstein to Dorian Gray’s monster. As a stand-in for Wilde, Wotton spins countless witticisms—“Women are an example of matter over mind, and men are an example of mind over morals,” or “When we’re happy, we’re always good; when we’re good, we’re not always happy.”
This spiffy DVD release also features insightful commentary from actress Angela Lansbury (who earned an Oscar nod for her role) and film historian Steve Haberman. 4 STARS
“HALLOWEEN: THREE-DISC UNRATED COLLECTOR’S EDITION”
(The Weinstein Company)
Rob Zombie’s 2007 re-working of John Carpenter’s 1978 horror masterpiece, “Halloween”—the definitive holiday treat—was novel in its conception but inconsistent in its execution. In short, it was a disappointment, particularly considering how much he’d surprised critics with his 2005 work, “The Devil’s Rejects.” Zombie had hoped to re-proportion the original, spending half the film on the backstory of Michael Myers’ transformation from abused child to murderer, and the other half as a fairly straightforward retelling of the original.
Unfortunately, he winds up selling both halves short. While we learn more about what happened in Myers’ childhood, we don’t really learn why. (His doctor, played by Malcolm McDowell in the Donald Pleasance role, seems as perplexed as the rest of us.) And by cutting the original story in half, Zombie robs it of its original strengths of pacing and tension.
Still, Zombie knows gore and how to celebrate it. He also assembles a reunion of B-movie, cult, horror and thriller veterans by casting McDowell, William Forsythe, Dee Wallace, Brad Dourif, Udo Kier and others. “Halloween” often rocks, but doesn’t roll.
2 STARS