The week’s DVDs begin in Scotland:
DVDs for Sept. 23 by Boo Allen
This week we begin in Scotland:
Macbeth (****)
The Criterion Collection gives a Blu-ray release to Roman Polanski’s remastered, 1971 rendition of Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play.” Polanski teamed with esteemed man-of-letters Kenneth Tynan for a screenplay that enables cinematographer Gil Taylor’s camera to move around freely, capturing the mobile actors and the bloody, often violent action. At times, Macbeth (Jon Finch) and Lady Macbeth (Francesca Annis) move through their Inverness castle while narrating interior monologues. The method aids the film’s clarity while taking little away from the story of Macbeth, a man of “vaulting ambition,” murdering Duncan (Nicholas Selby), the reigning King of 11th century Scotland. Macbeth succumbs to the entreaties of his scheming wife, a woman who may “look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it.” Polanski renders a straightforward telling of the story, making Shakespeare’s shortest play even shorter. Released in January, 1971, the film initially bombed but has gained an increasing reputation over time. (If he could have voted, Macbeth would surely have voted today for Scottish independence)
Not rated, 140 minutes.
Extras: the fully-packed Criterion disc holds more than two hours of supplements, including a new hour long “making of” featurette, “Toil and Trouble.” The 1971 “Polanski Meets Macbeth” runs 48 minutes. A 14 minute clip from a 1971 “Dick Cavett Show” features an interview with Kenneth Tynan. And the 30 minute 1972 TV show “Aquarius” examines “Two Macbeths” with appearances from Polanski and theater director Peter Coe. The set also holds a pamphlet with essay by film critic Terence Rafferty.
Last Passenger (**1/2)
Overly-familiar material dilutes the effectiveness of this runaway train saga that bears resemblance to too many of its predecessors. Dougray Scott plays Dr. Lewis Shaler, traveling on a London commuter train with his seven year-old son Max (Joshua Kaynama). After an uneventful period, much spent talking with a friendly, beautiful woman, Sarah (Kara Tointon), the train, now nearly empty, picks up speed and flies pass several scheduled stops. Shaler and some of the few remaining passengers learn of the mad-man now at the controls. After that, it becomes a battle of wits with the requisite action scenes. Despite the challenge, director and co-writer Omid Nooshin handles his material capably.
Rated R, 97 minutes.
Extras: six minutes of “B” roll footage, a three minute “making of” featurette, as well as a more comprehensive 32 minute “making of” segment. Also included are other featurettes on the set design (four minutes), the visual effects (three minutes), the sound design (two minutes), and more.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre—40th anniversary collector’s edition
Hard to believe that director Tobe Hooper’s 1974 seminal slasher film debuted 40 years ago. In respectful commemoration, it has been digitally transferred from the original 16mm, with a 7.1 surround sound mix added. It’s the now classic tale of five young idiots on a weekend trip stumbling into the lair of a crazed killer, the now infamous Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen). With Marilyn Burns, Teri McMinn, Edwin Neal, Paul Partain.
Rated R, 83 minutes.
Extras: This four disc set offers four feature commentaries along with more than three extra hours of featurettes, interviews, radio spots, new and old deleted scenes and outtakes, and much more.
Battle Force Five: Fused–season two—volumes three and four
Separate parts of the animated series based on Mattel’s best-selling toy auto arrive in these two offerings from season two. Teen driver Vert Wheeler joins with his gang and Sage, the Blue Sentient Mentor, to fight aliens in the Battle Zones.
Both sets are rated TV-Y7 and run 112 minutes.
The Father Brown Mysteries-season one
British author G. K. Chesterton wrote about 51 short stories between 1911 and 1936 based on his creation Father Brown, a parish priest in rural England. The B.B.C. has created an entertaining yet original series based on this clever character, a man of the cloth who reads detective novels and loves to help his local constabulary, Inspector Valentine (Hugo Speer), solve the odd murder, or uncover a Nazi war criminal, or expose a cult leader, or various other non-ecclesiastical pursuits. And he even finds time to deliver a sermon or two, take confession, and aid with counsel and advice. In this collection of ten episodes, on four discs, Mark Williams stars as the kindly, avuncular Brown. Williams, seen in the Harry Potter films and so memorable in Shakespeare in Love, captures Chesterton’s character, making him personally accessible to all even while fingering a surprising succession of the culprits who somehow pop up regularly in the 1950s Cotswold village of Kembleford. Sorcha Cusack (sister of Sinead) plays the parish secretary, Mrs. McCarthy.
Not rated, 469 minutes.
Extras: a 13 minute “behind-the-scenes” featurette, with cast and crew interviews, including the affable Williams.
Spartacus—the complete series
All 39 episodes of Starz’ popular sword and sandal series arrive on Blu-ray and DVD. The handsomely boxed collection, available in various formats, tells the familiar story of the title Roman slave, played by Andy Whitfield in season one: “Spartacus: Blood and Sand,” with Liam McIntyre taking over for seasons two and three: “Spartacus: Vengeance” and “Spartacus: War of the Damned.” The included prequel “Spartacus: Gods of the Arena” focuses on the empire before Spartacus. The international cast includes Lucy Lawless, Dustin Clare, Dan Feuerriegel, Simon Merrells, John Hannah, Peter Mensah, Cynthia Addai-Robinson.
Not rated. 2173 minutes on Blu-ray, 2136 minutes on DVD.
Extras: new commentaries for season one, the featurette “Spartacus fan favorites with Liam McIntyre,” a featurette on composer Joseph LoDuca, and separate featurettes with Roger Murray, Paul Grinder, and John Hannah, and more.
Also on DVD: The Calling, Free the Mind, The Last of the Unjust, Neighbors, The Rover.