The Phantom still sends chills:
DVDs for Nov. 8 by Boo Allen
This week we begin in the Paris Opera House:
Phantom of the Opera (****)
Lon Chaney’s original 1925 classic receives a royal treatment with a
high-definition transfer of three different versions: 1. the 1929
re-issue with tinted sequences and Gaylord Carter’s organ score, 2.
the 1929 re-issue with a symphonic score composed by Gabriel
Thibaudeau and performed by I Musici de Montreal, 3. a standard
definition, tinted source copy, with a new piano score by Frederick
Hodges. Chaney made history with his creepy characterization, taken
from Gaston Leroux’s source novel, of Erik, the deformed monster who
lives deep in the bowels of Paris’ famous opera house. Erik falls for
the singer Christine (Mary Philbin), eventually kidnapping her as his
own prisoner. Even today, the dark passages and Chaney’s make-up
retain the power to unsettle viewers.
The original unrated version runs 93 minutes. Other supplements include
an interview with Thibaudeau, and on-screens copies of the original
script and theater program.
Water for Elephants (**1/2)
Robert Pattinson stars and turns in a credible performance in this period tale based on Sara Gruen’s
novel. He plays Jacob, a veterinarian student in the middle of the
Depression who leaves school and joins the circus, traveling around
the country on a train with the vicious owner, August (Christoph
Waltz), and his wife Marlena (Reese Witherspoon). Jacob falls for the
closely-watched Marlena, but they seem to bond over the love and care
of the circus’ abused and neglected elephant. Teetering on becoming
heavy melodrama, the film explodes with battles, a fiery conclusion
and the inevitable broken hearts. Strangely entertaining yet often
lurid film.
Rated PG-13, 120 minutes. The
DVD, available on Blu-ray, download and various combo packs, includes
hours of extras, such as commentary, featurettes on Pattinson,
Witherspoon, and the elephant and its care and keep, the visual
effects, a Page to Screen comparison, and more.
Cars 2 (***)
This popular Pixar sequel again features Owen Wilson voicing Lightning
McQueen, the boastful race car now taken for a spy by Finn McMissile
(Michael Caine). Bonnie Hunt again voices Sally the Porsche, and
Larry the Cable Guy is Mater, of Tow Mater Towing and Salvage. John
Turturro, Eddie Izzard, Cheech Marin, and other notables supply the
voices.
Rated G, 106 minutes. The DVD comes in download and every conceivable Combo
Pack, including a five disc set and in 3-D. Among the varying
supplements are commentary from John Lasseter, a new short cartoon,
an existing short, an interactive feature, various other featurettes
and games, and more.
A Little Help (**1/2)
Jenna Fischer carries this angst-ridden comedy-drama about Laura (Fischer),
who suddenly loses her husband (Chris O’Donnell) and then must suffer
meddling family and friends. Her 12 year-old son Dennis (Daniel
Yelsky) makes up stories to compensate for his feelings of
abandonment, and her domineering sister Kathy (Brooke Smith)
consistently undermines her. Their parents (Lesley Ann Warren, Ron
Leibman) find her unstable. Only her caring brother-in-law Paul (Rob
Benedict), who has loved her since high school, takes up for her.
Writer-director Michael Weithorn moderately succeeds in conveying
Laura’s impossible situation.
Rated R, 109 minutes. The DVD, also on Blu-ray, offers cast and crew
interviews and a Jakob Dylan music video.
Gia (***)
In 1998, twenty-three Angelina Jolie burned up the
screen in this early-career performance as troubled 1970s fashion
model Gia Caranji. Now available on Blu-ray, the probing yet fast
moving character study sees Caranji as a feral 17 year-old
Philadelphian who breaks into Manhattan’s world of fashion, aided by
Wilhelmina Cooper (Faye Dunaway). Jolie shows a wide range, as
Caranji goes through both professional and personal peaks and
valleys, before dying at 26 of AIDS.
Rated R, 120 minutes.
Cannonball Run (**1/2)
This Blu-ray debut of a noted 1981 guilty pleasure sees
Burt Reynolds starring as driver J.J. McClure, who drives across
country in a hectic auto race against the all-star cast, including
Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis
Jr., Terry Bradshaw, Jackie Chan. Stuntman Hal Needham turned
director and delivered a fun, silly, fast-paced confection.
Rated PG, 95 minutes. The DVD contains director’s
commentary.
13 (***)
In 2005, Gela Babluani wrote and directed 13 Tzameti in
his native Georgia. He then re-made his film last year in English as
a more high profile 13. A group of frightened men (including Sam Riley, Mickey Rourke, Ray
Winstone) form a circle in which they play several rounds of a form
of Russian Roulette until one man remains. Around them, and between
the shoot-offs, various mobsters (including Ben Gazzara, Jason
Statham, 50 Cent) gather to gamble on the outcome. Babaluani provides
establishing and engaging backgrounds and parallel story-lines on his
shooters.
Rated R, 90 minutes.
Young ones have much to enjoy this week:
Holiday Favorites: Thomas and Friends, Barney, Angelina Ballerina.
Kid favorite characters Thomas, Barney, and Angelina
return in these three separate, unrated collections, of three discs
each, of selected episodes. Thomas (158 minutes) attends the Misty
Island Christmas Party; Barney (157 minutes) helps decorate the
Christmas tree; and Angelina (183 minutes) prepares to perform the
Sugar Plum Fairy. Each set has separate singalong options, games, and
more.
Teeny-Tiny and the Witch Woman,
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog
Teeny, the first of two arrivals from
Scholastic Storybook Treasures, offers five animated stories with a
Halloween theme, narrated by Maria Conchita Alonso and others.
Besides the title story, authors Margaret Mahy, James Stevenson and
Paul Galdone also contribute. Mo Willems wrote and illustrated The
Pigeon, a collection of his best known characters. The set
includes separate featurettes on Willems, an interview with him, and
one on animating the pigeons.
Teeny Tiny: 56 minutes. Pigeon: 64 minutes.
Winnie the Pooh
In Disney’s new animated feature, author A.A. Milne’s
lovable Pooh reunites with Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit, Roo and others to
return to the Hundred Acre Woods to help Eeyore and Christopher
Robin. John Cleese narrates.
Rated G, 63 minutes. The DVD, available in Blu-ray and
various Combo Packs, includes commentary, deleted scenes, new
animated shorts, a sing-along option, a “behind-the-scenes”
featurette, and more.
Avengers—volume three (Iron Man Unleashed) and volume four (Thor’s Last Stand)
This Disney animated series based on Marvel Comic heroes
features the exploits of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, the Hulk
and others. Volume three includes episodes 14-19 and volume four
covers 20-26. Eric Loomis voices Iron Man, and Rick Wasserman is
Thor. Both sets contain an “Avengers Unmasked” featurette.
Volume 3: 132 minutes. Volume 4: 148 minutes. Both are
rated TV-Y7-FV
Robotech—the complete series
This animated science fiction series played in the U.S.
in the mid-1980s and introduced audiences to Japanese anime. The 30
minute segments took place in the future, around 2000, and focused on
the aliens who land on earth to perfect their army of robots to
protect earth from another alien invasion. Now, all 85 re-mastered
episodes arrive on 17 discs.
Not rated, 32 hours, 30 minutes. The packaged set
contains over ten extra hours of supplements, including new “making
of” documentaries, music videos, alternate versions, promotional
reels and much, much more.
Also on DVD: A Better Tomorrow, The Change Up, Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows—part two, The River Why