DVD Alert: 'Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters'

Watch the trailer: http://videodetective.com/TitleDetails.aspx?publishedid=00905130


We stayed in this weekend to shake off our colds. There's plenty of unopened DVDs to watch so we decided on this Criterion edition of a movie from 1985 we saw when first released on VHS countless years ago. The pan & scanned tape was still stunning with its rich color scheme but seeing it in its original widescreen format and in surround sound is glorious. The bonus extras makes this one of the best Criterion Collection sets worth every penny and more. Watching the film, rewatching it with the director's commentary, and going through the second disc of extras took us about seven hours but was worth it. If you really want to learn about movies, that's the way to do it.
Director Paul Schrader biography of the prolific Japanese writer Yukio Mishima (pictured above) had a tortuous production and aftermath fully documented here. We own many of Mishima's novels and essays so we wanted to see this film. Here's a link about his complex life and ritualistic death in 1970 you should read to understand the film.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukio_Mishima
Mishima was also a playwright, actor, singer, and swordsman who was involved in politics, lead his own private army, and had as many fans was well as detractors. He spoke English and French and was a media darling who loved his own publicity. Although married with children, he was attracted to men and his wife condoned his activities as long as he didn't bring them home. The violent nature of his death repelled the nation and he's considered persona non grata to this day in Japan. The documentaries and audio commentary included in this set detail his rise and fall.
Japanese opposition fought Schrader's attempt to make this film. Financing wasn't easy, many film people declined to particpate, actual locations were denied, and Mishima's widow wouldn't approve the controversial aspects of his life as well as the openly gay novels Schrader wanted to use in the film. A script was finally approved but she later withdrew her support and to this day the film was never shown in Japan. Now that's truly incredulous as after all these years Mishima is still a hotcake although his novels still sell there.
This biography interpolates specific color-coordinated sections of his works into the biographical scenes shot in black & white. You might call this approach artsy-fartsy but it works well here and Philip Glass's rich music score is another plus. I still own the cassette of the score. In April we're seeing Glass perform his chamber music so more on him later.
Schrader has made his share of controversial movies such as Taxi Driver, American Gigolo, Cat People and others not so well known. Each of his films is a challenge to audiences but that's what makes him a craftsman. There's always a balancing act between art design, music, and photography that pulls you into their plots. I wouldn't recommend this movie to the average viewer as it requires several serious viewings to appreciate its design or unless you're a Mishima fan. For those adventurous movie buffs and those who want to learn about Mishima, this edition is a good starting point: http://www.criterion.com/films/588

DVD Alert: Tony Bennett Concert

I grew up listening to Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, and Stan Getz's sax, to name a few, during the 60's. There was rock too but we heard ALL kinds of music in our house. Bennett was my favorite and still is. Now in his early 80's, he still performs and sells out his shows. How amazing is that? He's taken care of his voice and time has taught him to use it judiciously. He didn't trash it with years of cigarettes and booze. His phrasing has changed and he now saves his strength for a closing punch. This DVD concert from 2002 shows him at his best. He's so gracious as a host and so smooth as a performer, you can't help but not be moved by him. The first time I saw him live was for a high school graduation present. in 1967. Comedian Henny Youngman ("Take my wife... Please!!") opened for him with his one liners and bad (on purpose) fiddle playing. When Bennett came out, there was magic.
The next time I saw him was during the year this concert was filmed. We celebrated my parents' 57th wedding anniversary with tickets to the same local theater but renovated from an outside summer only tent with the stage in the round to a modern all year venue with large TV screens on each side of the stage. K.D. Lang who toured with Bennett opened for him and was terrific for an hour. She brought down the house with her closing rendition of Roy Orbison's "Crying." She told us how lucky we were to see Bennett but she was luckier because she got to see him every night.: "Every night I listen... And I learn." And what better teacher is there?
Then Tony came out with a quartet. All the hits were there and Lang joined him halfway for a few duets. This DVD concert is similar to what I remember and I believe the same drummer is here. He's generous in letting his musicians solo and this also lets him rest his voice. He was 76 then but could still blow you away. When he sang "Mood Indigo" I recall Dad saying: "I haven't heard that song in years!" Unfortunately it's not included here but you can find it on The Ultimate Tony Bennett CD of 20 songs, a good collection for those who don't own any of his music. Most of those songs are on this DVD and you can compare the earlier original versions to his later renditions. Not much has changed so treat yourself to either or both of these disks and hear a real American icon.
Mom will be 91 in April and is a bit wobbly so taking her to cimemas with stadium seating is a problem. I hooked up a DVD player in her room at her assisted living home so we can watch movies but still go out to restaurants. This concert brought us memories of that special night. I recall how they left the theater holding hands like teenagers. When we watched this DVD on Saturday, she was humming & singing along to melodies & words she knew by heart. Mom remarked that Bennett's (his real name is Benneditto) Roman nose seen in profile resembled her father's beak. My brother inherited that nose so we're in good company.

'Taken' Review

Liam Neeson in Taken. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/taken/28725/main

Taken is one of those enjoyable action thrillers that need no deep thinking. Just turn off your brain and let the fast paced plot hook you for a ride. The trailer, enticing TV commercials, good reviews, and word of mouth have made it a hit and having Liam Neeson, a likable actor in the lead, makes it better than it really is. The opening part of the story might seem sluggish but necessary as once the action begins, hang onto your seat.
This movie could be also called "Father Knew Best" as Neeson plays a former government agent whose job away all the time busted his marriage and distanced him from his teenaged daughter. Retired doting daddy now wants to be part of her life and has to compete with her wealthy new stepfather's gifts. When she wants to spend the summer in Paris, he's against her plans for safety reasons. Mom lays a guilt trip on him so he relents and signs the consent paper but is worried when he learns she's not only going to France but will travel across Europe.
As you expect, she and her wild, naive traveling buddy meet the wrong person who gets them kidnapped and Daddy goes to find them. His skills as a deadly agent are soon put to the test. He's a one man army who uses every memory and detail to his advantage. OK no person could do what he does but that's to be expected in this kind of movie. The action/fight scenes are tightly edited for maximum impact and will remind you of the third Bourne movie. Neeson beats the shit out of the baddies more than they do to him (well he gave them ample warning...) but does look frightened/ apprehensive in some scenes to make the plot believable. Last second escapes are his specialty and I didn't hear anyone complain when leaving the theater after this adrenalin rush. We got exactly what we paid for: good escapism. The moral of this story: Next time listen to your father!

'Gran Torino' Review

Clint Eastwood portrays a bigoted, retired Detroit autoworker in Gran Torino. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/gran-torino/33336/main

Clint Eastwood says that Gran Torino is his last acting role and it will be a shame. It will be a shame too if you miss this movie that he also directed. At close to 80 and wearing two hats might be too demanding, but lets hope he finds another project worth his attention or at least a good part in another director's film.
This movie is typical Clint but that's not a bad thing. Consider it his crowning achievement and a culmination of his best roles. Here again you see the loner, the rebel, the old crank, the pillar of silent resolve. These and others are all present and in top form. Fifty years of acting and almost forty years of directing himself has made him a master craftsman. His films and his performances are lean and to the point. No artsy-fartsy fat. You know what to expect and he rarely fails to deliver.
Eastwood portrays a widower who retired from Detroit's auto industry. He's at odds with his family who wants to control him and his possessions before he dies. He's a bigot and proud of it but that's part of his working class/factory background. I worked in factories for many years and have seen his type. When an Asian family moves next door, you'll hear every stereotypical insult and then some new ones but with comic effect. Only Eastwood can get away with these comments. He slowly warms up to them and his friendship and help makes him respected in their community, at first to his annoyance. Under that gruff exterior is a man who accepts those who stand up to him when he knows they want to help him. For all his faults, there is no way you cannot like him.
The ending is a bit of a surprise during his final confrontation with the Asian street gang who terrorizes his neighbors. At first I felt a bit let down but soon realized why he did what he had to do. It may not be what you expect in an Eastwood movie but it was in character and the demands of the plot. He does go out in blaze of glory but it's a different kind....
A third shame is Hollywood not nominating him for a Best Actor Oscar. If John Wayne could be nominated for True Grit (and win), then Eastwood deserves his chance. Expect good performances from the rest of the cast including Bee Vang as Thau and his sister played by Ahney Her who resembles a younger Margaret Cho in looks and attitude. There's a great scene in which Eastwood meets his match with their grandmother who's like him in temperament.
Gran Torino is everything you want in an Eastwood movie and you can even forgive him for briefly groaning through a closing song.

DVD Alert: 'The Ninth Gate'

Watch the trailer: http://videodetective.com/TitleDetails.aspx?publishedid=00482444

Here's a movie that we saw in the theater about 10 years ago and I thought it was so-so at the time. The Ninth Gate is about an unscrupulous rare book dealer (Johnny Depp) who's hired by a wealthy NYC publisher (Frank Langella) who owns an extensive collection of books about Satan. He owns one of three remaining copies of an old book with nine engravings that supposedly will conjure up the devil. He sends Depp to Europe to compare his version to the others to learn which if any version is authentic. Things turn to mayhem & murder as he discovers variations in the pictures. Depp is aided by a mysterious woman (the director's younger wife) who helps in his search while the treacherous widow (Lena Olin) of the previous owner of Langella's copy wants Depp to return it.
After seeing the movie, I listened to an abridged audio version of its source called The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte. My wife has most of his novels which spin literature, history, and fantasy into good reads. The Ninth Gate uses part of this multi-plotted book for its story. There would have been too much stuff to cram into a two hour movie and I always felt the satanic part clashed with the rest of the novel. about finding the original manuscript of Dumas' The Three Musketeers.
I haven't seen the movie again since that time. I bought the DVD several years ago and it remained unwrapped until last night. So how does it compare to my memory of it? I liked it more this time because I think it's the kind of work that needs repeated viewings to follow the clues. This morning I listened to director Roman Polanski's audio commentary which was more on the technical side as he explained how which scenes were filmed on location or in studios. Since he's not allowed in the USA because of an incident years ago (He fled prosecution involving having sex with a minor), the NYC scenes were convincingly faked in France and so were European streets and interior ones.
The movie wasn't a big hit because people who were expecting a gory horror film were disappointed by its low keyed, slow paced plotting and perhaps the ending that Polanski admits he wasn't sure is the best one. Maybe Polanski fans were expecting another Rosemary's Baby although there are some similarities, but on its own terms this movie is different and good too. It's almost like a detective story as Depp slowly pursues and deciphers clues to the secrets of the three books while pursued by those who want the information for themselves. It's a classy production with good acting, photography and a moody minimalist score that's isolated on the DVD for your listening pleasure. Call it an intellectual horror film which detractors mean it's not scary and just boring but this thinking will deprive you of a good viewing. Startling instead of frightening and thinking is required to follow the plot and clues as almost like doing a puzzle. Good bonus extras including Polanski's wry commentary. You can find this DVD for under $10 most anywhere.

The movie has made me start reading the unabridged novel.

'Slumdog Millionaire' Review

Dev Patel as Jamal in the film Slumdog Millionaire. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/slumdog-millionaire/31044/main

This movie has been getting great reviews and has won or been nominated for several awards. We had to see what's all the fuss over this small movie. Tuesday night we went to Bargain Night/$5 for an early showing. I was surprised to see the theater filled. I guess the publicity and word of mouth is stimulating viewer interest. We managed to find decent seats.
So how good is Slumdog Millionaire? Very good and better than I expected. At first I was turned off by the graphic depiction of poverty, crime, and cruelty in the slums of present day India but the story ends on a positive/feel good note. The plot concerns two young brothers, Jamal and Salim, whose mother is killed in an anti-Muslim riot. They meet an abandoned girl who moves in & out of their lives over the years. They learn to fend for themselves learning survival skills worthy of Dicken's Artful Dodger. This part of the story will remind you of Oliver Twist, only more cruel as they become wards of a supposedly friendly orphanage master who makes Fagin look like Bozo the Clown.
The story is told in two sets of flashbacks. Jamal becomes a contestant on India's version of TV's Who Want's To Be A Millionaire. The smarmy host's questions trigger memories that provoke the correct answers. When he's arrested for cheating after one session, more memories are revealed during his torturous interrogation. Jamal is released and returns to the show.
The razzle-dazzle editing is never distracting and there's some good Indian music (no traditional ragas but Bollywood pop) along the way. The dialogue is a mix of English and subtitles but don't let that shy you away from this movie. I predict Slumdog Millionaire will win the Oscar for Best Picture. As good as this movie is, I would never want to go to India.

DVD Alert: 'The Red Shoes'

OK back to the classics and here's one of the most beautiful color films ever as well as one of the best about dance, actually ballet. This English gem from 1948 was a monster hit and sent scores of young girls to ballet school. Men will like this movie too because there's one of the great roles for men with Anton Walbrook as Lermontov the egotistical empressario who drives his staff to perfection. He's so classy decked out in his stylish wardrobe and watch the way he smokes a ciagette. Men and women fall under his demanding spell as he charms & bullies everyone to do their best and nobody is spared. Those who defy or fail him soon feel his wrath and are driven away from his inner circle. Walbrook gives one of the most memorable performances on screen and he always stands out in any of his movies. The rest of the cast is equal in their own way.

The plot evolves around his nurturing of Victoria, a new ballerina (Moira Shearer) who falls in love with the composer (Marius Goring) of a ballet commissioned by Lermontov. The main theme is Love vs. Art as she is forced to chose between two strong men. The ending should have you in tears and as strange as it seems you might feel less sorry for Victoria and more for Lermontov as you watch this epitome of Continental Charm crack and crumble.

The 'Red Shoes' ballet, the centerpiece of the film and worth waiting for, is pure cinematic magic that could never be done on a stage. Brian Easdale's score was one of my first LP purchases when I saw this movie on TV almost 35 years ago. I never get tired of watching this visually ravishing movie as it's more than just about ballet. Love, hard work, constant practice, teamwork and rivalry show their good and bad sides while Lermontov pulls everyone's strings like a Svengali-ish puppetmaster.

This Criterion edition have lots of good bonus material and was another requested Xmas gift. To understand the lasting influence of The Red Shoes and to watch the original trailer, which gives you an idea of its celebrated color scheme but pales in comparison to the restored DVD, a must rent or buy - here's a link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/arts/dance/31maca.html?_r=2&ref=movies&oref=slogin