Buzz Aldrin's Punch-Out

What better way is there to celebrate the anniversary of what may be mankind’s single greatest achievement then by watching one of those intrepid explorers (who will turn 80 next year) giving one of those irritating conspiracy nuts a paste up the snoot? Now, we like conspiracies as much as the next black helicopter-watching fella, but the smug way these people have about them is simply cringe inducing. And just listen to the way this dude confronts Aldrin – you want to see him get socked so badly you can taste it.

It's A Disaster!

Brilliant, brilliant fan-made trailer for 2012. Major disaster kudos to creator Garrison Dean!

More Giallo News...

Thanks to the folks at Bloody Disgusting for posting what’s being called an “official” trailer for Dario Argento’s newest, though it bears a strong resemblance to the promotional trailer that has been around for months now. Many are commenting on the fact that Giallo doesn’t exactly look like a Giallo, at least in the traditional sense. This is likely due to the title referencing not the genre, but the unusual skin pigment of the film’s killer (though we’d be willing to bet that there will be numerous hat tips to films from Argento’s salad says of the 70s.

We’re really, really pulling for this one; with a bigger name cast than he’s had in a while, this film has a real shot at finding a wide audience. Unfortunately, we’ve heard some disquieting stories about the American financiers freezing Argento out of the editing and scoring process and the iffy reaction that the film received during its debut screening at the Edinburgh Film Festival. Next stop will be the UK Fright Fest in August.

You Say You Want a Revolution?

While it doesn’t have the name recognition of a Heaven’s Gate or Ishtar, 1985’s Revolution was one of the most notable flops of the decade. The careers of nearly all major players were derailed to varying degrees; major studios quickly stopped knocking on Nastassja Kinski door and director Hugh Hudson, a hot property after Chariots of Fire and Greystoke, was unable to get work for years afterwards, and only then in low profile, barely-released projects. Even Pacino found himself out of work until Harold Becker’s ugly Sea of Love in 1989. It was actually Pacino who bore the brunt of the film’s negative notices, with his mumbled dialog filtered through an odd, supposedly historically accurate accent. After 23 years, Warner Bros has decided to give Hudson the chance to recut the film to his initial specifications before being rushed to meet a studio mandated release date. Having recently viewed the new DVD, here are our off-the-cuff impressions, presented in the Scribe’s famously disjointed style.

Perhaps the real secret to Revolution’s 1985 failure is the seeming lack of sympathy for any of the film’s characters. Hudson and writer Robert Dillon see Colonists as a filthy, uneducated rabble and the British as little more than lisping, pedophilic sadists. It’s certainly true that many more “volunteers” in the war were acquired like Tom (Pacino) and his son Ned (played as a child by Sid Owen and as a teenager by Dexter Fletcher) forced at bayonet point to fight for one side or the other when the outcome would have little effect on their lives, but in the patriotic wave that was just starting to crest in 1985 it’s easy to imagine that the film-going public weren’t interested in a revision of that particular history. Tom feels nothing for either side of the struggle for Independence, but understandably has little but distain for the Colonialists, who conscript his only son and confiscate his possessions. As a result, he is always attempting to run away from battle (again, understandably so) but it doesn’t exactly inspire to see them moping through history; we want desperately to see this amazingly recreated period of history through their eyes, only to have them retreat from the action onscreen time and time again. And what a recreation; the film’s 1776 Manhattan is a stunning creation, realistically brought to life in a ‘warts and all’ fashion that runs starkly against popular shows like the popular musical 177 (though we wished the film had spent more time in the wealthy homes of New York’s Royalist families, as the photography of their candlelit rooms are gorgeous to behold.)

Another major issue – and one that the film will carry into any time period – is the jarring British location photography. We could care less if a film about the American Revolution was shot on the dark side of the moon as long as an area that resembled New York State circa 1776 was found there. But once the film leaves the immensely impressive Manhattan sets, the terrain becomes so distinctly British that it’s almost laughable. Tom and his son seem more likely to run into Withnail and Marwood on their way to Monty’s cabin, or Jack and David backpacking through the moors than the Hudson River or Brooklyn Heights. The costumes, like the sets, look authentic and expensive, though Pacino’s hair seems about 210 years too late, making him look more like a keyboardist for The Tubes than an 18th century fur trader.

Donald Sutherland’s performance makes one yearn for the subtitles of one of Tim Curry’s villainous turns (his character could easily be an ancestor to his Attila from 1900.) It’s remarkable to think that Pacino’s accent caused even a ripple in the same movie as Sutherland’s linguistic chaos. Though it’s also possible that his weak character is a victim of the editing; his Sergeant Major is set up early on as the main antagonist, only to be completely forgotten about for the majority of the film until an anticlimactic finale on a beach. Kinski is fine, but she trapped in a role driven by narrative contrivance. Her revolutionary fervor seems born of little more than a few leaflets being tossed in her carriage during the opening scenes. Perhaps sensing the lack of chemistry between the two stars, no attempt is made by Hudson to foster any romantic entanglements – making her underwritten role that much more of a mystery

Warner’s new DVD finally allows us to see the film in its original 2.40x1 ratio for the first time since the film’s theatrical release. The film’s naturalistic, hand-held photography are wonderfully preserved, making us wish the film had been released on Blu-Ray as well. We can’t be sure about Hudson’s changes to this version, but one major change discussed in the 23min featurette is the removal of a moment at the end of the film in which Pacino finds Kinski once again amidst a crowded New York street (a moment that can be glimpsed in the theatrical trailer on the disc.) Minor reservations aside, we strongly recommend that people give the new DVD a spin.

Just Released Artwork...On The Left!!!

Universal just sent out a press release with the DVD and Blu-Ray artwork for their superior Last House on the Left remake, which we are happy to pass on to you. The film has several particularly strong performances, especially Garret Dillahunt coming off two memorable seasons on HBO’s late, lamented Deadwood and a great supporting turn in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Extras listed include deleted scenes, a production featurette and a digital copy of the film (no word on how much longer the "unrated" version is)

The artwork for the DVD and Blu-Ray are below, and both are set to street on August 18th.

The Importance of Being Titled

Christopher Lee has had many fictional titles through the years, but a very real one was added to that list today as Lee's name was on the Queen's birthday honors list announced today.

It’s a dazzlingly impressive achievement for anyone who has dwelled in the ghetto of horror as long as Lee has to be knighted, and we’re hard pressed to think of many more artists from that world to be so honored. I think that Lee will wear Knighthood with tremendous style (not like those long-haired Beatles.)

He's been a Prime Minister...



A King...

A Captain...

A Lord...

A Count...

A Doctor...

And a Professor...

...has anyone carried a title with more style?

On Killing Jason...

While we work our way through next week's crop of Friday the 13th films (check out the first review - for Part II - here) we thought that we should pass on a little treat from the folks at Paramount...

This would be, of course, from the documentary on the new Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter DVD. We've always been a fan of director Joseph Zito's rough hewn style, and it's nice to see him get the chance to record a commentary track and get his say in a docu. Though we haven't yet written the review for the disc, we have watched it and were very pleased with both the image quality and extras (though the film did deserve a Blu-Ray release of its own)