Last in Hitchcock line, and a Sinatra golden set
With the release today of 1944’s “Lifeboat†(Fox, $20), all of Alfred Hitchcock’s Hollywood films are now out on DVD.
Starring Broadway superstar Tallulah Bankhead, heartthrob du jour John Hodiak, Walter Slezak, William Bendix, Hume Cronyn, Henry Hull and famed African American actor Canada Lee, “Lifeboat†is sort of a claustrophobic “Grand Hotel†set on the high seas. Hitchcock brilliantly uses one set -- the lone surviving lifeboat of an Allied fighter sunk by a German U-boat -- to weave his tale of survival, the class system and morality.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Oct. 21, 2005 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Friday October 21, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 51 words Type of Material: Correction
“The Man With the Golden Arm†-- An article in Tuesday’s Calendar section about the DVD release of the movie “The Man With the Golden Arm†said the disc included an interview with “the late Bernstein.†It should have said it includes an interview with the film’s late composer, Elmer Bernstein.
The digital edition includes a retrospective and passionate commentary from USC film professor Drew Casper.
Frank Sinatra gives a revelatory performance in the gritty 1955 drama “The Man With the Golden Arm†(Hart Sharp, $25), which makes its DVD bow in a 50th anniversary two-disc set. Directed by Otto Preminger, “Man With the Golden Arm†was one of Hollywood’s first major films to deal with drug addiction. Sinatra plays Frankie Machine, a young man with a heroin problem, a shrew of a wife (Eleanor Parker) and a young woman (Kim Novak) who loves him. The film was so controversial it was released without the seal of approval from Hollywood’s Production Code. It still became a big hit and Sinatra received an Oscar nomination.
Among the extras are fact-filled commentary with historian Ken Barnes, who also conducts an engaging interview with the late Bernstein, and a clip from an archival interview with Sinatra.
Universal is offering two editions of the Coen brothers’ 1998 mystery-comedy “The Big Lebowski†-- a collector’s edition ($20) and an “achiever’s edition†($50). The extras on each edition are the same -- and somewhat disappointing to boot -- production notes and a vintage “making of†documentary. Pluses are examples of star Jeff Bridges’ on-set photography and a very funny mock introduction by someone called Mortimer Young of Forever Young Films who talks about the restoration of the “toe sequence.†The achiever’s edition throws in a towel, coasters.
Also new:
“Land of the Dead†(Universal, $30): Zombie meister George Romero, who came to fame in 1968 with the seminal “Night of the Living Dead,†returns to the genre in this gorefest that finds the undead showing signs of intelligence. Available in R-rated and unrated versions.
The DVD features entertaining commentary from Romero (quite a character, incidentally), producer Peter Grunwald and editor Michael Doherty, a “making of†documentary, and a particularly grisly depiction of the film’s guts and gore.
“Tell Them Who You Are†(ThinkFilm, $30): Mark Wexler’s candid, touching autobiographical/biographical documentary centers on his tumultuous relationship with his father, Oscar-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler. Wexler senior is no shrinking violet and often questions his son’s skills behind the camera. The highlight of the extras is an eight-minute sequence in which Haskell Wexler watches the finished documentary and tearily tells his son that he’s a wonderful filmmaker.
“Mr. Peepers†(S’More, $40): One of the seminal comedy series from the early days of television, “Mr. Peepers,†holds up well. The series made a TV star out of Wally Cox, who won an Emmy for his endearing performance as the shy, sweet junior high science teacher Robinson Peepers. Tony Randall and Jack Warden were also featured on the show, which aired from 1952 to ’55. And in the pilot episode, an uncredited Walter Matthau plays the school’s P.E. teacher.
“Unseen Cinema -- Early American Avant Garde Film 1894-1941†(Image, $100): Ambitious, comprehensive seven-disc set that features examples of experimental filmmaking that were culled from 60 of the world’s leading film archive collections.
“C.S.I. New York -- The Complete First Season†(Paramount, $65): The third installment in the CBS franchise stars Gary Sinise and Melina Kanakaredes.
“Peter Jennings Collection†(Anchor Bay, $25): Two-disc set of the late ABC newsman’s documentary specials.
What’s coming:
Oct 25: “Herbie: Fully Loaded,†“Bewitched,†“House of Wax,†“Melinda and Melinda,†“Rize,†“Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist,†“Last Days,†“Mysterious Skin†and “King of the Corner.â€
Nov. 1: “Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith,†“The Perfect Man,†“Millions,†“Heights†and “Aliens of the Deepâ€
Nov. 8: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,†“Christmas With the Kranks,†“Happy Endings,†“The Devil’s Rejects,†“Yes,†“Margaret Cho: Assassin,†“Cronicas†and “Apres Vousâ€
Nov. 15: “Madagascar,†“The Skeleton Key,†“Stealth,†“The Beat That My Heart Skipped†and “The Edukatorsâ€
Nov. 22: “The War of the Worlds,†“The Polar Express†and “The Honeymoonersâ€
Nov. 29: “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,†“March of the Penguins,†“Sky High,†“Deuce Bigalow European Gigolo†and “Murderballâ€
Dec. 6: “The Fantastic Four,†“Dukes of Hazzard,†“Cinderella Man†and “Ladies in Lavenderâ€
Dec. 13: “The 40 Year-Old Virgin,†“The Bad News Bears,†“The Island,†“Valiant,†“Saint Ralph,†“The Beautiful Country,†“The Baxter†and “Pretty Persuasionâ€
Dec. 20: “Four Brothers,†“Must Love Dogs,†“Brothers Grimm,†“Rebound,†“November†and “The Great Raidâ€
Dec. 27: “Dark Water†and “Grizzly Manâ€
Jan. 3: “Wedding Crashers†and “Secuestro Expressâ€
Jan. 10: “Hustle & Flowâ€
Only good movies
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