Today’s kids are raised on full length animated features on DVD practically from birth.They tend to develop favorites at an early age without any understanding of a particular film’s place in history.After all, what parent is going to entertain an infant with films in proper chronological order?
I was fortunate enough to have seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs before I saw any other Disney animated feature, which is why the film has always held a special place in my heart the way it did for millions lucky enough to have had the same experience.The year was 1952, during the film’s second re-issue.I was eight.
Technically it’s not as brilliant as much of what was to follow, even Disney’s Pinocchio of just three years later is a vast improvement, but without it there would have been no Pinocchio, no Disneyland or Disney World and probably no tradition of full length animated features. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the cornerstone of the Disney franchise.
The filmtook four and a half years to make and was ridiculed in the press as Disney’s folly, yet from the moment it opened it has been considered a masterpiece and a mightily successful one at that.The film was nominated for Best Score at the 1937 Academy Awards, but otherwise ignored the year it was eligible to compete.The chagrined Academy made up for it the following year by awarding Walt Disney an honorary Oscar “for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, recognized as a significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field.” The award consisted of one regular sized Oscar and seven miniature ones, which were presented to him by nine year old Shirley Temple.
The Blu-ray edition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs includes tons of extras as well as a standard disc version of the film presumably to give away or keep in case your Blu-ray player breaks down.
The holidays must be upon us because Fox has released two versions of Miracle on 34th Street on Blu-ray.
The original 1947 version has been both a Thanksgiving and Christmas Day TV staple since the late 1950s.No other film can claim that distinction.
Filmed on location during Macy’s 1946 Thanksgiving Day parade and at Macy’s flagship Herald Square store during the holiday buying season, Fox chief Daryl Zanuck decided to release the film in June, 1947 instead of the following Christmas.The film opened to rave reviews and was such a hit it stayed in theatres until Christmas at a time when films generally played one or two weeks before disappearing.It was a highpoint of the careers of just about everyone attached to it including director George Seaton and stars Edmund Gwenn (as Santa Claus), Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and an unbilled Thelma Ritter in her delightful screen debut.It won three of the four Oscars it was nominated for: Original Story; Screenplay and Supporting Actor (Gwenn).Nine year-old Wood was shocked to see Gwenn without his beard at the cast party after the completion of the film.She thought he really was Santa Claus!
In a case of less being more, the Blu-ray release omits both the hideous colorized version and the disappointing 1959 TV remake with Thomas Mitchell and Teresa Wright that were included in the standard disc Special Edition of just two years ago.All other extras including Maureen O’Hara’s commentary and an excellent AMC Back Story are included.
Fox has also released the 1994 color remake of Miracle on 34th Street with Richard Attenborough on Blu-ray.It’s a more than competent version of the story but is hardly in a league with the masterful original which still spins magic no matter how many times you’ve seen it.
Of course before we get to Thanksgiving and Christmas we have Halloween to celebrate, and that means an increase in horror film releases on DVD.
This year’s big theatrical horror release was supposed to have been a remake of the 1941 classic The Wolf Man, but with that film’s delay until next year, Universal has cancelled plans to release a new Special Edition DVD of the film.Not to fear, other werewolf films are filling the gap.
Universal has given us a sparkling new Blu-ray release of John Landis’ 1981 comedy-horror classic, An American Werewolf in London. David Naughton is the American tourist who is bitten by a werewolf and becomes one himself at the next full moon.Jenny Agutter is the nurse with whom he becomes involved and Griffin Dunne is his best friend who dies early on, but returns as one of the undead to egg Naughton on.Rick Baker’s marvelously realistic gory makeup won a much deserved Oscar, the first in that category.
Columbia has released its own tongue-in-cheek werewolf film on Blu-ray.Mike Nichols’ Wolf from 1994 was a prestige production with first class production values and a strong cast headed by Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pheiffer, James Spader, Kate Nelligan, Christopher Plummer and David Hyde Pierce which was only a modest hit at the time.Horror purists tend to dismiss it because it lacks the gore content usually associated with such films.It is, however, a well thought out psychological mood piece laced with humor.It’s well worth seeing for the performances, particularly those of Nicholson and Spader at his oily best as Nicholson’s backstabbing protégé.
Warner Bros. has released TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Vol. 2 featuring six more of the aquatic star’s films.
Williams is a swimming teacher swept off her feet by millionaire Carleton Young in 1945’s Thrill fo a Romance, directed by Richard Thorpe.He’s called to a business meeting in Washington, D.C. while on their honeymoon and she falls in love with soldier Van Johnson in his absence.Metropolitan Opera star Lauritz Melchior plays Cupid and Spring Byington and Henry Travers are featured as Williams’ ditzy aunt and uncle.
Williams swims briefly in 1947’s Fiesta, also directed by Thorpe, but gets more exercise in the bullring fighting bulls when she twice masquerades as twin brother Ricardo Montalban.Williams’ charm, the on-location filming in Mexico and the dancing of Montalban and Cyd Charisse make up for the incredulous story which also features John Carroll, Mary Astor and Akim Tamiroff.
Thorpe once again directs Williams in 1947’s This Time for Keeps, a surprisingly sweet love story in which swimming star Williams falls for singer Johnny Johnston, who unbeknownst to her is the son of opera star Lauritz Melchior.Jimmy Durante supplies the laughs as Williams’ family friend, while Dame May Whitty as her grandmother and Sharon McManus as her niece provide support.
Beautiful Hawaiian locations substituting for Tahiti are the best thing about 1950’s Pagan Love Song directed by Robert Alton in which island newcomer Howard Keel tries to convince native girl Williams to stay on the topic island.
Williams has one of her meatiest roles as Edwardian era swimming star Annette Kellerman in 1952’s Million Dollar Mermaid, directed by Mervyn LeRoy.The highlight of the film is the hubbub surrounding Kellerman’s 1907 arrest for wearing a one piece bathing suit in public.The film follows Kellerman’s screen career but omits any reference to her then even more shocking nude scene in 1916’s A Daughter of the Gods.Victor Mature, Walter Pidgeon and David Brian co-star.
Van Johnson, Tony Martin and John Bromfield all romance Williams in 1953’s Easy to Love, her last successful film, directed by Charles Walters.Filmed on location in Florida’s Cyress Gardens, the climax of the film is the spectacular water ski ballet that was such a highlight of 1974’s That’s Entertainment.
New TV shows on DVD’s include Castle, Nip/Tuck, Medium and Bones.
Castle – The Complete Fist Season is similar in style to The Mentalist which I previously reviewed. In both cases, the title character is an outsider working the police to solve baffling murders. In The Mentalist the police are the fictional C.B.I. (California Bureau of Investigation) which allows location filming all over California. In Castle the police are the N.Y.P.D. which limits locales to within the city limits.
Nathan Fillion is Castle, Stania Katic his female boss while veteran Susan Sullivan supplies comic support as Castle’s eccentric actress mother.
Kinky as ever, Nip/Tuck – Season 5, Part 2 packs a lot of drama into a brief 8 episodes, the continuation of the season interrupted by the 2008 writers’ strike. Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon, Joely Richardson, John Hensley and Roma Maffia star.The emphasis in this set is on McMahon’s male breast cancer.
Alllison Dubois (Patricia Arquette) continues to solve murders for the Phoenix, AZ District Attorney through her visions in Medium – Season 5 while protecting as best she can her family’s privacy.Jake Weber, Sofia Vassilieva, Maria Lark and Miguel Sandoval co-star.
Bones (Emily Deschanel) and Boone (David Boreanaz) continue to play pussyfoot in Bones – Season 4 while solving murders from forensic evidence uncovered by Bones and her team.Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor, T.J. Thyne and John Francis Daley co-star.
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