How to Spend $20
By Les Winan
May 12, 2004
Taking a look ahead at the week's DVD releases is always dicey for your wallet. Nearly every week, there's a disc that would fit nicely into any size collection. When it comes time to decide what to buy, there are really two determining factors: how much you love the content and the quality of the extra features on the disc.
As a result, decisions will be totally subjective (I bought the full run of the unjustly canceled ABC dramedy Sports Night, no matter that the discs are featureless, The Criterion Collection edition of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a disc I had been dreaming of for years). The massive unreleased studio (film and television) back-catalogue means that every week there's likely something for every film fan. So before you think to yourself, "I don’t have a big country family, but I’ll watch The Waltons: The Complete First Season more than once!" stop; ask yourself, "Why!?" and then check to see if The Waltons: The Complete First Season (or your disc of choice) is one of the weekly BOP DVD recommendations.
For…boy, the possible Bush administration names to insert here are just endless, aren’t they?: The Fog of War (2003)
Documentarian Errol Morris won an Academy Award for The Fog of War, his documentary about former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. The film examines, for the most part, the Vietnam War. Fans of the film will find additional scenes and a featurette along with a variety of other minor features. Particularly given the current topicality of a war gone wrong, it seems a shame that there isn’t more to this release.
For going over the line, then doing it again: Scary Movie 3 (2003)
Charlie Sheen returns to the genre that made him…something. It’s no Hot Shots, but Scary Movie 3 certainly has some pedigree, having been a Wayans family affair for the first two. While they’ve run off to do more highbrow fare (White Girls, anyone?), parody veteran David Zucker (Airplane!, Hot Shots, every non-Wayans parody in the last 30 years) takes over, and I’m not even going to bother pretending that there’s a plot. If you’ve got to complete the Scary Movie trilogy, check out the alternate ending; outtakes and bloopers; audio commentary with director Zucker, producer Robert K. Weiss, and writers Craig Mazin and Pat Proft; deleted scenes; and three featurettes. I’m sure they’ll make you feel mildly impressed.
For not knowing when to quit: The X-Files: The Complete Ninth Season (DVD Set) (2002)
I didn’t even know that this show had an eighth season. If you did and must own season nine, you’ll find audio commentary tracks three episodes, deleted scenes; special effects; a featurette; and various other “special features”. This might just be as superfluous as a shirt for Charlize Theron.
For not forcing Part III on people: The Godfather (1972)
When the Godfather trilogy was first released on DVD, it was only in a box set format. Understandable and probably best. There was an extra disc of features…it came in a handy box that looks nice on the shelf…and it included Part III, probably the only way to make sure that the film was purchased. While Part III in no way lives up to the preceding films, it’s also not that terrible of a film. Even Sofia Coppola’s deservedly maligned performance isn’t so ba…okay, even I can’t defend that. In any case, much like the idea that President Bush isn’t as dumb as he sounds, many of the stereotypes about Part III are perpetuated by a willing and gullible media. That having been said, it’s not a great movie, and the box set of all three films is not the most affordable thing on the shelf. With that in mind, we have the release of The Godfather, and, I suspect, we’ll soon see Part II on shelves as a stand-alone (and eventually III). I won’t waste time talking about one of the best-known films in history, other than to say that it deserves the plaudits it receives. Like the box set release, the only real feature on this disc is an audio commentary by director Francis Ford Coppola, which is enlightening, particularly as he talks about the difficulty of getting the film made in the first place.
For non-Coppola nepotism: In America (2003)
Is it me? Am I the only one happy that Djimon Hounsou isn’t playing “The African” in this film? Anyway, director/co-writer Jim Sheridan’s film about an Irish family coming to the United States after the death of a child was written with his two daughters. All were nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Academy Award for In America, the DVD Pick of the Week.
Sheridan’s very personal film also received Academy Award nominations for Hounsou and Samantha Morton. Morton stars with Paddy Considine as a couple mourning the death of their son by moving to America with their two daughters, played by Sarah and Emma Bolger. The film deals with their experiences recovering from their loss, while dodging immigration and working to keep food on the table. It sounds like a recipe for corniness, but by all accounts Sheridan and the cast pull it off extremely well. Interested parties will find an informative audio commentary with Sheridan; deleted scenes; an alternate ending; and featurette. It’s a nice package for a well-recognized film, In America, the DVD Pick of the Week.
May 11, 2004
Billie (1965)
The Border (1982)
Born to Defense (1986)
The Code (2002)
Distant Drums (1951)
Down to Earth (1947)
Drop Dead Roses (2001)
Eddie Presley (1993)
The Fog of War (2003)
Follow that Dream (1961)
Force of Evil (1949)
Girl of Your Dreams (1999)
The Godfather (1972)
God is Great, and I'm Not (2002)
I Could Go on Singing (1963)
In America (2003)
Japanese Story (2003)
Kedma (2002)
Lady Snowblood (1973)
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance (1974)
The Legend of Johnny Lingo (2003)
Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962)
Nighthawks (1981)
Night of the Following Day (1969)
Nine Lives (2002)
Prince Valiant (1954)
Renegades (1989)
Robin Hood (1991)
Samurai Cop (1989)
Scary Movie 3 (2003)
Senorita Justice (2003)
A Short Film About Killing (1987)
A Short Film About Love (1988)
Three Faces West (1940)
Tin Star (1957)
Van Helsing: The London Assignment (2004)
The Waltons: The Complete First Season (5-DVD Set) (1972)
Westward Ho (1935)
The X-Files: The Complete Ninth Season (DVD Set) (2002)
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