With the release of another major blu ray re-release in the form of the fortieth anniversary box set of The Godfather trilogy it seems like a good time to ask if there is a point at which it becomes unacceptable to re-purchase the same film. My better half would point out that this would be the case before the first purchase. If you can see it on the TV, why would you want to own it? Not an argument you can really win.
As a movie buyer for over a quarter of a century I have double and even treble dipped on some releases. Blade runner springs to mind with two VHS versions (regular and directors cut), DVD of the Directors cut and the Ultimate collection DVD with so many versions of the movie that even Ridley Scott got fed up watching them. I obviously like the film but does it warrant multiple purchases. In this case yes as I bought the Blu ray for only a few pounds and with the improved picture quality it takes the enjoyment to a new level. This is obviously an exceptional case but in general is it worth the bother.
I think it is prudent to pick and choose what is doubled up. Following simple rules like is it worth it?, would I watch it? and is it really a classic worthy of re-buying? Is a start. If the answer is yes to all of the questions then go for it. If not leave it son, it’s not worth the hassle even if it is a bargain.
The master of suspense. Alfred Hitchcock was one of the giants of movie making in the twentieth century. One look at his canon of work is impressive enough. What marked him out from others at the time was his ability to generate buzz around his films that captured the public imagination and attention. From this gift he was able to develop a public persona of an enigmatic and slightly menacing figure. Hitch reveled in this and was always happy to play his part in building the myth. It got to such a level that the distinction between truth and fiction got blurred. I suspect that the film Hitchcock starring Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren has a similar relationship with reality.Read the rest of this entry »
Released this week is the extended first look trailer for the new Fast & Furious movie. We are now up to number six in the seemingly never-ending franchise. This time the ‘gang’ are working for Agent Hobbs in order to bring down a rival gang. Their prize is the clearing of their own criminal records. Apparently the job involves shooting, driving and shooting while driving. After the dip in quality of the second and arguably the third film Justin Lin has breathed new life into numbers four and five. With the reintroduction of some of the original stars the franchise has improved in quality and proven to be hugely popular.
As with all sequels Fast 6 has bigger stunts, more explosive action and possibly dumber dialogue. Some constants remain. It’s no surprise to see a buff Vin Diesel clad in white vest staring off into the distance. Fast & Furious six will be everywhere on 24th May.
Expectation can be a dangerous thing. Especially when it’s fans of books about to see a long held hero brought to life on the silver screen. When it was announced that the Jack Reacher books would be adapted the initial excitement turned into howls of anguish as it became apparent that Tom Cruise’s production company was involved and the title role would be filled by Tom himself. The issue for most fans of the book was that Reacher is described as six-foot five and built like a brick outhouse. Tom Cruise on the other hand is about five and a half feet tall and doesn’t have the same imposing physical presence. The issue was put to bed for most of the fans when the book’s author, Lee Child, gave his opinion. He said that with any other (taller) actor you would get one hundred percent of height and ninety percent of the character but with Tom Cruise you get ninety percent of the height but one hundred percent of the character. While being generous with the estimation of Cruise’s dimensions Mr Child hits the nail on the head. The film is an interpretation and the core of that is a totally committed characterisation.Read the rest of this entry »
By 1973 Woody Allen was a firm favourite with Cinema going audiences. Although not yet feted as a master by the critical community his films were highly successful at the box office. That’s not to say that he was simply pandering to the masses for financial gain. In retrospect you can see him developing his film making style over the course of these early comedies. Each new film showed that Allen was spending a great deal of time honing his craft. His Direction, writing skills and acting all improved over a hand full of very well received movies giving him the confidence to try new things and more importantly produce an interesting end product. When Sleeper was released it was seen as a new high in Allen’s career.Read the rest of this entry »
The master and apprentice tale is one that seems to be able to cover most genres of film and has been integrated into countless films over the years. From classics such as The Sting to the likes of Star Wars and Kung Fu Panda we see the theme being played out to great effect. Is is one of the staples of modern cinema storytelling that accurately reflect real life. Where would any us be without being guided by an experienced hand. This is why it resonates with us and still proves to be popular with Artists in all forms of entertainment. One of the latest entries to cover this is the 2012 short film, Mugging for Amateurs, from Scottish writer / director Johnny Herbin.Read the rest of this entry »
Just when you thought that you had seen it all, the movies are able to add another twist to an already familiar format. For several years now we have been subjected to the found footage film in one guise or another.The best of the genre such as horror films Blair Witch project and Paranormal Activity have led to a slew of lesser and less interesting films including sequels to the aforementioned movies. Rather than dropping the style film makers have tried to expand the range of subjects covered. It comes as something of a surprise that a buddy cop movie is the latest to use the technique. From David Ayer, the director of Training Day comes the 2012 Police drama End of watch.Read the rest of this entry »
With the release of another major blu ray re-release in the form of the fortieth anniversary box set of The Godfather trilogy it seems like a good time to ask if there is a point at which it becomes unacceptable to re-purchase the same film. My better half would point out that this would be the case before the first purchase. If you can see it on the TV, why would you want to own it? Not an argument you can really win.
