Miscellaneous Movie Musings the Sequel

[Strangler Lewis]

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I went to "Mirror, Mirror" yesterday. From the commercials I had seen out of the corner of my eye, I had initially assumed that the movie cost about five dollars to make. I now realize that this assumption was grounded in Julia Roberts' snarky dialogue. The movie is actually visually stunning in all respects, but with a Nickelodeon-level script, it was pretty tough sledding.

One interesting touch: it had the semi-obligatory musical number over the credits. From his name, the director sounds like an Indian fellow, and the number seemed like something out of a Bollywood movie. (Of course, it could be a number one pop hit, and I wouldn't know it.)

[Snowflake]

Napoleon vu par Abel Gance, an incredible event, an incredible film, an incredible day. Worth every penny, worth the time ans beyond grateful I had this opportunity.

[Gn2Dlnd]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Napoleon vu par Abel Gance, an incredible event, an incredible film, an incredible day. Worth every penny, worth the time ans beyond grateful I had this opportunity.

Sounds fantastic! I like a movie with a lunch break. Link. I saw the Carmine Coppola version at the Shrine Auditorium, back in 1980, and we had the VHS at VideoWest when I worked there. The Bioscope article says "In 2000 Brownlow unveiled the film’s colour tinting and toning for the first time at a UK screening at the Royal Festival Hall," but I remember color tinting being a big deal in the version I saw. Also, during the films triptych sequences, and to the audiences astonishment, screens were lowered down on either side of the main screen for a 1929 version of Cineramascope. I'm sure I still have my program in a box somewhere.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Napoleon vu par Abel Gance, an incredible event, an incredible film, an incredible day. Worth every penny, worth the time ans beyond grateful I had this opportunity.

I am so glad you loved it! Tom did too.

I can't put my finger on quite why - maybe my penchant for concise storytelling? - but Napoleon overwhelmed me in a way that I could not appreciate it as you both do. LOVE that last act, though.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

I am so glad you loved it! Tom did too.

I can't put my finger on quite why - maybe my penchant for concise storytelling? - but Napoleon overwhelmed me in a way that I could not appreciate it as you both do. LOVE that last act, though.

Oooh! When did you go? I'm sorry I did not see you both! But, I am SO glad you went. It was a once in a lifetime thing.

LSPE, I will give you that 2 weeks later, I could recognize and appreciate the flaws of the film. Mostly the lack of cohesive narrative and I do wish Gance had not added the useless Violine story. Had Brownlow not restored that, I would not have missed it.

For me, the whole package was the thing. 3000 people, live orchestra, incredible print and everyone (at least around me) were just embracing the whole thing, festive, going with the film, appreciating the incredible technicalities of it (for 1927) and when the triptychs revealed, well, it was just fab.

Parmasan Jim, I know you would have loved revisting this too. People I know who saw the 1980 were blown away by the latest restoration.

If you want more of my blather on it, here's my 2 centimes for the internets.

[Moonliner]

Jaws is getting the full restoration treatment for it's blu-ray release in August.

Originally Posted by News

Universal Studios is celebrating its 100th Anniversary, and to help mark the occasion they have gone back to the original Jaws 35mm film in order to digitally remaster it. The finished product is a crisp 1080p picture and the addition of 7.1 surround sound–something no one watching the movie has ever experienced before.

Spielberg describes it as bringing a classic movie back to life, and making it, “more vivid than even we remember them at the cinema.” And it seems we have digital technology to thank for making such a restoration possible.

[mousepod]

And as long as we're talking upcoming blu-rays, Disney just announced a ton of catalog releases for 2012:

Beginning in May, the Studio will start to celebrate a number of film anniversaries, introducing multiple great films to Blu-ray including Father of the Bride and Bringing Down the House releasing on May 15th; The Color of Money,Cocktail and Ransom releasing on June 5th; Sister Act and Evita releasing on June 19th; and The Horse Whisperer, Under the Tuscan Sun, Phenomenon, Step Up, Home On The Range and Treasure Planet releasing July 3rd.


In the Fall, a perfect mix of feel-good films, anniversary releases and nostalgic favorites will debut, including Adventures in Babysitting, Grosse Pointe Blank, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, The Rescuers, High Fidelity, Ed Wood, Judge Dredd, Ghost of the Abyss 3D, Lady And The Tramp 2: Scamp’s Adventure, Pocahontas, The Tigger Movie, The Aristocats and Pete’s Dragon.

And just in time for Halloween and the holidays, a wide array of titles that make perfect stocking stuffers for film fans will include titles such as Hocus Pocus, Arachnophobia, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Son of Flubber, Cold Creek Manor, The Santa Clause Trilogy, The Absent-Minded Professor, Flubber, While You Were Sleeping, Sweet Home Alabama, Beaches, Babes in Toyland, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Brother Bear and Dick Tracy.

[flippyshark]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

Jaws is getting the full restoration treatment for it's blu-ray release in August.

Clearly the blu-ray event of the year for me. I'm especially glad that the fan-made documentary "The Shark Is Still Working" is going to be included as an extra. August 14 can't come soon enough.

On other matters, holy crap does Dark Shadows look pathetic! I haven't had much faith or interest in the Depp/Burton pair in a long time (though I give Sweeney Todd a B minus or so, because I love the source material so much, mostly.) but it almost looks like they're trying to piss off fans with this one. I'll be happy if the restoration and Blu-ray release of House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows happens.

Regarding the long list of Disney catalog releases, it makes me think of a time when Disney released lots of movies every year. Not all of them were winners, but at least they were out there pitching. These days, it seems like an ever-shrinking slate of expensive wet squibs from the mouse. And though Avengers may end up chock full of Whedon-y goodness, I'm pretty pissed about the Avengers monorail - I detest the monorail as billboard concept, and this is ugliest yet.

[JWBear]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I went to "Mirror, Mirror" yesterday. From the commercials I had seen out of the corner of my eye, I had initially assumed that the movie cost about five dollars to make. I now realize that this assumption was grounded in Julia Roberts' snarky dialogue. The movie is actually visually stunning in all respects, but with a Nickelodeon-level script, it was pretty tough sledding.

One interesting touch: it had the semi-obligatory musical number over the credits. From his name, the director sounds like an Indian fellow, and the number seemed like something out of a Bollywood movie. (Of course, it could be a number one pop hit, and I wouldn't know it.)

The director is Tarsam Singh. Tarsam Singh, as in The Cell, The Fall, and The Immortals. Visually stunning is his speciality.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by JWBear

The director is Tarsam Singh. Tarsam Singh, as in The Cell, The Fall, and The Immortals. Visually stunning is his speciality.

I actually enjoyed The Immortals beyond its visual stunningness. A great throwback to the 50's/60's style of Greek Mythology movietelling, but with Singh's trademark visual stunningness. Win and Win.