cinemabon
03-04-2005, 01:29 PM
Warner Brothers Home Video has released this week two classic and classy DVD’s in the films, “Bringing Up Baby,” and “The Philadelphia Story.” While both films pack a great punch with their witty repartee and polished presentations, the DVD’s also include a special packaging of their own. These are double disc releases, the kind film collectors have come to expect from the Hollywood Studio’s reissues. As is the case, sometimes, the supplemental material almost shines better than the original film. That is the case with both DVD sets.
For “The Philadelphia Story,” the fine restoration folks at Turner have given us a parting look at Katherine Hepburn as she tells the story of her own life in rather private terms. Yes it is over emotional at times, but that is exactly what fans want to see, Hepburn performing one more time, even if it is supposed to be autobiographical. Still, the feature length documentary is full of a few surprises and contains a rather fine compilation of her work. The second feature, “The Men who made the movies,” was a failed attempt at a television show, resurrected from the trash heap with only glimpses of what former movie maker George Cukor was really like. But scenes of Cukor just recanting the plot are hardly interesting. On the main DVD, commentary by film historian Jeannine Basinger is rather bland, with a few insights but mostly an explanation of scenes that are quite apparent to anyone with an elementary education.
The real gem of these two films is “Bringing Up Baby,” Howard Hawks’ production that gave Grant his famous persona and launched his career into the heights of stardom. This DVD compilation is perfect from start to finish. Commentary by Peter Bogdanovich is full of anecdotes and insights, the way a commentary should be and not just a rehash of what’s up on the screen. The second disc has another great Turner documentary about Cary Grant that positively dispels the rumors and gossip that have existed about Grant for many years. Wife after lover after friend comes forward to give a raw guts retelling of Grant’s life. Some of the language is brutal but necessary to bring home the idea, this is an expose to find out just what is it about Grant that has fascinated so many of his fans and the public all through his life. Even caustic film critics are thrown into the mix. The result is a fine retelling of Grant’s life. The other documentary is that awful series, “The Men who made the movies.” (What? No, women involved?) This one is about Howard Hawks. You’d be better off reading a book about Hawks than to watch that. There are a few other gems thrown in for good measure on this DVD. The musical short “Campus Cinderella” is the white man’s fantasy of what basketball should be in 1938. The other is an animated short called, “A Star is Hatched,” another Warner/Hollywood send up which caricatures Hollywood personalities.
I’ve enjoyed these retrospective releases and applaud the studios for doing them. Anyone who is a film buff needs these DVD’s as a part of any serious collection of classic cinema.
That said, now for the criticism. The prints of both pictures are awful, with “The Philadelphia Story” being the worst. I’ve seen prints in bad condition but these films look like somebody walked into UCLA film archives, took one of their old scratchy flat 35mm prints and reprinted it. Not only are the prints in terrible shape, but a frame by frame analysis of some scenes show gross scratches across peoples faces in close up shots, tons of dust, dirt and other artifacts. I’ll eat a dozen hats if somebody says these are new prints. How could they be? Either the negatives are shot to hell, or somebody hasn’t heard that with computer technology, these prints can be made to look brand new. That’s the shame of it all. Sorry to end on such a sad note, but we are supposed to be celebrating the film itself, and they are in terrible condition. The contrast is flat, the blacks are nonexistent, and the prints are awash with artifact. So much for the claim on the jacket as being “digitally re-mastered.” By whom? An eighth grader? If I went to a retrospective and they showed prints like those in Los Angeles, the film buffs in the crowd would have booed the screen. That’s how bad they are. Oh, well, I bought them and I’m stuck with ‘em. But Warner Home Video should apologize to the viewing public and take off the “digitally re-mastered” claim because these weren’t.
For “The Philadelphia Story,” the fine restoration folks at Turner have given us a parting look at Katherine Hepburn as she tells the story of her own life in rather private terms. Yes it is over emotional at times, but that is exactly what fans want to see, Hepburn performing one more time, even if it is supposed to be autobiographical. Still, the feature length documentary is full of a few surprises and contains a rather fine compilation of her work. The second feature, “The Men who made the movies,” was a failed attempt at a television show, resurrected from the trash heap with only glimpses of what former movie maker George Cukor was really like. But scenes of Cukor just recanting the plot are hardly interesting. On the main DVD, commentary by film historian Jeannine Basinger is rather bland, with a few insights but mostly an explanation of scenes that are quite apparent to anyone with an elementary education.
The real gem of these two films is “Bringing Up Baby,” Howard Hawks’ production that gave Grant his famous persona and launched his career into the heights of stardom. This DVD compilation is perfect from start to finish. Commentary by Peter Bogdanovich is full of anecdotes and insights, the way a commentary should be and not just a rehash of what’s up on the screen. The second disc has another great Turner documentary about Cary Grant that positively dispels the rumors and gossip that have existed about Grant for many years. Wife after lover after friend comes forward to give a raw guts retelling of Grant’s life. Some of the language is brutal but necessary to bring home the idea, this is an expose to find out just what is it about Grant that has fascinated so many of his fans and the public all through his life. Even caustic film critics are thrown into the mix. The result is a fine retelling of Grant’s life. The other documentary is that awful series, “The Men who made the movies.” (What? No, women involved?) This one is about Howard Hawks. You’d be better off reading a book about Hawks than to watch that. There are a few other gems thrown in for good measure on this DVD. The musical short “Campus Cinderella” is the white man’s fantasy of what basketball should be in 1938. The other is an animated short called, “A Star is Hatched,” another Warner/Hollywood send up which caricatures Hollywood personalities.
I’ve enjoyed these retrospective releases and applaud the studios for doing them. Anyone who is a film buff needs these DVD’s as a part of any serious collection of classic cinema.
That said, now for the criticism. The prints of both pictures are awful, with “The Philadelphia Story” being the worst. I’ve seen prints in bad condition but these films look like somebody walked into UCLA film archives, took one of their old scratchy flat 35mm prints and reprinted it. Not only are the prints in terrible shape, but a frame by frame analysis of some scenes show gross scratches across peoples faces in close up shots, tons of dust, dirt and other artifacts. I’ll eat a dozen hats if somebody says these are new prints. How could they be? Either the negatives are shot to hell, or somebody hasn’t heard that with computer technology, these prints can be made to look brand new. That’s the shame of it all. Sorry to end on such a sad note, but we are supposed to be celebrating the film itself, and they are in terrible condition. The contrast is flat, the blacks are nonexistent, and the prints are awash with artifact. So much for the claim on the jacket as being “digitally re-mastered.” By whom? An eighth grader? If I went to a retrospective and they showed prints like those in Los Angeles, the film buffs in the crowd would have booed the screen. That’s how bad they are. Oh, well, I bought them and I’m stuck with ‘em. But Warner Home Video should apologize to the viewing public and take off the “digitally re-mastered” claim because these weren’t.