Camille
(1936/MGM/Warner Archive Blu-ray)/The
Fabelmans 4K
(2022/Universal 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)/Mildred
Pierce 4K
(1945/Warner/Criterion 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)/The
Mountain
(1956*)/Something To Live
For (1952/*both
Paramount/ViaVision/Imprint/Region Free Import Blu-rays)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: A-/B+ Picture: B Sound: C+/B/B-/B-/B-
Extras: B-/C+/B/B-/B- Films: B-/B+/B/B-/B-
PLEASE
NOTE:
The
Mountain
and Something
To Live For
Import Blu-rays are now only available from our friends at ViaVision
Entertainment in Australia, can play on all 4K and Blu-ray players,
plus Camille
is now only available from Warner Bros. through their Warner Archive
series. All can be ordered from the links below.
As
Hollywood's awards season peaks, a look at one of the best films of
last year, the legacy of filmmaking and four Hollywood films that
could inspire anyone to be a filmmaker.
George
Cukor's Camille
(1936) is a rare, successful remake of a film that was already well
know and loved, the 1921 hit version with Rudolph Valentino in peak
form. However, MGM was run by people who knew how to make film and
their sound remake with another legend paid off critically and
commercially. Robert Taylor gets Valentino's role, but it is Greta
Garbo who really shines as the practical title character, living a
great life by working an upscale version of the oldest profession.
The
script had to dance around this because the Hollywood Code was coming
into its own at this point, but Garbo is so appealing here, she just
runs over any issues or doubts as the romance between the leads
slowly, convincingly takes shape. Cukor is one of the only directors
who could have pulled this off at the time or frankly, anytime, using
the censorship limits to his advantage. It is also beautifully shot,
sets and costumes included and its idea of 1847 Paris is pretty good,
if still obvious very Hollywood. The density of the mise-en-scene is
impressive too.
John
Barrymore leads the impressive, if not as well known today,
supporting cast in an elaborate version of the Alexander Dumas book.
MGM knew they had to go out of their way to match the 1921 version
and they pulled it off. Definitely, this is one that is worth a good
look and is at least a minor classic of its time. Notice no one has
tried to really remake it since.
Extras
include an all-audio Leo Is On The Air radio program promoting
the film, a Theatrical Reissue Trailer and a standard definition
version of the 1921 hit Metro Pictures silent version of Camille
with Rudolph Valentino and Alla Nazimova.
Steven
Spielberg's The Fabelmans
4K (2022) is one of the
filmmakers' most personal and honest films, though he could have
played it safe and not been so open about so much of his private
self. Instead, the film deals with the dual pain of his parents
seeming happy together, when they land up getting divorced, then
experiencing hatemongering in school. I knew about both and thought
the film would at least have to deal with the former due to
(excellent) casting, yet he takes the latter head-on and still offers
much more.
The
other major storyline that criss-crosses the narrative is how he
learns to become a filmmaker, loves film as soon as he sees a major
one (it happens to be Technicolor Best Picture Oscar-winner The
Greatest Show On Earth)
and especially now, how does that work in the early analog era.
There is no internet, digital video and even analog video, but there
is regular 8mm film (they still make it a bit now) and 16mm film for
those who are not ultra-rich (think 35mm film) and there are also no
film schools yet. This is handled humorously, amusingly,
realistically (especially when the camera captures some serious
thinks it should not) and is the kind of thing we oddly, rarely see
in any film from or set in any era.
The
ever-amazing Michelle Williams and always-reliable Paul Dano are his
parents, Seth Rogen very effective as the family friend, Gabriel
LaBelle as a great teen surrogate for the director and a turn by Judd
Hirsch so key and great, even the late, great Gene Siskel (never a
fan of the actor for some reason, but I always liked him) would have
been impressed.
And
the film offers even more, but I will stop there as not to spoil
anything. Though few have noticed, Spielberg has been on an
interesting filmmaking streak lately that has produced results in a
new and more open direction. I hope it continues, because this is
one of the year's most underrated films.
Extras
include (per the press release) these
featurettes:
THE
FABELMANS: A Personal Journey: Steven Spielberg reflects on how
THE FABELMANS is inspired by his own personal story and family.
Family
Dynamics: Discover how the film's cast brought THE FABELMANS to
life as Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen and more build a
bridge between their onscreen personalities and their true-life
counterparts.
Crafting
the World of THE FABELMANS: From costume and set design to music
and cinematography, the filmmakers behind THE FABELMANS reveal how
they created movie magic while capturing the film's unique look.
Michael
Curtiz's
Mildred
Pierce 4K
(1945) has received a solid 4K disc upgrade from Criterion, who
already issued a great regular Blu-ray edition we covered a few years
ago at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14774/Agatha+Christie+Collection+(Witness+For+The+Pr
The
Warner Bros. classic also continues to be a peak of the long career
of Joan Crawford and shows her amazing star power, even after leaving
her long home studio of MGM, now able to take more risks at a bolder
studio. Its even more effective in 4K, darker, yet clearer and
effective as a result. This is now the way outside of a pristine
film print to see the movie.
Of
course, the set repeats the booklet and many extras of the previous
Blu-ray only release.
Edward
Dmytryk's The Mountain
(1956) is an underrated drama with some thrills shot in the
ever-great, large-frame VistaVision format and stars Spencer Tracy
(who was on an interesting roll at the time) as a man who has lived
most of his life near a huge mountain in The Alps. Life is tough and
he has not only fallen from that mountain a few times, but worse
losses have happened. This time, an airplane has wrecked at the top
and an emergency group is needed ASAP to get up there and help
whomever may be alive.
At
first, Zachary (Tracy) is reluctant to go, but things are not working
out, many do not have his climbing experience and time is running
out. He reluctantly goes and brings his greedy, angry, desperate
younger brother Chris (Robert Wagner, great in a thankless role) who
is more interested in stealing from the dead than helping anyone.
Then things get more interesting and twisted.
The
film has great locations and was not easy to make, especially with
the extra-heavy VistaVision cameras, but even more interesting, no
matter how big and open the outdoors are, almost everyone in the film
still seems trapped in one way or another, so this is not just some
'stuck-in-a' film. It juggles being that and more, asking some
questions quietly about who we are as people and Dmytryk, one of
Hollywood's great journeyman filmmakers (and a survivor of the
Hollywood Witch-hunts) is able to handle all the material in top
form, a skill he retained until his last feature film, the
terrorism/revenge thriller The
'Human' Factor from 1975.
Besides
the amazing cinematography from Director of Photography Franz F.
Planter, A.S.C., (Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Roman
Holiday, The Caine Mutiny, King Of Kings, The
Big Country, Breakfast At Tiffany's) does some of his best
work here in a career jam-packed with unforgettable images. Add a
great supporting cast that includes E.G. Marshall, Claire Trevor,
Barbara Darrow, William Demarest & Richard Arlen and you have a
major A-lever production long overdue for rediscovery, though a few
spots do show their age. Very recommended and a must-see for a
serious film fans.
Extras
include a
solid NEW Feature Length Audio Commentary by film historian Howard
Berger
NEW
Above the Precipice: actor Robert Wagner Remembers 20th
Century-Fox, Spencer Tracy and The Mountain in this narrated
featurette.
Director
Edward Dmytryk on the
'Hollywood Ten': 1990 interview
Limited
Edition slipcase on the first 1500 copies with unique artwork
and
an Original Theatrical Trailer
Last
but not least is George
Stevens' Something
To Live For
(1952,) a little seen drama that is also dark and deals yet again
with alcoholism. Ray Milland was doing several such themed films
when he plays an Alcoholics Anonymous member coming to the aid of
another member in trouble, but it is Joan Fontaine (usually, it is
only persons of the same sex who would be there for another member)
and he also happens to be married.
Unfortunately,
she starts to fall for him and vice versa, so there can only be
trouble ahead. Teresa Wright is the wife and the film is a smart,
sometimes dark, sad character study of its people and the trap
alcoholism was, is and continues to be. Stevens knew what he wanted
and made a very intimate film here in the middle of larger films he
was making at the time, not unlike Hitchcock making The
Wrong Man
in the middle of his Technicolor, VistaVision thrillers. The
melodrama is as effective as ever and its sad we do not see enough of
these kinds of mature feature films anymore. Cheers to all who
pulled this off. It has not been seen enough since and deserves
serious rediscovery.
Extras
include:
NEW
Feature Length Audio Commentary by film historians Daniel Kremer &
David Del Valle (very well done)
NEW
Neil Sinyard on Something To Live For: interview with author
of George Stevens: The Films of a Hollywood Giant
and
a Limited Edition slipcase on the first 1500 copies with unique
artwork.
Now
for playback
performance. The 2160p HEVC/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10;
Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on Fabelmans
4K is
totally shot on Kodak Vision3 full color photochemical 35mm camera
negative and is one of the best-looking films of the year with
exceptional color reproduction, plus detail and depth with warmth
that makes the experience of seeing it that much more palpable. The
1080p regular Blu-ray is good for what it is, but no match for the 4K
presentation here. Both have Dolby
TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtracks, as Spielberg decided against
12-track sound (like DTS: X or Dolby Atmos) to hold back the sound
from being too modern. The result is still great and impressive,
clean, clear and effective, so the choice works.
The
2160p HEVC/H.265, black and white 1.33 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10;
Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on Mildred
Pierce 4K does reveal a few flaws and shortcomings in the
surviving archival materials, but this is the best I have ever seen
the film (and I have seen it on 35mm in a great print years ago) on
home video, even surpassing the regular 1080p Criterion Blu-ray I
reviewed a few years ago. Both discs have the same PCM 2.0 Mono
sound that is about as good as the film will ever sound, but it can
show its age.
The
1080p 1.33 X 1 black & white digital High Definition image
transfer of Camille can show the age of the materials used,
but this is far superior a transfer to all previous releases of the
film and one must keep in mind diffusion lenses were used often to
photograph Garbo. This is pleasant and impressive, while the
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Mono lossless mix can show its age as
this is an early sound film, this is about as good as this film will
ever sound. More fine work from warner in restoring a classic.
The
1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image on Mountain
has some great shots and was originally shot in large-frame
VistaVision, with color by Technicolor for all prints, including
dye-transfer,
three-strip, 35mm reduction Technicolor copies. Some parts of the
transfer are decent, others have aged a bit because of older matte
work, but the best shots from the location work really look good. We
get a few demo shots, though this is only a 2K scan. VistaVision
films need at least 6K scans to get everything out of them, but this
still can impress. The soundtrack is in PCM 2.0 Mono and most
VistaVision films came with an artificial form of stereo called
Perspecta Sound, save the ones made by Hitchcock who did not like the
system. You can play this in several surround formats and see if you
get results better than mono. This sounds about as good as it can.
The
1080p 1.33 X 1 black & white digital High Definition image
transfer on Something
can show the age of the materials used, but this is far superior a
transfer to all previous releases of the film and is also from a new
2K scan. There are a few interesting demo shots too and this often
looks just fine. The PCM 2.0 Mono sound is as good as this older
film will ever sound and I'm glad it survived so well.
To
order
either of the
Imprint Region Free import Blu-rays, The
Mountain
and Something
To Live For,
go to this link:
http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/
...and
to order the Warner Archive Camille
Blu-ray, go to this link
for it and
many more great web-exclusive
releases at:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/ED270804-095F-449B-9B69-6CEE46A0B2BF?ingress=0&visitId=6171710b-08c8-4829-803d-d8b922581c55&tag=blurayforum-20
-
Nicholas Sheffo
