Jack The Bear

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B-     Extras: C-     Film: B-

 

 

In a sea of mostly poor films focusing on children, which are often overly infantalizing and loaded with ad placements, Marshall Herskovitz’s film of Dan McCall’s Jack The Bear (1993) is an ambitious attempt to do a darkly humorous and real story about a father (Danny DeVito) who serves as a host of a TV show that showcases Horror films in the early 1970s.  He has two sons and among the interesting neighbors is a strange man (Gary Sinse) who turns out to be a white supremist.

 

The film is even armed with a screenplay by the solid, reliable Steven Zaillian, and it has a good cast, but something goes awry in this film in that the child-in-jeopardy scenarios eventually become a spoof of themselves.  This is usually the worst kind of appeal to pity a Hollywood film in particular can offer, but the more realistic kind can have it to some extent.  Some kind of rollback 1950s sensibility eventually kicks in when it should not, making one want to smash a 45prm single of Stand By Me.  Though it ultimately does not click, it was at least worth a look and is the kind of film that would less likely get made today.  At least it tries to tell a good story.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 2.35 x 1 image was shot in Super 35 by Fred Murphy and looks good for its age, but still has the limits of the format.  It goes for darker natural colors throughout, which at once flies in the face of the unnatural television world DeVito inhabits and the trap the past becomes for everyone in their small town.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is derived from the original Dolby A-type theatrical release and though the upgrade is not bad, it still shows its age.  A primary reason for the upgrade is James Horner does the music and some hits are featured.  The result fares as well as can be expected.  The only extra is three trailers for the film, which is worth seeing once to see how it does and does not work.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo