The Boys In The Band (1970/CBS/Umbrella Entertainment/PAL Region
Four/4/DVD Import)
Picture:
B- Sound: C+ Extras:
B Film: B
PLEASE NOTE: This DVD can only be operated on
machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Four/4 PAL format
software and can be ordered from our friends at Umbrella Entertainment at the
website address provided at the end of the review. A U.S. DVD from CBS has been issued since as
well as a new documentary Making The
Boys, as noted below with its own link.
On the
verge of becoming one of the top directors in Hollywood, William Friedkin was always
willing to take risks and try something different and that is exactly what he
did by making Mart Crowley’s groundbreaking play The Boys In The Band into a feature film back in 1970. The
tale of gay men living and maybe loving in the New York of the period was like nothing that
had ever been made before. Following the commercial and critical
watershed success of John Schlesinger’s Midnight
Cowboy (1969, both produced by the late, great Kenneth Utt), it makes for a
solid companion piece, yet has been lost for years.
Part of
the CBS’ Cinema Center catalog holdings, the film is
presented here in a remarkable edition that shows real pride on the part of all
involved. The film sports a fine cast of great actors, some of whom
originated their roles here in the original stage version. Cliff Gorman (Hoffa, Night & The City), Leonard Frey (Tattoo), Kenneth Nelson (The
Brute), Frederick Combs, Robert La Tourneaux, Keith Prentice (Crusing), Peter White (Armageddon) and Laurence Luckinbill
co-star and are totally convincing as friends, persons who have to deal with
issues in the gay community of the time and all works to great effect.
And yes, that is Maud Adams as a model!
The
subject matter may still be too much for some people to take, even as society
and new technologies have made it easier for gay males to integrate into
society, but so much here remains relevant about relationships and it is a
landmark like Midnight Cowboy and A Very Natural Thing that deserves to
be rediscovered and acknowledged as the groundbreaker it is. For more on the history of the play and film,
we recommend the documentary Making The
Boys, which you can read more about at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/11313/Dahling:+A+Tribute+To+Zsa+Zsa+Ga
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is an amazingly restored print that
began with a great point, then was built into what Friedkin and Director of
Photography Arthur J. Ornitz (House of
Dark Shadows, The Anderson Tapes,
Possession Of Joey Delaney, Serpico) intended and then some.
Friedkin explains it on the commentary on how he used a black and white copy to
back a color copy that he could then adjust to look as excellent as it does
here. Like The Exorcist and To Live & Die In L.A., here is
another top rate transfer and New York
City looks good too. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
has been cleaned up nicely and sounds good for its age, with little distortion
and an interesting selection of hit music along with the good dialogue and
sound recording. This should make for a great Blu-ray too.
Extras
include a thorough three-part featurette on the play, film and people who made
it all possible, plus a feature length audio commentary by Friedkin delivering
another one of his great commentaries, followed by Crowley who has all kinds of
interesting things to say and stories to tell. A terrific special edition
all around.
As noted
above, you can order this PAL DVD import exclusively from Umbrella at:
http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/
-
Nicholas Sheffo
