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Film & TV on DVD - John Doe News & Reviews

Greetings Film Fiends and welcome to John Doe's Film Blog. 30 years of dedicated celluloid obsession has meant that I have seen a few films. Drawing attention to some of the lesser discussed gems that I love. Cult classics, obscure curios and quality genre pictures. This blogs purpose is to translate some of my passion for these films and with luck, inspire you the reader to go check em out.

Drama Thriller - Film & TV on DVD

The Godfather – The Coppola Restoration (1972, 1974 & 1990)

September 17th 2008 00:01

The Life and Times of the Corleone Family

The Godfather - The Coppola Restoration DVD

Last week an all new digitally restored and enhanced box set of The Godfather Trilogy was released in Australia. A favourite of JD’s and most cinephiles, the question is how does one begin a review for what is one of the most analysed, dissected and worshipped film sagas in the history of cinema. Do you just repeat the endless accolades already heaped upon it? Perhaps a list of trivia or the much told epic story of the “against-the-odds” making of a masterpiece. Maybe comparisons between the original release and the new super high quality transfer available on DVD.

Johnny Doe has decided on a little bit of all the above.

The Corleone family that sins together stays together

“My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator.” – Michael Corleone

Carrying a class and prestige few films are afforded and unprecedented for a 3 part series, the first Godfather released in 1972 took home the Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando) and Best Adapted Screenplay and scored 8 other nominations at the Oscars. The equally successful sequel of 1974 nabbed Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro), Best Picture, Best Director, Best Music, Art Direction and Screenplay. The final instalment made nearly 20 years later was nominated for 7 more awards but was ravaged by critics.

A brief synopsis for those select few that have never seen the movies seems appropriate about now. The Godfather Trilogy tells the story of the Corleone family, an American brood of Sicilian Mafioso whose own quest for power and wealth is easily comparable to the capitalist corporate greed that has driven the US to dominate the world market. Unforgettable lines like “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse” becoming part of the vernacular in big business ever since.

A microcosm of brutal loyalty, murky morality and a complex code of honour, the Corleone’s are a self serving family unit that struggles to survive and change with the times.
“I knew Santino was going to have to go through all this and Fredo... well, Fredo was... But I never wanted this for you. I live my life, I don't apologize to take care of my family. And I refused to be a fool dancing on the strings held by all of those big shots. That's my life I don't apologize for that. But I always thought that when it was your time that you would be the one to hold the strings. Senator Corleone. Governor Corleone. Something.” – Don Corleone

The Godfather DVD

Chapter 1 in the saga deals with Don Corleone’s (Marlon Brando) final years as Godfather. Tracing the tragic ascent of his most loved son Michael (Al Pacino) into the role as head of the organization.
“I understand. You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, made a good living, the police protected you and there were courts of law and you didn't need a friend like me. But, now you come to me and you say "Don Corleone, give me justice." But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me Godfather. Instead, you come into my home on the day my daughter's to be married and you ask me to do murder for money.” – Don Corleone

The Godfather 2 DVD

Chapter 2 picks up where the first one concludes with Michael as the new Godfather having to adapt to modernising. Simultaneously in flashback tracking the young Don Corleone’s (Robert De Niro) forced immigration to America from his native land and the actions that shape him to rise to the top of the underworld mob.

“It made me think of what you once told me: "In five years the Corleone family will be completely legitimate." That was seven years ago.” - Kay Corleone

Godfather 3 DVD

Chapter 3, a tale of retribution and redemption was modelled on the Shakespeare tragedy King Lear. Michael, now in his twilight years tries to amend for the sins of the past and protect his family from the cycle of violence and betrayal he himself created.
“Goodbye my old friend. You could have lived a little longer, I could be closer to my dream. You were so loved, Don Tommasino. Why was I so feared, and you so loved? What was it? I was no less honorable. I wanted to do good. What betrayed me? My mind? My heart? Why do I condemn myself so? I swear, on the lives of my children: Give me a chance to redeem myself, and I will sin, no more.” – Michael Corleone

John Doe says:
Exquisitely crafted, dramatically paced and completely immersive The Godfather films have a timeless quality that is enhanced with each passing year. The primordial ooze that redefined the genre, from the memorable Nino Rota score, to the ensemble casting and daring Gordon Willis cinematography each instalment follows a refined recipe that is pure cinema.

To this day the debate still rages as to which is superior the first or second, personally JD sees the two as one giant epic, unable to distinguish which is in fact “the best”. The much maligned 3rd part, no where near as disappointing when viewed without comparison to the mythical earlier parts.

Drawing heavily on his Italian American genealogy and European style Francis Ford Coppola (The Conversation, Apocalypse Now) injects ever scene with an authentic atmosphere that is realised through the culmination of numerous little details. The carefully planned visual motifs that arise like Oranges symbolising death now considered masterful.

Tapping out rich human emotion and drama while still maintaining a unique tension, the screenplay based on Mario Puzo’s best selling novel consciously avoids the use of the phrase “Mafia”. Precisely worded, the settings and interactions almost suffocate the viewer as you are drawn in to this moody tales conflicts and sudden brutal blood shed.

Michael passes the point of no return

So many classic scenes, it is impossible to single out one favourite. The movies themselves almost able to run in the head of fans after endlessly repeated screenings, here are a few monumental moments that JD still gets affected by in the first film. The opening wedding scene is as fine a set up as anything ever conceived on celluloid. The dark shadows of the Don’s office, the multitude of extras just outside and Luca Brazi’s congratulations all establish a steady tone. Michael committing his first murder in the restaurant is intense, the sympathetic death of the Don in the orange garden and offcourse the hospital scene all standout.

Marlon Brando returns to stature

It is amusing now to look at the some of the major creative differences between the unproven filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and Paramount studios. Choosing his idol Marlon Brando for the role of the Don in hindsight was perfect casting, yet at the time it was considered an extreme gamble to hire him. So the story goes that Paramount was adamantly opposed to his participation until Coppola shot a screentest and let the studio heads view it before revealing that the unrecognized star was in fact Brando. (Coppola faking a heart attack in front of the executives when they refused also helped)

Robert de Niro as the young Don Corleone

Francis’ expert eye for talent launching the careers of virtual unknowns, at the time he had to go to the mat for Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. James Caan as the volatile and destructive Sonny, Robert Duvall as the loyal Consigliari, John Cazale as the black sheep brother and Diane Keaton as the outsider who falls in love with Michael all recruited on the faith of the Director.

Damn, over a 1000 words written and Johnny doesn’t even feel like he has scratched the surface of what this sweeping trilogy has to offer. A part of filmmaking folklore now, the effect this film had on the industry is immeasurable. Launching so many stellar careers and announcing the arrival of one of the most influential Directors of the modern age The Godfather is essential for film lovers and this new edition certainly gets the John Doe stamp of approval. The sublime picture and sound quality making for a fresh screening experience and the informative, anecdotal extras packed in the set are an “offer we can’t refuse”

Here is a list of the DVD details for the 5 Disc new edition, thankfully now the Godfather Part II is all on one disc and we get a new commentary track on each film plus:

Disc 4: (previously released special features)
-Making of The Godfather
-Additional Scenes
-Filming Locations
-The Corleone Family Tree
- The Music of The Godfather
- The Godfather Historical Timeline
- Profiles on the Filmmakers
- Photo Galleries and Storyboards

Disc 5: (new special features)
- Godfather World
- The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't
- ...when the shooting stopped
- Emulsional Rescue: Revealing The Godfather
- The Godfather on the Red Carpet
- Four Short Films on The Godfather
--- The Godfather vs. The Godfather, Part II
--- Cannoli
--- Riffing on the Riffing
--- Clemenza

The Italian trailer for the new The Godfather Coppola Restoration DVD

The Godfather plot summed up in one minute

Behind the Scenes - Jimmy Caan and Francis Ford Coppola discuss Marlon Brando

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Posted By: JohnDoe - Category: Crime, Drama, Thriller

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Gone Baby Gone (2007) - Trailer Included

September 10th 2008 00:02

The Painful Truth Beneath

DVD Available in Australia this week

Writer/Director: Ben Affleck
Based on the Novel by: Dennis Lehane
Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, Amy Ryan, John Ashton, Amy Madigan

“We're investigating a missing children's case here. Kidnapping has nothing to do with it. The fastest way to get Amanda home is go to Cheese, swap the money for her, and walk away. Plain and simple.” – Remy Bressant

Daily, the news media bombards us with sensational stories that brush over complex relationship issues during times of profound emotional tragedy. A baby is missing from its mother and the police frantically search for its location while the news cameras catch sound-bytes of information and repackage it into a spin based editorial. It happens all the time.

Casey Affleck and Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone

Cleverly adapted from the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane who also wrote Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone is the Directorial feature film debut from Ben Affleck.

A devastatingly gripping thriller set in the rough and violent Dorchester neighbourhood of Boston. Gone Baby Gone dwells, strike that exists within the complex cracks that form in the wake of the abduction of 4 year old Amanda McReady (Madeline O’Brien). A frantic search is underway led by Captain Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman) and his two Detectives on a Crimes Against Children task force, Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and Nick Poole (John Ashton).
“A four year old child is on the street. It's seventy-six hours and counting. And the prospects for where she might be are beginning to look grim, you understand? Half of all the children in these cases are killed, flat out. If we don't catch the abductor by day one, only about ten percent are ever solved. This is day three. He may look young, but if he wants to work this case, he better not act it.”- Captain Jack Doyle

Ed harris and Joh Ashton question Amy Ryan

Unsatisfied with their progress little Amanda’s aunt Bea McReady (Amy Madigan) hires two low rent PI’s Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) because of their knowledge of the local area. Suspecting they may get further with questioning dodgy suspects than uniformed cops it isn’t long before lovers Patrick and Angie are embroiled in a shocking Pandora’s Box mystery.
“He lied to me. Now I can't think of one reason big enough for him to lie about that's small enough not to matter.” – Patrick Kenzie

Discovering Amanda’s dead beat mother Helene (Amy Ryan) is a drug addict with questionable parenting skills and a train wreck lifestyle. The clues lead the pair into a dark and sinister underworld of paedophiles, dealers and assorted criminals. Nothing is simple and no one is as they seem, revelations and resolutions come at a higher price than any could predict.
“I always believed it was the things you don't choose that makes you who you are. Your city, your neighborhood, your family. People here take pride in these things, like it was something they'd accomplished. The bodies around their souls, the cities wrapped around those. I lived on this block my whole life; most of these people have. When your job is to find people who are missing, it helps to know where they started. I find the people who started in the cracks and then fell through. This city can be hard. When I was young, I asked my priest how you could get to heaven and still protect yourself from all the evil in the world. He told me what God said to His children. "You are sheep among wolves. Be wise as serpents, yet innocent as doves." – Patrick Kenzie

Casey Affleck looks for the light

John Doe says:
Thankfully remaining behind the camera, it is still with some disbelief that JD is about to gush over a Ben Affleck film (Dazed and Confused and some Kevin Smith Films aside). Though it helps that the novel is cited as his favourite book, Ben's knowledge of the source material is undeniably rich.

With Gone Baby Gone he has crafted a gritty and very authentic cinema experience that benefits from his growing up in the city of Boston. Dense in intriguing character dynamics and driven by murky morality, the lens wielded by cinematographer James Toll (Tropic Thunder, The Thin Red Line) captures pained faces and urban depression to establish an unwavering atmosphere of realism.

A refreshing and constantly surprising film that reflects an honest portrayal of a circumstance that is regularly sensationalised and consciously manipulative.
Like a good David Mamet script it is what the screenplay doesn’t say and what we are not shown that engages the mind and demands the viewer’s constant reassessment. The seemingly to-cool title taking on multiple meanings by films end.

Working as a mystery to be solved and also operating as an intense human drama, somehow Affleck manages to balance both angles in a fluid vision. The film is gradually paced and the tension comes not from plot twists and devices but the mining of established conventions and morphing participants.

All the players are given dimension and like the classic cinema of the past the supporting cast are no less memorable or pivotal than the leads.

Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James..., Gerry) is a fearless performer, unlike his brother breathing truth into the parts he takes on. Here he is superb as an almost disinterested underachiever thrust out of his depth and comfort zone.

In the role of partner, lover and confidant to Casey’s character Michelle Monaghan (Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang, The Bourne Supremacy) is equal. The strengths and weaknesses of her part communicated through impression as much as dialogue.

Morgan Freeman who seems to have been sleepwalking onscreen since Se7en actually reaches down deep in this to deliver what may be the performance of his latter career.

The ever reliable Ed Harris (The Right Stuff, Paris Trout) and John Ashton (Beverly Hills Cop) both bring meat to their pivotal appearances.

Shining brightest is Broadway star turned Oscar Nominated actress Amy Ryan (Capote, Dan in Real Life). Capturing the native accent and body language of the part she is completely convincing. Never played for sympathy, nor is she underestimated instead like all the characters it is her faults that make her intriguing Amy’s skills complimented by the fact that on the first day of shooting security thought she was a low class local mother and refused to let her on set.

This is the kind of film that only comes along once every decade or so. Taking a rather pedestrian idea that is usually constructed with predictable beats and easy answers. JD was impressed by the restrained flair of the piece, its profound conclusion that forces evaluation of the premise and also initiates analysis long after the closing credits have had the curtain pulled over.

Trailer Baby, Trailer for Gone Baby Gone

A compilation of Amy Ryan's stunning performance in Gone Baby Gone (Contains Spoilers)

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Posted By: JohnDoe - Category: Crime, Drama, Thriller

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Whatever Happened To Baby Jane (1962) - Trailer Included

February 20th 2008 00:01

Whatever Happened To Baby Jane

DVD Available in Australia

Disclaimer: This post may contain spoilers

In 1962 Robert Aldrich Directed what can be called, along with maybe Sunset Boulevard, the film of the year. To call Whatever Happened To Baby Jane a mammoth cinematic achievement would be only a slight understatement, for it also showcases possibly two of the greatest performances by two actresses in the 1960’s, if not ever – Joan Crawford and Bette Davis clash like titans in some of the most vicious stand offs you can imagine. Bette Davis stars as Jane Hudson, a former child star whose acting career as a grown woman has been overshadowed by her more talented and successful sister, played by a wheel chair bound Joan Crawford. In a world where great female performances are few and far between, these two fine actresses are fused with a paranoid intensity, created by Aldrich, which will cause unrestrained delight to fans of dark and macabre films or by that note those who even do not even object to it.

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford - You can just feel the love

In WEHTBJ the story takes melodrama and horror to a feverish pitch. I suppose this film is not for everyone, it certainly does not paint a pretty picture as Bette Davis’s character continues to taunt and abuse her paralysed sister. The film has unusual similarities in structure, events and character to Sunset Boulevard and while you can not help but put them side by side, they are certainly completely different animals, Baby Jane focuses specifically on the horror of the here and now, its sweaty, 'in your face' intensity and emotional violence abandons the post card quality that a lot of these type of stories invite to them.

The bitch is back

The casting is perfect as these two divas off-screen animosity runs rampant on screen, Joan Crawford’s trademark hardened facial qualities play well against her sympatheic approach to her character and Bette Davis’s famous eyes along with her over the top make up are used to create a hysterical madness as she hand in hand with Aldrich creates one of the most interesting and effective portraits of an emotionally disturbed individual.

Indeed one of Aldrich’s crowning achievements he provides all the right ingredients for a juicy and very scary character study of two woman not just pushed into madness but swimming around in it. If these sounds like your cup of tea, don’t wait another second to see it.

By John Doe Guest Writer: Shaun Katz

Warning:Clips contain Spoilers
Watch the original trailer that includes shots of Robert Aldrich Directing.