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Review: ‘Say Anything…’ on Blu-ray
You never know when something will come along and click with the pop culture zeitgeist. A line, a performance, even a single image, can leap off the page or screen and become emblematic for an era. The sight of John Cusack, holding a boom box over his head, trying to woo back Iona Skye, has become one of those moments now indelibly used to visualize the 1980s.
Here we are, 20 years later, and the moment has been repeated endlessly in real life and parodied throughout movies and television. Now, we can relive that moment in the 20th anniversary edition of Say Anything
…, released this week by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
Written and directed by the wonderfully gifted Cameron Crowe, the movie avoided all the clichés inherent in the romance and teen comedy films of the decade. Instead, he found fresh characters in Lloyd Dobler and Diane Court and avoided expectations by enriching every character with complexity.
Diane was the driven class brain, “in the body of a game show hostess”, who was so focused on class work that she missed out on connecting with her peers. Her awkwardness at addressing the student body at graduation punctuates that point. Interestingly, it is only after the ceremony and her forced dealings with them have come to an end that she actually gets to know them.
When love struck Lloyd calls her a fate, he wears down her reluctance until she acquiesces. After hanging up the phone, she looks up his picture in the yearbook; uncertain of whom she has committed herself. As it turns out, she finds herself enjoying the party antics while Lloyd watches her in action, relegated to being the key master, holding everyone else’s car keys so they can freely get drunk.
Lloyd is uncertain of his future, a kickboxer without a real plan, but he’s a decent guy as seen in his dealings with his young nephew or the residents of the old folks’ home owned by Diane’s father, played with gusto by John Mahoney. Meantime, Mr. Court disapproves of Lloyd, seeing him as being beneath Diane but puts her happiness ahead of his own misgivings.
Diane’s relationship with her father provides an emotional spine to the film that helps separate it from similar tales. They clearly love and trust one another, and while Diane can tell her father anything, he chooses not to reciprocate. As a result, when he comes under investigation by the IRS, his lack of moral judgment crushes her, leaving her no one but Lloyd to turn to.
The tale is of a young couple falling in love for the first time, complete with the ups and downs that happen. Crowe, who captures voices and emotions so well in his works, treats his characters with respect and is rewarded by strong performances.
After 20 years, it largely holds up and maintains its strong grasp on the viewer. The video transfer looks and sounds good. The new edition comes complete with Crowe and his cast reminiscing in a 21 minute featurette, An Iconic Film Revisited: Say Anything…20 Years Later. The director continues to chat about the making of the film in his own 9 minute A Conversation with Cameron Crowe. Also exclusive to the Blu-ray edition is To Know Say Anything…is to Love It! Trivia Track containing over 200 fun questions. Carried over from previous editions are the alternate scenes, deleted scenes, and extended scenes, trailers, original featurette, and a gallery.
The story of Lloyd meets girl is well worth revisiting.
Review: ‘Malice’
Malice
By Chris Wooding, illustrated by Dan Chernett
Scholastic Press, $14.99, 380 pages
What if you could transport yourself to another world by following an incantation found in a comic book? Well, you might find the world a frightening and terrible place, just as children find in the new novel [[[Malice]]].
Chris Wooding, an accomplished young adult author, begins a new series this month with Malice, which mixes prose with comic book pages interspersed. Basically, children around the world have been reading this comic book, Malice, a cult title with each issue a seemingly disjointed series of eerie vignettes. What no one realizes is that if the children following the directions, they vanish and are transported to this other land. In the real world, they go missing and the few that return, have no recollection of where they have been but have been deeply affected by the experience.
Wooding’s novel focuses on the residents of the small town of Hathern, just as the young teen Luke vanishes. His friends, Seth and Kady, piece together he disappeared after reading the comic book and go on the hunt. Along the way, they find out who has been producing issues but necessarily why they are stealing children.
Only after Seth goes in search of Luke by entering the realm, does he begin to understand the malevolent forces at work, represented by Tall Jake, who has usurped control of this dark world. The world of Malice is a creepy place, patrolled by mechanical and non-human packs of beings, seeking the children who have wound up there. The children, meantime, fight for daily survival and swap stories –notably the rumors regarding the underground resistance force.
While Seth forges new alliances away from Earth, Kady begins to understand what’s happening but has too many questions, including trying to understand what the Queen of Cats wants with her. There’s a great revelation that takes the story in a different direction, keeping the pacing sharp.
Wooding, to his credit, creates credible, likeable characters and his vivid writing demonstrates the stark differences between England and Malice. His evocative writing creates a nice atmosphere and keeps you turning the pages, although as you near the end, it becomes clear this is just the opening chapter. A sequel, [[[Havoc]]], is announced on the final pages.
If only his words were matched by Dan Chernett’s illustrations. The book would have benefitted greatly by using an accomplished comic artist as opposed to a professional illustrator unaccustomed to working in the medium. As a result, his pages are poorly constructed, the storytelling is weak and the use of shadow and scratchy lines robs the comic sections of their power. Had the masters of macabre from Bernie Wrightson to Ben Templesmith been brought in, this would have complemented the prose quite nicely. A real missed opportunity.
The book is recommended for readers 12 and up and that sounds about right given the characters, pacing and description contained within.
Cheryl Lynn for the win
Damn it, Kelly! Photo shoots only! Don’t let me catch you out in the streets again looking like you escaped from a George Perez sketchbook.
Only 1,000 Comic Books?
1,000 Comic Books You Must Read
By Tony Isabella
Krause Publications, 272 pages. $29.99 retail.
I want to publicly thank Tony Isabella for taking on a task that is as courageous as it is, well, thankless. It’s hard to imagine a more difficult and a more controversial chore than recommending only 1000 comic
books you must read.
This shows you how clever Tony is. First of all, he recruited over 130 people to make suggestions, including me as well as a good chunk of the state of Ohio – past and present (Harlan Ellison and Maggie Thompson are and will always be honorary Ohioans). Second, instead of arranging them numerically, an act that would guarantee his assassination at the 2010 Mid-Ohio Con (although this would make for a good panel), he arranged everything by decade. Brilliant.
This book is, above and beyond everything else, great fun.
There are hundreds of books you’d expect, and even more that you might not. Of those, the ones you’ve read will make you go “oh, sure, of course.” Those you haven’t read – probably the awesome Jingle Jangle Comics, or Dick Briefer’s Frankenstein – you should. Don’t worry: the way stuff’s being reprinted, it’s just a matter of time.
Each choice is covered by the appropriate publishing and talent credits as well as a nice clean reproduction of the cover, along with Tony’s accompanying paragraph explaining what and why. To his overwhelming credit, Tony does not emphasize superheroes and heroic fantasy – Archie, Harvey, and Charlton get their due, and the various genres such as humor, children’s, and romance are well-covered.
The tome is well-designed and not the least bit pompous.
When Tony told me he had taking on this project, he headed me off by saying he was, obviously, crazy. Well, having poured over 1,000 Comic Books You Must Read, I’ve got to say “not so much, Tony. Maybe just a little bit.”
You’ll love it. It’ll make an excellent holiday present.
For any holiday. Go buy it
Happy 25th Anniversary, ComicMix comics!
Twenty-five months ago today, ComicMix debuted our first new comics online, the return of GrimJack in the tale of the Manx Cat, a series that is now available in print from our friends at IDW. It was followed within the first week by EZ Street, Black Ice, Munden’s Bar, The Adventures of Simone & Ajax, and Fishhead.
*Okay, we’ve been so crazy busy around here that we completely skated past our two year anniversary at the beginning of last month. But now we get to have a 25th anniversary!**
**Look, if X-Factor can have a 50th anniversary issue this month and a 200th anniversary issue next month, we can have a 25th anniversary today. So there.
The Point Radio: Joel Gretsch On ‘V’
His road has led from TAKEN and THE 4400, now Joel Gretsch is a part of the cast of ABC’s V remake. Joel shares what appealed to him about yet another science fiction based role, plus Elizabeth Mitchell gives us the scoop on parts of the original series that will be included in the new version. Meanwhile, Michael Jackson’s concert film gives an almost 10% boost to the box office and FAMILY GUY finally nails a sponsor.
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Review: ‘Ruby-Spears Superman’ on DVD
[[[
Superman]]] did not do well as an animated series despite three different studios attempting to tell his stories. Filmation debuted as a competitor to Hanna-Barbera with the 1966 Superman series then H-B told their stories in [[[Super Friends]]]. It seemed they didn’t fully know how to challenge someone with the amazing powers.
By the late 1980s, Ruby-Spears was a well established company, best known for their [[[Thundarr the Barbarian]]]. In 1988, it was their turn to try their hand with the Man of Steel and tomorrow, Warner Home Video releases Ruby-Spears Superman
, a two-disc set collecting the thirteen episodes from the one season series.
This series came out just two years after Superman had been revamped from top to bottom by John Byrne and Marv Wolfman in the pages of [[[Superman]]], [[[Adventures of Superman]]], and [[[Action Comics]]]. Most of the changes from the comics are not reflected here, the exception being Lex Luthor as a business tycoon scheming to rid the world of Superman.
However, the producers clearly weren’t comfortable with this interpretation so borrowed heavily from the just completed film series. As a result, the Luthor here is not at all a threat and saddled with a dumb blonde, Jessica Morganberry, for a confidant rather than the more interesting, and far deadlier, Hope and Mercy.
Marv Wolfman was the story editor, chosen not because he helped craft this modern day version of the mythos, but based on his other animation credits. He surrounded himself with like-minded professionals including Martin Pasko and Steve Gerber (who may have written the best of the episodes) and got to work. Visually, the series was a cut above its predecessors thanks to the involvement of Gil Kane, no stranger to Superman. It’s fun seeing Kane’s unique designs come to life, if only more of his touch were evident in the main characters.
The characterizations for Clark Kent, Lois, Jimmy, Perry, and the Kents is virtually non-existant which undercuts much of the emotional impact of the stories. The threats, whether from the benign Luthor or extraterrestrial sources, are also largely unimaginative. Why his rogues’ gallery is absent is never addressed and again, that robbed the series of better stories. Wonder Woman guest stars in one episode and she’s diverting but not at all majestic or riveting to watch. Instead, we have tales that sometimes defy story logic or the laws of (comic book) physics.
From an animation standpoint, the series suffers lapses when characters stand in front of oncoming energy blasts or runaway trains when they should be in motion. The voice casting is off for most characters and is unmemorable. This is far from Ruby-Seaprs’ finest moments.
The most interesting aspect of the series is that each episode concludes with “The Superman Family Album”, four minute vignettes in chronological order, detailing Clark Kent’s journey from adoption through the first time he donned his costume. Unfortunately, all the heart-warming elements we loved from the previous incarnations are gone. Instead, Clark is an impatient brat who demonstrates his powers without ever once being taught about the responsibility that comes with them. We jump a few years and he’s suddenly more mature if no less patient, and we never see the lessons the Kents imparted that made him the World’s Greatest Super-Hero. In her introduction, Lana arrives as a blonde, and her relationship with Clark is given short-shrift. Similarly, Lois’ introduction to Superman is badly handled and devoid of emotion. A great idea, terribly wasted with poor creative choices.
The 13 episodes look nice, and the soundtrack, inspired by John Williams, is a cut above but overall, they are less than wonderful adventures.
The box set comes with one unique extra: “[[[Corruption of the Corrupt: The Rise of LexCorp]]]” which attempts to place Luthor’s comic book characterization into the context of the times. Educators and authors along with Superman editor Mike Carlin contribute their thoughts and it’s somewhat engaging, but has little to do with the animated series, certainly it has no resemblance to the Luthor depicted here.
Review: ‘North by Northwest’ on Blu-ray
Thrillers today are filled with fast cuts, pounding music, poor excuses for plotting and characterization, and seem designed to do nothing more than collect your cash and deliver the same old. You usually see every twist and turn coming and are rarely surprised.
In 1959, Alfred Hitchcock, at the height of his moviemaking career, unleashed the ultimate thriller in North By Northwest. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, Warner Home Video releases the Blu-ray edition on Tuesday and it’s a cause worth partaking in.
Students of Hitchcock see the familiar bits from the frosty blonde to the case of mistaken identity but here, he mixes them all together and adds in some fresh touches. Rewatching the film in its new, crisp edition, is revelatory. The opening scene establishes Roy Thornhill as a busy advertising man, a man used to dealing in artifice and then slowly strips away everything that is a comfort to him until he is on the run and forced, late in life, to grow up a bit.
Hitchcock and writer Ernest Lehman allow the story to leisurely unfold and the scenes play to maximize tension rather then smash cuts and edits to cover up poor storytelling. Grant’s Thornhill is urbane and witty, matched perfectly against James Mason’s Van Damm, a polite but cold enemy of the state. Their first scene is like a ballet, two opponents in a manor’s library, warily moving about, sizing one another up. Once Grant begins to run, the pace quickens – just a bit – and we go from New York to Chicago to South Dakota.
Along the way, he encounters Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) and their own dance is filled with delicious sexual tension. When they begin to kiss and she looks away, you understand that there’s far more to her than we first believed.
We all know the crop duster chase in the open field or the climax at Mount Rushmore, but the film is filled with great moments, large and small. Lehman allows the characters to be individuals while Hitchcock tamps down the emotions so things never go over the top regardless of the seemingly preposterous storyline with Grant confused for an American spy and then ultimately used as a pawn in Leo G. Carroll’s game of chess against Mason.
The movie stands up to rewatching and the video and aural transfers are terrific.
The disc is contained in a book which has a 48-page look at the making of the film and credits. On the disc itself are two new featurettes: The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style and North by Northwest: One for the Ages. The former is a lengthy look at the director’s themes and filmmaking style intercutting an interview with the one-of-a-kind Englishman along with commentary from other filmmakers including Guillermo del Toro, Martin Scorsese, William Friedkin and Curtis Hanson.
The latter is a nice deconstruction of the film, much like a video book report for school with the above filmmakers chiming in as to the component parts that made the film special.
There are additional features lifted from previous editions and they include commentary from Ernest Lehman, a music only track version of the film, 2003’s TCM documentary Cary Grant: A Class Apart, Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest hosted by Eva Marie Saint, Photo gallery and a gallery of Trailers.
All told, this is a marvelous package and one worth having for sheer entertainment value. Anyone who wants to tell tension-filled stories should own this for study.
