Blu-rays
of the Week
Orchestra Rehearsal
(Arrow
Academy)
Made for Italian
television in 1978, Federico Fellini’s faux-documentary satirizes Italian
politics with a contagious zest, even if it’s occasionally too on the nose as
it shows an orchestra rehearsal that degenerates into in-fighting among
musicians, the conductor’s dictatorial behavior, lunatic union demands and
climaxing with a wrecking ball. Obvious and didactic at times, it’s magically
Fellinian at others, with the great Nina Rota’s beguiling final score (he died soon
after composing it). At 72 minutes, the film ends before it wears out its
welcome, unlike some of the other later Fellini works. It all looks spectacular
in a restored hi-def transfer; extras are a Richard Dyer interview about Rota’s
and Fellini’s relationship and Fellini biographer John Baxter’s video essay.
The Aftermath
(VCI)
In this relentlessly second-rate
post-apocalyptic adventure, cowriter-director Steve Barkett plays an astronaut
who crash-lands on earth only to discover there’s been a nuclear war and Los
Angeles has been destroyed—all that’s left are ragtag bands of mutant survivors.
Acting, writing, directing and plotting are amateurish, but B movie fans might
find enough of interest to make it a true
guilty pleasure. The film looks decent on Blu; extras include Barkett’s
commentary and short film Night Caller,
along with interviews.
The Deuce—Complete 1st Season
(HBO)
Everything about this deep dive into the
sordid world of prostitution and pornography in early ‘70s New York City is
impeccably mounted, from the sets and costumes to the lingo and seedy Times
Square atmosphere. But the converging stories are written and handled without
much adroitness, and the acting is surprisingly uneven. Maggie Gyllenhaal does
what she can with the whore (and later porn director) with the heart of gold
and James Franco makes a hash of the twins he plays; even the appealing and
gifted Margarita Levieva—who’s definitely an actress to watch—is defeated by the
underwritten role of a smart college student mixed up with shady characters.
The series’ eight episodes look splendid in hi-def; extras include commentaries
and interviews.
DVD
of the Week
Finding Your Roots—Complete 4th Season
(PBS)
For the latest 10-episode
season of discovering celebrities’ lineages, Dr. Henry Louis Gates takes 28
guests—running the gamut from Bryant Gumbel and Lupita Nyong’o to Christopher
Walken and Ana Navarro—on a highly emotional journey into their families’ pasts,
which chronicles our nation’s long and checkered immigration history. There are
even some lighter moments in this fascinating glimpse at American identity: the
look on Amy Schumer’s face (and her response) when she finds out that she and
Gates are distant cousins is priceless.
No comments:
Post a Comment