Book To Film

‘East of Eden’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

Recently, I have been fortunate enough to see two out of the three films James Dean made in his short but powerful film career: “Rebel Without a Cause” and now “East of Eden.”  Both of them have been released on 4K this year through Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  “Giant,” the third film in Dean’s career, has also been released on 4K as well.  It’s been a tremendous cinematic experience to watch these particular films on 4K for the very first time and see a true artist at work. I’m a huge fan of method acting from the likes of Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, and it’s been eye-opening to see Dean and his method acting on display here.

Dean plays a character named Cal Trask. Much like his character in “Rebel Without a Cause,” he’s troubled, confused, and he doesn’t get along with the older generation. That is the genius of Dean and why he was so ahead of his time.  He really knew how to convey on screen what young men and women were feeling at that time: disconnected, misunderstood, unhappy, angry, and filled with angst.  He does it effortlessly without ever being too showy or over-the-top.  He knows when to ramp up the anger and frustration, and also what to express with his facial expressions and mannerisms.  Everything on screen with him is very naturalistic.

The film is set in 1917 California, located in both Monterey and Salinas.  It shows the struggle of young Cal trying to reach out to his mother Kate, played by Jo Van Fleet, someone he has long believed to be dead.  His father, Adam (Raymond Massey), told him and his brother Aron (Richard Davalos) that she died shortly after their birth. Cal, however, finds out she’s a successful woman running a brothel who left their father because of his strict religious ways.  She wanted to be free to do her own thing and felt as though she was wasting her life away with him.  Cal thinks he is evil like his mother while he believes his brother Aron is good like his father.  The film was clearly inspired by the story of Cain and Abel.  It comes from the 1952 novel of the same name by John Steinbeck.

There is also a young woman named Abra (Julie Harris), and she’s the girlfriend of Aron, but she seems to connect more with Cal.  She sees the good in Cal, even if he struggles to see the good in himself. The two of them have tremendous chemistry on screen, and I loved the playful back and forth between them.  It was truly something special to behold.  Taking nothing away from this talented cast and the tremendous screenplay from Paul Osborn, but this is Dean’s show here.  Credit is due as well to the direction of Elia Kazan. Having previously worked with Brando, he knows how to step aside and let the camera focus on the star of the show.  He uses skillful camera movement to allow us to take in the character and everything around him.

This is classic Hollywood craftsmanship at its finest here from Kazan and Dean.  Human stories are always very powerful, and Dean does not shy away from the good intentions of his character as well as his bad ones.  He’s struggling to win the love of a stern father; a love he fears he might never get in life.  He’s also trying to figure out how to deal with the fact his mother is alive and rather cold, cruel and indifferent to how things happened between her and her husband.  She does seem to care about Cal, but she’s complex and complicated, much like he is.  At a time where a lot of things were black and white, Dean was someone who was always painting in shades of grey.  It’s truly a magnificent cinematic journey to watch him in this film.  It also leaves us wanting more, but sadly he left us far, far too soon.  Thankfully, we have his movies on physical media to relive over and over again.

* * * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “East of Eden” is being released on a single 4K disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 117 minutes and is rated PG for thematic elements and some violent content.  It also comes with a digital copy of the film.

Video/Audio Info:  The HDR on this film is a visual feast with bright colors and moody darks.  I can’t imagine it ever looking better than it does with this 4K release.  It’s truly stunning to watch, and I was really happy with the clean, crisp and vivid look of the film.  There is also a great Dolby Atmos soundtrack for the film along with subtitles in English, Spanish and French.

Special Features:

Commentary by Richard Schickel

Should You Buy It?

In order for studios like Warner Brothers to preserve film history, it is up to us as consumers to buy films like “East of Eden” on 4K.  It’s very affordable, and they have done a great job of making this film from 1955 look truly top-notch.  When people ask me why I collect 4K’s, I often point to the older films from Hollywood, as they really are the ones which benefit the most from a 4K upgrade.  They still maintain their original charm and the feeling is still there, but they are being seen in the best possible way on 4K as it truly enhances the experience in every way possible.  I’m such a fan of great acting and great characters.  This film is filled with so many great performances, powerful moments, and characters that are well-developed and fleshed out over the course of almost two hours, which flies by when you are truly invested in their well-being.  James Dean was one-of-a-kind, and it’s a shame his life was cut short, as he would have kept churning out one classic film after another.   This is a four-star film which needs to be bought on its release date.  If you love classic Hollywood, you won’t be disappointed.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Rio Bravo’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When you think of the western genre in cinema, it’s hard not to think of John Wayne.  Perhaps the only other actor who might be synonymous with westerns is Clint Eastwood, but he would frequently venture into other genres to expand his repertoire. For the most part, John Wayne lived and breathed westerns. When you think of his classic westerns, you think of films such as “The Searchers,” “Red River,” “Stagecoach,” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” to name a few.  However, I believe his best film in this genre is none other than “Rio Bravo,” directed by the legendary Howard Hawks.  He brought out the humanity and vulnerability from the tough, no-nonsense Wayne persona.

“Rio Bravo” is a patient and detailed film that allows us to really get to know, understand and like our main characters.  There is Sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne) who is deliberate, fair and direct in his communication and his actions.  His former deputy is named Dude, played by legendary crooner Dean Martin in a fantastic performance.  Dude used to be a reliable deputy and partner to Chance until his drinking got the better of him.  Now, he’s trying to get himself together because he knows John needs him by his side in order to deal with the Burdette’s, Joe (Claude Akins) and Nathan (John Russell). Joe is behind bars after committing murder and is currently being watched closely by Stumpy (Walter Brennan), a trigger-happy deputy with a quirky personality.  While he might be up there in years and also have a limp, John trusts him to keep an eye on Joe and the rest of Nathan’s goons.

Nathan is a wealthy land tycoon with a lot of connections, and he will stop at nothing in order to get his brother out of prison.  However, with Chance, Dude and Stumpy working together, this is not going to be an easy task for Nathan.  Chance is out to prove there are consequences when it comes to murdering an unarmed man for no reason other than you have the money and power to do so and think you can get away with it. Chance is also developing feelings for a young woman in town named Feathers (Angie Dickinson), whose deceased husband was a shady gambler notorious for cheating.  Chance is not quite sure what to make of Feathers and wonders if he can trust her because of her past connections. However, it is clear there is a connection between the two of them.

At this point, they are waiting for the U.S. Marshal to come and handle things, but that could take up to a week before this comes to fruition.  It’s up to Chance, Dude, Stumpy and the rest of the town to band together and not give in to Nathan Burdette and his greed.  He’s willing to pay hired guns in order to make sure his brother gets out of jail.  This is something Chance is keenly aware of, so he’s on his toes at all times.  The same can be said for Stumpy, who will shoot anyone that dares to enter their jail without announcing themselves first.  Dude sees this as a second chance for himself.  He might be struggling with losing his confidence, but if he can stay away from the bottle and remain focused, people will start to take him seriously again.  Chance has never given up on Dude, even when others around him do not take him seriously.

I really loved the performances in “Rio Bravo” along with the beautiful western scenery.  There is also a sense of humor injected into the film, but it’s not forced and it doesn’t feel phony.  Sometimes when things get really serious and intense, you need to step back and throw a humorous moment in there to lighten things up.  Howard Hawks knows how to do that during just the right moments in the film. I’ve often found Wayne to be a one-note actor, but here he’s still the same badass we have seen in previous films, and he shows good comedic timing, a sense of vulnerability, and a more human side to the character of Chance. He doesn’t seem invincible. He is a real person with feelings, emotions and some depth to him. 

The same is also true of Dean Martin.  I haven’t seen Martin in a film before, but the way we see his inner struggle on screen is truly a work of art.  For my money, he gives the best and most impressive performance in “Rio Bravo.”  He shows tremendous depth here.  He’s not just the town drunk.  There are many layers to his character. Walter Brennan’s Stumpy might look like an old fool, but he still has some fight left in him as well.

There is also a tremendous supporting performance by Ricky Nelson here as Colorado. He becomes part of their little family, and he even gets them out of a few jams as well.  Ward Bond also appears in this film, which has a tremendous cast that works perfectly together. The film is two hours and twenty-one minutes long, but it doesn’t feature a moment on screen that isn’t meaningful to the purpose of the story in some way.  Hawks is one of the great filmmakers of all-time, and he shows that here.  He really brought out the best in everyone throughout this emotional, funny and action-packed film.  This is a movie that has just about everything in it without ever feeling like it’s bloated or too many genres thrown into one.  It’s a fantastic piece of cinema.

* * * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “Rio Bravo” is released on a single 4K disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It has a running time of 141 minutes and is not-rated.  However, anyone can watch the film. It comes with a digital copy of it as well.

Video/Audio Info:  The HDR is beautiful here with so many beautiful shots coming to life as we get engrossed in the film. It’s truly eye-popping to watch on screen.  In addition to the great acting and terrific pacing of the story, this film looks stunningly gorgeous.  I couldn’t have asked for a better 4K release of it.  There is no Dolby Atmos track here, but I didn’t feel like it really hurt the sound quality as the film sounds great.  It comes with subtitles in English, Spanish and French.

Special Features:

Commentary by John Carpenter and Richard Schickel

I’m truly loving just about every classic film being restored by Warner Brothers on 4K with this being their 100-year anniversary.  It is filled with films I’m watching for the first time along with others I’m viewing in a whole new light because with age comes wisdom, and also because of how much time and effort they are putting into these releases from an audio and visual perspective.  Classic cinema will always stand the test of time, and it is clearly on full-display here with “Rio Bravo.”  I loved the performances of John Wayne and Dean Martin in this film, if I’m going to single out two of the actors here.  Martin really showed tremendous range and emotional trauma with this performance.  The only special feature is a commentary track, but that’s okay considering the age of the film.  I’m just happy we are being treated to so many great films through the Warner Archives on 4K.  It seems like every month, there is a classic film on 4K, and I’m loving it.  This is one you need to buy on its release date along with “East of Eden.”  They are two totally different films, but they have one thing in common: they are timeless and immortal.  As far as the audio and visual aspects of this release, it truly takes your breath away on 4K with its range of colors.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Commentary on ‘Gone For Goode’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

So here I am with another commentary track after the one I did for “Pump Up The Volume.” But this time, it is for an episode of one of my favorite television shows of all time, let alone of the 1990’s, “Homicide: Life on the Street.” Specifically, the commentary is on this show’s very first episode, “Gone For Goode,” which did a brilliant job of introducing us to various Homicide detectives, and also showed how it was not going to be your usual cop show. Instead, it was initially designed to be one without onscreen violence, something which executive producer and showrunner Tom Fontana thought was crazy, and he quickly signed up with the show as a result.

What hooked me onto this show was the fact it was being developed by Barry Levinson, the Oscar winning filmmaker of “Rain Man.” He also directed the “Gone For Goode” episode and introduced its cinematic style which no other director could direct their way out of.

With this commentary track, I express my thoughts on this episode and the show at large. Upon watching “Gone For Goode,” I was immediately hooked into what this groundbreaking series had to offer, and I did my best to provide as much trivia about its making as I could. I’m not sure there will ever be a perfect commentary track to anything unless it is done by Martin Scorsese or Bruce Campbell, but I would like to think this one comes close. If you say it does, it will do wonders for my fragile ego.

Please feel free to listen to the commentary track below as you watch this episode on your DVD player. At this time, “Homicide: Life on the Street” is not available to stream, most likely due to music rights, but you can purchase the complete series on DVD from Shout Factory. It was previously available in a box set from A&E Home Video, but it has long since gone out of print.

All-Time Favorite Trailers: ‘Little Children’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

A lot of movie trailers are scored with certain kinds of music to where certain themes are used over and over in them such as the ones from “Black Rain” and “Requiem for a Dream.” But for the “Little Children” trailer, however, the images we see are instead scored to the sound of a locomotive train which is about to reach its desired destination, and it proves to be the perfect illustration of the repression the main characters are experiencing, and of how they will eventually see their passions rise to the surface in a much-needed way.

“Little Children” is a romantic psychological drama film released back in 2006. It was based on the novel by Tom Perrotta who wrote the screenplay with the film’s director, Todd Field. I loved how the trailer used the sound of a train to show how these characters innermost desires, passions and needs were just simmering underneath surface, and of how they were about to explode through the confines placed upon them. Images of Kate Winslet breathing deeply while wearing a red bathing suit while Patrick Wilson looks on in an escapable way to where he is trying his best not to be seduced made this film look all the more alluring to me. This was also aided by the appearance of Jennifer Connelly who plays Patrick Wilson’s wife, and she openly wonders why he is spending a great deal of time with Winslet.

This is one of the most brilliantly conceived movie trailers ever as its sounds and images promised you a most enthralling time in a theater when this one came out. It also proved to be one of the most unique trailers of its time when it was unveiled to audiences everywhere and, to me, it made this motion picture one which I owed it to myself to see on opening day. Some movie trailers want you to believe they are promoting the next Oscar-friendly bet, but this one made me believe it would sweep the Academy Awards with relative ease. The fact that it did not is unfortunate, but it does not take away from the film’s incredible merits which include a great cast of actors who inhabited their roles ever so deeply and believably.  

No, I Haven’t Seen It Until Now: ‘The Incredible Shrinking Man’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

“The Incredible Shrinking Man” comes from a genre I feel I know a lot about but have actually not seen many movies from: 1950’s science fiction. I went into it thinking it would look horribly dated and laughable for all the wrong reasons. What I instead discovered was a film which actually holds up very well after half a century with its terrific special effects and strong performances. It also deals with themes and situations which prove to be as relatable today as they were back in the time this film was released.

Scott Carey (Grant Williams) is spending an enjoyably sunny day on a boat with his wife, Louise (Randy Stuart), when a strange mist passes through him and spills some glittery substance over his body. Louise manages to not get covered by this same substance as she was down below getting a beer for her husband because men can be schmucks when they ask their spouses to get them things they should be able to get themselves (that’ll show him!). Now Scott thinks nothing of what happened until he suddenly notices his shirt is now too big for him, and then his wedding ring falls off his finger which is clearly not a good omen.

After being examined by his doctors, Scott discovers that the glittery substance is not the same kind gay groups doused Newt Gingrich with during his needless run for President of the United States. Whatever is causing him to shrink, his attempts to reverse this unfortunate condition his fail. At one point, Scott becomes so tiny to where he is forced to seek refuge in a doll house for his own safety. This makes sense until the household cat ends up mistaking him for a mouse, and he ends up running into the basement where he is forced to face dangers no human being should ever have to.

What I found endlessly fascinating about “The Incredible Shrinking Man” is that what people end up enduring after attaining an odd and unwanted fame is not much different from what anyone would experience today. Scott ends up selling his story to the press not to become famous, but because he no longer has a job and needs the money for his wife and himself to survive. The more of a curiosity he becomes, the less human he is seen by the world.

Today, if someone were going through this, we might expect them to be more forthcoming about becoming famous for something they did not exactly want to become known for as there is much money to be made, and an obscene amount at that. In the process, it is easy to forget the humanity of certain people involved, and “The Incredibly Shrinking Man” deals with the inescapable loneliness which results.

Scott clearly does not want all these photographers parked outside his front door, but he is helpless to stop their onslaught. Then again, imagine if he was dealing with this today; he would have no privacy whatsoever. It would not matter if he spent his days indoors because the damn paparazzi would find a way to get inside and snap a picture of him. Even though Scott vents at his wife against his better judgment, you I could not help but feel for him as he goes through a process no one would want to endure. That is, unless they were ridiculously desperate for some kind of attention.

“The Incredible Shrinking Man” really picks up an extraordinary amount of tension when Scott gets stuck in that basement. The special effects up to this point are very well executed, but they take on a bigger challenge when Scott is no bigger than the match box he hides in. The use of forced perspective and real physical structures makes his predicament all the more thrilling and emotionally involving. The simple act of getting food becomes a life-or-death struggle, and I felt for him as he was forced to climb up towards a stale piece of bread using only a needle and thread.

Even the simplest effects make Scott’s struggle all the more brutal as the merest failure will force right back to the start, and we can identify with the infinite frustration this causes no matter how big or small we are. But what makes his fight for survival all the more viscerally frightening is the scary-looking spider (is there any other kind?) he is forced to do battle with. It is moments Scott shares with this spider which had me the most frightened and on the edge of my seat. For a film which is now a century old, this is saying a lot. That, and I cannot stand spiders in general.

Much credit should be given to Williams here as he does not always make Scott the most likable human being. Still, whatever you may think of him, Scott is made to experience something no other human being has. While you may want to chide Scott for the way he unloads his frustrations on those closest to him, watching him makes me wonder if I would have reacted any differently. I would like to think so, but perhaps a lot of wishful thing is involved there.

“The Incredible Shrinking Man” is based on a book by Richard Matheson entitled “The Shrinking Man” (he found the “Incredible” adjective to be unnecessary). Matheson has been responsible for some of the greatest science fiction stories ever told such as “I Am Legend,” various episodes of “The Twilight Zone” like “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” and the short story “Button, Button” which became the basis for “The Box.”

I think “The Incredible Shrinking Man” represents one of the finest adaptations of Matheson’s work as it deals with the humanity of Scott’s situation as much as it does with visual effects. The effects are great, but it is our relation to Scott and what he is going through that makes this movie work so effectively. No one wants a household spider to suddenly become bigger than they are, but this film forces you to deal with these fears to where they are more real than you could ever expect them to be.

This is also a film which has a voiceover narration to accompany its events. When it comes to this way of telling a story, it can go either way; At times, it can tell us things we do not need spelled out to us, but here it also gives great depth to the film’s themes as it makes Scott’s view of his existence change throughout in ways both positive and negative.

The ending still haunts me even long after I watched it. The conclusion is solemn in a way as Scott becomes resigned to his downsized fate, but it is also strangely hopeful as he becomes convinced he will still be a part of this vast universe no matter how small he gets. Even in the 1950’s, filmmakers did not take the easy way out when wrapping up a motion picture. It is not an “everything is going to be okay” ending, but it is not a complete downer either.

I was surprised at just how much I got into “The Incredible Shrinking Man.” The title seems to imply we are about to see something endlessly cheesy, but this film proved to be thrilling and had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I imagine Hollywood will eventually remake it someday and turn it into a comedy, but they will not be able to touch the deeper meanings of what Richard Matheson was getting at. Please feel free to prove me wrong, but you will need a lot of luck in the process.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

WRITER’S NOTE: This film is now available in a special edition from the Criterion Collection. Click here to find out more.

‘The Maltese Falcon’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“The Maltese Falcon” is a film I imagine I will enjoy a lot more on a second viewing, as this was my first time watching it. The reason I say this is because there are a lot of moving pieces in this film, and it is never boring.  However, at times, I found myself trying to follow the story and the plot instead of being as immersed in the story as I would have liked to have been.  Many people have called it the first-ever film noir.  Film noir is a genre that Humphrey Bogart excelled in throughout his career.  He had a rough look and a gruff voice.  He wasn’t going to take any nonsense from anyone, and no matter how dire a situation was, he always seemed to know what was going on, and he was not going to be rattled by the circumstances around him.

Humphrey Bogart plays a private investigator named Sam Spade.  He is in business with his partner, Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan).  One day, a woman walks into their office by the name of Ruth Wonderly (Mary Astor), claiming her sister ran off from New York to San Francisco with a man named Floyd Thursby.  She is hoping that Spade and Archer can help her find her sister.  Archer agrees to look into it, but he ends up dead along with Floyd Thursby.  This captures the attention of Sam Spade, who is beginning to wonder the validity of her story.  Before long, he discovers that her real name is actually Brigid O’Shaughnessy.

Throughout all of this mystery and intrigue, Sam finds himself in the crosshairs of Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre), who offers Sam some money for a highly valued falcon statue.  There is also a young man named Wilmer (Elisha Cook Jr.) who is keeping his eyes on Sam along with Kasper Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet), a rotund money man who will stop at nothing to get his hands on this bird. Throughout all of the twists and turns, Sam isn’t sure who to believe, who to trust, and who is telling the truth. He stays in control and makes smart decisions, even when people are pointing their guns at him or he’s suspected of murder by the police.

One of the strong points of “The Maltese Falcon” is the running time. At 100 minutes, there is not a dull moment in the film.  It is paced perfectly and directed with great skill by John Huston. It has the look and feel that one would expect from a film noir.  You have your femme fatale in Mary Astor.  She’s brilliant here, as she’s able to go from vulnerable and naïve to cunning and savvy in the blink of an eye. Of course, you have Bogart, who made a living in Hollywood playing this type of character.  Guys liked and respected him, and women were drawn to his tough exterior. As mentioned earlier, he is always able to stay level-headed, even in life-or-death circumstances.  He still seems to know what to do and what to say to get himself out of a jam.

In the end, I respected and admired “The Maltese Falcon” as a film.  I can’t say I enjoyed it a ton because of the storytelling.  It’s not an overly complicated film, but at times, there are too many twists and turns happening at once.  That being said, I think the more I watch this film, the more I will enjoy it and have a better understanding of everything.  Because of the deception happening on screen and characters coming and going, it’s not that it was hard to follow, it’s more that I was keeping up with the plot instead of getting lost in it. I look forward to watching this film many more times in the future, as I think I will gain an even greater appreciation for the skilled acting and directing on display.

* * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Maltese Falcon” is released on a two-disc 4K/Blu-ray combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 100 minutes.  It also comes with a digital copy of the film. As far as the film’s rating, it is not rated, but that is not because it’s a raunchy film. It was released in 1941 and is very tame.

Video Info:  Ultra High Definition HDR always stands out on older films.  A lot of movie buffs like to talk about how older films are enhanced by a 4K transfer, and that is certainly the case here. From the swift movements of the characters to the deep blacks, this is a stunning transfer of a black and white film. Right now, 4K is doing some truly amazing work with classic Hollywood films.

Audio Info: The film is presented on the following audio formats: DTS-HD MA: English 2.0 Mono and Dolby Digital: Spanish. Subtitles are included in English and Spanish as well.  The audio is crisp, clear, and all of the great dialogue you would expect from a film noir is easy to digest while watching this film.

 Special Features:

 Commentary by Humphrey Bogart Biographer Eric Lax

“Warner Night at the Movies”

“Sergeant York” Trailer

“New Highlights of the Roosevelt Churchill Parley” (newsreel)

“The Gay Parisian” (1941 WB short)

“Meet John Doughboy” (1941 WB cartoon)

The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird

Becoming Attractions: The Trailers of Humphrey Bogart

Breakdowns of 1941 (WB short)

Make-up Tests

2/8/43 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast

9/20/43 Screen Guild Theater Broadcast

7/3/46 Academy Award Theater Broadcast

Trailers

1936 “Satan Met a Lady”

1941 “The Maltese Falcon”

Should You Buy It?

I don’t feel like I am really giving this film the credit it deserves, but keep in mind, this was my first time watching it.  I have always been a big believer that you need to watch a great film a few times in order to fully appreciate it.  It doesn’t always strike on the first chord.  There is a lot to like, especially the acting and the pacing of the plot, but the story took me out of it at times.  With all of that being said, if you are a fan of “The Maltese Falcon,” you owe it to yourself to buy it on 4K.  It looks fantastic here in black and white and in high dynamic range with its 4K transfer.  It’s such a moody film noir that truly gets a boost from 4K.  The special features are transferred over from the previously released Blu-ray, so if you are looking for anything new here, you are not going to find it, but I don’t expect anything new from a film that was released in 1941 as most, if not all, of the actors have passed away.  If you are a first-time viewer like myself, I still think you should buy it as you will get the slipcover and might enjoy it more than I did.  If you love the film and have seen it many times, you will enjoy it even more on 4K. I look forward to seeing what else Warner Brothers is going to be releasing throughout the year during their 100th year anniversary.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Cool Hand Luke’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When I think of a movie star, I think of someone who possesses the “it factor” and stands above the rest of the pack.  Paul Newman was a movie star, and I would argue it was never more prevalent than in the film “Cool Hand Luke.”  Of course, many can talk about his mesmerizing performances in films such as “The Verdict,” “The Hustler,” “Slap Shot” or “The Sting.”  However, in “Cool Hand Luke,” he burns up the screen and you can’t take your eyes off of him.  It’s such a minimalistic performance, but it is captivating, spellbinding and intense.  There is no wasted moment or line of dialogue from this legendary actor here.  When I think of Newman, I think of this film.

After World War II, Luke (Paul Newman) finds himself knocking over parking meters while under the influence of alcohol, which lands him a two-year stay in prison.  Upon entering the chain gain of prison, Luke keeps to himself, but he has this unique and magnetic presence about him without even trying to do anything out of the ordinary. There is an aura about him which keeps people interested in him and talking about him.  There is a story behind the man, but the film allows those layers to unfold throughout.   Many of those working on the chain gang in this prison camp seem to fall in line and follow orders.  Luke, on the other hand, is not a fan of authority. He likes to ruffle their feathers, especially when it comes to Boss Godfrey (Morgan Woodward) and the Captain (Strother Martin).

He endears himself to his fellow prison mates by playing cards, trying to escape, and even having a contest where he says he can eat fifty eggs in an hour.  They start to see hope and light at the end of the tunnel, thanks to Luke.  As the title says, he is cool.  Every little thing about him is cool and laid-back.  Even when his attempts to escape don’t go as planned, he flashes that famous Paul Newman smile with those baby blue eyes and rolls with the punches.  He refuses to be defeated or get angry about his situation.  Instead, he is looking for solutions.  One of his closest friends there is Dragline, played by George Kennedy, in an Academy-Award winning performance.

Throughout the prison, we also see legendary actors such as Dennis Hopper and Harry Dean Stanton, which I really appreciated as I’m a huge fan of their careers. Director Stuart Rosenberg knows how to show the mundane of prison life without ever making it feel boring or uninteresting.  Much like Newman, he doesn’t waste a single scene or shot here.  Everything here has a rhyme and a reason to it. The film has a lot of outdoor scenes, and they look absolutely stunning in 4K.  This is truly one of the best-looking 4K films I’ve watched in a while.  The sunshine and the light symbolize what Luke brings to the prisoners.  He lets them know there is more to life than digging ditches.

I don’t think the anti-hero has ever been portrayed as well on screen as it is here by Newman.  The fact he’s not trying to be liked is what makes us, as an audience, like him even more.  It’s all natural.  This is a man who is in prison along with a host of prisoners that have done various crimes.  They admit that.  The film is able to make us like all of them, Dragline especially, and really root for them to get out from under the thumb of this rigid prison and its rules.  In many ways, I feel like “Cool Hand Luke” was a film in 1967 that was ahead of its time.

There are so many great quotes from the film that I could spend a good portion of my review reciting them. I’ll stick to the famous one, which is, “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” This quote was also used in the opening of the Guns N’ Roses song “Civil War”.  This film is a powerful masterpiece.  As someone who is a big believer in anti-establishment and someone who doesn’t always like to play by the rules, “Cool Hand Luke” is a film which resonated with me. You might knock Luke down and you might have him on the ropes, but he is not going to go down without a fight.  He is also going to smile in your face, no matter what happens to him or how much you push him.  He’s never going to lose that smile.

* * * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “Cool Hand Luke” is released on a two-disc 4K/Blu-ray combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running-time of 126 minutes and is rated PG.  Keep in mind, the ratings system was run much differently during this time.  It’s not an overly violent film, and I don’t recall a ton of curse words in it.  It also comes with a digital copy of the film.

Video Info: “Cool Hand Luke” never looked bad on Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range.  The film looks stunning and crystal clear.  As I mentioned, a good portion of the scenes take place outside, and it’s a colorful and bright looking film without being too bright where it’s going to hurt your eyes.  They did a tremendous job of cleaning this picture up, as I loved every second of this beautiful transfer.  I tip my cap to the fine folks over at Warner Brothers on this one.

Audio Info:  The same can be said for the audio which comes on DTS-HD MA: English 2.0 Mono and Dolby Digital: Spanish and French. Subtitles are also included in English, Spanish, and French.  The audio is crystal clear throughout, and all of the tremendous dialogue can be heard without any issues whatsoever.

Special Features:

Commentary by Historian/Paul Newman Biographer Eric Lax

A Natural-Born World-Shaker: Making Cool Hand Luke

Trailer

Should You Buy It?

You are buying this for the movie itself as well as the audio and visual aspects that Warner Brothers have put together for this tremendous release. You are not buying it for the special features, which I’ve talked about in previous reviews.  I’m a big believer in preserving film history, and I love that it is the 100th anniversary of Warner Brothers because they are digging deep into their archives with releases of some of the greatest films ever made.  They are also taking the time to make sure they are seen and heard in the highest video and audio quality possible.  They are not just upgrading these films to re-release them.  They are making sure, as a viewer, you are not only going to enjoy a classic film, but that you are going to enjoy it in 4K with a transfer worthy of the film itself.  Because of this, it is up to us, as film collectors and lovers, to support and purchase films like “Cool Hand Luke” on 4K.  It ensures us that we will get more great physical media releases in the future. I can’t recommend this film and this visual presentation any further. Buy it right now!

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

Crap From the Past: ‘Safe Haven’ – Another Misbegotten Nicholas Sparks Adaptation

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS AS IT HAS BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS FILM WITHOUT GIVING CERTAIN THINGS AWAY. IF YOU DO NOT WANT IT RUINED FOR YOU, SEE IT BEFORE READING THIS REVIEW.

I must confess, I have not read any of Nicholas Sparks’ books nor have I seen any other cinematic adaptations of them before I sat down to watch “Safe Haven.” As a result, I am not sure whether to blame him or the screenwriters for ripping off the plot of “Sleeping with the Enemy” for this misbegotten effort. Those expecting this to equal the greatest of Sparks’ cinematic adaptations, “The Notebook,” will be severely disappointed as even those who have not seen that Julia Roberts starring vehicle will be confident in admitting this one falls way short. “Safe Haven” lacks any sense of originality, and it is completely undone by a couple of ludicrous plot twists which sink any legitimate reason for this film to exist at all. Furthermore, watching it reminded me of why I typically avoid romance movies in general.

Julianne Hough from the “Footloose” remake and “Dancing with the Stars” stars as Katie Feldman, and at the start we see Katie running for her life for reasons which are later made clear. Katie is ever so desperate to avoid police detective Kevin Tierney (David Lyons) to where she even makes herself look pregnant in the hopes it will throw him off. She ends up escaping his clutches and takes a bus out to the small town of Southport, North Carolina where she hopes to start a new life.

Look, I love how people want to escape a dark past by moving to a new town, but for some immensely stupid reason they move to one which is not all that far away from the place they used to live. Word to the wise: if you want to move away to where no one can find you, try moving to another state or country. Even with the advances in today’s technology which typically render anonymity a joke, you have a better chance of not being found out if you go to a place you cannot drive to in one day’s time.

Anyway, Katie gets a job as a waitress at a local restaurant and ends up leasing a beautiful apartment out in the woods. Of course, where she found the money for such a place is beyond me and every other audience member. We know she is looking to avoid any personal connections as the last one she was involved in caused her a lot of psychological damage, but someone as adorably cute as her is bound to find a suitor whether she wants one or not. That suitor comes in the form of Alex Wheatley (Josh Duhamel from the god awful “Transformers” movies), a widow with two kids. Alex lost his wife to cancer a few years ago, and he is having trouble relating to his kids, especially his son. Guess who fills the missing part of his life…

Okay, as much as I despised “Safe Haven,” I do have to admit that Hough and Duhamel have good chemistry together and make a cute couple here. Hough herself has a wonderful earthiness which makes her seem more down to earth than other actresses I could quickly think of while watching this film. Even if her range as an actress goes only so far, she has a very appealing presence here even if it might seem a bit too vanilla for some.

As for Duhamel, he does himself good by not giving an emotive performance as Alex. I expected him to be overdoing it for the whole film, but he doesn’t make his character a whiny little bitch or the typical self-pitying widow who often inhabits the romance genre. Alex has suffered a terrible tragedy in his life by losing his wife far too soon, but we see him moving on as well as he can, and he does not waste much time bemoaning what is missing in his life.

Now I mentioned at the start of this review how this film is essentially a rip off of “Sleeping with the Enemy,” and this proves to be the case even before the first big twist is revealed. We watch as the Kevin becomes increasingly obsessive in discovering where Katie is hiding out as it becomes implied that she is wanted for first degree murder. But it eventually becomes to light that Katie is actually Kevin’s husband, and from there I knew exactly where the story was heading which had me rolling my eyes endlessly as a result.

There is a flashback sequence in which we see what drove Katie and Kevin apart, and watching it made me wonder what Katie ever saw in this creep in the first place. In a lot of ways, I feel sorry for Lyons, best known for his work on the television series “ER” and “Revolution,” because I am sure he came into this project believing he was not just playing any ordinary villain, but this is essentially what Kevin Tierney is. The character is here to give us someone to despise, and he really serves no other purpose to this film beyond that.

I was also amazed at how Katie stabbed Kevin pretty hard with a kitchen knife. We do not see where he has been stabbed exactly as this is a PG-13 movie, and yet he somehow recovers from this knife wound in record time. Maybe the American health care system is slightly more effective than we think, but even the smallest of stab wounds still require an extended period of time to recover from. No one just jumps out of bed a day after a sharp object is inserted into their body as the word “ouch” takes on a very significant meaning when this happens.

Furthermore, Kevin spends a good portion of “Safe Haven” being drunk as a skunk. Now maybe this explains how he copes with the pain he is forced to endure from that knife wound, but seeing Kevin trying to outdrink Denzel Washington’s character in “Flight” renders him unintentionally hilarious as a result. While this character is meant to be a frightening presence in “Safe Haven,” all he really ends up being is an abysmal idiot who is lucky to have survived as long as he has. The fact he still has a pulse by this film’s midpoint is quite astonishing to say the least.

But then comes “Safe Haven’s” second big plot twist, and this one is ripped off from “The Sixth Sense.” At the end, we come to discover one of Katie’s friends whom she has confided in throughout is actually not alive and died some time ago. As a result, I kept waiting for Katie to say “I see dead people.” This ludicrous revelation calls into question everything we have seen up to this point. Are certain characters here meant to be delusional, or is it just circumstance that they are talking to a walking corpse? If the filmmakers wanted to make “Safe Haven” the romantic movie answer to “The Usual Suspects” or any of what my friends would call “mind fuck” motion pictures, they failed miserably.

Speaking of which, the director of “Safe Haven” is Lasse Hallström, and his career as a director has always fascinated me. He has gone from directing such great movies like “My Life as a Dog,” “The Cider House Rules” and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” to pure drivel like this and “Dear John.” You are never sure if his next film is going to be way too sentimental or not sentimental enough, but this time he outdoes him by being cloyingly manipulative. While he still does an admirable job of getting good performances from his cast, I came out of this film hating him for playing with the audience’s emotions so shamelessly.

I don’t know, maybe I should read Sparks’ novels to see if what did not work in a movie actually works better on the written page. I am sure there are a lot of reasons why he remains a best-selling author after so many years, but watching “Safe Haven” makes me wonder what those reasons are. This film is far too silly to be taken seriously, and the absurdity of its plot twists makes the whole endeavor feel like a pointless cinematic adventure.

Following this misbegotten motion picture, I did my best to avoid any kind of romantic movies. Granted, there have been some like “What If?” which surprised me, but there have been others such as “The Choice” which was also based on one of Sparks’ novels. If you do not see many reviews of romantic movies or romantic comedies on this website, I am sure you will understand why.

* ½ out of * * * *

All-Time Favorite Trailers: ‘Private Parts’ (1997)

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

When this trailer begins, it looked like we were going to get another period piece movie. Back in the 1990’s, a lot of period movies were being released such as “Howard’s End” which my parents took me to see, and I found myself really liking it. From there, we got others such as “The Remains of the Day,” “The Age of Innocence” and “The Madness of King George,” and they contained many great performances and much more to take in. Whatever movie this trailer was for, it felt like I was in store for another period piece which would immerse me into a whole other time and place.

But the next thing I know, subliminal messages such as “SEX,” “BABES” and “CHICKS” started flashing at us from the silver screen, and I am wondering to myself, while laughing out loud, what the hell? Clearly, something far more devious was in store for audiences as these flashes of “SEE IT,” “FEEL IT” and “NUDITY” came straight at us with a thunderous guitar lick. Was this a trailer for another “Naked Gun” sequel?

Before I knew it, Howard Stern appeared onscreen making funny noises into a microphone, and I found myself getting really excited. I was not the biggest fan of Stern’s in the 1990’s but, like everyone else, I was constantly curious to see what he was going to do next. With this trailer being scored to AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long,” I found myself getting excited for it in a way Stern had not excited me before. While I wondered what was going on in his head from time to time, seeing him in a motion picture quickly seemed like a monumental event.

This trailer for “Private Parts” quickly made my list of my all-time favorites as it presented me with something highly unusual and wonderfully rebellious. This trailer went out of its way to satirize the kind which promised something to a select audience, and then proceeded to pull the rug out from under us all. It made me super excited to the film, and I loved how it twisted the form of the average movie trailer to an exhilarating extent. And, having seen this film many times since, I can confirm that the trailer delivered on what it promised audiences to great effect.

Favorite Opening Titles: ‘The Graduate’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Some great family friends of mine went out of their way to give me a special edition VHS copy of the 1967 classic “The Graduate” as a high school graduation gift. I was thrilled to receive it, and I very much enjoyed it. In retrospect, however, I would have loved it even more if they had given it to me after I had graduated from college as, like Benjamin Braddock, I found myself feeling lost and alienated following that momentous occasion, and the film would have given me something necessary to relate to.

As the opening credits to “The Graduate” begin, we see Benjamin standing listlessly on one of those automated walkways in the airport, and he looks absolutely lost. I love how the camera is positioned as Benjamin is to the right, and there is a big piece of space ahead of him. On one hand, this allows for the opening credits to be displayed without any distractions, but it also illustrates the distance Ben feels from everything around him. This feeling is perfectly accentuated here by one of the classic songs from the 1960’s, “The Sound of Silence” sung by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.

I love the opening credits because they perfectly set up Benjamin Braddock for the rest of the film. He has just graduated from college, obtained his undergraduate degree, and now the rest of his life is ahead of him and he looks like a deer caught in the headlights. “The Graduate,” from there, follows his attempts to find some meaning in his life which includes an ill-fated affair with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), and his parents treating him like a prized trophy. No wonder we see Ben hiding from the world by diving underneath the water. At least there, he can find some temporary peace from the craziness surrounding him.

Please feel free to check out the opening credits to “The Graduate” down below: