May 15: Video View column
With the brilliantly rendered “Pan’s Labyrinth,” a gothic fairy tale punctuated by brutal outbursts, unsettling themes and striking images, Mexican director Guillermo del Toro has created what might be described as a magical misery tour. The R-rated tale resembles something either Tim Burton or the late Jim Henson might have envisioned if he was in a very dark psychological place.
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (New Line; $28.99, DVD; $34.99, two-disc, special edition DVD; May 15) won three well-deserved Academy Awards (best cinematography, art direction and makeup) and had three other nominations (best foreign-language film, screenplay and original score). It’s an impressive achievement, but viewers should be prepared for a very bleak cinematic journey.
The import, which is presented in Spanish with subtitles, unfolds in 1944 in the hellish environment of Francisco Franco’s fascist Spain where soldiers crush peasants who take any anti-government action. Into this harsh landscape comes Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), a young girl accompanying her widowed and pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, Capt. Vidal (Sergi Lopez of “Dirty Pretty Things”).
The sadistic military officer handles all matters – personal and professional – with brute force.
Capt. Vidal has no interest in Ofelia and believes the 12-year-old should merely stay quiet and at her mother’s side, though the girl is soon drawn to a rebellious housekeeper (scene-stealing Maribel Verdu) and discovers a long-ignored labyrinth. Soon after, Ofelia uses her imagination to create a universe to protect her psychologically from the violence and fear all around her, but that fantasy world – one populated by exotic creatures with lethal instincts – ultimately proves as dangerous as the outside world.
In an interview with Rue Morgue, a Canadian fantasy-film magazine, del Toro described the film, saying: “It’s not a happy fairy tale; it’s a very nasty, ambiguous, bloody, brutal fairy tale, the way they used to be.
“This is Brothers Grimm before they cleaned them up.”
The director, who shot the $15 million picture in Madrid, certainly remains true to that quote. “Pan’s Labyrinth” provides a torturous journey for the little girl as she encounters a faun (a half-man, half-goat) with its own agenda, a zombie-like creature (named the Pale Man) with eyes in his hands and other bizarre beings as the filmmaker creates surreal elements.
For del Toro, “Pan’s Labyrinth” is a very personal work and, ultimately, the movie concludes with a sliver of light.
That ending mirrors the closeness of life and death and suggests the purest of souls do leave some goodness behind in even the most threatening landscapes.
Fans of “Pan’s Labyrinth” will be able to spend many hours with the two-disc edition, which is loaded with extras.
Those include: a video prologue with del Toro; commentary by the filmmaker; a featurette (“The Power of Myth”) on the origins of the characters; and a featurette (“The Faun and the Fairies”) on the visual effects. There’s also an installment of “The Charlie Rose Show” featuring del Toro with fellow Mexican directors Alfonso Cuaron (“Children of Men”) and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (“Babel”)
A ‘Blu-‘tiful ‘Dragon’
Fans of the late, great Bruce Lee now have an opportunity to see him in action as never before.
The recently released Blu-ray Disc version of “Enter the Dragon” (Warner; $28.99) provides the 1973 martial-arts epic with a stunning image. The strong color scheme and detailed visuals add visual impact to the R-rated film.
I don’t remember “Enter the Dragon” looking this good when I saw it in the early 1970s on the huge screen of the Fox Theatre in Philadelphia. Watching the high-definition Blu-ray Disc of “Enter the Dragon” adds a huge amount of viewing enjoyment. (The title is also available on the rival high-definition format HD DVD for $28.99.)
“Enter the Dragon” was Lee’s only major American title, and many of his fans consider it his greatest work. (My vote goes to “Way of the Dragon,” aka “Return of the Dragon,” which Lee also directed, with “Enter the Dragon,” directed by Robert Clouse, behind it.)
The Blu-ray Disc offers the extended cut of “Enter the Dragon” that includes an additional opening scene with Lee’s character in a discussion with his teacher.
Now Playing!
The following DVD titles either are coming soon or recently landed at a video store near you.
If your local outlet doesn’t stock them, the DVD offerings can be mail ordered by calling (800) 523-0823 or going to the Web site moviesunlimited.com or amazon.com, unless otherwise noted.
Movies
“Becket” (MPI; $24.99, DVD; May 15) with Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton in the acclaimed PG-13 drama about the end of the friendship between King Henry II and his trusted advisor, Sir Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. O’Toole and Burton both received Oscar nominations as best actor for their performances. The film (1964) has been restored and digitally re-mastered.
“Bunny Whipped” (ThinkFilm; $27.99, DVD; May 15) with Joey Lauren Adams (“Chasing Amy”) in an offbeat romantic comedy about a sportswriter who vows to track down the killer of a rap star and then discovers that the murderer may have abducted his ex-girlfriend.
“Creepshow 3” (HBO; $19.99, DVD; May 15) with Kris Allen in a direct-to-video anthology title featuring five fright tales. The R-rated picture is part of the “Creepshow” series launched by George Romero and Stephen King in 1982.
“Family Law” (Genius; $19.99, DVD; May 15) with Daniel Burman (“Lost Embrace”) in a story about an attorney who teaches law and, after his son is born, begins to question his dull occupation and ponders what he wants to do with his life. The unrated drama was the Argentinean entry for best foreign-language film at the 79th Academy Awards.
“The Fountain” (Warner; $27.99, DVD; May 15) with Hugh Jackman (“The Prestige”) and Rachel Weisz (“The Constant Gardener”) in director Darren Aronofsky’s PG-13 cinematic meditation on love and death that unfolds over three different time periods.
“The Last Sin Eater” (Fox; $26.99, DVD; May 15) with Louise Fletcher (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”) and Henry Thomas (“E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial”) in a faith-based picture about a 10-year-old girl who is guilt ridden after her younger sister’s death and then embarks on a quest for absolution. The PG-13 picture is based on the book by Francine River.
“Right to Die” (Anchor Bay; $14.99, DVD; May 15) with Martin Donovan (“Insomnia”) and Julia Anderson (“The Dead Zone”) in a chiller about an unfaithful husband who seeks a court order to allow him to end life support for his comatose wife. Directed by Rob Schmidt (“Wrong Turn”), the unrated title is part of Showtime’s “Master of Horror” series.
“Seraphim Falls” (Sony; $26.99, DVD; May 15) with Pierce Brosnan (“GoldenEye”) and Liam Neeson (“Batman Begins”) in an R-rated frontier tale about two Civil War enemies who continue their battle after the war is over. The extras include a commentary track featuring Brosnan.
“The Siege: Martial Law Edition” (Fox; $19.99, DVD; May 15) with Denzel Washington (“Déjà Vu”), Annette Bening (“American Beauty”) and Bruce Willis (“The Sixth Sense”) in an R-rated thriller (1998) about America’s response to a terrorist attack. This new pressing includes commentary by director Edward Zwick, three making-of featurettes and the original theatrical trailers.
“Stomp the Yard” (Sony; $28.99, DVD; $38.99, Blu-ray Disc; May 15) with Columbus Short, Meagan Good and Darrin Henson in a tale about a troubled 19-year-old Los Angeles resident who transfers to a university in Atlanta, Ga., and then introduces the students to a new street style of dance.
“The Thirst” (Anchor Bay; $19.99, DVD; May 15) with Jeremy Sisto (“Waitress”) and Adam Baldwin (“Serenity”) in an unrated fright film about two recovering drug addicts who become vampires.
Television
“Banacek: The First Season” (Hart Sharp; $29.99, DVD; May 15) with George Peppard (“The Carpetbaggers”) in a two-disc set with all eight episodes from the show’s debut year (1972). Peppard plays the title role in the series about a Boston investigator who specializes in collecting rewards from insurance companies by solving crimes involving stolen property.
“Home Improvement: The Complete Sixth Season” (Buena Vista; $24.99, DVD; May 15) with Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, Taran Noah Smith, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Zachery Ty Bryan in a three-disc set with all 25 episodes from the 1996-1997 season. A blooper reel is included as an extra.
“M*A*S*H Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” (Fox; $29.99, DVD; May 15) with Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, Gary Burghoff and Jamie Farr in a three-disc set featuring the uncut version of the show’s final episode, which aired Feb. 28, 1983. The numerous extras include interviews, a blooper reel, an A&E “Biography” (“M*A*S*H: Television’s Serious Sitcom”) and a TV special (“M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion”).
Health/Fitness
“Rock Your Body” (Rodale; $19.99, DVD; now available) with fitness instructor Jamie King demonstrating dance moves that enhance, energize and improve the body. A tie-in book, “Rock Your Body: The Ultimate Hip-Hop Inspired Workout to Slim, Shape, and Strengthen Your Body” (Rodale; $19.99) by King, is also available.
“Yoga Booty Ballet Master Series: 2-DVD Set” (Beachbody; $19.99, DVD; 800-546-1949 or anchorbayentertainment.com/fitness; now available) with trainers Gillian Marloth and Teigh McDonough presenting two workouts – “Goddess Booty” and “Yoga Core” – in the package.
Children/Family
“Arthur and the Invisibles” (Genius; $28.99, DVD; May 15) with Freddie Highmore in a tale that blends live action and computer animation in a PG-rated tale about a boy who seeks a hidden treasure in a land populated by tiny people living in harmony with nature. Madonna, David Bowie, Snoop Dogg, Robert De Niro and Jimmy Fallon provide the voices of some of the animated characters, and French filmmaker Luc Besson (“La Femme Nikita”) directed.
“Learning Magic with Lyn” (www.magicoflyn.com ; $14.99, DVD; May 15) with illusionist Lyn Dillies revealing 11 uncomplicated tricks that children can learn by using ordinary household items.
“Tom and Jerry Tales: Volume 2” (Warner; $14.99, DVD; May 15) with the animated favorites in 12 cartoons, including “Medieval Menace,” “Fire Breathing Tomcat” and “The Itch.”