I’m spent. It’s almost the end of the day and I’ve been hacking away at this on and off for ages. So let’s just skip the usual rundown before the list and get into the good stuff.

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1. THE GREAT DICTATOR

“In his controverisal masterpiece The Great Dictator, Charlie Chaplin offers both a cutting caricature of Adolf Hitler and a sly tweaking of his own comic persona. Chaplin, in his first pure talkie, brings his sublime physicality to two roles: the cruel yet clownish “Tomainian” dictator and the kindly Jewish barber who is mistaken for him. Featuring Jack Oakie and Paulette Goddard in stellar supporting turns, The Great Dictator, boldly going after the fascist leader before the U.S.’s official entry into World War II, is an audacious amalgam of politics and slapstick that culminates in Chaplin’s famously impassioned speech.“

Trust Criterion to one-up themselves. Not satisfied with releasing the best-ever home video version of a Chaplin film with last years Modern Times Blu-ray disc, the studio has unleashed a nearly perfect edition of The Great Dictator on Blu today. Not only does it sport a revelatory transfer but it’s stacked with special features that are worth the cost of the disc on their own. Of note is the exceptional 2001 documentary, ‘The Tramp and the Dictator’ by filmmakers Kevin Brownlow and Michael Kloft. It’s a 55-minute look into the lives of Chaplin and Hitler, narrated by Kenneth Branagh and featuring interviews with more writers, directors, family members and historians than I care to list here.

Recommended!

Special Features:

• New high-definition digital restoration with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• New audio commentary by Charlie Chaplin historians Dan Kamin and Hooman Mehran
• The Tramp and the Dictator (2001), a documentary narrated by filmmaker Kenneth Branagh and featuring interviews with author Ray Bradbury, director Sidney Lumet, historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., screenwriter Budd Schulberg, and a host of others
• Two new visual essays, by Chaplin archivist Cecilia Cenciarelli and Chaplin biographer Jeffrey Vance
• On-set, color production footage shot by Chaplin’s half-brother, Sydney
• Deleted scene from Chaplin’s 1919 film Sunnyside
• Theatrical trailer
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Michael Wood and a 1940 article by Chaplin on the film

AMAZON: $26.99

2. SOLARIS

“Ground control has been receiving strange transmissions from the remaining residents of the Solaris space station. When cosmonaut and psychologist Kris Kelvin is sent to investigate, he experiences the strange phenomena that afflict the Solaris crew, sending him on a voyage into the darkest recesses of his own consciousness. In Solaris, the legendary Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky (Ivan’s Childhood, Andrei Rublev) gives us a brilliantly original science-fiction epic that challenges our conceptions about love, truth, and humanity itself. “

Often regarded as Russia’s answer to Stanley Kubrick‘s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Tarkovsky’s Solaris is lyrical and often breathtaking. It’s quite long too. But if you’re willing to sit down to a lengthy Russian art film, the pacing here shouldn’t phase you. The photography by Vadim Yusov has never looked better than on this Blu-ray disc, sporting a transfer that has “corrected” the black and white sections of the film to now have the intended blue tint. The presentation is an all around improvement over the previously issued DVD, looking far more film-like than ever before on home video. The uncompressed mono soundtrack is clean and clear, representing Eduard Artemiev‘s electronic score rather well. Bonus materials have been carried over from the DVD in whole and are excellent from top to bottom.

Special Features:

• High-definition digital restoration (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
• Audio essay by Andrei Tarkovsky scholars Vida Johnson and Graham Petrie, coauthors of The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue
• Nine deleted and alternate scenes
• Video interviews with actress Natalya Bondarchuk, cinematographer Vadim Yusov, art director Mikhail Romadin, and composer Eduard Artemyev
• Excerpt from a documentary about Stanislaw Lem, the author of the film’s source novel
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Phillip Lopate and an appreciation by director Akira Kurosawa

AMAZON: $26.99

3. PLATOON

“Winner of 4 Academy Awards(R) including Best Picture, and based on the first-hand experience of Oscar(R)-winning director Oliver Stone, “Platoon” is powerful, intense and starkly brutal. “Harrowingly realistic and completely convincing” (Leonard Maltin), it is “a dark, unforgettable memorial” (The Washington Post) to every soldier whose innocence was lost in the war-torn jungles of Vietnam. Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) is a young, naive American who, upon his arrival in Vietnam, quickly discovers that he must do battle not only with the Viet Cong, but also with the gnawing fear, physical exhaustion and intense anger growing within him. While his two commanding officers (Oscar(R)-nominated Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe) draw a fine line between the war they wage against the enemy and the one they fight with each other, the conflict, chaos and hatred permeate Taylor, suffocating his realities and numbing his feelings to man’s highest value… life.“

Platoon still holds up, after all of these years. I think it’s one of Oliver Stone’s best films. And one of Charlie Sheen’s too. This new anniversary Blu-ray disc from Fox/MGM provides an improvement over their previously available DVD but you’ll only really notice it in daylight scenes. Darker images (of which there are numerous) are gritty and lack consistent contrast and black levels. But that’s Platoon for you. The transfer is a good one, but the film is only going to sparkle so much, even in HD. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is clean but dialogue clarity is sometimes eclipsed by the sounds of jungle warfare. Supplements are carried over from the DVD and are exhaustive, covering every aspect of the production as well as giving historical perspective on the Vietnam war.

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary with Director Oliver Stone
• Audio Commentary with Military Advisor Dale Dye
• Deleted & Extended Scenes
• Flashback to Platoon
• Documentaries
• Vignettes
• Television Spots
• Theatrical
• Trailer

AMAZON: $15.49

4. PAPILLON

“They called him Papillon, meaning buttlerfly. If only he had wings to go with the name. Unable to fly, Henri Charriere virtually willed himself free. He persisted until he did the impossible: escape Devil’s Island. Based on Charriere’s bestseller and shot in Spain and Jamaica, Franlin J. Schaffner’s film of Papillon united two stars at key career junctures. After a decade of fine work in The Great Escape, The Sand Pebbles and Bullitt, Steve McQueen found in Charriere another ideal tough-guy role. Coming off The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy and Little Big Man, Dustin Hoffman again distinguished himself as Dega, Charriere’s scruffy friend. “

Much like Solaris, Papillon is a slow, deliberate film about imprisoned men (this time held on an island as actual prisoners, not stuck in a spacecraft, inside memories) rendered with gorgeous photography and ambiance to spare. But unlike Tarkovsky’s sensitive epic, director Franklin J. Schaffner’s adaptation of the memoirs of Henri Charrière and the horrors he endured in a French Guiana penal colony is deeply disturbing and trades thoughtful Marxist-inspired discourse about the nature of man for the raw cruelties we can inflict on one another. Steve McQueen is miscast as the Frenchman but gives a riveting performance nonetheless, if you can ignore his American accent. Dustin Hoffman, doing his best Bogey impersonation, is often too much for me but a surprisingly effective foil for his co-star.

The Blu-ray presentation of Papillon appears to accurately represent the source material – it looks soft and dreamy, and full of lush colours, just as director of photography Fred Koenekamp shot it. Detail and colour fidelity are improved from the DVD, providing the Blu-ray a far more film-like image than ever before on home video. The lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack is clean and clear, with adequate use of surrounds and enough dynamic headroom for Jerry Goldsmith‘s score to breath. Sadly, the only bonus feature on the disc, aside from the handsome 32-page digibook, is a vintage featurette, ‘The Magnificent Rebel’.

AMAZON: $24.99

5. GRAND PRIX

“Formula I drivers compete to be the best in this slam-you-into-the-driver’s seat tale of speed, spectacle and intertwined personal lives. John Frankenheimer (who 32 years later would again stomp the pedal to the metal for the car chases of “Ronin”) directs this winner of 3 Academy Awards(R), crafting split-screen images to capture the overlapping drama and orchestrating you-are-there Point-Of-View camerawork to intensify the hard-driving thrills. Nearly 30 top drivers take part in the excitement. Buckle up to race with the best.“

I’m really not into racing fliks. Especially racing fliks that are three hours long. But I’m a sucker for anything directed by John Frankenheimer and therefore, reluctantly gave myself over to his 1966 epic, Grand Prix. Speaking of Steve McQueen, the actor and avid race-car driver was the first choice to play the lead role in the film but, after a falling out with the producer, the studio slotted Maverick himself, James Garner into the role. The film plays a bit schizophrenic to me, with the dramatic scenes and the music echoing Hollywood films of old and the racing scenes shot and cut with a far more modern style. The great designer Saul Bass had a hand in devising the race sequences, slicing them up like comic book panels and crossfading shots, one to the other, forming new and different images on screen. Absolutely brilliant and unquestionable the highlight of the film, for me.

Warner‘s new HD encode of the film is striking and quite often brilliant. The Blu-ray presentation is detailed and colourful but does suffer the occasional artifact and edge halo. The print itself has been handled nicely but hasn’t been completely restored. If you look closely you’ll see damage pop up occasionally in the form of spots and streaks. But you’ll barely notice them. This disc looks great! You’ll never believe that the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix belongs to a film over forty-years old. This is an awesome track with roaring lows and screaming highs. Special features have been carried over in full from the previous DVD and HD-DVD editions of the film and include the half-hour Speed network special, Pushing the Limit: The Making of Grand Prix, along with four other recent and vintage featurettes and a trailer.

AMAZON: $14.99

6. LE MANS

“Forty-five international racing stars join Steve McQueen in the gritty, nerve-shattering re-creation of the toughest car race on earth – “Le Mans“. Returning to France to compete a year after he’s been injured, an American driver (McQueen) finds himself drawn to the widow of a racer who was killed in the same accident. Filmed on location in France, the film’s spellbinding cinematography provides a dazzling look at the world’s most extraordinary cars and the unique personalities of the people drawn to the race car circuit. Steve McQueen, himself a championship racer, did most of his own driving on the harrowing 8.5 mile Le Mans course – often at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour.“

A few years after he had turned down the lead role in Frankenheimer’s Grand Prix, McQueen finally sorted out his own racing film with director Lee H. Katzin (chiefly known for his TV work) at the helm. I wasn’t expecting Le Mans to play out in as spartan a fashion as it does. There’s not much story here. And watching the short “making of” doc on the disc explained why – the production spent all its time figuring out how to shoot the race, and didn’t give much time to script and story. It shows. It’s hard to stay involved with the film because the characters only show up briefly between race sequences. In fact, the film is more of a documentary of that particular Le Mans race than a traditional narrative-based movie. But I find it tough to consider that a fault of the film. It is what it is – more of an experiment in letting actions (and driving) speak for itself – a concept befitting a film vehicle for tough guy McQueen.

I really enjoyed the look of the Le Mans Blu-ray disc. Colours just pop off the screen and there’s detail aplenty. There doesn’t appear to be any unnecessary digital tampering here, as the image looks very natural and film-like throughout. It’s awesome to see great work like this on a catalogue transfer from Paramount. It give me hope for the eventual releases of Chinatown and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Much like Grand Prix, this lossless DTS-HD MA 7.1 sound track is impressive for a film of this age. Car engines rumble the sub and zoom by surround channels at every turn. This is an energetic track from the starting line to the finish. Special features are lite, consisting only of the film’s trailer and a made-for-tv documentary, Filming at Speed: The Making of the Movie ‘Le Mans’ hosted by the late-star’s son, Chad McQueen.

AMAZON: $17.99

7. TIGERLAND

“Just release from the base stockade, recruit Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell) joins a platoon of young soldiers preparing to ship out to Vietnam. Bozz’s independence and outright defiance draws fire from his own men as well as commanding officers. But when the platoon is sent to “Tigerland“, a helish training ground that is the last stop before Vietnam, Bozz’s leadership and loyalty bring his men together – triggering extraordinary consequences.“

After the Batman movie series fiasco it’s been really tough for me to sit down to anything directed by Joel Schumacher. I mean, he almost single handedly destroyed one of the great film franchises of all time with his infusion of camp, flourescent colours and unwanted rubber nipples. It’s tough to admit, then, that Schumacher was able to rebound from his Bat-failure so skillfully only a few years later with a character driven training camp film called Tigerland. Farrell’s tough-yet-nuanced performance and Schumacher’s bleached 16mm shooting style breathe life into the film and give it an unexpected edge.

Those stylistic decisions mean that the HD presentation on the Blu-ray doesn’t feature the kind of slick image that will impress your friends or show off your home theatre gear. 16mm film is, by its nature, lower in resolution and exhibits far more grain than 35mm or digital. And you’ll see it all on this Blu-ray. It’s hard to say for sure but I believe this to be a faithful representation of the source material and a generally pleasing transfer all around. The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is clear and clean. Extras include a director’s commentary track, ‘The Real Tigerland‘ 22-minute doc, ‘Joel Schumacher: Journey to Tigerland‘ (10-minutes) looking back on the making of the film, ‘Ode to Tigerland‘ (11-minutes) with screenwriter Ross Klavan, ‘Colin Farrell Casting Session‘ (6-minutes), vintage ‘making-of’ featurette (4-minutes), the trailer and tv spots.

AMAZON: $20.99

8. I AM NUMBER FOUR

“Three are dead. Who is Number four? From Director D.J. Caruso (Disturbia), producer Michael Bay (Transformers) and the Emmy-winning writers of TV’s Smallville, comes this gripping, action-packed thriller. John Smith (Alex Pettyfer) is an extraordinary teen masking his true identity to elude a deadly enemy sent to destroy him. Living with his guardian (Timothy Olyphant) in the small town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected life-changing events – his first love (Dianna Agron, TV’s Glee), powerful new abilities and a secret connection to the others who share his incredible destiny. Complete with deleted scenes and more, I Am Number Four is an explosive suspense-filled ride that will take you to the edge of your seat and beyond. “

I haven’t seen the film but I include it here as it’s probably the biggest new release of the week. I dunno. I’m just not interested.

AMAZON: $24.99

9. GNOMEO & JULIET

“From a director of Shrek 2 comes your chance to step into the secret world of garden gnomes – Gnomeo & Juliet. Perfect for the whole family, this fresh and funny makeover of one of the world’s most timeless story features music from Sir Elton John, and the voice talents of Emily Blunt, James McAvoy and sir Michael Caine. Caught up in a feud between neighbors, Gnomeo and Juliet must overcome as many obstacles as their namesakes. But with flamboyant pink flamingoes and epic lawnmower races, can this young couple find lasting happiness? Complete with hilarious never-before-seen bonus features, Gnomeo & Juliet is an out-of-the-ordinary animated comedy your entire family will love. We just gnome it! “

Another film I didn’t screen this week but I’ll say this about it, my 5-year old niece is aching to see it. Five will get you ten that I’ll have seen this one at this time next month.

AMAZON: $19.99

Also available: GNOMEO & JULIET 3D COMBO PACK

AMAZON: $24.99

10. GETTYSBURG and GODS AND GENERALS

Ronald F. Maxwell‘s super-long civil war epics make their Blu-ray debuts this week, packaged individually in digibooks or together in one boxed set. Both films feature a ton of extra stuff including commentary tracks and short docs. Gods and Generals, it should be noted, is the 280-minute extended cut of the film. You’re going to need a lot of popcorn handy to get through these ones.

AMAZON: $23.99, $24.99

ONLY IN CANADA:

MAVERICK

“Ante up-for laughter and action aplenty! Mel Gibson is sly gambler Bret Maverick, Jodie Foster is a charming scam artist and James Garner (the original Bret Maverick, from the Emmy-winning TV series) is a laid-back lawman in Maverick, the crowd-pleasing hit that deals you a winning hand. With more twists than a switchback trail and more sleights of hand than a shell game, Maverick is rollicking proof of how the West was fun. A riverboat poker tourney promises a winner-take-all $500,000…and Bret aims to be the winner who does the taking! But first he must cope with the hangman’s noose, a runaway stage, a wily Indian chief, outlaws, ingrates, a bagful of rattlesnakes and more close calls than a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs. So don’t miss the excitement. The jokers-Gibson, Foster and Garner-are wild! “

AMAZON: $ 17.49 CDN

WILD WILD WEST

“Wild, wild laughs, adventure and special-effects wizardry abound when megastar Will Smith reteams with the director of “Men in Black.” Smith is agent James West, leading sidekick Artemus Gordon (Kevin Kline) and a sexy adventuress (Salma Hayek) on a perilous assignment: stop Dr. Arliss Loveless (Kenneth Branagh) and his contraption-driven plot to establish a Disunited States of America. “

AMAZON: $ 17.49 CDN

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
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