HONEST FILM REVIEWS
COMEDY FILMS
LAUREL & HARDY: THE SILENT YEARS 1929 (USA 1929)
Following on from their fantastic Blu-ray releases of Laurel & Hardy's silent years from 1927 and 1928, Eureka continue their restored celebration of the much loved comedy duo with a collection of works from 1929. Spread over two discs, the release features 9 silent shorts films (with two more offered in a sound version), as well as a host of bonus features throughout – neatly packaged in a limited edition O-card slipcase and accompanied by a collector's booklet featuring new writings by Paul merton, James Finlayson and Chris Grosvenor. Wonderfully restored in 2K by Blackhawk Films as part of their Masters of Cinema series, each film is presented with a choice of tracks to listen to – including audio commentaries...
The first on the set is Liberty, a fun piece that sees Stan and Ollie as fugitives on the run; offering the original 1929 Vitaphone track, a score by Maud Nelissen, a score by Skeets Alquist, and a new audio commentary by Chris Seguin and Kyp Harness. I really enjoyed these 19 minutes of hilarity, which offered many laugh-out-loud moments and proved to be a great start to the journey. Who would have thought that the simple plot of trying to swap trousers in public, could lead to so much madness?! Following that is Wrong Again, a 21 minute hilarious film that sees the guys return a lost horse to a confused millionaire in search of a stolen painting. As well as the original 1929 Vitaphone track, there's a new score by Neil Brand and audio commentary by David Kalat. That's My Wife comes in third, a comic tale that sees Ollie forced to chose between his best friend and his wife. Aside from the original 1929 Vitaphone track, we get a score from Andreas Benz and a second from Neil Brand, as well as an audio commentary by Glenn Mitchell. Coming in just under 20 minutes, That's My Wife will tickle fans of The Birdcage as Ollie tries to pass Stan off as his wife to secure an inheritance, as plenty of nonsense unfolds! Big Business sees the pair take on the job of door-to-door salesmen – of Christmas Trees. Coming in just under 20 minutes, once again, this manic comedy set in the sunny streets of a sparse California was genuinely hilarious at times, and easily one of my favourites of the collection. No original score this time, but we get 3 new ones from Robert Israel, Maud Nelissen and Gaylord Carter, as well as another audio commentary from Neil Brand. Double Whoopee, which is also available on disc one as a sound version – the only one of the Laurel & Hardy silent sorts produced in 1970 – sees them both landing jobs at a fancy hotel. Running for around 19 minutes, the film sees the pair unleash their usual amount of chaos with a highly regarded prince in attendance and anything that could go wrong, doing so! While the original 1929 track is unavailable, we do get another great score by Robert Israel and audio commentary by David Kalat. The last short film on disc one is Bacon Grabbers, a 20 minute piece that sees the pair hired as bailiffs. But when they are sent out to recover a radio, things just never goes as simple as they should but plenty of laughs are guaranteed. Offering it's original 199 Vitaphone track, the film also comes with another score by Neil Brand and audio commentary by Glenn Mitchell.
With all films presented in 4:3 ratio, restored from 16 and 35mm prints, they are joined by a range of bonus features, as well as the audio commentaries mentioned. The first of these is a excerpt from The Hollywood Revue of 1929, an 8 minute unrestored clip taken from the 16mm print of the feature that saw MGM stars (including Joan Crawford, Anita Page, and Buster Keaton) take park in musical numbers; once enjoyed only by privileged collectors who had access to such rare prints. This excerpt opens the film with Laurel & Hardy interrupting proceedings as a pair of magicians – complete with the usual laughs and mishaps – delivered with it's original sound and audio which was nice to see. Following that we get From Silent to Radio; a selection of Laurel & Hardy audio appearances that offers 3 radio episodes written and performed by the guys themselves. The first is The Wedding Night, a 16 minute track that also features the much loved Lucille Ball, that proved to be a fun listen. Next is Mr. Slater's Poultry Market from 1944, an unaired pilot for a new radio show that just didn't happen. Running just shy of 30 minutes, this lengthy recording delivers plenty of laughs and is a great addition to the set. Finally, an Advert for the National War Disabled Association runs as the last radio piece, a 2 minute recording that sees the boys play it seriously for a change. The last of the extras here are the Super 8 presentations of the short films Dizzy Heights and Big Business, presented in their original unrestored silent prints. It is worth pointing out that Dizzy Heights is, in fact, a 6 minute clip from Liberty that sees the pair work their way around the upper floors of a construction site, complete with some daring stunts and plenty of laughs. At the same time, Big Business is a 3 minute clip taken from the longer (short) film!
Disc two offers more from the duo starting with three more short films. The first is Angora Love, offered in it's original 1929 Vitaphone track, another score by Robert Israel, or new audio commentary by Neil Brand. This hilarious 21 minute tale sees the boys dealing with a runaway goat that has become very attached to them. As expected, things quickly get out of hand! Following that is Unaccustomed As We Are; the story of a simple dinner invite that sees Ollie's wife storm out in anger leaving him and Stan alone to make a meal for themselves, while dragging the neighbour and her husband into the madness. Running for 22 minutes, this silent version might be missing the original 1929 track, but we do get to enjoy a new score by Andreas Benz and another audio commentary by David Kalat. Thankfully, Eureka has also provided fans with a sound version which does contain the 1929 Vitaphone track, as well as two audio commentaries – one with Patrick Vasey and a second that sees him return, this time, joined by Chris Seguin. A note at the start of the film states that this was the first talking film by Laurel & Hardy, and makes for a great experience when watched right after the silent film with the removal of the text-cards shortening the running time just a little. And finally, we have Berth Marks, another 20 minute short that sees the much loved pair create their usual whirlwind of chaos and comedy while travelling on a sleeper train. It's a hilarious finish to the collection of films. Once again, no original 1929 track is available but we do get a great score by Andreas Benz and audio commentary with Chris Seguin and Kyp Harness.
The special features on disc two start with a lengthy video essay called Glorious Disaster, a 49 minute piece from David Cairns and Fiona Watson that takes us on an in-depth journey of Laurel & Hardy, from their early beginnings in 1921 through to the films on this set and more. Filled with wonderful clips, poster art and sound-bites, Glorious Disaster is a wonderfully insightful essay worth watching. Following that is a number of extra short films, extracts and clips. The first is called They Go Boom! - a 20 minute film from 1929, and the duo's fifth talkie, that sees the pair trying to get a good nights sleep while sharing a bed and nursing Ollie's sickness! The Hoose-Gow, also from 1929, is a 21 minute talkie that sees Stan & Ollie arrested after a protest. Sent to work in a labour camp, they get by while surviving the usual mishaps until the Governor's party where, here, the pair unleash more lunacy that results in a lumpy rice food fight. While it wasn't fully restored, this bonus film was highly entertaining! Hop To It is a 23 minute silent film from 1925 that features Oliver Hardy as a bellboy. Starring alongside Bobby Ray, their pairing is what Hardy often called the harbinger of what Laurel & Hardy would become, with Hop To It proving to be entertaining piece overall and offering an optional audio commentary with David Kalat. The Tree in a Test tube is a 10 minute coloured-short from 1942, made by the US Department of Agriculture and starring the comic duo who perform some comedy scenes to the narrator's script. It also comes with an optional audio commentary by Chris Seguin. Following that is an 11 minute piece that combines scenes from Berth Marks and The Laurel & Hardy Murder Case, presented as a scene from the Spanish title Noche De Duendes. Here we see Laurel & Hardy doing their own lines in Spanish, something that many actors would have to do back then before dubbing came into play, while we see some other actors replaced with Hispanic players. Next is a 3D presentation of Big Business – an experimental piece that sees them use both angles of the production to give fans around 14 minutes of Laurel & Hardy in another dimension. You will need a pair of red/blue glasses for the full experience (perhaps something that could have been included in the set), and while some scenes don't pull it off, it was a pretty fun experience for the most part. We get another version of The Hoose-Gow after that, this time in it's unrestored Super 8 presentation running for 11 minutes which was good to see. A compilation of newsreels follows, with one reel missing audio, filmed between 1947 and 1953. These run just under 10 minutes overall and were a joy to see, with both stars looking a bit more aged than in the films included here, but still as funny during interviews. And finally, we close with a 2 minute stills gallery that delivers a slideshow of HD images taken from each of the short films from this set – a nice finish to an otherwise packed release.
As mentioned before, I often remember watching the films of Laurel & Hardy throughout my childhood years; introduced to them by my late grandfather who often raved about them as his favourite comic duo alongside Tom & Jerry. There's just something special about watching films from this period – coming up close to 100 years old already – and even more incredible seeing the locations, sets, and streets restored in 2K. Of course, it means even more so when it involves the comic genius of Laurel & Hardy, and any true fan of this disastrous comic duo deserve to have this wonderfully put together Eureka Video Blu-ray release in their collection!
Rating: (4 / 5) George @invincibleasia
OH! WHAT A LOVELY WAR (UK 1969) Directed by Richard Attenborough
Launching with an extensive opening credit sequence, giving us almost 4 minutes of wartime tunes over a host of British themed images that soon shift to weaponry, Oh! What a Lovely War is Richard Attenborough's epic comedy adapted from the popular stage musical that was doing the rounds in the early to mid 1960s. The title itself derives from the song of the same name, played here as one of the major numbers in the film. The story focuses on the Smith family who are pulled into war where we see many majors events of WW1 restaged and played out, wrapped around a number of fantastic musical numbers, comedy sequences, and impressive set pieces over a four year period. One of the highlights for me, among many, was the re-enactment of Christmas day on No Man's Land – as both the German and English soldiers call a truce for a while to shake hands, share a drink, and confirm that it's nothing personal. Based on a true event, it was a touching and poignant moment that really gets you thinking. But such is the case for many scenes throughout this film. While often portrayed with tongue placed firmly in cheek, Attenborough cleverly highlights the stark horrors of war and with a strong message of peace, political and religious corruption, and good old fashioned British wit – closing things with a impressive final scene that will most certainly leave a lump in your throat...
With a massive cast on offer, Attenborough secured the services of many top British stars – many of whom agreed to guest roles such as the late Maggie Smith who steals the show with her introductory musical number, I'll Make a Man Out of You, which was quite hilarious and wonderfully done. The great Dirk Bogarde, Michael Redgrave, Vanessa Redgrave, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, John Mills, Ian Holm and Jean Pierre Cassel among others, support main players such as Wendy Allnutt, Colin Farrell, Corin Redgrave, Maurice Roeves, Paul Shelly, Mary Whimbush, and Angela Thorne who star as the Smith family. It's also worth noting that, at the time, The Beatles had been interested in playing members of the fictional family, which (obviously) did not happen. Breaking the fourth wall while paying homage to it's beginnings as a stage play, Oh! What a Lovely War is a fascinating piece of cinema and an incredible, although maybe not perfect, directorial debut for Richard Attenborough. He delivers many strong visuals, happenings, events and moments that are quintessentially British, with a light dusting of Monty Python humour and plenty of well known songs from that era that will have you singing along or, at the very least, tapping your feet. To be honest, it looked like a wonderful time to be British (albeit for the threat of war).
But there's so much more to this fantastic film with it's anti-war message, poignant moments of humour, and symbolism. Gaining Attenborough a host of BAFTA nominations and wins, along with a Golden Globe, Oh! What a Lovely War still holds as much importance today as it did upon release with it's themes of political responsibility and the loss of human life due to war. Of course, Richard Attenborough had been acting for many years prior to this, on stage and in films such as Brighton Rock, The Great Escape, and the original Doctor Dolittle, going onto have a hugely successful film career on many levels – directing and producing – while continuing to star in films like Jurassic Park, Miracle on 34th Street, and Elizabeth to name but a few. Over 50 years later, Oh! What a Lovely War still stands as one of his most treasured works. Emotional, funny, and beautifully done, It made for a fantastic watch and has never looked better thanks to this newly restored Blu-ray release from Eureka Entertainment, making it's worldwide debut in HD for the first time – accompanied with a great selection of bonus features. These include two audio commentaries; the first with Richard Attenborough himself, and the second with Melanie Williams and Lawrence Napper. Simon Brown delivers a 32 minute interview called Your Country Needs You: Depictions of WW1 in British Cinema which was a fascinating insight to how film-makers portrayed the different stages of the horrific event, going onto talk about this particular feature and it's stage show. This is followed by a 3 part Making of Documentary that runs for a healthy 74 minutes, which was just as gripping to watch, featuring interviews with Sir Richard Attenborough himself as well as cast and crew members from the film. Overall, an incredible film and another fantastic release from Eureka Entertainment that comes highly recommended!
Rating: (4.5 / 5) George @invincibleasia
THE GENERAL (USA 1926) Directed by Buster Keaton
Having recently got my hands on the German Mediabook Blu-ray release of Jackie Chan's highly entertaining Shanghai Noon, director Tom Dey discusses the making of and inspirations behind some of it's scenes. One film he kept mentioning was The General, so I was very keen to get my hands on this Buster Keaton classic. Thankfully, that very same week, Eureka Video released their new 4K UHD version of the film and I couldn't say no! Put out just on time to celebrate it's 100th birthday, The General tells the true story from the American Civil War where Western & Atlantic Railroad train engineer Johnnie Gray has arrived in Georgia to visit two loves of his life – one, the feisty Annabelle Lee, and the other, The General; a locomotive that he had worked on. At the same time, the American Civil War kicks-off, forcing all men in the town to enlist for battle. But Gray gets rejected and, in turn, shunned by Lee who doesn't want to see him again until he's in uniform. A year later, troops from the North steal The General in a bid to destroy all bridges on the way home to stop the Confederate army from gaining any supplies or support. But Johnnie sees what's happening and immediately gives chase – on foot, on bicycle, on rail – determined to get back his pride and joy, and rescue his beloved Annabelle at the same time who has been taken hostage. What follows is a wild chase of cat-and-mouse as one man takes on an army, oblivious to the outcome of his actions, but managing to save the day in the most outrageous ways!
I've always been a fan of Buster Keaton although, admittedly, not as much as Charlie Chaplin. One of the original kings of silent comedy, Keaton started industry life as a vaudeville star, excelling in physical comedy and impressive stunt-work that had, quite obviously, inspired the aforementioned Jackie Chan for many of his out action-exploits over the years. The General was his second feature length film, made just a couple of years after the release of Sherlock Jr. (1924). And while it failed to win over most critics upon release, or gain the box office needed to make it a hit, the film is still considered today to be a genuine classic of the silent era with Orson Welles himself calling it 'the greatest comedy ever made...' going on to claim it as the greatest film ever made. I must disagree with that, but without a doubt, The General is a highly impressive piece of film-making and definitely an entertaining comedy piece. Like Jackie Chan, for the most part, Buster Keaton works as a lone hero in the majority of his works which, like here in The General, lend itself to more inventive stunts, comedic moments, and displays of genius that make films like this stand out. As Johnnie Gray, Keaton comes across like a blend of the aforementioned Hong Kong superstar and Hollywood comedy-actor Steve Martin – and it works like a treat. With some impressive locomotive action, including the timing of the cannon scene, the passing of engines on dual tracks, and the famous scene that sees burning bridge sink a train, The General is highly impressive on many levels; and even more-so when you consider when it was actually made...
Joining this gorgeous new restoration from Eureka, released as part of their Masters of Cinema collection (#173), is a number of special features which begin with an informative audio commentary by David Kalat. Following that, we get a 25 minute video essay by Imogen Sara Smith called Bound for Glory; an interesting piece that looks at The General but also discusses Keaton's fascination with trains (as seen in many of his movies), his work as a director, and style of physical genius that makes for a worthy watch. Luke Ryan gives his thoughts in an extensive 52 minute video essay, A Brave Engineer, that opens with a 68 year old Buster Keaton shooting scenes for his (then) latest short film The Railrodder – one of his final film roles that showed that, even at that age and as ill as he was, Keaton was still not afraid to re-enact some of the stunts that made him famous. Luke then goes on to discuss his use of trains as well his untold talents as a film-maker, which really proved to be a fantastic bit of viewing and plays like a visual time capsule of Keaton's work. Film scholar Peter Kramer gives a 40 minute piece-to-cam on The General, discussing it's beginnings from the book and story that inspired it, through to it's accomplishment and achievements which features a great selection of footage and photos from Keaton's life and works. Two introductions follow – the first, by Orson Welles, is a 12 minute unrestored piece called The Silent Years which makes for an interesting watch as Welles shares his thoughts on Keaton and The General, remembering his works with fondness and the man himself with emotion. The second is by Gloria Swanson in a 2 minute piece called Silents Please, which made for a fun watch. After that, John Bankson takes us on an effortless location tour for around 5 minutes, which showcases footage from the film with photographs of the locations – but it would have been great to see up to date footage of the same places instead. Following that is an 18 minute long Video Tour of The General, the actual locomotive of which the film was based on. This is a must for train and history lovers, with the museum curator taking viewers on an informative journey of the real story and engine itself. And finally, we finish with a minute of unrestored BTS footage on location. Described as Keaton's most personal film, The General is a joy to watch and has never looked better thanks to its new 4K UHD restoration, wonderfully presented (yet again) by Eureka Video and worthy of a place in any true film-lover's collection!
Rating: (4 / 5) George @invincibleasia
FULL MOON HIGH (USA 1981) Directed by Larry Cohen
Often seen as the inspiration or pre-cursor to the more popular Hollywood smash-hit Teen Wolf (1985), Full Moon High is something of a different experience altogether drawing inspiration from the classic I Was A Teenage Werewolf (1957), Airplane! (1980) and the comedy style of Mel Brooks – albeit with a hit and miss attitude to some of the jokes included. Released in 1981, at a time when werewolf movies were hitting a resurgence with the likes of Joe Dante's The Howling and John Landis' An American Werewolf in London, with Dan Attias' Silver Bullet following a few years later. Mind you, these films were presented in a more serious tone, full of violence, horror and adult content. Full Moon High, on the other hand, was not. The film tells the tale of a popular high school football player (Tony) who, after a trip to Romania with his father, finds he has been hit with the curse of the werewolf. After nipping a few people on the ass around town and killing his father, Tony leaves town to travel and returns 20 years later – looking exactly the same as he did when he left. Pretending to be Tony's son, he tries to blend back in, returning to Full Moon High in an attempt to win the football game he lost 20 years earlier while trying to hide his secret at the same time. But some of his old aged friends are on to him!
Directed by the late-great Larry Cohen, the same man behind It's Alive (1974), See China and Die (1981), Q: The Winged Serpent (1982), The Stuff (1985), and The Ambulance (1990), Full Moon High was supposedly his first real comedy film which is noticeable as he throws everything but the kitchen sink at us – some jokes proving to be genuinely hilarious, while others sink faster that werewolf's teeth through hot flesh. At times, it's completely silly, even amateurish if I'm to be honest, with some performances coming across as stilted and unconvincing as if Cohen himself had just pulled someone off the street to deliver a line. I should know, I've directed seven indie features myself and did just that! But we also have to remember the time period in which this was made. It was very different audience to today's (especially the American audience), not to mention that it was laced with so much social commentary and jabs by Cohen to societies views on sexuality, politics and values which probably sat better with them then, than they do today.
While watching Full Moon High, I couldn't stop thinking of the film Grease (1978); another American 'High School' movie were every teenage student looked like they were 30-something. Of course, this is something we still see today with most Hollywood produced films and TV shows. Leading the way is Adam Arkin as teenage werewolf footballer Tony Walker, who was about 24 or 25 at the time of production. While many cite this as his first role – which may have helped explain why he was a little rough around the edges during his performance – this was not the case, as Adam had been acting since the late 60s in many TV shows and smaller movies. So his first leading man role maybe, but also a very odd choice in my eyes. While he has went onto have a hugely successful career today, much like his father, I found nothing appealing about his performance here in Full Moon High with Adam appearing in most of his scenes with very little energy or like a lost puppy (no pun intended). He is, however, joined in Full Moon High by his dad, Alan Arkin, who plays a crazed psychiatrist that proves to be one of the funnier character's of the lot. Now passed, this prolific actor was one of the bigger names in the picture overall. Starring alongside them is Roz Kelly as insane love-interest Jane, Ed McMahon as his dad, Bill Kirchenbauer as his best friend Flynn, and the wonderful and very prolific Kenneth Mars – co-star of Mel Brook's hilarious and original film The Producers (1967), Young Frankenstein (1974) and What's Up Doc? (1972) – who appears as the flamboyant and closeted sports coach and headmaster of the school.
Recently restored and released on Blu-ray by Eureka Video, Full Moon High comes with a a great limited edition booklet featuring new writings by film historian Craig Ian Mann. On the disc we also get two audio commentaries – the first of which is an archival one with director Larry Cohen which makes for a fun listen as he delivers some informative and exciting antidotes. The second, a new one from King Cohen (2017) documentary director Steve Mitchell, I have yet to check out at the time of writing. Growing Pains is an 18 minute video essay by werewolf expert and author Kaja Franck that makes for an interesting watch, while a second featurette called Today's Teenage Werewolf is a new interview with author Michael Doyle – writer of the book, Larry Cohen: The Stuff of Gods and Monsters – who gives a very insightful and in-depth piece to cam on Full Moon High and Larry himself. And finally, we get treated to the original theatrical trailer that shows just how much Full Moon High was really a product of it's time. As wild and off-the-cuff as it may seem at times, I would be lying if I said I didn't like Full Moon High. Aside from carrying a certain charm about it, the film does offer some true funny moments throughout, and as a fun of Cohen's work am pleased to see Eureka continuing their run of his titles restored on Blu-ray!
Rating: (3.5 / 5) George @invincibleasia
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FANTOMAS RETURNS! (FRANCE 1964-67) Directed by Andre Hunebelle
Based on the popular criminal mastermind known as Fantomas, created by crime writers Marel Allain and Pierre Souvestre which was first brought to the screen in a lengthy serial courtesy of Louis Feuillade in 1913, this pulp character has been adapted many times over the years – even reworked in other countries due to it's success. But with Fantomas Returns, Eureka Video deliver three of the most entertaining (in my eyes), made between 1964 and 1967 by director Andre Hunebelle. This collection includes Fantomas, Fantomas Unleashed, and Fantomas vs Scotland Yard – a highly enjoyable trilogy that plays like a mix of The Pink Panther, Mission Impossible, James Bond, and Dr. Mabuse; and I loved them!
In the first film of the collection, Fantomas, the super-villain seeks revenge on journalist Jerome Fandor after he publishes an unflattering story about him. Disguising himself as both Fandor and bumbling police commissioner Juve, Fantomas frames them both in a wave of crimes around Paris. Joined by Fandor's feisty girlfriend, the trio set out to stop him in a wild goose chase which involves some impressive stunt work, secret hideouts, rubber masks, whacky car chases, and the use of almost every piece of transport available. In the second film, Fantomas Unleashed, the blue-faced mystery man kidnaps a group of renowned scientists to help him create a deadly weapon, but Juve and Fandor are still on his case. But Fantomas takes Fandor's wife and son hostage, resulting in a rescue mission and campy fun that would make even the finest James Bond villain, envious. The final title, Fantomas vs Scotland Yard, takes hero and villain overseas to the Scottish Highlands where mysterious goings-on take place in and around an old castle. Naturally, the blame is on Fantomas and Commissioner Juve, Fandor and his wife are determined to put a stop to him once and for all. While less James Bond and more Pink Panther, this final entry is a great finish to the trilogy and although it allows for more comedy than plot – the film still proves to be highly enjoyable. The great Jean Marais leads the way as both Jerome Fandor, the daring reporter, and as the master of disguise himself, Fantomas, playing dual roles throughout all three films. With around 100 credits to his name, this handsome French star proved to be fantastic all over. He is joined by the much loved comedy actor and prolific star, Louis de Funes, who stars in all films as the bumbling and very hilarious Commissioner Juve. Going onto lead many comedies throughout his career, Funes should be held in as high regard as his English and Hollywood peers for his work and comedy talent. And finally, the beautiful Mylene Demongeot stars as Fandor's loyal and adventurous wife, Helene...
Why have I never seen these incredible films before?!? Undoubtedly silly, campy, clever, exciting, and very well made, the Fantomas Returns collection is one I will be going back to again and again in the very near future. From it's car chases that played like a blend of Whacky Races and Herbie Goes Bananas, to it's collection of creative and exciting spy-era gadgetry (including a flying car), not to mention some really impressive stunt work and plenty of gorgeous set-pieces, model work, and locations, this Fantomas trilogy really does gives it's Hollywood counterparts something to worry about and is still as impressive over 50 years later. Released as part of their Masters of Cinema series and limited to 2000 copies only, the films in Fantomas Returns benefit from a stunning 1080p HD restoration on each, courtesy of the Gaumont Film Company, and three informative audio commentaries featuring Tim Lucas on the first and David Kalat on the others. While both Fantomas Unleashed and Fantomas vs Scotland Yard are presented on Disc Two with only a trailer for each accompanying them (as well as the audio commentaries, of course), a few extras join Fantomas on Disc One. The first is a 21 minute piece called 'International Supercrooks' where Leon Hunt takes a look at villains of the European silver-screen such as Fantomas, Diabolik, Dr. Mabuse, Fu Manchu and others. It's a fun that will prove to be of interest to anyone that has picked up this set. Juve and de Funes sees French cinema expert Mary Harrod talk about Louis de Funes. It's an insightful piece that runs for about 22 minutes. And finally, aside from the trailer for Fantomas, Calum Baker delivers a fun 22 minute video essay that looks at the evolution of the titular Fantomas, from it's writings through to it's big screen adaptations. On top of that, it's beautifully designed hard-case packaging and wonderfully presented 60 page book,help make this yet another worthwhile release from Eureka Video and a must for all fans of this much-loved super-villain of cinema.
Rating: (4.5 / 5) George @invincibleasia
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LIFE IS CHEAP... (USA/HONG KONG 1989) Directed by Wayne Wang
Recently restored in 4K and released on Blu-ray by Radiance Films, Life Is Cheap... is Wayne Wang's outrageously satirical docu-film that grabs you by the balls from the get-go, and forgets to let go until it's end credits start rolling. Tearing apart capitalism and communism with it's tongue firmly placed in cheek, the film's main story follows an American Asian man who is hired by someone to deliver a briefcase from America to Hong Kong. Believing that his new employers are gangsters, the escort starts to become intrigued with what is inside after his Hong Kong contact is nowhere to be found. Naturally, his journey is far from simple...
Written and directed by Wayne Wang and Spencer Nakasako, with the latter also playing the leading man of the piece, Life Is Cheap... But Toilet Paper Is Expensive is one of the most bizarre yet fantastic experiences I've witnessed in quite some time. Experimental to some degree and definitely not for everyone, the film offers a lot of surprises through it's narrative, visuals, and cast members – which featured some big Hong Kong names that I did not expect to see. Made in 1989, with some newer scenes filmed a number of years later in order to create Wang's ultimate vision, the film is a stunning and eye-opening journey through Hong Kong offering some beautiful cinematography courtesy of Amir Mokri. Of course, it's clear to see Wang's social commentary on changing times and gets into the nitty-gritty side of the city where animal cruelty is part of daily life, sex rules, and buckets of real blood splash across the screen. To some degree, you can understand why the MPAA wanted to rate it X for it's initial release across North America!
Of course, aside from it's scenes of animal cruelty, Life Is Cheap... is well known for having one of the longest foot-chase sequences on film – coming in at around 10 minutes, that takes viewers on an exciting tour of Hong Kong before ending in the now demolished Walled City. It's surreal, it's funny, and it's testing at times; but Life Is Cheap... is definitely one of the most original films I've seen. While I was a little confused on first viewing, I soon gave it another watch and enjoyed it even more second time round. Part of this was down to the extra features available on the Radiance Films Blu-ray release which helped me understand things a bit more. These included two fantastic interviews – the first with Wayne Wang, and the second with him and co-director/star Spencer Nakasako – which were both delivered in English, hugely informative, and often hilarious. Both men are fascinating to listen to, but also come across as genuinely nice people and help break down what Life Is Cheap... is all about. Of course, Wang is more well known for works such as Eat A Bowl Of Tea, The Joy Luck Club, Chinese Box, the Jennifer Lopez movie Maid In Manhattan and Queen Latifah's Last Holiday (surprisingly), but he has directed so much more that I'll certainly be checking out.
For Hong Kong film fans, it may excite you to know that stars such as famed Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan director Lo Wei makes an appearance as a character known as Big Boss. Shaw Brothers legend Lo Lieh gets an interesting role as a one-armed pianist – portrayed as such as a nod to the Wang Yu classic, The One-Armed Swordsman. While he really just delivers dialogue in an interview sequence, it was still great to see him appear and lend his wonderful screen presence to such a wild movie. Wayne Wang's lovely wife, Cora Miao, stars as Money – and gets one of the other bigger roles of the film. Having already starred in films such as Itchy Fingers, The Story of Woo Viet, Boat People, Love In A Fallen City and The Terrorizers before this – as well as some of Wang's own aforementioned films – Miao's name itself would have been one of the biggest draws upon it's release, alongside the likes of Lo Lieh and Lo Wei respectively. It was, however, equally as exciting to see the great Victor Wong show up. More widely known for his role as Egg Shen in the awesome Big Trouble In Little China, Wong also appeared in Hollywood films such as Year of the Dragon, The Golden Child, The Last Emperor, Tremors, Seven Years in Tibet, and the 3 Ninja Kids series. But it's also worth noting that he starred in Hong Kong titles like Wang's Eat A Bowl Of Tea, Fatal Vacation, Cageman, and The Adventurers with Andy Lau. And finally, Hong Kong actor Chung Lam – the late prolific actor who appeared in films such as Bullet in the Head, Robotrix, A Better Tomorrow 2, Iron Angels, Dragon in Jail and so much more – gets some scene stealing roles as he fires out lines in English that had me laughing out loud.
Unique and weird, yet captivating and beautifully made with a catchy soundtrack, this slice of independent cinema has never looked better thanks to this stunning new 4K restoration from Radiance Films. I'm only sorry it took me this long to see it. While it's not a film you would want to rewatch time and time again, it is definitely one I believe would give you a different experience each time you do – perhaps revealing many new things along the way, but never boring. Wayne Wang is an interesting guy and although I have seen a few of his prior works in the past, I'm pretty intrigued to see more. If Life Is Cheap... was a person, it would definitely be on the spectrum – but that's not a bad thing and for those of you wanting to see something far removed from what you think Asian cinema is all about, then this is a great place to start! (3.5 / 5) George @invincibleasia
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