Ain't
Them Bodies Saints
(2013/MPI/IFC Blu-ray)/The
Long Goodbye (1973/United
Artists/Arrow Academy Region B U.K. Import Blu-ray)/Una
Noche (2012/Sundance
Select/MPI DVD)
Picture:
B/B+/C+ Sound: B-/B-/C+ Extras: C/B+/C- Films: C+/B+/C+
PLEASE
NOTE:
The
Long Goodbye
Import Region B Blu-ray, which will only operate on machines capable
of handling that format, is only available from Arrow U.K. and can be
ordered from the links below.
Here
are three dramas you should know about, including an expanded edition
of a true classic...
David
Lowery's Ain't
Them Bodies Saints
(2013) is a drama and sometimes character study involving a young man
(Casey Affleck, refusing to sell out) and the woman he loves and is
in love with (the underrated Rooney Mara, unbelievably deglamorized
here in yet another fine acting turn) are split by his arrest after a
shootout, but she is pregnant and while he is in hail, she has a baby
girl. He is determined to get out and see them both, no matter how
he has to get out of jail.
In
the meantime, she has the attention of a local police officer (the
great Ben Foster, in a remarkably understated performance) who is
interested in her very much and would like to step into the space
left by her arrested lover, but it will not be that simple. As well,
a local businessman (Keith Carradine of Thieves
Like Us,
Nashville)
wants to protect mother and child, but has some odd ways to do so and
all these conflicting intents will ultimately play out in ways no one
expects.
Done
in the lyrical visual style of Terrence Malick, Arthur Penn and
Robert Altman at times, I give all credit for telling the story in a
slow, leisurely way. The script takes its time to let things unwind
in what is a realistic manner and this becomes a real showcase for
all involved. The only problem is that we have seen more of this
before than we should with the plot offering nothing new and the
lyrical moments are only done occasionally. The actors essentially
save the film from its limits, but they can only do so much. Still,
it is a nice try and Lowery at least understands what pure cinema is.
Wish more new filmmakers did.
Extras
include a Making Of documentary, Deleted Scenes, Music Video, two
Teasers, the Original Theatrical Trailer and St.
Nick,
the digitally-shot first feature-length work by Lowery.
In
speaking
of Altman, his remarkable Neo Noir deconstruction of the detective
genre, mystery novel and masculinity on and off the big Hollywood
movie screen, The
Long Goodbye
(1973) has finally been issued on Blu-ray, if only overseas from
Arrow Academy in a Region B U.K. Import Blu-ray edition. We
previously looked at the MGM DVD edition of the film at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/212/Long+Goodbye+(1973/MGM+DVD
This
new expanded Blu-ray replaces that version with more extras and
playback that is superior in picture and sound to what was a pretty
solid DVD for the time. This remains one of Elliott Gould's finest
moments and on its 40th
Anniversary, the film is one of Altman's enduring triumphs, wit, dark
humor, visual references to the 1954 A
Star Is Born
(see Kolker's book A
Cinema Of Loneliness
reviewed elsewhere on this site, for more) and clever moments that
show why Altman was one of the greatest directors of all, here at the
peak of his powers.
The
extras include a high quality booklet featuring new essay on the film
by Brad Stevens, an archive interview with screenwriter Leigh
Brackett, new interview with assistant director Alan Rudolph and an
American
Cinematographer
article discussing Zsigmond's unique treatment of the film,
illustrated with original archive stills and posters, a reversible
sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jay Shaw,
while the actual Blu-ray adds the previously issued Rip
Van Marlowe
- An interview with director Robert Altman and star Elliott Gould,
previously issued Vilmos
Zsigmond Flashes The Long Goodbye - An
interview with the legendary cinematographer, Giggle
and Give In - Paul
Joyce's acclaimed documentary profile of Robert Altman with
contributions from Altman, Gould, Shelley Duvall, assistant director
Alan Rudolph and screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury, Elliott
Gould Discusses The Long Goodbye
- a conversation with crime novelist Michael Connelly, recorded in
March 2012, David
Thompson on Robert Altman
- David
Thompson, editor of Altman
on Altman
and producer of the BBC's Robert
Altman in England,
talks about The
Long Goodbye's
place in Altman's filmography, On
Raymond Chandler
- Chandler's biographer, Tom Williams, outlines the author's life and
work and discusses Altman's adaptation of The
Long Goodbye,
On
Hard Boiled Fiction
- Crime writer and critic Maxim Jakubowski discusses the emergence of
hard boiled detective characters from the pages of the pulp magazines
from the 1920s through to the 1950s, the Original Theatrical Trailer
and Radio Spots.
Last
but not least is Lucy Mulloy's Una
Noche
(2012),
which Spike Lee has put his name on for
promotion
purposes as a new producer, telling the story of a brother and sister
in Cuba anxious to and even dreaming of leaving their country for the
potential promise of Miami, Florida and the U.S. in general, but
there is plenty of problems at home and the brother has a new male
best friend who she feels is taking him away from her. He also has a
mother with AIDS from her self destructive prostitution and is not
telling the siblings.
There
are sad moments, some humorous ones and a few of personal triumph,
but Mulloy kheeps it realistic enough and the actors are a plus.
Unfortunately, we have seen this story a few times too many and the
more original moments are not here enough. Realism crowds out ironic
distance and that holds the film back at times, but it is worth a
look for the good things and challenging moments that work. Dariel
Arrechaga, Anailin De La Rua De La Torre, Javier Nunez Florian and
Leslie Shatz star.
The
only extra is a trailer.
The
1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image transfers on both
Blu-rays are shot on 35mm film and look good, with Bodies
lensed in the newest Kodak Vision 3 stocks in 3-perf Super 35mm by
Director of Photography Bradford Young (Middle
Of Nowhere)
with some nice compositional scope moments throughout, while Goodbye
is (as noted) lensed by the legendary Vilmos
Zsigmond, A.S.C., in some legendary work using real anamorphic
Panavision lenses. The print used rarely shows
the age of the materials used, all looking better than the fine print
on the older DVD. The film was issued on
dye-transfer, three-strip Technicolor prints at the time and many of
the shots here give us an idea of how that must have looked.
The
anamorphically enhanced
1.78 X 1 image on Noche
may be the weakest here by default, but this is a well shot also on
Kodak 35mm film stocks (Vision 2 and Vision 3) as lensed by Directors
of Photography Trevor Forrest (Comedown)
and Shlomo Godder
melding very well throughout. I'd love to see a Blu-ray on this one.
The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix on Bodies
should be the sonic champ, but it is a very quiet, understated film
and this extends to its sound, so we get a limited soundfield, though
all is well recorded. This the new PCM 2.0 Mono on Goodbye
can more than compete and as with all Altman films, has amazing,
enduring character in its mix. Note alone the brilliant way the
title song keeps surfacing throughout the film.
The lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 on Noche
is a little weak than the others, but is well recorded enough and
decently for an independent feature film, but it could sound better
if it were in a lossless version.
You
can order The
Long Goodbye
Region B Blu-ray import at this link:
http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk/
-
Nicholas Sheffo
