The
Circle (2014/Wolfe
DVD)/Mad As Hell
(2014/Cenk Uyger/Oscilloscope DVD)/Pelican
Dreams
(2014/Docurama/Cinedigm DVD)/Victory
At Sea (1952 TV
compilation feature/Film Chest DVD)
Picture:
C+/C+/C+/C Sound: C+/C+/C+/C Extras: C/B-/B-/D Main
Programs: B-/B/B/B
Now
for a diverse new s
Documentary
filmmaker Stephan Haupt (Elisabeth
Kubler-Ross: Facing Death,
reviewed elsewhere on this site) combines that approach and more new
dramatizations than usual for The
Circle
(2014), which tells the story of how a gay couple under the threat of
punishment for being gay in Germany via the infamous Paragraph 150
law banning homosexuality that even outlasted the Nazis as well as
surviving the Holocaust (before they met) where many gays were sent
with Jews, lesbians, et al.
They
also started an underground newsletter publication, the name of the
film, which included erotic images, literature and more. That would
include some politics and how to deal with the oppression of the
time. The publication outlasted the decades that followed until the
counterculture kicked in during the 1960s worldwide, but the tale of
survival and being a forerunner of that movement is part of the tale
told here with a mix of interviews, more dramatic recreations of the
past (their relationship, secret gay parties, publishing the
newsletter without getting caught, etc.) even vintage still and
footage to tell the whole story.
At
102 minutes, this is not bad, though the mix can be slightly awkward
and not cohering as I might have liked, but it is another priceless
untold story of civil rights (they would go to Zurich on weekends to
party and avoid scrutiny) and how the love of two men, Ernst &
Robi, overcame the odds (they were still alive when this was released
as as we post) when they know so many couples now and then have not.
A
trailer and short film Flying
Solo
are the extras.
Andrew
Napier's Mad
As Hell
(2014) is about one-time Republican and Right Wing putz Cenk Uyger,
who bought into their phony 1980s traditional formula until George W.
Bush's Iraq campaign was blurred with the events of 9/11/01 (another
essay or encyclopedia of books) so he could exact revenge on Saddam
Hussein for threats against his father and family. Uyger, who wanted
to always be a talk show host on the political of everything was told
by his own father he was making a mistake throwing away a more
reliable career. However, Uyger became more Left of Center, found
access cable, then the Internet, made it to several major cable news
channels and is now one of the top stars on the Internet.
Though
some great old clips, stories, many interviews and more, we learn
about Uyger's journey, how changes in the country changed him forever
and how he boldly and fearlessly says everything on his mind as well
as being very explicit about the things that need to change to help
people, save the country, save the world and make changes for the
better. I believe Uyger's best is yet to come and the director
actually has been chronicling his story as of that of the Young
Turks
members (the staff and stars of his show) for a while, so I expect
another follow-up chapter down the line. Don't miss this great
expose about all of it.
Extras
include TVT
Cribs
showing Uyger's home and workplaces, 5 episodes of Mad
As Hell: The Series
and The
Oldies
with early clips of the TVT program, et al.
Judy
Irving's Pelican
Dreams
(2014) is a real surprise in its energetic, honest celebration of the
title animal, other animals, nature, the planet and why it needs
taken care of. She narrates the tale of several specific pelicans,
how she got involved, tells us about other great people helping out
and what these animals face because of carelessness and
irresponsibility from companies, people and laws that have been
stacked against them; especially since the 1980s.
Bruce
Kaplan's music is a plus, the footage is great, well-edited and as
compelling as any nature film (including the many IMAX films on the
subject or connected subjects) and it is so good, Irving ought to
have her own major TV series on all these subjects and more. She is
very well-spoken, poignant and compelling to listen to. Top rate and
highly recommended!
Extras
include three section of extra footage with no 'play all option'
running over 80 minutes with more on pelicans, the environment and
even the plight of the awesome sea lion.
Victory
At Sea
is a 1952 feature film made out of episodes of the TV series of the
same name, a practice that began so people could see select filmed
programming on the big screen (more so for scripted series like
Superman,
The
Green Hornet
or occasional 2-part ITC action show like The
Saint)
delivering definition (and later color) that TV could not until at
least HD kicked in, though home video killed doing this by the 1980s.
Here however, we have a solid look at how the Allies survived the
Axis Powers and especially the Japanese Militarists and their
Kamikazes suicide flyers.
Though
this might have the talk-at approach of a newsreel (the character
actor Alexander Scourby does the voiceovers here; musical legend
Richard Rogers even did the music score!) and that could have been
limiting or even unintentionally funny like so many a newsreel,
official
film and early police procedural that started to show up in the post
Film Noir era (1958 onward), but there is some rare footage here
including footage captured from the enemy to expand how intense the
fighting was. Yes, you've seen this footage or footage close to it
not to mention the many dramatizations thereof, but this is
surprisingly well done thanks to its energy, no filler and direct
approach. This is worth a look, even if it familiar to you.
There
are no extras.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image on Circle,
plus the anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image on Mad
and Dreams
are evenly matched with some softness, some good footage, some poor
footage and all very watchable for the format. I liked them so much,
I wished to see them in HD. The 1.33 X 1 black and white image on
Victory
is also HD-worthy, but the footage here is rough and not just because
it might be shot on location under duress or maybe second-generation
from coming from the TV series, but even with some restoration could
use some more work so expect a sometime trying viewing.
In
the sound department, Circle,
Mad
and Dreams
are presented in lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes and sound good if not
great throughout with limits to their soundfields (Circle
is laidback, the rest have location audio issues at times), but are
fine otherwise and tie for first place. The lossy Dolby Digital 2.0
Mono on Victory
is rough as expected for its age, though it could be worse and some
cleaning has been applied.
-
Nicholas Sheffo
