The Good Fairy (as part of the “Glamour Girls” DVD Box Set) (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

Charming, fun and absolutely delightful!  Margaret Sullavan shines in William Wyler’s “The Good fairy”.  A worthy addition to Kino’s “Glamour Girls” DVD Box Set!

Images courtesy of ©2002 Kino Intl. Inc. All rights reserved.

DVD TITLE: The Good Fairy

DATE OF FILM RELEASE: 1935

DURATION: 97 Minutes

DVD INFORMATION: B & W, Full Frame (1:33:1)

COMPANY: Kino Video

RATED: NOT RATED

RELEASE DATE: 2002

Directed by William Wyler

Based on the Ferenc Molnar Play “A jo tunder”

English Translation of Play by Jane Hinton

Written by Preston Sturges

Produced by Carl Laemmle Jr.

Associate Producer: Henry Henigson

Music by Heinz Roemheld

Cinematography by Norbert Brodine

Edited by Daniel Mandell

Art Direction by Charles D. Hall

Costume Design by Vera West

Starring:

Margaret Sullavan as Luisa “Lu” Ginglebuscher

Herbert Marshall as Dr. Max Sporum

Frank Morgan as Konrad

Reginald Owen as Detlaff, the Waiter

Eric Blore as Dr. Metz

Beulah Bondi as Dr. Schultz

Alan Hale as Maurice Schlapkohl

Cesar Romero as Joe

Luis Alberni as the Barber

June Clayworth as Mitzi (on-screen actress)

From director William Wyler (Wuthering Heights, Counsellor at Law, The Love Trap) comes a buoyant romantic fable laced with clever wordplay and ribald comedy, written by legendary screenwriter Preston Sturges (Sullivan’s Travels).

When a brash movie theater owner needs usherettes for his Budapest cinema, he recruits young Luisa Ginglebusher (Margaret Sullavan) from a nearby orphanage. Encouraged by her kindly guardian (Beulah Bondi) to “spread your wings,” Lu naïvely embarks on her quest to live the life of a fairy tale angel. Quickly encountering the debonair wolves that roam the sidewalks of Hungary, Lu randomly chooses a man to play the role of her husband: Dr. Max Sporum, a humble and idealistic lawyer (Herbert Marshall).

As Lu’s simple ruse grows hopelessly complicated, the dreamy-eyed girl refuses to abandon the charade, determined to evade one suitor’s wily grasp (Frank Morgan), provide Max the prosperity he so deserves, and allow the opportunity for true love to enter her life.

Charming, fun and absolutely delightful!  Margaret Sullavan shines in William Wyler’s “The Good fairy”.  A worthy addition to Kino’s “Glamour Girls” DVD Box Set!

“The Good Fairy” remains a classic film for fans of Preston Sturges and William Wyler’s work, as well as those who are fans of Margaret Sullavan and Herbert Marshall.

The film would be one of Sturges’ early works preceding hits such as “The Great McGinty”, “The Lady Eve” and “Sullivan’s Travels” and for filmmaker William Wyler, “The Good Fairy” would be one of the many string of hits for the director who would go on to direct “Jezebel”, “Wuthering Heights”, “The Best Years of Our Lives”, “Roman Holiday”, “Ben-Hur”, “Funny Girl” to name a few.

“The Good Fairy” was Sturges onscreen adaptation of the Molnar play “A jó tündér and the film was tailored by Sturges for actress Margaret Sullavan, a Broadway actress who had just made two films prior and would eventually gain recognition from this film and would later star in hits alongside Jimmy Stewart in “The Shopworn Angel”, “The Shop Around the Corner” and “The Mortal Storm”.

Although not a comedienne, for Sullavan, it was a chance to show her diversity as an actress and being the serious actress that she was, she and director William Wyler would clash on set but yet somehow, during the filming of the movie, the two fell in love and before the movie was even completed, both Wyler and Sullavan were married.

The film would receive its theatrical debut in February 1935 through Universal Pictures and for many film critics, the film is considered a classic romantic comedy.

The DVD of this film is currently available from Kino Video by itself or as part of their “Glamour Girls” DVD box set featuring five movies featuring Sullavan, Ava Gardner, Marlene Dietrich, Lucille Ball and Jeanette Macdonald.

“The Good Fairy” begins in an asylum (note: Not mental asylum but an orphanage)  in Budapest where Luisa “Lu” Ginglebuscher (played by Margaret Sullavan) is the oldest person at the Asylum who tends to entertain the other children with her stories.  One day, an owner of a movie palace visits the orphanage to find an orphan who can be an usherette at movie theater.

Because of Luisa’s antics, she often gets in trouble and of all days to get in trouble, she is caught breaking dishes (accidentally) and catching the attention of the theater owner.  Luisa is instantly hired and begins working as an usherette and where she meets Detlaff (played by Reginald Owen) for the first time.

The two somewhat clash during Luisa’s first day on the job but for Luisa, this new life is still better than what she had at the orphanage.  While leaving work, she is hit on by a man who wants to take her out.  Scared and not knowing what to do or say, she comes up with an idea to pretend that Detlaff is her husband and manages to get away from the guy who bothered her.

As Detlaff takes Luisa out to a club, he feels sorry for her when he finds out that she is from the asylum and really doesn’t have a clue about life.  So, since Detlaff is a waiter, he invites her to a high class party and tells her to dress up nicely but not to talk so much and draw attention.  All Detlaff would like for Luisa to do is experience the party.

But as soon as Detlaff gets back to work, Luisa is hit on by Konrad (played by Frank Morgan), a meat-packing millionaire who very much is smitten with Luisa.   As Konrad is very strong (and also much older) in terms of how he talks to women,  once again, in fear Luisa uses the “I’m married” routine to try to get out of it.  But instead of escaping from Konrad, Konrad wants to meet her husband and also share his wealth with him.

Shocked by this, Luisa who is caught up with her lie of being married, randomly picks out a name from the phone book and  the lucky man is a poor doctor named Max Sporum (played by Herbert Marshall).  Konrad offers him a 5-year contract and Max has no idea why Konrad is interested in him but thinks it’s because of his ethnics, hard work and integrity. But for Luisa, she just wants to be “the good fairy” and do something positive for someone in need but using Konrad’s wealth to make it happen, so she continues her lie of being married to Max.

Meanwhile, for Konrad, he sees this as an opportunity to get closer to Luisa as he intends to ship Max (who Konrad thinks is Luisa’s husband) to South America, so Max would not be in the way of him trying to get some alone time with her.

But what happens when Luisa meets Max and with Konrad hot for Luisa’s attention, Detlaff also feels he needs to do something about it.

What will happen to these four individuals?

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“The Good Fairy” is an older release from Kino Video (from 2002) but the picture quality for the film is actually pretty good considering it’s nearly 80-years-old.  The print was surprisingly good and noticed no flickering or major scratches that prevented my enjoyment of the film.  It was a very good print and I was pleased with that.

As for the audio, audio is monaural and for the most part, audio is clear.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“The Good Fairy” comes with the following special features:

• Trailer – (2:44) The original theatrical trailer for “The Good Fairy”
• A Galler of Rare Personal Photographs from the William Wyler Estate -  Private photos of William Wyler, Margaret Sullavan and friends. Photos can be moved by using your remote or keyboard.

“The Good Fairy” is a fun and hilarious film that really does show that Sullavan can definitely play a comedic role.  Known for her work on Broadway and her two previous films showcasing her acting, “The Good Fairy” puts Sullavan in a role of a pure hearted and very naive individual.

Granted, although Sullavan as an older orphan looks more like a woman in her ’20s versus a woman in her teens (at the time, Sullavan was 24-years-old), once you get past that, its more or less Sullavan stealing the show as her mannerisms in a new location, in the city and how she behaves towards men was quite fun to watch and also very interesting.

And as fun as the film was to watch, it’s hard to believe that behind-the-scenes, there was turmoil.  Sturges, a perfectionist who kept revising his adaptation, Wyler who was frustrated with Universal and also working with Sullavan and of course, somehow during their intense verbal spats, the two manage to fall in love during the making of this film and marry (and their rocky marriage is another story on its own).

But while Wyler, Sturges and Sullavan were major forces of the film, you have to give credit to Herbert Marshall, Frank Morgan and Reginald Owen for their performance.  The three gentlemen who are close with Luisa are opposites, Detlaff is more or less a stuffy individual who feels he must help Luisa, Konrad is the older man who will do all he can to get Luisa and Dr. Max Sporum, the intellectual who has no clue what’s going on and together with Sullavan, they were able to make Sullivan’s character much more appreciated and lively.

I have to admit at first, I was a bit hesitant to watch “The Good Fairy”, mainly because I have read so many things about Margaret Sullavan and her diva-ish attitude as an actress.  From her antics which she did to get her own way on the set, to alienating the director (which both would get in heated arguments before and after their marriage), it’s quite similar to a lot of demanding talent, may they be method actors or egotistical, if they can perform and make us believe they are that character, then you can’t help but respect that talent’s style of acting.  For Sullavan, she definitely carried this film and she would eventually because one of America’s top actresses in the ’30s and early ’40s.

And it is no surprise that among the DVD’s release by Kino Video, that Margaret Sullivan and her film “The Good Fairy” would be included in the “Glamour Girls” DVD Box set and also part of the William Wyler Collection of films released by Kino (along with Wyler’s 1929 film “The Love Trap” and the 1933 film “Counsellor at Law”).

The DVD doesn’t come with a lot of special features but aside from the trailer, you do get personal photos shared by Wyler’s estate included old photos with Wyler and Sullavan together.  But I was quite pleased with the DVD quality for this film as I was expected to see some PQ issues but for the most part, this is a pretty good transfer for a DVD release.

Overall, “The Good Fairy” is definitely a film that is worth checking out (especially if you enjoy romantic comedies) on its own or enjoyed among the other wonderful films included in the “Glamour Girls” DVD box set.

Topsy-Turvy – The Criterion Collection #558 (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

Overall, with the Blu-ray release of Mike Leigh’s “Topsy-Turvy” and the release of “The Mikado”, fans of Gilbert and Sullivan will no doubt be satisfied with these two awesome releases from the Criterion Collection! “Topsy-Turvy” is delightful and it’s one of the most enjoyable films I have seen that tries to capture the accuracy of showcasing a rehearsal on screen but capturing all its intricacies.  Featuring wonderful production design, costume design and overall presentation in conjunction with wonderful performances, “Topsy-Turvy” is a must-buy titled from Criterion!  Highly recommended!

Image courtesy of © Universal Studios, Inc. 1999 October Films. 2011 The Criterion Collection. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Topsy-Turvy – The Criterion Collection #558

YEAR OF FILM: 1999

DURATION: 160 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (1:78:1 Aspect Ratio), Surround

COMPANY: Universal/Focus Features/THE CRITERION COLLECTION

RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2011

Directed by Mike Leigh

Written by Mike Leigh

Produced by Simon Channing Williams

Associate Producer: Georgina Lowe

Cinematography by Dick Pope

Edited by Robin Sales

Casting by Nina Gold

Production Design by Steve Stewart

Art Direction by Helen Scott

Set Decoration by John Bush, Eve Stewart

Costume Design by Lindy Hemming

Starring:

Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan

Jim Broadbent as W.S. Gilbert

Ron Cook as Richard D’Oyly Carte

Dexter Fletcher as Louis

Sukie Smith as Clothilde

Roger Heathcott as Banton

Wendy Nottingham as Helen Lenoir

Stefan Bednarczyk as Frank Cellier

Geoffrey Hutchings as Armourer

Timothy Spall as Richard Temple

Martin Savage as George Grossmith (Ko-Ko)

Lesley Manville as Lucy Gilbert

Eleanor David as Fanny Ronalds

Julia Rayner as Mademoiselle Fromage

Shirley Henderson as Leonora Braham (Yum-Yum)

Kevin McKidd as Durward Lely (Nanki-Poo)

The world of Gilbert and Sullivan comes to vivid life in director Mike Leigh’s extraordinary dramatization of the staging of the duo’s legendary 1885 comic opera The Mikado. Jim Broadbent and Allan Corduner brilliantly inhabit the roles of the world-famous Victorian librettist and composer, who, along with their troupe of temperamental actors, must battle personal and professional demons while mounting this major production. A lushly produced epic about the harsh realities of creative expression, featuring bravura performances and Oscar-winning costume design and makeup, Topsy-Turvy is an unexpected period delight from one of contemporary cinema’s great artists.

Among the greatest musical collaborations of all time, the collaboration between English dramatist, poet and illustrator W.S. Gilbert and composer Sir Arthur Sullivan. Both famous for their work which include “H.M.S. Pinafore”, “The Pirates of Penzance” and “The Mikado”.

“The Mikado” is a comedic opera featuring music by Sullivan and libretto by Gilbert and it was their ninth of fourteenth operatic collaboration which opened in London back in March 14, 1885 and ran at the Savoy Theatre for 672 performances and by the end of that year, it was estimated that at least 150 companies were producing the opera.

When the opera was created, it was back during the 1880′s when no one knew much about Japan and since the 1860′s, there has been a fad of interest in Japan because all that people have heard was how exotic the location was and needless to say, people were intrigued by another country, so different than theirs. So, because of the interest in Japan, W.S. Gilbert was able to satirize British politics and institutions by disguising them as Japanese. But the inspiration for Gilbert to create something around Japanese culture, was because of a sword which supposedly fell from his wall. Because a Japanese family had moved to Knightsbridge, he recalled seeing the Japanese in their exotic robes and this was the inspiration he needed to create “The Mikado”.

To celebrate this collaboration, the Criterion Collection is releasing on Blu-ray and DVD, both the 1939 film adaptation of “The Mikado” and Mike Leigh’s (“Happy-Go-Lucky”, “Vera Drake”, “Secrets & Lies”) 1999 music drama film “Topsy-Turvy” about Gilbert & Sullivan’s strained relationship and how “The Mikado” came to fruition.

The film would win an Oscar for “Best Costume Design (Lindy Hemming) and “Best Make-Up” (Christine Blundell, Trefor Proud) and would also be nominated for “Best writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Mike Leigh) and “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Eve Stewart, John Bush).

“Topsy-Turvy” begins in 1984 as “Princess Ida” is having its opening night at the Savoy Theatre.  We get to see Arthur Sullivan (played by Allan Corduner) who is quite ill and is injected morphine (common during that time) in order for him to conduct at the theater.    For Sullivan, he is growing tired of the operas that he and Gilbert are creating and wants to create a Grand Opera which pretty falls on deaf ears.

While Sullivan goes to Europe in hopes for his health to improve, ticket sales for “Princess Ida” continue to worse, so producer Richard D’Oyly Carte (played by Ron Cook) contacts W.S. Gilbert and Sullivan to an important meeting to create a new piece for the Savoy Theatre.  Unfortunately, despite having a winning collaboration with W.S. Gilbert (played by Jim Broadbent), their relationship is starting to sour and both men do not know if they can work together and feel that their partnership has run its course.  So, for now…Carte has no choice but to revive an earlier work of theirs titled “The Sorcerer”.

But one day, while Gilbert and his wife visit a popular exhibition of Japanese arts and crafts in Knightsbridge, London, he is captured by the Japanese tradition culture.  From the geisha’s who are dancing, to watching a little kabuki, he has no idea how much being there at the time would capture his attention to exotic Japan.

While in his study, a katana sword falls off the wall and from that point on, Arthur Sullivan is inspired to write a libretto set in exotic Japan.

The second half of the film features Gilbert, Carte and Sullivan working together in making “The Mikado” a success, which includes the challenges of getting the talent to wear Japanese outfits, the rehearsals and trying to get it right, backstage presentations, negotiating of salaries and also trying to capture the authenticity of Japan from the way they walk and use their fans.

With the lack of success of “Princess Ida”, will Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado” succeed with the audience this time?  Or is this the absolute final collaboration for the duo?

VIDEO:

“Topsy-Turvy” is presented in the filmmaker’s preferred aspect ration of 1:78:1.  The film looks absolutely fantastic in HD.  First, the art direction by Helen Scott, production design by Eve Stewart and the set decoration by John Bush and Stewart were fantastic.  The crew worked hard in trying to capture the 1880′s and because of the colorful outfits of “The Mikado”, the film is quite vibrant. You can see the textures in the clothing, even for the sets and walls.  Amazing detail and clarity and considering this is a 1999 film, there are times when you noticed films from the ’90s on Blu-ray looking a bit soft or even aged.  Not in the case for this film.  The picture quality was great, even during the more reddish moments where you expect banding, didn’t see it at all.

Skin tones were natural, blacks were nice and deep.  The Criterion Collection fans should be quite happy with the video presentation of this film.

“Topsy-Turvy” was supervised by cinematographer Dick Pope and approved by director Mike Leigh.  According to the Criterion Collection, the new digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine in 2K resolution from a 35 mm interpositive.  Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI’s DRS system and Pixel Farm’s PFClean system, while Digital Vision’s DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Topsy-Turvy” is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio.  The lossless soundtrack is crystal clear as the crisp dialogue and music definitely sounds fantastic as it comes through the front and center channels.  The surround channels feature the crowd ambiance as you can hear the audience clapping or cheering after a play.

According to the Criterion Collection, the surround soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the original 35mm magnetic tracks. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube’s integrated audio workstation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Topsy-Turvy – The Criterion Collection #558″ on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

• Commentary – Audio commentary featuring director Mike Leigh
• Mike Leigh & Gary Yershon – (37:22) A fascinating video conversation between Leigh and musical director, Gary Yershon.  Yershon poses the questions to Leigh about why he focused on Sullivan, why he chose “The Mikado” to use for the film and Yershon talks about the work of W.S. Gilbert.
• A Sense of History – (26:16) Leigh’s 1992 short film A Sense of History, written by and starring actor Jim Broadbent.  About the Twenty-Third Earle of Leete.
• Deleted scenes - Featuring four deleted scenes that were only cut for duration purposes: Helen and D’oyly Carte, Brothel Scene (Uncut), Sullivan’s Aspirations and “If Patriotic Sentiment – Wanted” (Cut Song)
  
• Featurette – (9:49) Featurette from 1999 including interviews with Leigh, Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner and cast members.
• Theatrical trailer and TV spots – Featuring the theatrical trailer, TV spot 1 & 2 and TV Spot for soundtrack.

EXTRAS:

Included is a 18-page booklet featuring information about the cover (Joge-e) and “Great Performances” essay by film critic and editor Amy Taubin.

“Topsy-Turvy” is well-crafted, well-acted and a magnificent film by director Mike Leigh.

If there is one thing can you truly appreciate about this film is how authentic Leigh and his crew would try to attain a high level of efficacy when it comes to performance, set-up, production and costume design and make-up.  But also important was the casting of Allan Corduner and Jim Broadbent, the two men who brought out the characteristics of Sir Arthur Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert.

It’s one thing to watch an opera and be entertained by the performances and the music but for me, part of the intrigue in learning about the two men are learning about their intricacies and also how unfriendly the two were towards each other.  The duo are known for producing enjoyable work that has quite literally made a lot of money for them but who would have known how Sullivan was with women.  How pompous of a man he was and who would have known how conflicted, petulant and driven Gilbert was.   The fact is not many of us know the men behind the music, this is where Mike Leigh comes in with “Topsy-Turvy”, a film based on the famous Gilbert & Sullivan who went on to create the beloved “The Mikado” comic opera back in 1885.

So, popular that it was the second longest run for any work of a musical theatre and one of the longest runs of any theatre pieces of that time.  At least 150 companies were producing the opera and would continue to show the world that these two men still had it within them to work together and create financial operatic hits.  But “The Mikado” was the duo’s most influential and most accomplished work.

Mike Leigh is able to hire talent that work as a perfect ensemble as these talent portray the actors that are featured on-stage ala “The Mikado” and also what transpires during their rehearsals.  What Leigh is able to capture is the actual creation of an opera.  From rehearsals to costume design, to capturing Japanese authenticity, the research that Leigh had to do in order to make this film look right and sound right is magnificent.  I don’t think one will ever see a rehearsal captured on film as effective as “Topsy-Turvy” and at the same time, one may wonder if a film like this can ever be made by a major film studio.

“Topsy-Turvy” is a wonderful Blu-ray release from The Criterion Collection and anyone who is passionate or intrigued by the work of Gilbert and Sullivan, especially curious about the individuals, this Blu-ray release is quite fantastic in presentation, special features and a film that looks and sounds fantastic in HD.

Overall, some may feel the film’s duration may be too long for their taste at 170-minutes, but personally, this is one of those films were time goes quickly because it’s so enjoyable to watch.  It’s an accessible Mike Leigh film created with passion and it’s look, feel and music succeeds in every level.  It’s a film about man’s pursuit of success but also one’s shortcomings and I emphasize that one must not need to be an erudite in opera or the works of Gilbert & Sullivan to enjoy this film.  It may not be for everyone but it’s a delightful film that is quite easy for me to recommend.

If you are a cineaste looking for a Blu-ray or DVD release that has soul, that has passion and captures the vibrancy and doldrums of two fascinating music icons, “Topsy-Turvy” is a must-buy release on day one.  Highly recommended!

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS VOL. 2 ORIGINAL TELEVISION SOUNDTRACK SET FOR DIGITAL RELEASE ON MAY 4, 2010, In Stores May 18, 2010

Soundtrack Features Top Independent Artists And Includes Songs By Jakob Dylan, Band Of Skulls, White Rabbits, John Doe, Among Others
New Season Premieres On NBC May 7

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif – April 7, 2010 – Friday Night Lights Vol. 2 Original Television Soundtrack, will be released digitally on May 4, 2010 and in stores on May 18, 2010 by Arrival Records/Scion Music Group (distributed by Fontana Distribution, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group). The selection of music ranges from the soulful to the more hard rock, and all the songs and artists included in the album will be featured in the upcoming season. Liza Richardson is the soundtrack album co-producer and music supervisor for the television series. Jason Katims is both the executive producer of “Friday Night Lights” and of the Friday Night Lights Vol. 2 Original Television Soundtrack. The “Friday Night Lights” soundtrack is licensed through NBC Universal Television, DVD, Music and Consumer Products Group.

Reflecting the passion and emotion of the show, Friday Night Lights Vol 2 Original Television Soundtrack, boasts a wide variety of artists including White Rabbits, Band Of Skulls, Augustana, Heartless Bastards, A.A. Bondy, Jakob Dylan, John Doe, The Avett Brothers, AM, Sufjan Stevens, Fink and Snuffy Walden. A complete track listing follows below.

Commenting on this diverse and spirited album, Jonathan Platt, the soundtrack’s co – producer says: “We are extremely excited about releasing this amazing soundtrack which is so reflective of the spirit of this show consisting of some of the most relevant artists of today’s ‘Indie’ and mainstream music scene.”

“Working on this show is a music supervisor’s dream,” said Richardson. “On this compilation, we’ve focused on a handful of the more emotional selections to give the soundtrack more cohesiveness. Our selections range from various rock music tracks, to hip hop, to some more prayer-like “twang!” There’s so much amazing music in the show, we could go on and on for volumes! The quality of the exceptional writing, acting, directing and editing of Friday Night Lights deserves music with equal integrity.”

Adds Jason Katims: “I am so excited about the release of the Friday Night Lights Vol. 2 Soundtrack. I think fans of the show will agree that this is not only a great collection of songs from some of the most exciting artists out there, but it is also a true representation of the musical voice of Friday Night Lights.”

“Music plays an important role in how fans connect with a show and embrace it,” said Shelli Hill, Vice President NBC Universal Television, DVD, Music and Consumer Products Group. “This soundtrack features great music from pivotal moments in the program that really resonates with fans of the show.”

The eclectic Friday Night Lights Vol. 2 Original Television Soundtrack features the following:

1. PERCUSSION GUN – WHITE RABBITS
2. SWAY – HEARTLESS BASTARDS
3. KILLED MYSELF WHEN I WAS YOUNG – A.A. BONDY
4. FIRE – AUGUSTANA
5. SOMETHING GOOD THIS WAY COMES – JAKOB DYLAN
6. I KNOW WHAT I AM – BAND OF SKULLS
7. THE MEANEST MAN IN THE WORLD – JOHN DOE
8. IF IT’S THE BEACHES – THE AVETT BROTHERS
9. WHAT YOU HIDE – AM
10. COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING – SUFJAN STEVENS
11. THIS IS THE THING – FINK
12. FNL MAIN TITLE – SNUFFY WALDEN

Brüno (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

Absolutely shocking, surprising, hilarious and wild!  If you thought Sacha Baron Cohen was hilarious and crazy in “Borat”, wait until you see him as “Brüno”.  For the Blu-ray release, Cohen and Director Larry Charles reveal their secrets of the film in a surprising but informative video commentary and more! “Brüno” is one of those films that you will either enjoy it or really hate it!  But for those who loved it, will definitely enjoy “Brüno” on Blu-ray.

TITLE: Brüno

DURATION: 1 Hr. 22 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (Widescreen 1:85:1), English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, DVS DD 2.0, Francais, Espanol DTS 5.1, Subtitles: English SDH, Francais, Espanol

RATED: R (Pervasive Strong and Crude Sexual Content, Graphic Nudity and Language)

COMPANY: Universal

RELEASE DATE: November 17, 2009

Directed by Larry Charles

Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Mazer and Jeff Schaffer

Story by Sacha Baron Cohen, Peter Baynham, Anthony Hines, Dan Mazer

Character created by Sacha Baron Cohen

Executive Producer: Anthony Hines, Asif Satchu, Modi Wiczyk

Producer: Sacha Baron Cohen, Monica Levinson, Dan Mazer, Jay Roach

Co-Producer: Jon Poll, Todd Schulman

Associate Producer: Jeff Schaffer, Jason Alper

Music by Erran Baron Cohen

Cinematography by Anthony Hardwick, Wolfgang Held

Production Design by Dan Butts, Denise Hudson, David Maturana

Art Direction by Kate Bunch, Lisa Marinaccio

Set Decoration by Ute Bergk, Britt Woods

Costume Design by Jason Alper

Starring:

Sacha Baron Cohen as Bruno

Gustaf Hammarsten as Lutz

Clifford Banagale as Diesel

Chibundu Orukwowu and Chigozie Orukwowu as O.J.

Josh Meyers as Kookus

Paula Abdul

Harrison Ford

Bono

Sting

Snoop Dogg

Domiziano Arcangeli

Elton John

Chris Martin

Slash

Richard Bey

Brittny Gastineau

Lloyd Robinson

Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, Ali G Show and Talidega Nights) brings you the comedy that has started more conversation, generated more controversy and dared to go further than ever before!

As Bruno travels the world in search of fame, everyone he encounters – celebrities, politicians, Hasidic Jews, terrorists and cage fighters – becomes a stepping-stone to stardom, with hilarious results!

So prepare yourself for nonstop laughs in the film Rolling Stone should be “Numero uno on your funnytime list!”

Absolutely shocking, surprising, hilarious and wild!  If you thought Sacha Baron Cohen was hilarious and crazy in “Borat”, wait until you see him as “Brüno”.  For the Blu-ray release, Cohen and Director Larry Charles reveal their secrets of the film in a surprising but informative video commentary and more! “Brüno” is one of those films that you will either enjoy it or really hate it!  But for those who loved it, will definitely enjoy “Brüno” on Blu-ray.

When Sacha Baron Cohen released “Borat”, needless to say that people were shocked to see how far the English actor/comedian would go.  Shocking and surprising, the actor was able to film people while in disguise as another character in absolutely shock moviegoers by the type of content shown onscreen.  You either loved it or hated it.  If anything, whether you loved the man as Ali G or Borat, one thing that Cohen knows how to do is push the button and one can only wonder what he has under his hat for his next project.

Sure enough, Cohen returned in 2009 with the character “Brüno” which came out in theaters and literally received nationwide press and notoriety as people got to see the character firsthand at the MTV Movie Awards flying in the air as fairy and landing upside down, crotch directly smacking on hip hop artist Eminem in the face, prompting the hip hop artist to leave the award show (note: Eminem came out a month later telling media that it was a plan that he and Cohen devised).  But by then, the Brüno project was fully in effect as even GQ featured a nude Brüno on their cover prompting many retail chains to deal with the headaches from customer complaints and eventually having to cover up the front cover of the publication.  Also, to further the controversy was that the publication featured Brüno with Los Angeles Birmingham High School football team (without much clothing in tight short shorts with his shirt pulled up featuring suggestive photos with the team) which led to even more controversy and problems for the high school.

Needless to say, Sacha Baron Cohen knows how good controversy sells and sure enough, the film received tons of hype.

And similar to Borat, the jokes are on the unsuspecting people who encountered him.  As Brüno’s goal was to become a celebrity in America, all these people knew was that he was a former TV host of a popular show callled Funkyzeit in Austria is now in the US developing his own show.

The character of Brüno is a naive man who is gay and loves fashion but also loves having sex with men and enjoys pushing the button by featuring things that you either will love or hate within the first 15 minutes of the film (note: expect to see men’s pubic hair, actual penis video and gay sex).

The film follows Brüno, the former host of Funkyzeit as he has decided to come to America to become a celebrity after being fired after a major mishap at a major fashion runway show in which he ends up getting blackballed.

In America, destined to try his new life at becoming a celebrity outside of Europe, he first visits agent Lloyd Robinson and of course, to the unsuspecting people, all they know is that a famous man from Austria will be coming to America to pitch his show and a film crew will be recording his adventures in Hollywood.

Robinson is willing to give Brüno a chance to pitch his show to a focus group and CBS producer but of course, the first red flag is when on the phone conversation with his agent, Brüno is off getting his anus bleached and discussing it with his agent (who is shocked by the discussion).  Needless to say, things get off the wrong foot when he starts showing off a man’s penis that is constantly rotating and urking the 40+ year-old focus group.

Robinson does give Brüno a chance though, by getting him a chance to become an extra on an NBC prime-time drama in which Brüno messes up and is removed from the recording studio.  Brüno then believes that he needs to do a celebrity interview show and his first guest would be “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul.  Paula who thinks she is coming in for an award from Austria is shocked when she sees three Mexican men who are kneeling on all fours and finds out they are the chairs.  But its when Paula Abdul sees a man coming out fully naked with sushi all over him, she storms out of the interview.

Brüno then gets the opportunity to interview high level politicians and one of the first people he interviews are Texas politician Ron Paul and Ron Barr who at the time was running as the Libertarian candidate for President in 2008.  With Barr, he is fed some cheese and when Brüno tells him where the cheese came from, he looks disgusted.  As for Ron Paul, Brüno takes him to his bedroom where Paul thinks the interview will be recorded but instead, Brüno tries to seduce him without his pants and of course, Ron Paul disgusted, storms out of the room.

Now, Brüno feels that things are not going as great as he expected, so he thinks he needs to up the ante by going to the Middle East and interviewing a terrorist, then try to bring peace between representatives of two countries and perhaps maybe have an African baby like Madonna and then go on a talk show in front of African Americans and show off his African baby (which he names O.J. and tells the audience that he swapped the baby for his iPod).

Needless to say, Brüno’s adventures get even more interesting when he tries to tone down his homosexuality and try to be straight and enjoy a “vagina” by going to Christian folks who would attempt to make him straight, attending a swingers club and watch men having sex with women but instead finds himself looking at the men, to hanging out in the South with hunters for a guys night out hunting rabbit and trying his best to make him sound like a straight man to the hunters and even trying to take part in a UFC-style match as a fighter which leads to a shocking moment featured in various news reports worldwide.

Sacha Baron Cohen tries to go farther than he had with “BORAT” but this time using the gay Brüno as a character who desires to become a celebrity in America.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“Brüno” is featured in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1 widescreen) and overall, picture quality is quite vibrant and colorful.  If anything, the film definitely looks good in High Definition and I spotted no sign of artifact compressions, banding or any dust.  The transfer is well-done.

As for audio quality, the film is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (also included is a DVS Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack, French and Spanish DTS 5.1).  The film is primarily dialogue and music driven but the music features house music and thus, bass is really nice and strong throughout the film.  But overall, the film is primarily front and center channel driven and also bass via the subwoofer and overall, sound is crystal clear.  All dialogue is understandable (that is if you are understanding Brüno’s accent).  Surround usage is primarily used in crowds but for the most part, the film is front and center driven and is satisfactory for this style of film.

Subtitles are in English SDH, French and Spanish.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Brüno” comes with the following special features:

• Video Commentary – Featuring Picture-in-Picture commentary with Sacha Baron Cohen and director Larry Charles who reveal how they did the film and revealing true stories behind the making of the film.  Secrets of the film is revealed.
• Deleted Scenes – (40:44) Featuring eleven Deleted Scenes which include: La Toya Jackson, Fashion Montage, Party Planner, Realtors, Interior Designer, Texas, Scientist, Gun Show, Manacle Mall, Anti-Gay Marriage Rally and Middle East (a Blu-ray Exclusive).
• Alternative Scenes – Featuring the following segments not in the final cut which include: Pete Rose (2:23) and Politician Sex Tape (3:18) – Brüno with John Bolton (former US Ambassador), Gary Bauer (president of American Values) and Tom Ridge (former secretary of Homeland Security).
• Extended Scenes – (22:38) Featuring the following extended scenes: Baby Casting, Wedding, Second Gay Converter, Swingers, Lloyd Robinson-Agent Meeting, Lloyd Robins-Focus Group, Lloyd Robinson-Dove of Peace and National Guard (Blu-ray Exclusive).
• An Interview with Lloyd Robinson – (5:30) Interview with Hollywood agent Lloyd Robinson about how he never saw Borat or Ali G and then when he met Bruno with the cameras rolling and how he had to pitch a show with Brüno as the host.
• My Scenes - The ability to selected your favorite scenes from the film and watch them later on Blu-ray.
• BD-Live – Access the BD-Live Center and download the latest trailers, host a chat with your buddies, upload your own webcam commentary and more!

Brüno comes with a second disc which includes a digital copy of the film.

I have to admit that I looked forward to seeing “Brüno”, especially knowing how hilarious Sacha Baron Cohen was in “Borat”, with all the things that were going at the time such as the MTV Movie Awards and the GQ controversial cover, needless to say, fans of Cohen can only expect what crazy plans he had on his plate for Brüno.

Needless to say, controversy sells and the film was #1 in the box office making $33 million and made $136 million worldwide.

Although I felt the shock value of what I saw in “Borat” was more surprising, I suppose with “Brüno”, the biggest surprise was seeing him get interviews with major politicians and of course, going in front of an all black crowd and showcasing his baby from Africa was definitely pushing the button.  But it’s the reaction of Cohen bringing his gay character to the South and even the shocking UFC-style match that literally made the audience so disturbed was definitely quite interesting.

But when it comes to Cohen’s films, it’s hard to say if people will enjoy the film “Brüno”.  I can tell you right now, if you are very conservative, this movie is not for you.  In fact, if you have children…you do not want your children watching this film (as many moviegoers found out in the first 15 minutes).  The film is more or less watching Sacha Baron Cohen in another disguise and seeing how far he is able to accomplish his goals of shocking individuals with his character and needless to say, Brüno is definitely an interesting character that spares no one with his gay-style in the film.

As for the Blu-ray release, probably the biggest selling point and what I found the most enjoyable was hearing how Cohen and director Larry Charles were able to pull this film off.  I was more shocked to find out how many of those scenes were NOT staged.  For example, the sex scenes between Brüno and his boyfriend.  Of course, for movie viewers, you figured it was simulated sex scenes but according to Cohen and Charles, during the filming, there was an accident and an object went up the character that was playing Brüno’s boyfriend and that was shocking.  In fact, both men reveal a lot of the secrets in the film.

I though the fashion show segment was just staged to help introduce Brüno’s character in the film but the truth was that the duo were infiltrating a fashion show in Italy prompting high alert to watch out for Sacha Baron Cohen.  But even more shocking to find out what took place afterward (he did get blackballed from the fashion shows) when he was taken to a police precinct and with the Italian police not so thrilled about what he did, had him undress fully nude and were going to do a full body cavity search on him as a form of punishment.

There are a lot of details mentioned on the video commentary that will shock people and it’s quite interesting because it’s one of the first video commentaries I have seen where the filmmakers actually pause the film to discuss what happened and then play again.  So, the commentary is longer than the actual film as they pause at times to explain what really happened during the filming.

Also, for those who have heard about scenes that were cut such as the scene with La Toya Jackson (which was pulled due to the death of Michael Jackson), the scene with baseball’s Pete Rose, to even more interviews with major names in politics, these are all featured in the special features on Blu-ray.

“Brüno” is one of those films that it depends on the viewer and their preferred taste in films and their overall humor.  If you are already used to Sacha Baron Cohen’s comedy, then you know what you are getting.

Personally, I enjoyed Cohen’s previous film, “Borat” even more as the scenes in that film were more shocking to me. With “Brüno” its more about how far a gay man can get into the skin of those who are straight, conservative or have never encounter a person like him in their lives.  To see the camera capture their uncomfort when Brüno brings up things that they are not cool with is quite amusing.  Again, this will either make one laugh or really turn people off.

For “Brüno”, may it be homosexuality or a gay man raising a black baby or how he is naive about what is going in the world, it was a different kind of shock value than “Borat”.   But I’m used to Cohen’s comedy by now and have always been interested to see how much he would be able to push that button and seeing the reaction of those people and I guess, for me…that was the more amusing part of the film.

But assuming you never watched “Borat” or are not familiar with Cohen’s work but you are curious about this film, my best advice is to prepare yourself for an interesting 1 hr. and 22 minutes.  You will either laugh and be amused or may find “Brüno” to be a film that is insensitive and terrible.

And for those who did enjoy “Brüno”, the Blu-ray is definitely worth it for the special features and most of all, the tell-all video commentary.