At Last!
Well, I thought it would never come out on DVD. Perhaps it's my passion for all things ancient Egyptian, but I have always loved this wonderfully enjoyable epic. Howard Hawks was a director who steadfastly refused to be pigeon-holed, making everything from Bogey's "The Big Sleep" to sci-fi classic "The Thing" (although he credited editor Christian Nyby instead of himself) to stock car racing "Red Line 7000." Here he takes a shot at "historical" epic and does a damned entertaining job of it. Pharaoh Jack Hawkins plays straightman to Joan Collins' campy concubine while James Robertson Justice does a terrific job of keeping a straight face as a tomb architect. Amidst all the stone monuments, the only thing wooden is Dewey Martin as Justice's son. All this may not sound like a **** movie, but it's a guilty pleasure I've watched so many times on VHS that it's embarrassing. That's gotta be worth extra credit.
About the Korean Version
This DVD version is letterbox, but that's about all one can appreciate in this edition. Picture quality doesn't even match the VHS version. Large crowd scenes have characteristic jiggle common to VHS. Focus is not sharp and crisp.
I compared my VHS with the DVD and the VHS actually had better picture quality, albeit pan & scan full-screen. I would wait for the studio edition of this DVD (if it ever happens.)
The Bogdanovich Commentary Stinks
The only thing that mars this beautiful presentation is Bogdavoch's commentary. Not only does he have nothing positive to say about the film, he actually has NOTHING to say at all. His presence on the track can only be explained by his having an old taped interview with Hawks in which he leads the director to discuss DeMille and dump on his movie. A total waste of time when there is so much to behold on screen. But get it anyway! It's a great 'Land'."
Click to Editorial Reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment