THE DEPARTED 4K SteelBook is a Big Deal

THE DEPARTED (4K UHD SteelBook)

2006 / 151 min

FROM WARNER BROS / #InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Barbarian😹

While not Martin Scorsese’s greatest gangster film (Goodfellas will always hold that title), the 4K UHD SteelBook release of The Departed is a very big deal…at least in my house. 

First off, The Departed was one of the first Blu-rays I purchased after switching to the format. The picture and sound quality of that one was pretty good, noticeably sharper than the DVD. However, the overall 4K image is even better. This is especially apparent in close-ups and some of the scenes relying on shadow for dramatic effect. I didn’t notice a huge difference in the audio quality, though the DTS-HD Master Audio sounds terrific.

Another significant reason to upgrade is Warner Bros actually includes a brand new bonus feature, and it’s a good one. Scorsese looks back at the film, discussing how he came to make it and why, as well as a few of the hurdles he faced during production. In a surprising revelation, he believed that disagreements with the studio over the ending might have resulted in The Departed being his swan song as a director. Thank god that didn’t happen. My only complaint about this bonus feature is that it isn’t long enough…I could listen to him talk about movies and the filmmaking process all day.

Wondering who's gonna pick up the check.

The other reasons this release is a big deal are more personal. SteelBooks are the hardcover novels of physical media, and when at all possible, it’s nice when those special movies come with new packaging and artwork. Since I consider Scorsese one of our greatest living directors, any time one of his titles is made available in a SteelBook edition…just shut up and take my money. The Departed SteelBook has a neat matte finish and a montage of the three main characters, with a symbolic ‘X’ imposed over them (Scorsese explains its origins and significance in one of the bonus features). It’s also cool to have a digital copy, which obviously didn’t exist back in the early Blu-ray days. While watching films digitally is not preferable, I like having it handy during those visits to my mother-in-law’s house. 

As for the film itself…The Departed remains something of a milestone in Scorsese’s career, being the only film that got him a looooong overdue Oscar for Best Director. In a perfect world, he’d have already won a fistful by then and I believe the Academy gave him a statue for this one just to right past wrongs. But even if it’s no Goodfellas, Taxi Driver or Raging Bull, The Departed remains one of the better, more rewatchable gangster films of the 21st Century, and for Scorsese fans, owning it in 4K is a pretty big deal.

EXTRA KIBBLES

GUILT AND BETRAYAL: LOOKING INTO THE DEPARTED - An all new interview with director Martin Scorsese. 

VINTAGE FEATURETTES - The True Story of Whitey Bulger, Southie and The Departed looks at some of the partial inspiration for the film; Crossing Criminal Cultures is an excellent 20 minute featurette that focuses on how Scorsese’s personal experiences inspire his gangster films.

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DIGITAL COPY

THE TIN STAR: A Worthwhile Little Western

THE TIN STAR (Blu-ray)

1957 / 93 min

FROM ARROW VIDEO

Review by Mr. Paws

The Tin Star is one of the few westerns Anthony Mann directed during the 1950s that doesn’t star Jimmy Stewart. While no Winchester ‘73, it’s an entertaining film thanks to good overall performances and an engaging (if thematically familiar) story. 

Henry Fonda is Morgan Hickman, a wandering bounty hunter riding into town with the dead body of his latest quarry. He meets idealistic-but-inexperienced sheriff Ben Owens (Anthony Perkins), who got the job after the last one was killed. He doesn’t approve of Morgan’s methods, believing everyone should get a fair trial. However, his righteous resolve is frequently tested by Bart Bogardus (Neville Brand), a local bully who regularly challenges and intimidates him.

Bounty hunters aren’t held in high regard in this town, so when only hotel refuses to rent him a room, Morgan ends up staying with Nona (Betsy Palmer), a widowed dressmaker who lives on the edge of town and is also something of an outcast herself, raising a son she had with a Native-American. As he’s waiting to collect his bounty, Morgan becomes close with them, while Ben, despite his initial misgivings, realizes this stranger is more than he seems. In fact, he’s a former lawman. Somewhat reluctantly, Morgan agrees to teach Ben the ropes.

"Welcome, stranger. We have 12 cabins, 12 vacancies."

Later, when beloved town doctor Doc McCord (John McIntire) is murdered, the mayor demands Ben to form a posse to track down the killers. Ben wants to bring them in alive, while Bogardus and his bloodthirsty bunch plan on lynching the culprits. Despite the bounty placed on the killers, Morgan initially refuses to get involved and implores the inexperienced Ben to think twice about trying to catch them. However, when the boy follows the posse into the hills, Morgan is compelled to try and same them both.

Running a brisk 90 minutes, The Tin Star isn’t a particularly complex film, but it’s generally pretty enjoyable, with well-drawn characters and an interesting story that culminates in a satisfying climax. Fonda doesn’t really stretch himself here, but his indubitable earnestness is just what a character like Morgan needs for us to be invested. On a side note, it’s kind of amusing that two prominent cast members would someday be best-known for playing legendary psychos. Palmer is actually quite a dish in this one (and gets to keep her head).

Fairly light on action until the final act, The Tin Star benefits from a well-written screenplay (which was nominated for an Oscar) and typically confident direction by Mann, both of which compensate for the story’s overall predictability. While not as big or ambitious as some of the more iconic westerns of the genre, it's a worthwhile little western that looks great on this limited edition Blu-ray, which comes which a smattering of interesting bonus features.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

APPRECIATING A MASTER - A pretty thorough appreciation of the film by critic Neil Sinyard.

BEYOND THE SCORE - Elmer Bernstein’s son, Peter, talks about growing up with the legendary composer.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By historian Toby Roan.

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IMAGE GALLERY

BOOKLET, MINI-POSTER, LOBBY CARD REPLICAS & REVERSIBLE COVER (not reviewed)

THE SCARFACE MOB is Big Screen TV

THE SCARFACE MOB (Blu-ray)

1959 / 102 min

FROM ARROW VIDEO

Review by Mr. Paws😺

The original Untouchables was a TV series that ran for five years during the late 50s-early 60s. It starred Robert Stack as real-life federal agent Eliot Ness, who famously took down Al Capone during the prohibition era. The show itself was mostly fanciful fiction, with only the two-part pilot episode being based on actual events.

That two-parter was later recut & released as a theatrical feature, The Scarface Mob, which was pretty violent for its time and boasts a striptease by bombshell Barbara Nichols that would never have made it past TV censors back in the day. It chronicles Ness and his small team of incorruptible cops (and one reformed ex-con) as they try to bust Capone’s illegal operation, one brewery at a time. 

Most of the narrative takes place while Capone (Neville Brand) is in jail, with right-hand man Frank Nitti (Bruce Gordon) running things while he’s gone. Once released, Capone raises the stakes, targeting Ness, his team and even his wife. But of course, Ness won’t be intimidated, even after his wife is assaulted and a trusted partner is murdered.

Extreme hall monitors.

Those who only know of The Untouchables from Brian De Palma’s 1987 classic might find this film a bit quaint, which doesn’t quite escape its episodic TV origins. That’s likely due to time and budget restraints, and why a lot of exposition is urgently provided by narrator Walter Winchell. Still, the story is more or less the same and fitfully entertaining, with some pretty good action and a stoic performance by Stack. As Capone, Brand is suitably menacing, though his Italian accent is terrible.

The Scarface Mob features solid, no-nonsense direction by Philip Karlson, whose extensive film noir background keeps things fast moving and visually interesting. As gun & gangster epics go, it’s no classic, but certainly an agreeable way to kill a few hours...and an enjoyable trip down memory lane for those who might recall the original TV show.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

GANG BUSTERS - video essay about director Philip Karlson

PHILLIP KEMP ON THE SCARFACE MOB - The film critic discusses Elliot Ness and his depiction in the media, including this film and up to 1987’s The Untouchables.

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IMAGE GALLERIES - Posters, stills, lobby cards & publicity photos.

BOOKLET, MINI-POSTER, LOBBY CARD REPLICAS & REVERSIBLE COVER (not reviewed)

TORMENTED: A Little Film From Mr. B.I.G.

TORMENTED (Blu-ray)

1960 / 74 min

FROM FILM MASTERS

Review by Mr. Paws😺

For most of his career, the late Bert I. Gordon certainly lived up to his initials. This B-movie auteur was best known for economically cranking out a variety of killer creature features that mostly played in drive-ins for the teen crowd. 

If you’re of a certain age, perhaps you recall such schlockly classics as Beginning of the End, Earth vs. the Spider and The Amazing Colossal Man…if not from the days of local late-night TV, then maybe the original Mystery Science Theater 3000, which featured quite a few of his flicks. Yours truly is old enough to recall spending his own allowance to catch one of Gordon’s last critterfests, 1976’s The Food of the Gods, in a theater.

Gordon sometimes dabbled in other genres, usually budget-conscious versions of bigger and better films that were popular at the time, but seldom straying too far from his horror roots. One such film is 1960’s Tormented, a surprisingly atmospheric little ghost story. I remember once having TCM on the TV as background noise when this came on. Despite the director’s dubious reputation, I found it engaging enough to drop what I was doing and see it through. 

Not that Tormented is some kind of lost classic. It’s still a cheap film…but a pretty well made cheap film - for Bert I. Gordon, anyway - with decent performances and a good story. Jazz musician Tom Stewart (Richard Carlson) is about to marry new girlfriend Meg (Lugene Sanders) in Cape Cod when old flame Vi (Juli Reding) shows up. Still in love with him, she begs Tom to come back to her, even threatening blackmail. 

IKEA has some weird-ass room decor.

While they’re arguing atop a local lighthouse, the railing breaks. Hanging on for dear life, Vi begs Tom for help. He refuses and she falls to her death into the sea. While initially reasoning that he didn’t actually kill her himself, Vi returns from beyond to haunt him, still determined to stop the wedding. Like The Tell-Tale Heart, visions of her disembodied appendages, or finding jewelry he once gave her, could be manifestations of his guilt. But either way, Tormented is a fun little ghost story that establishes a moody tone with its seaside locations and, considering the budget, not-half-bad special effects.

Of course, being the work of Bert I. Gordon means Tormented isn’t without its goofy aspects, which are amusingly exploited in an old Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode included among this disc’s excellent batch of extras. Countering Joel and his robot friends’ merciless riffing are a few revealing bonus features that might have one appreciating what Gordon was always able to put together with very little money.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 VERSION - From 1992, featuring Joel, Crow & Tom Servo.

BERT I. GORDON: THE AMAZING COLOSSAL FILMMAKER - An 8 minute archival interview with the late director.

BIGGER THAN LIFE: BERT I. GORDON IN THE 1950’s and 1960’s - An excellent 40 minute appreciation by C. Courtney Joyner. The best of the new bonus features.

THE SPIRIT IS WILLING: CINEMAGIC AND SOCIAL DISCORD IN BERT I. GORDON’S TORMENTED - The Flying Maciste Brothers attach some seriously weighty themes to this little potboiler…kinda the antithesis of the MST3K episode.

FAMOUS GHOST STORIES - An unreleased TV pilot featuring Vincent Price, thought the episode itself is just an abridged version of Tormented.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Gary Rhodes and Larry Blamire.

ORIGINAL AND RE-CUT, RESTORED TRAILERS

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes an essay by Tom Weaver, as well as an interview with Susan Gordon, Bert’s daughter who plays little andy Hubbard.

THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT: One of Raoul Walsh's Best

THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT (Blu-ray)

1940 / 95 min

FROM WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😹

They Drive by Night is an excellent film with a loaded cast, a couple of whom were on the verge of stardom when this was released. What begins as a rough & tumble road movie eventually evolves into a stunning slab of film noir, with romance and a surprising amount of humor in between. It’s all seamlessly assembled by director Raoul Walsh.

Joe & Paul Fabrini (George Raft & Humphrey Bogart) are a couple of loyal brothers struggling to make a living as freelance truckers while avoiding a loan shark trying to repossess their rig. During one run, Joe meets and gives a lift to Cassie (Ann Sheridan), who just quit her waitress job. The two eventually fall in love. 

Meanwhile, during another run, an overtired Paul crashes the truck and loses his arm. Racked with guilt over the incident and now without a vehicle, Joe takes a job working for old buddy Ed Carlsen (Alan Hale), who owns a successful trucking business. Ed’s married to Lana (Ida Lupino), who barely masks contempt for her husband’s constant drinking and lack of class. She’s also obsessed with Joe, who rebuffs her repeated advances out of loyalty to Ed (and love for Cassie)…

Guess who's getting stuck with the check.

…so Lana murders her husband, making it look like an accident. She then offers Joe an equal partnership in the business, which he agrees to on the proviso that their relationship remains professional. He even brings Paul onboard as a dispatcher. However, upon learning Joe plans to marry Cassie, Lana becomes so enraged that she tells authorities she murdered Ed because Joe forced her to. 

From beginning to end, this is great stuff, punctuated by sharp dialogue and top-notch performances from the main cast, who seem to be taking turns stealing scenes from each other. Lupino, in particular, wonderfully transforms from sultry femme fatale to raving lunatic over the course of the story. It's no wonder she became a star soon after. Same with Bogart, who isn’t really in the film all that much after the first act, but is an indelible screen presence. 

Walsh keeps things moving at a lively pace with his usual directorial flare. They Drive by Night isn’t among his most-remembered work, but it’s arguably one of the best he made while under contract at Warner Brothers. While the movie can’t really be pigeonholed into one particular genre, it’s definitely a must-see for film noir fans. So far, this is the best Warner Archive Blu-ray release of the year.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Divided Highway: The Story of They Drive by Night is an excellent 10 minute retrospective doc, with insights and history from critics & historians like Leonard Maltin.

WB SHORT - Swingtime in the Movies is a 20 minute 1938 comedy with cameos by a few notable WB stars, including Humphrey Bogart.

LUX RADIO THEATER BROADCAST - From 1941, this radio adaptation of They Drive by Night features George Raft and Lana Turner.

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Revisiting BLAZING SADDLES at 50

BLAZING SADDLES (Blu-ray)

1974 / 93 min

FROM WARNER BROS.

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Reviewing this Blu-ray re-issue of Blazing Saddles is the first time I’ve sat down to watch the film in its entirety since the 1980s. Back then, it was often the movie of choice during Friday nights when a work buddy, Brian, would swing by my apartment to partake in a bit of herbal enhancement. 

Brian happened to be African-American, and when he first spotted it among my small VHS collection, he said it was one of his favorite movies. I was initially hesitant about watching it with him, especially with its liberal - and notorious - use of the n-word. But it was actually during the more racial-charged scenes when we always ended up laughing the hardest. 

Of course, anyone with a modicum of intelligence who’s actually seen Blazing Saddles - as opposed to knowling it by reputation - realizes the movie isn’t racist…it’s about the stupidity of racism, played for laughs (which it still largely earns 50 years later). That’s arguably why the film hasn’t been quite as retro-condemned as, say, Gone with the Wind, Sixteen Candles or Breakfast at Tiffany’s. 

Cleavon finds Gene's tickle spot.

Still, we live in a different world today, and revisiting the film resulted in a few personal takeaways…

• The movie is still funny without weed, though I missed Brian sitting on the sofa next to me. His laughter was infectious.
• Actually, I was thankful to be watching it alone this time. My daughters - both in their 20s - cannot stand racial epithets, no matter the context. Sure, the n-word is only spoken by bad guys and bumpkins (both depicted as idiots), but it’s weird to hear it used so often.
• If there’s one aspect of Blazing Saddles that could still be considered truly offensive, it’s the film’s cartoonish depiction of gay stereotypes. 
• I’ve heard a lot of people - mostly right-wingers - who claim Blazing Saddles couldn’t be made today because of woke culture. The fallacy in that statement - besides being a tired old cliche - is that so-called "woke" liberals are far less likely to take the humor at face value.
• Speaking of face value…now that I’m older, with more discriminating tastes and a heightened sense of humor, the campfire scene is still funny as hell. Of course, fart gags are common (and overused) today, but Brooks did it first…and did it big.
• “S’cuse me while I whip this out” is one of the funniest lines in movie history.
• Harvey Korman might very well be the movie’s MVP.
• Cleavon Little should have been a bigger movie star than he was. His delivery and comic timing are perfect.
• No one used anachronisms or broke the fourth wall better than Mel Brooks.
• Speaking of Brooks, it may be his name above the title, but even when prominently casting himself, he always gave the best roles, scenes and dialogue to his fellow actors.
• Watching the pilot episode of “Black Bart,” a proposed TV spin-off based on the movie (and included as a bonus feature), reminded me that network television didn’t have a problem with the n-word back then.
• Ironically, the same network felt compelled to edit the movie’s campfire scene for its TV broadcast, replacing the farts with belches (that scene is also among the bonus features). Racial slurs are okay, but God help us if impressionable viewers hear gas passing. The '70s were weird.
• Having seen a lot more classic westerns over the years, I appreciate Blazing Saddles’ satirical elements a lot more than I used to.

Those are my takes, anyway, and some might think I’m way off base on a few of them. But 50 years later, Blazing Saddles remains Mel Brooks’ funniest, most subversive film. Certain surface aspects notwithstanding, perhaps it’s even his most enduring, with underlying themes beneath the farce (and farts) that are still relevant.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Back in the Saddle is a retrospective documentary featuring interviews with many of the surviving (at the time) cast & crew, including Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Dom DeLuise, Andrew Bergman and Burton Gilliam. Intimate Portrait: Madeline Kahn is an excerpt from the Lifetime biography series, made in 2000.

BLACK BART - Pilot episode for spinoff series that never happened, featuring Louis Gossett Jr. in the title role. More interesting than funny.

SCENE-SPECIFIC AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Mel Brooks.

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