Blu-Ray Review: GREASE - 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway, Barry Pearl, Michael Tucci, Kelly Ward, Didi Conn, Jamie Donnelly, Dinah Manoff, Eve Arden, Dody Goodman, Sid Caesar, Eddie Deezen, Frankie Avalon, Lorenzo Lamas, Alice Ghostley, Sha-Na-Na. Directed by Randall Kleiser. (1978/110 min).

PARAMOUNT

Funny thing about Grease and the passing of time...the damn thing seems impervious.

In my household, music from the film is held in high regard by my wife, Francie (who loves soundtrack albums from her youth), and oldest daughter, Natalie (who's recently been bitten by the Broadway musical bug). Natalie once found the Grease soundtrack on vinyl at a used record store. I remember when it was huge in the 70s...a double album with one record containing all the hits, the second filled old rock tunes no one ever listened to. The first record is the only one my girls throw on the turntable. I don't think they've even taken the other one out of the sleeve.

Popping in this 40th Anniversary Blu-Ray, it occurred to me that even though I haven't actually sat and watched the movie in its entirety in thirty years, much of it was still fresh in my mind, mainly because time hasn't allowed us put Grease in our rearview mirror. Speaking strictly from personal experience as a teacher and a father, Grease is one of the few films of the 1970s that later generations have embraced with the same enthusiasm as we first did in 1978. The Godfather is a timeless, undisputed classic and everyone appreciates it as such. But like Star Wars and Jaws, Grease seems to remain as relevant to our kids and grandkids as stuff being made today.

One could speculate why Grease continues to strike a chord with new audiences, but that would probably be pointless. What does matter is when I pressed play and Frankie Valli began crooning the title theme, my whole family (including 14-year-old Lucy) dropped what they were doing and filed into the family room. Not too many 40 year old movies have that kind of power.

The pelvic thrust of death.

I had one major revelation while revisiting the film, thanks in-part to Natalie. We were all talking about some of the musical numbers during the opening scenes and I mentioned my favorite was "Greased Lightnin'." Natalie shot me an incredulous scowl, implying my statement was slightly offensive. When we got to that scene in the film, where Travolta and his buddies do a rousing song-and-dance around a restored hot rod, I actually paid attention to the lyrics for the first time. I was shocked to discover "Greased Lightnin'" is a damn dirty song - almost misogynistic - and about as un-PC as movie music gets. Has these words been clearly-spoken rather than sung, there's a good chance Grease would have been slapped with an R rating. It's still a great song, though, and this disc includes a sing-along version so you can experience the number in all its filthy glory.

Speaking of which, this 40th Anniversary Edition is loaded with supplementary material (listed below). In addition to vintage extras that were previously released on the "Rockin' Rydell" version, this one includes some interesting new bonus features that fans may want to consider double-dipping for. The packaging is pretty cool, too, designed like a high school yearbook, including a booklet of photos and "signatures."

Elsewhere, the film is still a lot of fun (including questionable scenes, lyrics & dialogue you wouldn't get away with today), belying its age with catchy tunes, great choreography and the undeniable charisma of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John at the height of their stardom. Grease is by-no-means one of the greatest movies of the 70s (or even among the top 50), but it's surely one of the most continually beloved. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

NEW: "GREASE: A CHICAGO STORY" - A very interesting doc about the original stage musical, featuring its creators. From a historical perspective, it's priceless for megafans and the best of the new features.

NEW: ALTERNATE MAIN TITLES - With a different song

NEW: ALTERNATE ENDING

OPTIONAL INTRO - By Director Randall Kleiser

SING-ALONG VERSION

AUDIO COMMENTARY - With Director Randall Kleiser & Choreographer Patricia Birch

FEATURETTES: "The Time, the Place, the Motion: Remembering Grease"; "Grease Memories from John and Olivia"; "The Move Behind the Music"; "Thunder Roadsters"; "Grease Reunion"

VINATAGE INTERVIEWS - From the Grease premiere, featuring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, producers Allan Carr & Robert Stigwood.

TRAILER

DELETED/EXTENDED SCENES

PHOTO GALLERY

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS

Blu-Ray Review: LES GIRLS

Starring Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall, Taina Elg, Jasques Bergerac, Leslie Phillips, Henry Deniell, Patrick Macness. Directed by George Cukor. (1957/114 min).

WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Les Girls is notable for being Gene Kelly's last MGM musical. While it pales in comparison to his crowning achievements with the studio (Singin' in the Rain and An American in Paris), the movie is not without charms of its own.

Sybil Wren (Kay Kendall) has just published a tell-all book about her time with Les Girls, a dance group led by Barry Nichols (Kelly),  which also includes Joy Henderson (Mitzi Gaynor) and Angele Ducros (Taina Elg). As the film opens, Angele is suing Sybil for libel, claiming that events in the book are complete lies, particularly the chapter which says Angele attempted suicide after having her heart broken. Taking the stand in her defense, Sybil recounts the incident, in which Angele falls in love with Barry while engaged to her fiancee, Pierre, who isn't even aware she's a dancer.

The next day, Angele tells her version, which has Sybil turning into a drunken lush because she's the one in love with Barry...or at-least that's what they tell Barry to keep him from dropping her from the show. It turns out Sybil has a fiancee, too, who obviously isn't happy with her or Barry. Finally, Barry himself takes the stand with what he says actually happened, which mostly involves circumstances surrounding his pursuit of Joy.

Gene's birthday wish? A chair.

This is merely a wrap-around story to showcase Kelly doing what he does best: performing elaborate song-and-dance numbers with one or more of his co-stars, the best one being Kelly and Gaynor in an amusing send-up of The Wild One. But Les Girls isn't quite a full-blown musical in the traditional sense. Rarely does a character actually break into song during the story itself. A majority of the Cole Porter numbers featured are performed onstage before an audience. It doesn't make them any less entertaining, though, especially for Gene Kelly fans.

Despite the suicide angle, the tone of Les Girls is congenial and laid-back, happy to bounce from one predicament to the next with some snappy singing and dancing along the way. There's little substance beneath the shiny surface, but who wants that in a musical?

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE: "Cole Porter in Hollywood: Ca C'est L'Amour" - Hosted by co-star Taina Elg, this is just as much about the cast and production of Les Girls as it is about Porter.

CARTOON SHORT: Tex Avery's "The Flea Circus"

TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.

Rest in Peace, R. Lee Ermey

R. Lee Ermey (1944-2018)

Blu-Ray Review: A TAXI DRIVER

Starring Song Kang-ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yoo Hae-jin, Ryu Jun-yeol, Park Hyuk-kwon, Uhm Tae-goo, Yoo Eun-mi. Directed by Jang Hoon. (2017/137 min).

WELL GO USA

Poor Kim. All he wants to do is score a big cab fare to pay his rent and provide for his daughter, only to end up the unsung hero of a freedom movement. Claiming to be based on true events, I don't know how much of what happens in A Taxi Driver is accurate, but it makes a hell of a movie.

The film takes place in 1980 South Korea, which has recently fallen under military dictatorship. Seoul taxi driver Kim Man-seob (Song Kang-ho, who's terrific) is a widow who has more immediate financial concerns than government turmoil. When he overhears that photojournalist Jurgen Hinzpeter (Thomas Kretschmann) wants to travel to Gwangju to document student protests (and is willing to pay 100, 000 Won), Kim immediately jumps at the opportunity to drive him.

"I locked my damn keys in the car!"

What the two discover, however, is Gwangju is under martial law and extremely dangerous, especially to foreigners. Protesters are being shot in the streets by the military, which is completely contrary to what everyone outside Gwangju is being told in the news. Worse yet, plainclothes security officers are on the lookout for reporters who could expose what's going on, meaning Kim and Jurgen end up being hunted. This doesn't sit well with Kim, of course, who just wants to collect his fare without getting involved. However, when his car breaks down and a curfew leaves him trapped, he and Jurgen learn from other cabbies (and their families) just bad things have gotten. And this is before the ongoing conflict escalates into a full blown massacre.

In real life, Jurgen Hinzpeter did indeed use his camera to show the world what was actually happening in Gwangju, getting in and out of the city with the help of a heroic cabbie. But aside from Hinzpeter's gratitude for the driver's heroism, little else was known about him. This gives A Taxi Driver the creative freedom to use the Gwangju Massacre as the backdrop for an emotionally powerful character transformation. The film is accurately titled. Kim is just another anonymous, passive working man (nearly a bumbling fool) until circumstances force him to reassess not only what's happening around him, but his own personal values.

Despite the dark historical context (not to mention the decidedly misleading Blu-Ray cover art), A Taxi Driver turns out to be unexpectedly thrilling, suspenseful and ultimately poignant, boosted considerably by a cast of extremely likable protagonists whose actions under dire circumstances (to say the least) make the film an emotionally rousing experience worth seeing more than once. If you aren't moved by the final act, you must not have been paying attention during the previous 90 minutes.

EXTRA KIBBLES

TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

MEE-OW! LIKE BEING TURNED LOOSE IN A BIRD SANCTUARY

Rest in Peace, Milos Forman

Milos Forman (1932-2018)

Blu-Ray Review: MOHAWK

Starring Kaniehtiio Horn, Eamon Farren, Justin Rain, Ezra Buzzington, Noah Segan, Ian Colletti, Robert Longstreet, Jon Huber, Sheri Foster. Directed by Ted Geoghegan. (2017/91 min).

DARK SKY FILMS / MPI MEDIA GROUP

One of the cool things about this position is I'm often given the opportunity to review films that would have otherwise escaped my radar. While I had heard of Mohawk, I knew very little about it, thus had no expectations going in.

That being said, Mohawk is unlike anything I've reviewed lately. Ultimately, that's a good thing.

In 1812, two Native Americans, Oak and Calvin, and British officer Joshua Pinsmail are a menage a trois. Joshua is trying to convince the Mohawk tribe (who've been neutral during the ongoing British-American conflict) to go on the offensive, joining the fight against colonial soldiers. After Calvin takes it onto himself to massacre everyone at a nearby soldier fort, the three end up on-the-run from a renegade platoon led by sadistic and increasingly unhinged Colonel Holt, who's hellbent on revenge. Much of the middle act is a bloody game of cat & mouse as the trio try to reach a nearby mission, where more Mohawks (including Oak's uncle) are hiding out.

"Tag! You're it!"

Elaborating much more would kill some of the surprising plot turns, but it's safe to say the story doesn't play out like you think it will (also a good thing). What begins as a tale of survival & revenge evolves into something bordering on ghostly and surreal, with an underlying reminder of the terrible treatment of Native Americans at the hands of colonists. We're given subtle clues that Calvin's initial attack on the fort - while seemingly unprovoked - wasn't completely unwarranted. The protagonists are not portrayed as saints, though, nor are the antagonists depicted as totally hateful (though Holt comes damn close).

Extreme house hunting.

Despite an obviously limited budget, Mohawk is both creatively ambitious and visually arresting. It addition to its deceptively simple story, director Ted Geoghegan (We Are Still Here) makes the most of his wilderness locations, managing to render them foreboding even during daylight. Though sort-of promoted as a horror film - some of it is pretty horrific - the focus is mostly on action, with a plenty of extremely brutal close-quarters conflict. Only during the logic-bending, intriguingly-ambiguous final act does the movie incorporate any real horror elements. The performances are decent, as well. Kaniehtiio Horn (a native Mohawk herself) stands out as Oak with a physical performance that's both sympathetic and menacing, while Ezra Buzzington engages in some enjoyable scenery chewing as her psychotic pursuer.

Fast-moving and unflinchingly violent, Mohawk offers a unique and unconventional vision of the tried & true revenge tale. It's also the kind of film that has the potential to be somewhat polarizing, creating interesting love-it-or-loathe-it debates. In the end, that's always a good thing, too.

EXTRA KIBBLES

TRAILER

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS

News: "Burt Gummer" Recaps the TREMORS Franchise

Spanning nearly 30 years, the Tremors franchise has withstood the test of time now with the sixth installment, Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell, hitting Blu-ray and DVD May 1. For fans who need a quick refresher on all things Tremors, Graboid expert Burt Gummer (played by Michael Gross) is here to help rundown the events from the first five movies!

Learn from the best there is on how to survive every kind of menacing Graboid and check out the Tremors franchise recap here:

Blu-Ray Review: THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Keala Settle, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sam Humphrey, Paul Sparks, Austyn Johnson, Cameron Seely, Eric Anderson. Directed by Michael Gracey. (2017/105 min).

20TH CENTURY FOX

My wife, Francie, took our two daughters to see this in theaters, and it was all they talked about after returning home. Since then, they each play the soundtrack incessantly on their phones. So when this Blu-Ray arrived for me to review, Francie was excited to notice a sing-along option listed among the many bonus features. When she told our older daughter about it, Natalie shrugged and said, "I already know all the songs by heart."

My girls aren't alone, of course. A lot of folks seem to know them by heart...already. And The Greatest Showman isn't just a musical. It's a !!MUSICAL!! in the classic tradition...big & bright, colorful & catchy, flashy & fun. Cynics might have to accept The Little Sleeper That Could is shaping up to be one of those musicals that transcends its decade, much like Grease did in the 70s. Critical consensus notwithstanding, the general public will probably still be singing along to "This is Me" and tapping their toes to "From Now On" long after they've forgotten La La Land.

"Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women."

I had two takeaways after finally watching the film myself. First, I get the feeling Hugh Jackman (as P.T. Barnum) would be perfectly happy doing musicals for the rest of his career. His enthusiasm is infectious, too. Not only does the sincerity of his performance effortlessly manipulate the audience, the entire supporting cast rises to the occasion. Second, while I'd never presume to declare anyone's opinion wrong, I do believe some critics missed the point of the film.

Hugh loves to catch snowflakes with his tongue.

Loosely based of the rise of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman makes no pretenses of being biographical, nor should anyone look for much depth or substance. On the surface, the movie might even seem narratively slight, just an excuse to link numerous flashy musical numbers. Sure, that's one way to look at it. Another way is to look at the music as the narrative. There isn't a single song that doesn't advance the plot or embellish a particular character. One of the disc's bonus features allows access to the musical numbers only; viewed in sequence, I would argue that you'd still be able to follow most of the story.

And fortunately, it is a good story, albeit a familiar and predictable one, told with a lot of panache. Despite some modern trappings, the film's ultimate intent is obvious: the kind of pure, old school musical Hollywood used to make before we all became too jaded for our own good. There may not be a lot of depth, but with deliberately artificial production design, insanely-catchy songs, a consistently upbeat tone and stunning choreography, you'd have to work real hard not to be swept along.

EXTRA KIBBLES

SING-ALONG VERSION

FEATURETTES: "The Family Behind The Greatest Showman"; "The Spectacle"

"THE SONGS" - Though listed as a featurette, at 70 minutes, it's practically its own feature-length documentary.

MUSIC MACHINE - Access the songs directly in sing-along mode

ART & STORYBOARD GALLERIES

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Director Michael Gracey

TRAILERS

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS

News: THE MEG Trailer & Poster

Well, here it is...the long-awaited first official trailer for Warner Bros', THE MEG. Ever since discovering Steve Alten's wonderful novel 20 years ago, we here at FREE KITTENS MOVIE GUIDE have been looking forward to this (the film was in development hell nearly as long). First Impressions: It looks like it significantly strays from its source, but at least it doesn't look like a SyFy Channel cheapie. And judging from the song choice & poster art, the film might also have a hefty sense of humor. You be the judge.

DVD Review: DORIS DAY - A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY

Starring Doris Day (of course), Betty White, Tony Randall, Kaye Ballard, A.E. Hotchner, Ross Hunter, Clint Eastwood, Kirstie Alley, Terry Melcher, Les Brown; Narrated by Roger Ebert. Directed by Dick Carter & Steve Norman. (1991/80 min).

MPI MEDIA GROUP

Sentimental indeed...

As of this writing, Doris Day is 96 years old and has now been out of the limelight longer than she was ever in it. The fact that she's still a household name is a testament to her talent and status as a legend. Even today, mention her name and we immediately picture the funny, sunny blonde who lit up the screen in countless comedies and melted the hearts of her male co-stars. Admittedly though, I used to get her confused with Debbie Reynolds when I was a kid.

The appropriately titled Doris Day - A Sentimental Journey is a long, loving look at a remarkable career that spanned several decades, which began with her stints as traveling singer with Les Brown's orchestra and ended with a successful television series. In between, she starred in dozens of films in a variety of genres, but was best known for her romantic comedies (particularly those with Rock Hudson). Interspersed among loads of film clips are comments by friends and colleagues, all of whom have nothing but praise for her, both personally and professionally.

Made in 1991 and narrated by Roger Ebert, Day tells most of her own story, detailing a humble childhood, early career setbacks, marriages (loving or otherwise) and financial hardships, such as briefly ending up bankrupt after her third husband's death (her TV series, The Doris Day Show, kept her afloat and paid her legal fees). The film ends by briefly showing what Day has been up to since retiring from acting, living in Carmel and getting involved in animal activism.

Doris Day - A Sentimental Journey doesn't dig too deeply or offer any revelations about its subject, but does anyone really want "dirt" on Doris Day? Ultimately, this film is an affectionate - and sentimental - tribute to a legend and her remarkable career.

BONUS FEATURES

APPEARANCE ON THE MERV GRIFFEN SHOW - From 1976

EPISODE FROM THE DORIS DAY SHOW - "The Job" (1968)

DORIS DAY MOVIE TRAILERS

KITTY CONSENSUS:

PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS