Josh's Blind Buys: Watching The Unseen Collection (1 Viewer)

[Bryan^H]

That is actually on the Kurosawa films I've never seen before, but I do own the new Criterion and need to make time for it. I don't know if this is actually true but a friend once told me the movie was horribly depressing, and right or wrong, that conversation just pops into my head whenever I think of the movie. Tell me it's not depressing and I'll get to it sooner!

There are seven or eight segments(dreams) over the course of the film. Apparently these were dreams of Kuroswa himself that were profound, and left an impression. I never found it to be depressing, but there is one part that is quite like a nightmare. Unsettling. Overall I would rather label it mysterious, and thought provoking. The last segment is pure joy. a screencap from the first dream below:

 

[Josh Steinberg]

You sold me, Bryan! I'll try to get to it sooner vs later now.

 

[BobO'Link]

I grew up at the end of the "BIblical Epic" years and my folks took us to see any of them that came out or had re-release bookings. The Ten Commandments (1956) is one of those films I saw on a huge screen during a re-release in the early 60s. It made a huge impression and over the years I began to think of it as the pinnacle of the Biblical Epic films. Because of my love of that film, and in spite of many of the recent remakes of classics being mostly unnecessary, I picked up a copy of Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) during all the BF sales last year. I also had a BR upgrade copy of 1956's The Ten Commandments I'd purchased some time back but never got around to viewing. Since both were unopened it gave me a excuse for a double-header a couple of months back.

The Ten Commandments BR is simply spectacular. It's a superb transfer and looks pristine. While it, too, is a remake, it improved upon the original, also from Demille, in many areas. It still amazes me how well the visual effects of the 1956 film hold up over 60 years later. I've always loved this film and feel the story was told very well. Even if you've never read or heard the story told you know what's going on and why. Like with many of the Hollywood Biblical films there are some questionable casting choices and a sometimes ponderous/pompous script but, overall, the cast is very good with several stand-out performances and the script is literate, telling the story well.

I then watched Exodus: Gods and Kings.
I believe your comment pretty much sums up the entire script but would say it's both your suppositions that creates the overarching issue:

...Clocking in at 2 1/2 hours, the film felt incredibly choppy to me. I can't tell if it's because there's an important chunk lying on the cutting room floor, or if the four credited screenwriters simply never had a coherent draft in the first place. It's a film that speeds through some of the most important parts of the story, and then stops the linger for seemingly inconsequential moments. It feels like the skeleton of a longer film.

I found myself wondering just what story the writers were attempting to tell. If you're not familiar with the original you would have a very difficult time understanding what's going on, much less why. Even if you do know what's going on you frequently find yourself wondering why certain changes were made? Changes that make absolutely no sense to the story and do not help in any way. Moses doesn't directly confront Ramses to tell him to let the Israelites go which is possibly the most questionable change to the story and one whose omission is difficult to reconcile. It's a fairly good, although rather generic, modern "Biblical" action film with difficult to determine motives. It has some excellent vfx but does a poor job telling the story of the Exodus. I found myself feeling somewhat ambivalent towards the film. The casting is generally good, but, like Demille's, also suffers from some questionable choices although no one stood out, unlike several outstanding performances in DeMille's remake. I found myself wondering just why this film was made as it brought nothing new to the table.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Howie, isn't that Ten Commandments BD something else? I had the collector's edition DVD version, the one loaded with special features from the early 2000s, and I had gotten by with that for many years. Then last year, I saw Amazon had a combo with the Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur together on BD for $8. Sold! I haven't watched Ben-Hur yet (actually have never seen it, so that will appear as a blind buy review here at some point), but I watched the Ten Commandments disc and was amazed.

I think you're spot on about the problems with Exodus - it's not really clear what stories the writers are trying to tell, or why the movie is being made. Along the lines of the "Let my people go!" confrontation being omitted, I was also a little disappointed that there was no parting of the Red Sea. I was so excited to see what Ridley Scott was going to do with that, and in 3D. That would have been outstanding if they had done it. On one hand, I get what they were trying to do with coming up with a plausible natural explanation of how the Hebrews could have crossed. But on the other hand, is anyone (religious or not) coming to a movie like this looking for a natural, scientific explanation of how this could have happened? The film already puts its thumb on the scale in terms of theology by showing us Christian Bale talking with the child that's meant to represent god. It already shows us supernatural events like the water turning to blood, and all of the non-Hebrew first born children dying overnight. I think a natural explanation for crossing the Red Sea would have been interesting in a movie that didn't presume the existence of god. But since this movie clearly comes down on the side of believing in god and having him as a character in the story, there's no reason to look for a natural explanation at the end of what's basically a supernatural quest. It doesn't match the film's internal logic, nevermind what my expectations might have been.

 

[BobO'Link]

I was totally disappointed that Scott didn't come through with a proper parting of the Red Sea! The case has a awesome shot of Moses walking on dry land while the sea is parting behind him so I'm waiting for that shot only for it to never make an appearance. I felt somewhat ripped off by its omission. While the script was very lacking and rather confusing, unless you know the story, I'd been rather impressed with the vfx up to that point. Even though they mostly ran the plagues together they were presented well on screen. So well that the Red Sea crossing was a major let down, as was the later journey up the mountain by Moses to get the Ten Commandments. The Golden Calf was shown in a whip-pan fashion (I almost missed seeing it) and they failed to explain, or properly show, that Moses received the stone tablets twice. Once from the hand of God and once by his own hand after destroying the divine copy after seeing what had been done in his absence. Again, really good vfx with a lacklustre and major failure of a story. I expected much better from Ridley Scott.

I was blown away at how good that BR of Demille's The Ten Commandments looks! I have the 2004 Special Collector's Edition DVD, the 50th Anniversary Collection DVD (3 discs that includes the 1923 silent version), and purchased that same double feature BR with Ben Hur, another Biblical Epic favorite. I wish that BR had included the 1923 version. Oh well, I'll just keep the DVD set for that one.

Ben Hur looks excellent but doesn't have as spectacular a transfer/upgrade as does The Ten Commandments. It still is a tremendous improvement over the DVD edition but just can't beat that done for The Ten Commandments. I somewhat envy your first viewing and believe you'll really enjoy it.

I've not yet seen the remake of Ben Hur but don't see how it can come close to, much less improve upon, the 1959 film. Of course, I'll eventually pick up a copy to screen but I'm in no hurry.

 

[RMajidi]

For a truly spectacular parting of the Red Sea, look no further than Bruce Almighty!

 

[Matt Hough]

I think the Ben-Hur Blu-ray looks grand. It was an immense step up from any of the DVD versions (and I bought them all and the widescreen videotape, too).

 

[bujaki]

Josh, you're missing out on the silent DeMille version of The Ten Commandments. Only a section of it relates to the Old Testament story, but it is shot in 2-strip Technicolor and it is not riddled with hokey dialogue. The effect are good for 1923. By going "cheap" you are missing out on the 1925 Ben-Hur included in the big Hur box. I saw the '59 Ben during its Roadshow engagement and it was spectacular (to a child). It has diminished in my eyes since then (it is still grand, though), as I have come to admire the silent version more and more. Unfortunately the '25 version has been released only in an SD version, but it does include the 2-strip Technicolor sequences. It has a shorter running time, a virtue; a spectacular battle at sea with no model work (unlike the remake); and a chariot race that matches the remake's. I did see it in 35mm so I can say that the cinematography is remarkable. You should not let it pass.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I would have liked to have seen it, but it was something like $70 for that set and $7 for just the one I had... I know the list of movies watched so far might not make it seem like it, but I do have to maintain some semblance of a budget . Seriously, though, my inner collector hates passing on a set with extra disc content like that but it is what it is. I miss the days when you could get all the discs without the extra junk and inflated price tag.

But if it shows up on TCM or a streaming service I will definitely watch it!

 

[RMajidi]

By going "cheap" you are missing out on the 1925 Ben-Hur included in the big Hur box.

I would have liked to have seen it, but it was something like $70 for that set and $7 for just the one I had...

He just called you "cheap" and you're gonna let him get away with it? Them's fightin' words! Where's your backbone man?

Kidding aside, I'm now thinking I need to cough up for a set with the original silent Ben-Hur version. I see a multitude of "Ultimate" editions as well as 50th anniversary editions with multiple discs (I also bought the el cheapo single-disc when it came out).

Would anyone kindly point to the "cheap"est edition that carries both versions? Books, figurines... I can happily do without.

 

[bujaki]

TCM plays the silent Hur quite often. Keep your eyes on the schedule.

 

[Matt Hough]

TCM plays the silent Hur quite often. Keep your eyes on the schedule.

It's actually on this weekend. Check your TCM listings, Josh.

 

[TJPC]

It's actually on this weekend. Check your TCM listings, Josh.

I found most extras on classic sets still are not Blu ray. Look at The Jazz Singer Set.
Isn't the silent version and extras of Ben Hur still only DVD? I had bought both multiple disc DVD versions of Ben Hur and the 10 Commandments when they came out, and that el cheepo double Blu Ray edition with both movies was a perfect compliment, which I store on the shelf between the two, why buy the extras I already have?

 

[Matt Hough]

The Ben-Hur silent is definitely only SD.

 

[BobO'Link]

I think the Ben-Hur Blu-ray looks grand. It was an immense step up from any of the DVD versions (and I bought them all and the widescreen videotape, too).

It does. But when you compare it to that BR of The Ten Commandments it just seems to lose a bit of its luster. But both films look absolutely spectacular in their BR incarnations. As the whippersnappers are so fond of saying "They look so good you'd think they were filmed yesterday." (So just when did I become a fossil?)

 

[BobO'Link]

I found most extras on classic sets still are not Blu ray. Look at The Jazz Singer Set.
Isn't the silent version and extras of Ben Hur still only DVD? I had bought both multiple disc DVD versions of Ben Hur and the 10 Commandments when they came out, and that el cheepo double Blu Ray edition with both movies was a perfect compliment, which I store on the shelf between the two, why buy the extras I already have?

That's exactly what I've done as I have that 25th Anniversary edition of The Ten Commandments and the 4 disc CE of Ben Hur. I'll just keep them for the silents and watch the main films on that double-feature BR.

It's somewhat tempting to get a 6 disc BR case and put the main films and silents in a single case...

 

[Josh Steinberg]

#71 - Three Texas Steers (1939)
Viewed on: April 10th, 2017
Viewing Format: Blu-ray (Olive)

John Wayne returns for his sixth Three Mesquiteers adventure, pairing again with co-stars Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune, once again under the direction of George Sherman. This film represents Terhune's last appearance in the series, though not his retirement from acting. (I've been unable to find information on why Terhune left and whose decision that was but if anyone has any historical tidbits I'd love to know.) The film begins with Carole Landis as a circus owner whose crooked manager (Ralph Graves) secretly engineers the closing of her circus to try to force her to sell some land she owns for quick cash. By forcing her to sell, he hopes to secretly buy the land and make a fortune. But instead of selling, she instead moves her circus workers and animals to her ranch, which just so happens to be located in Mesquite. So when Graves sends some goons to run her off the land, the Three Mesquiteers come to the rescue of their neighbors.

The transfer from Olive is pretty great looking. The film begins with windowboxed credits and a "revival" credit burned in over the main title, but once the credits conclude, the presentation from that point on is nearly pristine, with quality audio to match. No subtitles or bonus features are provided.

Three Texas Steers was enjoyable, but lacked some of the energy and fun of the earlier Wayne entries in the series. After the surge of fresh energy that was Night Riders (the previous film in the series), this is a step backwards. Returning to a present day setting, the film relegates the Mesquiteers to more of a supporting role, and the film is missing that special spark whenever they disappear for too long. It's not a bad way to spend an hour, and the transfer is one of the very best in the series, but given the high retail price and lack of bonus features, it's hard to recommend this as a blind buy to casual fans.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

#72 - Wyoming Outlaw (1939)
Viewed on: April 11th, 2017
Viewing Format: Blu-ray (Olive)

Wyoming Outlaw is the seventh John Wayne Three Mesquiteers film, reuniting him again with director George Sherman and co-star Ray Corrigan, but adding a new piece the puzzle with Raymond Hatton taking over the slot previously filled by Max Terhune. Though the change is never commented on in the story, Hatton's character of Rusty Joslin (Terhune's was named Lullaby Joslin) is a warm and welcome presence. If I missed Lullaby and his dummy a little bit, that doesn't take anything away from Rusty.

The film begins with the Mesquiteers on a cattle trail through the dust bowl, sometime after the end of World War I. When a steer is stolen from their heard, they discover a man named Will Parker is responsible. Parker has been driven broke by a crooked local politician and is stealing to put food on the table for his family. When the Mesquiteers learn the truth about Parker's situation, they offer their help and bring him on as a cowhand. But the crooked politician is still up to his old tricks, and the Mesquiteers must intervene before Parker can be hurt. Like the previous film in the series, the Mesquiteers are relegated to supporting players by the final act of the film, and the movie is less fun in their absence. It's not that Will Parker is a bad character, but he's not what we're here for.

The transfer on this Olive disc is the weakest in the series. It gets the job done but it's not pretty. There's some printed in dirt and speckles that could have been cleaned up but weren't. The reel changes are particularly rough; you can hear the sound of the reel running out and pop as the next one begins. There are also fluctuations in image quality within scenes, so it's never a consistent viewing experience. Overall, the film is neither as clear nor as detailed as other titles in this series. The credits on this one are not windowboxed, and a "Revivial" credit has been burned in over the main title. There are no subtitles or bonus features available.

As a mediocre entry in the series with an ugly transfer, it's hard to recommend Wyoming Outlaw to anyone but the most devout fans of the series. But for those willing to take the plunge, there are some enjoyable moments here, and Raymond Hatton is a positive addition.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

#73 - New Frontier (1939) - a.k.a. Frontier Horizon
Viewed on: April 13th, 2017
Viewing Format: Blu-ray (Olive)

New Frontier is the last of eight appearances that John Wayne would make in the Republic series The Three Mesquiteers. The film was originally released with the title New Frontier (and that's what appears on the main titles when played), but at some point was reissued under the title Frontier Horizon. Olive has opted to release the film with the reissue title, perhaps to avoid confusion with another Wayne film from the same time period called "The New Frontier." Reunited again with directed George Sherman, and with Ray Corrigan and Raymond Hatton reprising their roles, the film feels a little stale, and it was probably the right time for Wayne to be moving on to bigger and better things.

Though the time period isn't entirely clear (there appear to be anachronisms throughout), at some point after the Civil War and Reconstruction, perhaps at the beginning of the 20th century, the Mesquiteers are residing in a town called New Hope. The state wants to condemn the town so that the land can be used to create a reservoir meant to service a neighboring city. Though the town is initially distraught by this news, the Mesquiteers arrange a favorable land swap deal that will make everyone whole, and the town is happy to go along. But when the Mesquiteers discover this "too good to be true" offer is, in fact, too good to be true, they are detained. It's up to them to escape and reveal the truth before the town is swindled. Look out for Jennifer Jones making her film debut, appearing here billed under her real name (Phylis Isley).

The transfer on this Olive disc is one of the very best in the series. Once the windowboxed main titles (which feature a burned in "Revival" credit) and opening sequences are dispensed with, the rest of the film looks and sounds nearly flawless. No subtitles or bonus features are provided.

Though New Frontier boasts one of the best transfers in the series, the film itself is a lot less fun than its predecessors. Wayne and his Mesquiteers aren't given much to do here, and the film suffers for their absences. There were a total of 51 films in the Republic Mesquiteers series, and I'm only familiar with the eight Wayne titles, so I have no idea how representative these films are of the series as a whole. But it seems that about halfway through Wayne's run, a decision was made to change how these films were scripted. The first films involve the Mesquiteers taking full ownership of whatever situation they find themselves in. They're about things that happen to the Mesquiteers. But the later films recast them as supporting players. In these later entries, the main characters are usually established first and given a conflict they can't resolve on their own, allowing the Mesquiteers to come in, offer a little help to save the day, and then ride out at the end. This stands out especially when one is watching the films specifically for Wayne.

Having finished New Frontier, I've now seen all eight of Wayne's Mesquiteer films. While they won't appeal to everyone, I found a lot to enjoy in these simple b-movies. While not groundbreaking, they are reliably entertaining, with some worthy of consideration outside of the series. For my money, I'd put Pals Of The Saddle, Overland Stage Raiders, Santa Fe Stampede and The Night Riders at the top of the pile. Overland Stage Raiders might be the best of the bunch, while The Night Riders is the biggest departure from the regular formula. Just as I return to the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films every few years, I will definitely be revisiting this series in the future. Since there's no continuity between the films, I may opt to watch them out of order next time to save my favorites for the end.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

#74 - Dreams (1990)
Viewed on: April 14th, 2017
Viewing Format: Blu-ray (Criterion)

Akira Kurosawa's dreams represented a rare double blind buy for me. I had picked up a used copy of the old Warner DVD either in college or immediately afterwards, but never got around to watching it. A good friend at the time had told me that the film was very depressing, and even though I try not to let other people's opinions sway me from watching things (especially if it was something I wanted to see in the first place), I couldn't help but think about that every time I saw the case. "Oh, this is the very depressing one" - not necessarily the place you want to start your night. When the Criterion disc came out, I decided that if I was going to see this movie, I might as well see it in the best condition possible, so I bought the movie again. I'm a Kurosawa fan, but I also haven't seen all of his films yet. I've seen many of the best known ones, but not even all of those. And I'm not in a rush. He's not making anymore films, and since the ones I've seen so far have all been so unique and powerful, I'm trying to be patient and make them last. Stanley Kubrick is perhaps my favorite filmmaker, and I've seen all of his films, so it's disappointing to me that there will never be another new Kubrick film for me to enjoy. There might not ever be a "new" Kurosawa film again, but there are still some that will be new to me. I'm trying to make it last. Anyhow, when Bryan asked a few posts back if I had seen the new disc yet, and assured me that the movie was not two hours of misery and depression, I was suddenly eager to give it a look. I came home from work last night in a little bit of a weird mood, uncertain what I felt like watching, and it just kinda hit me that it was the right time to try Dreams.

Dreams is a difficult movie to summarize, so I won't really try to. I will say that it comprises of eight short segments (each about 12-15 minutes) that are meant to be representations of actual dreams that Kurosawa himself had. This film does an incredible job of bringing dreams to the screen. Everything from the scripting of the segments to the design and performances reflects a sense of mood and logic that feel like they're out of a dream. Because each segment is short, Kurosawa has the luxury of focusing on mood and feeling without being beholden to traditional plot structure. The first dream, "Sunshine Through The Rain," might have been my favorite; it's the dream from which the film's poster art is taken. There's something so whimsical about the dream (in which a young boy, disobeying his mother's orders, sneaks out to watch a fox wedding in the rain) that just completely enchanted me. The dreams that followed were a mixture of emotions and feelings: joy, sorrow, horror, confusion, sadness, helplessness, reflection. I'm glad that I didn't really know about the specific stories ahead of time; each was more powerful for not knowing what would happen next. Though the film presents the eight dreams in succession, each would work well as its own short film. Taken together, I couldn't help but feel a wider range and variety of emotions than I'd normally get from just a single film. In the course of two hours, Kurosawa examines all of the feelings a dream can provoke, from delight to bafflement to horror and everything in between.

The transfer on this Criterion disc, provided by Warner, is outstanding. I believe this is my first Kurosawa film in color, and my first Kurosawa film in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Though the format was different from my previous encounters with Kurosawa, he's a master no matter the canvas he's choosing to work on. I did not observe any instances of dirt, damage or debris. The audio is presented in a DTS-HD MA 2.0 Surround that was satisfactory without drawing much attention to itself. The disc includes optional Japanese subtitles, which I definitely needed. Interestingly, for the brief segment of the film that is in English, there are no subtitle options for that portion. Bonus features appear to be plentiful, though I haven't had a chance to watch them yet.

Dreams was a unique experience for me. I'm still struggling to quantify it a day later; simply describing the onscreen action doesn't capture the experience of watching it (which I suppose is true for a lot of Kurosawa's movies). This is a haunting film packed with beautiful images that evoke every emotion from happiness and joy to sadness and sorrow. It's simple in its execution, yet complex in its impact. Though it may not be a film that I will revisit as frequently as others, I have a feeling that it will retain its power no matter how many times I view it. I am happy to add this to my collection of Kurosawa titles.