Sunday, December 10, 2006
Dragon Dance - Loops For Acid
Marc Anderson’s Dragon Dance - Loops For Acid
Sample CD Review
By Cezanne Huq
Format: PC CDROM (.wav files for Sonic Foundry’s ACID)
Price: $59 us
Number of discs: 1
Sonic Foundry Website
Sonic Foundry Loops for ACID™ presents Marc Anderson: Dragon Dance. A student of African percussion instruments, Marc Anderson’s historical knowledge and performance skills are matched only by his technical expertise in revealing the mystery and beauty of instruments through imaginative sound recording and processing techniques. Dragon Dance contains essential single solo instrument sounds and performances as well as blistering walls of tribal thunder that have made Marc Anderson one of the most distinctive and original percussionists working today. Unique in the world of percussion libraries, Dragon Dance is the perfect marriage of ancient and modern sounds and technologies, crafted by an artist with an intimate understanding of both. (586 Loops/465 MB)
Dragon Dance is filled with hundreds of specialized .wav files running the gamut from pop culture audio-spheres to ethereal ambient percussions. Marc Anderson proves that studying the craft of African percussion and working through the years with Steve Tibbetts, James Plattes, etc., wasn’t just a mere circumstance. He provides you with a palette of sounds painstakingly treated and processed using imaginative recording and sampling techniques. Ever want to echo the plains of Serengeti and reveal the streets of modern day are conveniently indexed, mastered and packaged to go. Add elements like dumbek, djembe and cahons are just a few worldly instruments that inhabit this CD-ROM. All of the sounds were processed and finalized using 16bit resolution and recorded at 44.1khz.
Virtual Urth Excellence Award Virtual Urth Ratings (Scale 1-5):
Buck Value: 4.5
Sonic Quality: 4
Features: 5
Programming (disc layout): 4
Availability: Now!
Final Verdict: VU Gear Of The Year (95%-100%)
Sample CDs are always hard to gauge and finding the right one can be frustrating. What makes the Loops For ACID a must for musicians looking for new elements to inject life into tracks are the sample songs that examples the sounds possibilities. We spent hours copying the basic template provided on the CD-ROM and replacing and adding our own sounds mixing with Marc’s. Granted this a feature only ACID users but it’s a phenomenal way to experiment and finalize your ideas.
Built on the premise that sounds are Acidized, ACID allows the .wav files contained within the CD-ROM to be loaded and implemented within your music within seconds. More importantly, each and every sound is embedded with special properties, information like beats per minute, looped or not, are pre-installed. This allows ACID to load the sounds with parameters that originally reflected Marc’s intention for the sound.
In conclusion, the loops and samples on this disc are solid as a whole, to make for quite a value packed product, all for around 60 bucks. Its great to use if you own some of Sonic Foundry’s line of ACID products, but even if you don’t, it’s a nice variety of loops and grooves that you probably won’t want to pass up if you’re an enthusiast in creating loop based music. Of course, you’ll need a PC if you’re intending to load any .wav samples off these discs, which is kind of a drawback if you don’t intend to use this disc with any of the ACID products. But then again, you probably shouldn’t be buying this disc if you aren’t intending on using it with ACID, since you’d be really missing out on all the ACID enhanced features the samples offer.
Pros A variety of percussion sounds that foots the bill of any genre of music. At $59.95 this CD-ROM is a gold mine.
Cons the 16bit samples may be disenchant the high-end musicians who have graduated to 96khz recording studios and expect 24bit samples to incorporate into their tracks.
Would be nice to be able to play .wav files and songs on audio CD players.
Albums to consider
Marc Anderson’s “Time Fish”
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 12/10 at 10:02 PM
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Twelve Monkeys DVD
by Robert Carter
THE RATINGS
Movie: *** DVD: ***1/2
THE FILM
“THE AGONY OF FOREKNOWLEDGE COMBINED WITH THE IMPOTENCE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT...” That’s the “Cassandra Complex,” a story from Greek myth… And it’s what Bruce Willis’ character James Cole has in “Twelve Monkeys”--IN SPADES. He knows that in the year 1997 a virus is going to be purposely unleashed on the Earth--a virus that will kill 5 billion people and send Mankind literally underground. By 2035 the animals will live on the surface, while Cole and people like him endure a dark, nightmarish existence below. Cole’s life is particularly unpleasant, as he’s chosen to “volunteer” for a trip backward through time. His mission is to find the source of the virus so scientists in the future can find a cure and prevent the disaster from happening in the first place.
Cole is, basically, the flipside of Willis’ character in “The Fifth Element.” In that film a down-and-out cabbie looking for love finds it, and Saves The World. In this film, a man who just wants to “see the sky and the ocean, and breathe the air” is also given the chance to find love and to Save The World. But he’s not getting much help from his superiors, who prove that time travel is definitely an inexact science. For instance, (in scenes highly reminiscent of similar moments in the movie “Trancers,”) they dispatch Cole to 1996. Instead, he ends up right in the middle of World War One, and naked, no less. That nakedness is a metaphor, a literal illustration that he has nothing to help him but his own intelligence, ingenuity and perseverance.
The makers of “Twelve Monkeys” put a lot of effort into the visual and emotional design of the world Cole inhabits, using anything they could find to reinforce director Terry Gilliam’s vision. (The accompanying documentary covers at length how the “look” was produced and why an abandoned power plant came to represent a lot of this world of the near-future) Anyone who’s seen “Brazil” will immediately recognize Gilliam’s touch from the look of the set alone.
At one point Cole, addressing his superiors says, “I don’t think the human mind is meant to exist in two different...dimensions. It’s very confusing; you don’t know what’s real and what’s not.” After watching “Twelve Monkeys” you’ll probably agree. But it’s a mystery worth unraveling...even if you have to watch it twice to understand it all.
HIGHLIGHTS
An excellent trailer! (It gives a good sense of the atmosphere of the film and the nature of the story, without giving any of the story away)
The scene where Cole recites, word for word, a message left on an answering machine years ago (or was it just minutes ago?)--a very effective moment.
A shot in which Stowe’s and Willis’ characters look up in a store window to see their faces, caught on camera and magnified enormously on t.v.’s inside. It reveals they are, at one and the same moment, anonymous and alone in the world yet painfully easy targets for their pursuers.
Brad Pitt spent weeks at a psychiatric ward at Temple University preparing for his role. The effort shows; he turns in a bravura performance.
Although his role is small and relatively unsympathetic, it’s a pleasure to see Frank Gorshin on the screen. Besides being a talented impressionist, he’s an underrated actor.
Again, like his character in “The Fifth Element,” Willis’ first appearance in the film shows him awakening from a nightmare. The sequence he’s dreaming about--whether you guess its significance early-on or not--is beautifully tied into the storyline. (After everything else we see the conclusion of that sequence is a heartbreaker!)
There’s a marvelous moment in the accompanying documentary, featuring a city street, covered with heavily falling snow. As the camera pans to the right we see we’ve been taken in; that wasn’t snow, it was a crew member spraying a “snow substitute”--a slick example of “movie magic”!
Fans of Gilliam’s trademark animation sequences will find plenty of the ex-Monty Python member’s work on display throughout the documentary.
THE DVD
The “Twelve Monkeys” DVD is described on the cover as a “collector’s edition.” It’s definitely that! Along with the movie, presented in widescreen, you get a 90-minute documentary on the making of the film. The DVD also contains extensive production notes. In addition, the dual layer disk includes a separate audio commentary track, featuring director Gilliam and producer Charles Roven. There’s also cast bio’s and the theatrical trailer. The makers of other DVD’s could learn a lot from the presentation on this disk in particular, and Universal’s approach, in general!
NITPICKS
In the commentary track Gilliam refers to “this laserdisc.” When will directors, producers and others who make these tracks acknowledge they’re doing so for DVD as well as Laserdisc??
The DVD freezes for a painfully long moment at the 1 hour, 34-minute mark, as it makes the layer-switch.
You’re not able to select audio channels within the movie; you have to exit to the Menu.
With Christopher Plummer as well-known an actor as he is, having him affect a completely unnecessary accent seems silly.
While the movie has some comic moments, music that’s too lighthearted occasionally robs scenes of their impact; for instance, the “chase scene” (compared somewhat less than subtley to a Marx Brothers movie) in the psychiatric hospital.
We never actually get to see the time travel process. Then again, the story works so well without it we don’t really need to see it happen to believe it…
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 12/10 at 04:51 PM
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Godzilla: Special Edition DVD
THE RATINGS
Movie: ** DVD: ****
Birth Of A King
Godzilla, the father of all Japanese monster movies, stomps onto the scene refreshed, reborn and badder than ever. Tomoyuki Tanaka, the father of Godzilla, would turn over in his grave if he saw Godzilla 1998. Oh Tanaka, how we have dishonored your post nuclear hero! In the early 1950’s, Tanaka, a cameraman-turned-producer working for Toho Studios in Japan, was desperate for an idea…
“I was up against a deadline when I first thought of Godzilla, and I made it up all at the last minute. At that time, Toho was collaborating with Indonesia to make a blockbuster film called ‘Beyond the Glory.’ This film was supposed to be Toho’s ‘eyeball’ (premiere release) for the year. Because soon-to-be stars Ryo Ikebe and Toshiko Yamaguchi couldn’t get a visa from the Indonesian government, the film was canceled. It was easy to say that the film was just canceled, but now I had to come up with something big enough to replace it. On the plane ride back to Tokyo, I was so desperate and I was sweating the whole time.”
The title of the film was “Gojira,” a name reportedly adopted from a tough looking crewmember at Toho studios. “Gojira” is a combination of “gorilla” and “kujira” (Japanese for whale). The film was released in the United States two years later with the title “GODZILLA, King of the Monsters.” Godzilla mania hit immediately, and Tanaka and Toho Studios went on to produce 21 more Godzilla films. Tanaka passed away as a result of a stroke on April 2, 1997 at the age of 86.
THE FILM
Unfortunately (for some of us, anyway), “plot doesn’t matter” in this new adaptation of Godzilla from director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin. The duo that brought you Stargate (1994) and Independence Day (1996) decided to make special effects the star of the new Godzilla. Emphasizing science-fiction spectacle over story, Godzilla was the collective effort of the high concept duo in collaboration with Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, the writing team credited with Aladdin (1992), The Puppet Masters (1994), and Small Soldiers (1998).
The Devlin/Emmerich interpretation features a complete redesign of Godzilla, who is now portrayed as a large “Jurassic Park"-like lizard mutated after fallout from French nuclear tests in French Polynesia. A great deal of care and detail went into Godzilla’s new persona and character. The film immerses you into a kaleidoscope of studio and film footage of actual nuclear blasts, seamlessly visualizing the birth of the Devlin/Emmerich Godzilla. A blinding flash of white light fills the Eastern skies and thousands of miles away, the Pacific Ocean churns, engulfing a freighter then in another part of the globe, giant footsteps plow a path through miles of Panamanian forests, Tahitian villages, and Jamaican beaches.
Matthew Broderick portrays Dr. Nick Tatopoulos (also the name of the movie’s special effects design company, Patrick Tatopoulos Designs). Biologist Dr. Tatopoulos, a.k.a. “The Worm Guy,” is on assignment in the Ukraine for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission examining the impact of radiation on Chernobyl earthworms. As Tatopoulos grabs a handful of worms he is interrupted and immediately reassigned by Colonel Hicks (Kevin Dunn) of the U.S. military. Escorted by Colonel Hick’s military team, Nick is assigned to check out giant claw marks on the beached freighter, and is joined by paleontologists Elsie Chapman (Vicki Lewis) and Mendel Craven (Malcolm Danare). With a freighter covered in blood and giant-size footprints everywhere, Nick decides there’s “some sort of enormous reptile” wandering around. Well, read on to find out “the rest of the story.” Errrr, I mean, the DVD.
FINAL WORD
The Emmerich/Devlin Godzilla: Special Edition DVD goes a long way towards demonstrating that the DVD format has the “right stuff” to make a mediocre movie an enjoyable experience. Even with its shortcomings, Godzilla is a must-have for the DVD fan and a collector’s prize for the Godzilla lovers. It’s clearly a landmark special effects winner in my book and a worthy chapter in the Godzilla series. In particular, this film will be remembered for its valiant attempt to redefine the ubiquitous “King of the Monsters.”
HIGHLIGHTS
The menu features Godzilla stomping through NYC and the sound is nothing short of amazing.
You can learn more about the film by checking out the highly informative special effects commentary presented by the special effects supervisors. You can even watch any of the three best destruction scenes without having to view the entire chapter.
Also included are several trailers and teasers, as well as a “Wallflowers” music video.
THE DVD
While Godzilla didn’t exactly fair well in theaters and in the hearts of “traditional” Godzilla fans, the DVD is a well presented, “packed with a punch” DVD. Because Godzilla clearly represents a special effects spitting contest, it made sense that the studio package the DVD with what made Godzilla stunning viewing. This is perfectly represented with an in-depth special effects commentary presented by Volker Engel, visual effects supervisor and Karen E. Goulekas, associate visual effects supervisor
The DVD also includes a “making of” Godzilla featurette hosted by Harry Shearer. Here you’ll get a dose of information on Godzilla 1998 from cast and Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin.
Overall, the final transfer is terrific. With the exception of the abrupt pause there are no noticeable video artifacts and picture noise. The Dolby 5.1 sound audio tracks made the picture sound and look great even on my 19” Sony TV. But it really blew me away on my 35” TV hooked up to the proprietary CHTS (Cezanne Home Theater System) 
. The audio mix and compression, however, was inadequate at times (for the average DVD fan) as some of the vocal tracks were hard to distinguish.
Godzilla is loaded with great accouterments and comes neatly packaged in the “Keep Case” format.
--OPENS WITH MOVIE/MENU: Menu
--PICTURE DISC?: YES
FEATURES
Widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
English subtitles
Closed captioned
Audio commentary by the special effects supervisors, biographies on the director and producer, and cast filmographies
A “making of” Godzilla featurette
“Godzilla Takes New York” before and after shots
The Wallflowers “Heroes” music video
Photo gallery
Theatrical teaser trailers, and a full-length trailer for the film
Trailers for “Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth” and “Godzilla vs. King Ghidora” double feature DVD.
NITPICKS
The Emmerich/Devlin Godzilla isn’t menacing enough and clearly unconscious (or doesn’t care) about human beings until the baby Godzillas are massacred towards the end of the movie. This is markedly different from most representations of the King! And it’s too bad that the baby Godzillas are scarier than its hulking Dad/Mom.
On Chapter 12, when Matthew Broderick asks Maria Pitillo if she’d like some tea there is a noticeable pause.
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 12/10 at 03:33 PM
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Q-Tron
Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron Product Review
By Cezanne Huq
New Sensor Corporation
Pass The Q-Tron Please
It’s amazing how we go through life oblivious to our surroundings while taking for granted the very things we enjoy and need. The fact is we never really know what they are until someone puts it right in our faces. Ever sit back and really listen to the sounds that seem to embellish your life? Musicians are guilty of exploiting these elements and incorporating them into their compositions. Musicians aside, have you ever stopped to listen?
Well Mike Mathews did. He took $1000 of working capital and a head full of radical ideas to form Electro-Harmonix. EH is now one of the most famous, innovative and prolific sound effects company in the history of music. Ubiqitous to the industry, EH is the backbone and embellishment of almost all of tube amps and pre-amps powered by tube technology manufactured today. You could say they are synonymous to effects in the music industry as is Intel to the microchip in the computer industry.
Meanwhile, 1972 was a cornerstone for the music industry, Mike Biegel fresh out of MIT introduced the first self-contained envelope controlled filter, Mutron III. Due to its “automatic wah” sound Mutron III quickly became an important element in funk and rock genres. Countless musicians embodied their recordings with Mutron III giving it an eternal home in music.
However, the fun didn’t start until the two, that is, Mike and Mike got together to create the first new Electro-Harmonix product in 15 years. The Q-Tron envelope controlled filter is the first successful installment of a new EH campaign to further dominate the market.
Q-Tron’s opto-electronic design delivers the same liquid smooth, organic vowel-like wah wah sound as the Mutron III. Q-tron however, sports an increased frequency response, improved signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity. The squeaky clean sound of this stomp box is, needless to say, “out of this world.”
Q-Tron’s strengths are in it’s simplicity, design and user-friendliness. Allowing the musician to immediately jump right in and start experimenting the Q-Tron is an indispensible tool for musicians. The Q-Tron isn’t restricted to guitarists, keyboardists have been using them since the first analogue synth was introduced. Presently musicians who are part of the Electronica genre (recycled combinations of acid, techno, disco, industrial etc.) are incorporating real-time envelope filters to give their sounds an organic feel. Q-Tron is a stand alone stomp box that can treat your sound and give you a unique and evolving quaity to your sound. Before we finish up this review let’s clear up some terms and explain some of the key features the Q-Tron has to offer.
There are seven onboard controls
- Drive Switch (up/down) This selects direction of filter sweep : up (wah) or down (ow).
- Range Switch (Hi/Low) Emphasizes vowel like sounds in low position, overtones in high position.
- Gain Control (0-11) Functions as both a volume control and a filter sensitivity control in boost mode. In normal mode it acts only as a filter sensitivity control, unlike the Mutron-III which also changes the unit’s output volume. VU uses the gain control switch in real-time in our studio to give signals a dynamic feeling.
- Boost Switch (Normal/Boost modes) Normal mode allows setting the Gain control without changing the output volume.
- Peak Control (0-11) Determines frequency peak of filter. Makes more “effected sound” when turned up more.
- Mode switch (LP, BP, HP, MIX) This will select the frequency range for the filter to sweep. Low Pass is lows, Band Pass is midrange, High Pass is treble. MIX mode (new feature not on the Mutron-III) combines BP with dry unprocessed sound.
- Bypass switch (in/out) Turns effect on and off without shutting off the output of the source signal.
Hits
Gives clean vowel-like wah to signals
Boost signals to give a vintage tube driven sound
Comes in a cool multi-ply wooden box
Misses
The Q-Tron does not run on batteries.
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 12/10 at 03:09 PM
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Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Prayer of the Dying
by Sabina
Hear me, hear my cries of desperation
Save me, save me from a world of hopelessness
Be near me, be near me when the waves come crashing down on me
Rejoice with me; rejoice when the water trickles lightly over me
Stand by me; stand by me when the world wants to consume me
Comfort me; comfort me when the glass around me starts to break
Jump with me, jump with me into the sacred and unknown
Laugh with me, laugh with me until there’s nothing more to laugh at
Sing with me; sing with me that sweet lullaby
Dance with me, dance with me till I hear the music no more
Stay with me, stay with me until your spirit leaves me dry
Haunt me; haunt me forever and ever and evermore…
Copyright Sabina 2003. Used by permission.
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 12/10 at 04:12 PM
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Saturday, March 08, 2003
The Ballad of Chad
by Charles Jones
Listen my children to you old granddad
And I’ll tell you a story that’s really sad
Back in the year two thousand and zero
When the whole nation looked for a hero
We go Chad.
After a long, bitter, hard fought campaign
Between a liar and a man with no brain
Only one State remained so divided
The winner might have to be decided
By Chad.
The voters had spoken in Florida
They’d said ..er, well, ah.., you know,..duh.
We can’t decide with any precision,
So let someone else make the decision.
How about Chad?
Holena Ballot felt somebody blew it
When she was poked everyone knew it.
She wasn’t dimpled, she never dangled,
And nothing was loose with nothing mangled.
Not like that Chad!
So the recount got started and some more
Votes were added to for the side of Al Gore.
The Bush backers said, “That just isn’t fair.
You’ve altered the rules so don’t even dare
Count that Chad”.
So the case was sent to the Supreme Court.
The judges said, “Stop! You’ll have to abort.
We can’t say for certain which dents are votes.
There are no guidelines and there are no notes
About that Chad.
Well, now you know children how five to four
George Bush was elected and not ole Al Gore.
How each Supreme Justice in a black robe
Repaid his Party for the favors he owed.
The losers blamed Chad.
Copyright Charles Jones
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 03/08 at 03:45 PM
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Saturday, June 08, 2002
Keoki Jealousy
By Cezanne Huq
Label: Moonshine
Release Date: 4/24/01
(sing it with me) I love it. You love it. I love it. We love it, that Jealousy from Keoki.
What a monster jam. Keoki’s new release starts out with a really dark and twisted intro and leads into a track known as “Jealousy” that obvious will have mass appeal. Jealousy jumped right out the speakers as soon as I popped the CD in for the first time. I just thought “Damn this is it!” The hook does get a little repetitious if you listen to it a bit too often (which isn’t hard to do!). The controversial and top selling Keoki has done it again on this release, building a selection of quality tracks that are already getting massive airtime.
What’s really cool about this release is that Keoki did his own vocal work and really strove to obtain a new level of sound. The “Pass It On” track from Keoki that began to get play on Napster last September has wet the mouths of many in anticipation of the release of this new album. It’d be pretty hard to not have heard the anthem-like track “Pass It On” somewhere. Keoki also did a homage to the popular 80’s tune “Relax” from Frankie Goes to Hollywood” that is slated for release in April. This track will probably also appeal to a more commercial audience.
I found this release to be a bit hit and miss for me, but certainly a “don’t miss this” type selection. The selection of major 2000/2001 tracks makes the legend of one of electronica’s top artists live on and grow further. Keoki’s style and personality show through heavily on this release as it should with any superstar.
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 06/08 at 07:06 PM
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Thursday, December 28, 2006
Casino DVD
by Robert Carter
CAST: Robert De Niro, Alan King, Joe Pesci, Kevin Pollack, Don Rickles,
Sharon Stone, James Woods
DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese (1995)
THE RATING
Movie: ** DVD: ***
THE FILM
“IT WAS PARADISE WHILE IT LASTED...” That’s what Robert De Niro’s character says about the events chronicled in “Casino.” But, if Adam and Eve were thrown out of this Paradise...the Serpent definitely remained. The movie chronicles the rapid rise of lucky gambler and casino boss De Niro in 1970’s Las Vegas. ("The Riviera” doubles for the fictional “The Tangiers") De Niro is arguably the only likeable front-row character in this drama, though I have to confess a fondness for Don Rickles’ nicely underplayed--near-silent-- casino manager.
As lucky as De Niro’s character “Ace” is his stay in Pardise is doomed by his choice of friends (Joe Pesci), and his choice of a fiancee (Sharon Stone), to be a brief sojourn. Many times Ace insists that he needs to be able to trust the people around him. Unfortunately, (like Al Pacino’s character in the De Palma movie “Carlito’s Way"), he trusts the wrong people, and doesn’t learn from his mistakes.
The disc indicates the story is based on writer Nicholas Pileggi’s notes for an unpublished book on a real-life casino boss. Look for a sly reference to Scorsese’s “New York, New York"--the “Aces High” number. Also look for cameos by Steve Allen and Dick Smothers (!)
Good Points: Excellent acting all around. An engrossing story, well told--Scorese is a master. A snappy soundtrack--featuring music from artists as diverse as Dean Martin, Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones and Devo. (In fact, Scorsese introduces a new song--closely tied to the action--in almost every scene!)
Bad Points: The casino is (surprise!) backed by the Mob; so by the end of the film there’s so much repulsive and graphic violence you’d think you were watching “The Godfather.” The movie leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth...and a low opinion of people.
“Casino” aptly illustrates that the only difference between “high rollers” and “low lifes” is...time.
THE DVD
DVD afficionados will be pleased to know the disc is one-sided--that is, the whole three-hour movie runs continuosly--no flipping. The film’s presented in widescreen. The disc includes “production notes” and cast bio’s.
NITPICKS
In the opening scene the switch from a live actor to a dummy for a shot of an explosion is fairly obvious. At one point there’s a close-up of two newspaper articles; if you pause the DVD you’ll see the articles start out “legitimate,” but become gibberish a short way in… There’s a glitch on the disc at about 1 hour, 26 minutes (the point at which the DVD switches layers?)
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 12/28 at 08:41 AM
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Cousin Bette DVD
by Cezanne Huq
THE RATINGS
Movie: *** DVD: **
THE FILM
The setting for Cousin Bette, directed by Des McAnuff and scripted by Lynn Siefert and Susan Tarr (from the novel by Honoré de Balzac), is France on the eve of the Revolution of 1848. Its story involves the revenge wreaked on the distinguished Hulot family by the cousin of the recently deceased Madame Hulot, Bette (Jessica Lange), a spinster of 40, whose life has been a series of affronts and humiliations. Baron Hector Hulot (Hugh Laurie) is a womanizer who has spent the family fortune on a series of mistresses. The chances of his daughter, Hortense (Kelly MacDonald), marrying decently are rapidly dwindling. It is the final straw when Hortense falls in love with and “steals” a young sculptor, Wenceslas (Aden Young), from Bette, who has fantasized about a relationship with the artist. In alliance with the Baron’s former mistress, Jenny Cadine (Elisabeth Shue), Bette executes a plan that ruins the family financially and morally.
McAnuff’s film is fraught with sex and treachery and characters with a variety of accents that would make Koffi Annan feel out of place. The betrayals come from just about everyone, but reside mainly in the breast (and head) of Cousin Bette, who’s been treated like a doormat by Hulot and everybody else in the family. Having never experienced the big “O,” Bette goes on a rampage as she tries to muck up the lives of the greedy Hortense and her love, Wenceslas, after he spurns poor Bette.
While the film may not have the depth or allure of Balzac’s book, it does keep you wanting more. Hate to say it, but it’s a lot like an R-rated soap opera. Contrary to soap operas, however, is the fantastic musical score written by Simon Boswell that accompanies the frivolous destruction of souls. British composer Boswell has contributed scores for a number of recent films including Shallow Grave (1994), Hackers (1995) and American Perfekt (1997), and the thematic elements in his composition highlight each scene beautifully.
THE DVDOther than the now de facto standards-language options, interactive menus and a theatrical trailer-the DVD is devoid of any features. Fox needs to take some pointers from Criterion. Come on, this is a movie based on Balzac’s book! How about some historical anecdotes like feudalism, the dichotomy of a feudal economy--old money versus new money? The DVD could also benefit from a commentary by director McAnuff, explaining the intricacies of the film and the way he adapted the book.
FINAL WORD
Cousin Bette is a movie that should be on any Balzac fan’s movie rack - how many of you are out there? Stand up for yourselves now! The movie is well balanced and really portrays the elements socioeconomic conditions of the pre-revolutionary France. Keep in mind that what Cousin Bette lacks in features it makes up in historical lessons and rich performances.
OPENS WITH MOVIE/MENU: Menu
PICTURE DISC?: NO
FEATURES
Special Features: Interactive Menus, Theatrical Trailer
Video Format: Widescreen 1.85:1 aspect ratio
Subtitles: Spanish, English Audio Tracks:
English: Dolby Digital Stereo
# Discs: 1 Layers: Single # Sides: Single
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 12/28 at 08:35 AM
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Saturday, December 16, 2006
The Samurai Trilogy
by Peter Suciu
THE RATINGS
Movie: *** DVD: ***
Perhaps one of the very first fully envisioned film trilogies, Samurai and its two sequels actually represent one epic tale spread across three films. Whether it was to cut costs or to make the filming more manageable, the story is broken into three parts, each telling a relevant part of the main character’s story - a legendary seventeenth-century samurai named Musashi Miyamoto.
Musashi is portrayed by Toshiro Mifune (who is known for his countless samurai roles, including several of Akira Kurosawa’s films such as Yojimbo and The Seven Samurai). Musashi is a Japanese Robin Hood-like character, an unlikely hero who makes his entrance following a brutal civil war.
THE TRILOGY
While this is the Samurai film series, these are not b-movie hack and slash tales set in mist-filled Japanese forests, nor are they the epic and sweeping battles of the kind showcased in Kurosawa’s Ran (the battle of Sekigahara is shown very briefly in Samurai I). In stead, these films have been dubbed Japan’s Gone with the Wind, and like that epic US release, the substance of the films lies in its character development and the turmoil the characters face - not the civil wars that are the background to each story.
THE MOVIES
Samurai I: Musahi Miyamoto
Following the battle of Sekigahara, Musashi Miyamoto and his friend Matahaci find themselves on the defeated side. Instead of the grand victory and glory Musashi had anticipated, he finds himself a defeated fugitive. The pair seek shelter with a widow and her daughter. Musashi is seduced by the widow, but then remembers that he loves (and is betrothed to) Otsu, a woman from his village.
Musashi (known at this point in his life as Takezo) returns to his village, while the widow and her daughter head to Kyoto. Matachachi’s family doesn’t believe Musashi’s story and he is arrested for treason. Musashi is spared but must leave the village and redeem himself.
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple
This second film, despite its action-sounding title, involves Musashi’s quest for spiritual enlightenment as the young warrior continues his training to become a true samurai. The violence that Musashi faces convinces him that violence in itself is not honorable, and he moves towards redemption as his skills improve.
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
Lacking the sheer action of the previous two films, this final film follows the hero, Musashi, as he struggles with questions dealing with what makes a worthy warrior. As a victor in sixty duels, Musashi has become a legend in Japan, but he begins to face younger and more ambitious rivals looking to make a reputation for themselves-something that is in direct conflict with Musashi’s beliefs.
Like many roles that Clint Eastwood would later play, Musashi turns his back on his former ways and hopes to spend out his days as a farmer. But an ambitious upstart named Kojiro is determined to meet Musashi in combat. Does he succeed? You have to check it out for yourself.
THE DVDS
The films are best seen together as one epic story, and therefore it would have been nice to have them released as a box set. However, they are still able to tell self-contained stories as stand-alone films.
The presentation is in full frame (1:33:1), so nothing is lost in the transfer. All of the DVDs are somewhat grainy, but that is due more to the film stock of post-war Japan than by a failure on Criterion’s part. It’s just nice to be able to see these grand films on DVD.
The discs contain the films and their corresponding theatrical trailers. As an added bonus, each disc includes an excellent mini-booklet detailing the story and some background on the real character that Musashi is based on.
HIGHLIGHTS
Samurai I briefly shows the battle of Sekigahara, one of the most epic in the Shogun Civil Wars of seventeenth-century Japan.
Samurai II features some well-choreographed and realistic swordplay. This film also showcases the training of a samurai.
Samurai III deals with the issues of honor and what it entails. Musashi has gained honor, but at the cost of killing others forcing him to question his choices in life.
NITPICKS
The background included in the books would be better on the discs themselves, and there should have been some mention made of the late Toshiro Mifune’s long career as an actor in Japan and later in the United States. Mifune, who died in late 1997, was as established as being the leading “samurai” actor as Clint Eastwood or John Wayne for their western roles. Like his American counterparts in their period films, one can not think of a samurai without thinking of Mifune.
Final Word
The Samurai Trilogy is not Shogun Assassin (itself edited from two Sword of Vengeance films) or even a Kurosawa film. While Kurosawa is the true master of Samurai films, Hiroshi Inagaki’s films offer another and possibly darker look at the Edo era of Japan’s history.
Features
Languages: English(AC-3), French(SS)
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Sound: AC-3
Other Features: cast , prod. crew , biography , movie trailer , production notes
Sides: 1
DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
DETAILS
Criterion Collection (1954, 1955, 1956) Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki
Starring:
Toshiro Mifune, Rentario Mikuni, Kaoru Yachigusa
Posted by Cezanne Huq on 12/16 at 09:26 AM
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