MORE INFO: THE STANLEY KUBRICK COLLECTION
They have finally announced the special features for the Special Editions of the Stanley Kubrick movies coming in October.
First up, in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) we get a 2-Disc Special Edition which will include Commentary by Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood, the Theatrical trailer, Channel 4 documentary: 2001: The Making of a Myth, Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001, Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001, 2001: A Space Odyssey – A Look Behind the Future, 2001: FX and Early Conceptual Artwork, Look: Stanley Kubrick!, and an audio-only interview with Stanley Kubrick.
In A Clockwork Orange (1971) we get another 2-Disc Special Edition including Commentary by Malcolm McDowell and historian Nick Redman, the theatrical trailer, Channel 4 documentary: Still Tickin’: The Return of Clockwork Orange, New featurette: Great Bolshy Yarblockos! Making A Clockwork Orange and the career profile: O Lucky Malcolm!
In Eyes Wide Shut (1999) we get two discs with scene specific commentary by Sydney Pollack and historian Peter Loewenberg, the theatrical trailer and TV spots, Channel 4 documentary: The Last Movie: Stanley Kubrick and Eyes Wide Shut, Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick, Kubrick’s 1998 DGA D.W Griffith Award acceptance speech, and an interview gallery featuring Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Steven Spielberg.
It has been announced that Full Metal Jacket (1987) will not be available separately from the box set. If you want it, you have to buy the set. It will include commentary by Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey and Jay Cocks, a new featurette: Full Metal Jacket: Between Good and Evil and the theatrical trailer.
In The Shining (1980) we get two discs with commentary by Garrett Brown and John Baxter, the theatrical trailer, documentary: The Making of the Shining, with optional commentary by Vivian Kubrick, Three new featurettes: View from The Overlook: Crafting the Shining, The Visions of Stanley Kubrick and Wendy Carlos, Composer.
GRINDHOUSE
d. Quentin Tarantino / Robert Rodriguez
c. Rose McGowan, Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis
release date: Death Proof (September 18, 2007) / Planet Terror (October 16, 2007)
I’ve had plenty of time to stew on this. Grindhouse was maybe the most fun I’ve had going to the movies in a long time. I left the theater with a big smile on my face. I loved the fun of Planet Terror. I loved the very Tarantino Death Proof. I loved the trailers and maybe my most annoying quoted line came from the Rob Zombie trailer. However, we live in a country where the movie going public at large piss me off on a regular basis. And on this movie, they pissed me off more than just about anything. They completely ignored Grindhouse when it hit theaters and the movie tanked. Then the once brave Weinsteins pissed me off. They panicked and split the movie up for it’s European release. The brothers, who once would have fought for their golden boy at any cost have balls the size of marbles now. Europe was pissed at the move and Grindhouse burned up in flames. Now it is time to screw over the country who is to blame for the flop to begin with. The country who either won’t see a movie over three hours long or won’t see a movie that is original and out of the ordinary has caused those of us who did support it to get the movie split up for the DVD release. I guess it would not be hard to just flip in the second disc when Planet Terror ends to get the double bill, except these DVDs will NOT INCLUDE THE TRAILERS. What kind of shit is that? You have to rely on You Tube to see small versions of it on your computer instead of on your nice big TV like I was hoping to do. According to Edgar Wright, the special edition is coming with everything back together, but we were promised the full version of Kill Bill three years ago too.
On September 18, we get a 2-Disc set of Death Proof which will include never-before-seen footage including the “missing reel” (containing Vanessa Ferlito’s unseen lap-dance sequence) as well as a black-and-white segment in the film’s second act. Also included will be a Finding Quentin’s Gals featurette, The Guys of Death Proof featurette, a Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike featurette, an Introducing Zoe Bell featurette, a Quentin’s Greatest Collaborator: Editor Sally Menke featurette, the trailer for Double Dare, and an International poster gallery. I assume this is the version of the movie that Tarantino took to Cannes.
Then on October 16, we get the 2-Disc set of Planet Terror and it’s special features are like most of Robert Rodriguez’s past movies, which means they will be awesome. We get additional footage and a missing reel, along with an audio commentary by writer/director Rodriguez, deleted scenes, a Cooking School featurette, a 10-Minute Film School featurette, and further featurettes on the stunts and makeup and effects. Completing the package will be a Badass Babes featurette, a Renegade Guys featurette, featurettes on the costumes and production design, and the international trailer. I would guess that all these extra features will not be included when they release the great big DVD, so we will be forced to buy everything so Harvey and Bob can make some of their money back.
ALONE IN THE DARK: DIRECTOR’S CUT
d. Uwe Boll
c. Christian Slater, Tara Reid, Stephen Dorff
release date: September 25, 2007
Arguably, the greatest director to have ever lived will finally get the chance to show his under-rated masterpiece in the way he had originally envisioned it. Film fans everywhere will be able to rejoice on September 25, when the connoisseur of fine cinema, the prestigious Dr. Uwe Boll will unveil his poetic, and beautiful Alone in the Dark in only the way a master storyteller and technician could. With the Oscar caliber acting from the sensational team of Tara Reid (The Crow: Wicked Prayer) and Stephen Dorff (FeardotCom), Boll is able to weave an intricate tale of a group of people who stand face to face with a psychologically disturbing and lethal horror that threatens all they hold dear, even life itself. Boll, who has worked nights and days to give us legendary masterpieces such as House of the Dead and BloodRayne, as well as tackling the harshest of critics in the blood sport known as boxing, will finally get the chance to raise Alone in the Dark from simply a masterpiece of modern cinema into what may be the holy grail of all that we know to be sacred. As Edward Carnby (in a defining role by Christian Slater, arguably the greatest of his career) says, “Fear is what protects you from the things you don’t believe in.” Touché, Dr. Boll. Touché, indeed. The director’s cut will include what appears to be 2 extra minutes of Boll glory, as well as a featurette about the director, a director’s commentary and an art gallery (all subject to change).
FUTURAMA: BENDER’S BIG SCORE
d. Dwayne Carey-Hill
c. Billy West, John Di Maggio, Katey Sagal
release date: November 27, 2007
It is finally time for the announced Futurama movies to be released. Much as Family Guy before it, Futurama has received an extended life thanks to the support of its fans. Instead of coming back to TV right away, instead they will be released as feature length movies. The plot is as follows: As Xmas 3007 approaches, the Futurama crew must fight to save Earth in an epic battle against nudist alien Internet scammers. When the evil naked aliens launch a cyber-attack on Planet Express, they make a shocking discovery: the secret of time travel, mysteriously tattooed on Fry’s buttocks. Using their devious nudist software to control Bender, they repeatedly send the beer-fueled robot back in time to loot Earth of its greatest treasures. Bender’s rampage through history has shocking repercussions when he encounters Al Gore (guest-starring as himself) during the 2000 Presidential recount. Meanwhile, Leela finds true love, a beloved crew member suffers an embarrassing decapitation, and Fry learns deep secrets about his destiny and his buttocks. It sounds just like the TV show and I hope that it keeps the spirit as well.