bagloon Reviews

The Ballad of Narayama (1983)

June 2008 Release by AnimEigo is FAULTY, Do not buy this version!

[21 June 2008]

AnimEigo's June 2008 DVD release of The BALLAD of NARAYAMA has been eagerly awaited for many years. Unfortunately, and for reasons that are as infuriating as they are inexplicable, the company which has released the film (AnimEigo) has issued it in "full screen format" and not in Anamorphic Widescreen. This is particularly annoying for two rather considerable reasons: 1) On the box, it says "Anamorphic Widescreen," - that is "letterboxed" - but it clearly is not; I have checked out the print sent to me by NetFlicks and then at a local Video shop. 2) The film's enormously high reputation is based in great measure on its superlative cinematography and this butchered version released by AnimEigo ruins the imagery and the enjoyment of the film.

The company should not be allowed to assert that the film is in ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN when it is not. This is called bait and switch.

For those who wish to see this film as it was intended, DO NOT BUY THIS VERSION. Write to AnimEgo and get them to release the film properly. Their address (supposedly) is ANIMEIGO / P.O. Box 989 Wilmington, NC 28402-0989. Their phone number is 1.800.24-ANIME.

Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

Clooney's presentation of McCarthy

[13 October 2005]

The film does not - as some have suggested - unfairly portray McCarthy as a sub-human monster. Its presentation of McCarthy is limited strictly to the thread of the storyline and never does it waver toward name-calling or character assassination. This is particularly striking given that MCarthy was a well-seasoned alcoholic and clearly suffered from a narcissistic personality disorder. He was ripe for parody because his eccentricities were so pronounced, but this film is remarkably even-handed about the Senator's deeds and behavior. There are no allusions either to his peculiar friendship with Roy Cohn, whose notorious homosexual relations with private G. David Schine eventually led to McCarthy's demented charge that the Army was infested with Communists. Some have even suggested that McCarthy was no stranger to gay trysts. All of this could have made for an explosive - and typical - "Hollywood" movie and would indeed have been propagandistic, shallow and simple-minded. Instead Clooney has made an intelligent, cogent, fair-minded film about ethics, high standards and integrity.

The Conformist (1970)

Bad News for Those Who Want to See This Movie

[23 November 2004]

Bad News: Spoke to Paramount home entertainment. The Conformist is a film they no longer own the rights to, but they do not believe that the rights have reverted to the producer(s) either. Those awful VHS tapes that exist and those appalling bootleg DVDs - that's as good as its going to get. The only person who would be able to change this is Bertolucci, but, as posted elsewhere, he seems to have no interest in having this film made available. I'd be happy to be proved wrong, but it looks unlikely. I don't understand, the film is widely admired, often imitated and was hugely influential. Is there some reason this isn't out there when Legally Blonde II is? .