Let's Get Physical Media: The Lee Gambin Memorial Column (October 2024)
Reviews of a few titles recently released on 4K from Allied Vaughn (MovieZyng) I'm stoked to let folks know these releases are out on the best format possible! Elm Street, Focus, Game Night, & more!
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Label: Warner Bros
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 90 Minutes
Director: Wes Craven
Cast: John Saxon, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, Johnny Depp
Special Features
Audio Commentary #1 (Theatrical Cut only) - A 2001 group commentary track featuring writer/director Wes Craven, actors Heather Langenkamp and John Saxon, and cinematographer Jacques Haitki.
Audio Commentary #2 (Theatrical Cut only) - A 2006 track with separate comments from writer/director Wes Craven; New Line Cinema founder Robert Shaye; actors Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, and Ronee Blakley; producers Sara Risher and John Burrows; cinematographer Jacques Haitkin; composer Charles Bernstein; editors Rick Shaine and Patrick McMahon; mechanical special effects designer Jim Doyle; special makeup effects artist David B. Miller; and finally, film historian David Del Valle.
Focus Points - More than two dozen short behind-the-scenes segments and unrestored alternate takes now available some of which are taken from other featurettes and extras included here.
Alternate Endings - "Scary Ending", "Happy Ending", and "Freddy Ending".
The House That Freddy Built: The Legacy of New Line Horror - A 22-minute retrospective featurette.
Never Sleep Again: The Making of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" - A 50-mintue documentary which includes a lot of Wes, yay!
Night Terrors: The Origins of Wes Craven's Nightmares - A 15-minute piece on the psychology of dreams.
This is a classic that I simply just have to point out for Halloween season as not only an all-time, personal favorite but watching it in 4K was a bit mind-blowing. Even the alternate endings I’ve only seen on a dubbed VHS in the lowest quality possible (my memory was they may have even been in B&W).
Sitting down to watch a movie I’ve seen countless times, I normally don’t see that much of a difference between 4K UHD and a Blu-Ray. There are definite exceptions and this here is one of them. I know I’ve seen the original Elm Street on Blu-Ray and streaming before, but something about this transfer really stood out to me. Perhaps a lot of it has to do with the fact that my main memories of watching this film were either in EP mode on a VHS tape or on cable - which is when I first saw this way too young at the age of 8. Oops!
I was up late one night and my parents were sound asleep so I snuck downstairs to watch this and by the time we got to Tina’s death, I turned it off and panicked. That was way too much to experience at such a young age. I told my parents about it the next day over breakfast and they weren’t pleased. Both of them really didn’t care for horror films and they didn’t want Freddy to traumatize me. It was a bit late though, he already became a part of my dreams based on just watching the first 20 minutes or so. And of course Nancy remains one of the very best final girls in horror film history.
The film has been remastered in 2160p/HDR10 (HEVC / H.265) and it looks stunning throughout. Colors really pop to where I even noticed that Rod’s blanket (after him and Tina have sex) is colored red and green. Sometimes with older horror films you run the risk of making things look too processed than anticipated because 4K can be a bit unforgiving when it comes to showcasing flaws as much as it can be praised for elevating everything else. I did think a couple of moments were a bit too dark like when Tina wakes up from the opening nightmare sequence.
I really relish the experience of watching a movie with noise cancelling headphones on when alone that really creates an immersive experience. The audio quality is absolutely remarkable throughout. Freddy, Nancy and the gang on Elm Street have been given a new sound design with an excellent new Dolby Atmos mix. Adding more atmospherics and stereo pans throughout really made it feel like watching the movie again for the first time. I was a bit floored by hearing things I don’t recall hearing before.
All of the above have been ported over from previous versions, with nothing new added by WB. Legacy extras come with this edition. There isn’t anything here on this disc that I hadn’t seen before. We know about the film, it’s creation and the huge impact the film has had so getting all the excellent previous features here works just fine especially when they look as great as they do. I wouldn’t say the majority of them stand out as anything unique or thrilling but the half-hour long documentaries are a highlight only to see and hear Wes talking about his experiences and inspiration for making the film.
In the end, A Nightmare on Elm Street remains in my top ten favorite horror films ever made since it was easily the first film I saw that actually scared me. Granted, I shouldn’t have experienced it so young but alas, I did it to myself. There are better horror films that are regarded as far more consistent since most would agree that the final minutes of this film aren’t particularly strong. But everything before that is damn-near perfect and this 4K really made me experience this film in a whole new light in a pristine transfer that I couldn’t recommend more. Now let’s see them do the same for the entire series soon!
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4K UHD
Focus (2015)
Label: Warner Bros
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 105 Minutes
Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie
Special Features
Masters of Misdirection: The Players in a Con
Will Smith: Gentleman Thief
Margot Robbie: Stealing Hearts
Deleted Scenes
Alternate Opening
Two things I never get tired of: “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones as well as a good-old fashioned con artist narrative. Is Focus anything original or something that I absolutely implore you to seek out? Not necessarily but this is my idea of a great popcorn movie - escapist entertainment with movie stars simply radiating charisma and charm with an engaging story that is easy to follow and consistently well-paced.
This film brought Will Smith back as a leading actor after stumbling for a bit. His character here comes from a family of con men; Nicky (Smith) perpetrates a wide variety of scams and cons not unlike the ones we’d see in another solid story of the same ilk, Matchstick Men. After Nicky catches Jess (Margot Robbie) in a swindle, he takes her under his wing and allows her to participate in a massive series of schemes across football championship week in New Orleans. Along the way, Nicky and Jess turn into more than just business partners, but the relationship doesn’t progress in a traditional manner. We follow their ups and downs along with other cons along the way.
Reiterating the fact that this type of film has been done many times, I was surprised by how much I was able to overlook that fact and simply just sit down and enjoy it. I’ve never been a big Will Smith fan in general, but his movie-star qualities shine throughout. It’s easy to see why he became a blockbuster sensation, at least until recently. He provides compelling lead character especially when he falters. That holds true for Robbie who always lights up the screen no matter what type of movie she’s in. As a fan of Mamet whenever he implements a con of some kind, Focus really just plays as an homage to that type of story-line with a light, Ocean’s 11-like touch. A tense betting sequence between Smith and BD Wong is easily the film’s highlight.
The release itself is great to look at as expected even if the supplements leave a lot to be desired. These are EPK-style interviews that are light, fluffy and don’t have much depth. I’m always surprised, but perhaps shouldn’t be that Warner Bros doesn’t often go the extra mile and provide us with more than just standard promotional behind-the-scenes looks at the stars of the show. Nonetheless, this is another title that’s worth picking up if you’re a fan of these two performers or the con artist genre in general. Even if the twists are fairly predictable, it’s still a fun ride and worth picking up. Focus 4K UHD
Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)
Label: Sony
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 100 Minutes
Directors: Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont
Cast: Ethan Embry, Lauren Ambrose, Seth Green, Jennifer Love Hewitt
Special Features
Two Audio Commentaries with the Filmmakers and Cast
10 Years Later Alternate & Deleted Scenes
Huntington Hills High Class of '98 Reunion
Can't Hardly Wait: The Making of a Teen Classic
Six Archival Deleted Scenes
The Life of the Party Feature
"Can't Get Enough of You Baby" Smash Mouth Music Video!
Once again I’ve had many celebrity crushes and for a brief stint watching Party of Five, I was mainly enamored with the smile of one Jennifer Love Hewitt. Sometimes that’s all it takes. But like my time crushing on Zooey Deschanel, it soon faded away for reasons I can’t say. The old me would’ve loved to have hung out with Hewitt but the current me is far more taken with Lauren Ambrose (which has been the case since Six Feet Under).
Now that the creepy part is out of the way, let’s get to the movie at hand because it’s a special one. When Can’t Hardly Wait came out, I was a couple of years out of high school but it was about a couple years away from when I had the greatest party of my lifetime that I hosted in the year 2000. I even vividly remember thinking, “this is truly like one of those parties you’d see in a movie… a Weird Science party.” All my friends from all walks of life were there. First time I also had thrown up from drinking too much as well.
It’s hard not to think of that party watching this incredible deluxe package of Can’t Hardly Wait, a film that I mostly look back at with a nostalgic lens. There are things that still hold up and definitely things to roll your eyes at. But this film comes from the husband/wife team that brought us a true cult classic and favorite of mine, Josie and the Pussycats, and you can see their imprint all over this one as well in terms of its energy, frantic editing (at times) and John Hughes-like character archetypes.
School's out, and an entire graduating class -- from football stars and cool girls to complete nerds -- gathers at a wealthy classmate's home for a party. There, the artistic, lovelorn Preston (Ethan Embry) hopes to move in on Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a prom queen he has admired from afar for years. Dorky William (Charlie Korsmo) schemes to pay back meathead Mike (Peter Facinelli) for years of bullying, and would-be rapper Kenny (Seth Green) gets locked in a bathroom with sardonic Denise (Lauren Ambrose). Hijinks ensue which include a rendition of Guns n’ Roses, a late 90s pop soundtrack of the highest caliber (including Matthew Sweet) and so much more that will easily bring a smile to your face. Ditto this 4K release even if once again, the extras are all previously released.
There’s a great reunion featurette that has many cast members, though the female leads (Hewitt, Ambrose) are missing. Participants include Ethan Embry, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green, Freddy Rodriguez and Jenna Elfman. Odd that they couldn’t at least get comments from Jennifer Love Hewitt or Lauren Ambrose but alas, perhaps they’ve moved on from the experience. Nonetheless, that bonus feature is definitely worth a look as is the entire disc if you’re a fan of this ensemble or you grew up in the 90s and want to relive what it was like to be in high school and attempt to connect with others at a crazy, wild party like I sure did back in the year 2000. Can’t Hardly Wait 4K.
Game Night (2018)
Label: Warner Bros
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 100 Minutes
Directors: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Cast: Jason Bateman, Rachel MacAdams, Kyle Chandler, Jessie Plemons
Special Features
An Unforgettable Evening: Making Game Night
Gag Reel
Not to oversell this movie because comedy is subjective and what we find funny varies greatly but I still think Game Night is one of the funniest movies of the past decade. When it was over, I remember thinking, wow, it’s been quite a while since any comedy made me laugh that consistently. A lot of the credit goes to the cast of course to where if I were an Academy member, I would’ve happily nominated Rachel McAdams for best supporting actress.
Bateman plays essentially the same character we see him play in every movie, the straight-laced, mild mannered husband named Max. But he does it well. He and wife Annie (Rachel McAdams) are deliberating starting a family and their only respite from their lives is the weekly game night with their friends. Max’s older, more successful and more charismatic brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler) shows up and manages to hijack the game night in lieu of his own. His plan is that he’s arranges for everyone to play in a real-life murder mystery game that requires them to solve a kidnapping gone awry. But before the game can truly get started, real kidnappers break in and whisk Brooks away. Thinking that this is all part of the “game”, the crew start to try and solve the mystery never knowing that Brooks’ life is truly in danger.
Comedies like this don’t necessarily require a 4K upgrade for sound and picture quality but because this remains a favorite, I’m glad this exists in the best format possible. There’s no denying how much I enjoy Jessie Plemons as the cop next door especially when he goes to retrieve the mail. That set piece is precisely my brand of awkward, absurd, deadpan humor along with the highlight of the entire movie when McAdams delivers the line, “Oh no, he died!”
Which to me is just a perfect example of why she remains one of the best actresses working today. Even a scene where she dances around and sings a Third Eye Blind song, McAdams sells it with sublime comedic timing and delivery. I feel like nearly the entire cast gets a moment to shine and not everything is outlandish or slapsticky (although that’s there too). The paying for information scene comes to mind as another example of what makes this comedy so special.
The disc itself is standard Warner Brothers fare - they didn’t go the extra mile outside of an amusing gag reel since the only other bonus features is about as EPK behind the scenes as it gets. Really, this movie just has to be seen and added to your collection for McAdams’ pitch-perfect performance in every way possible. I honestly thought of what Kevin Kline brought to the proceedings in A Fish Called Wanda at times.
Hence why I think she deserves awards and more acclaim. But the entire film itself is just hilarious if not, once again, a tad bit predictable in terms of how things play out. It does work as an interesting double feature with the more standard “con artist” fare of Focus but this one is more of a farce - the kind that Mel Brooks might’ve made back in the day. Yes, it’s that funny and I can’t recommend this one enough. Overall, this is a pretty great Ultra High Definition video presentation that provides a nice upgrade for the film that should have fans excited to add this to their collection. Game Night 4K UHD
American Movie (1999)
Label: Sony
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 104 Minutes
Director: Chris Smith
Cast: Mark Borchardt, Mike Schank, Matt Weisman
Special Features
Audio Commentary: Director Chris Smith, producer Sarah Price, Mark Borchardt, and Mike Shank provide a really entertaining commentary track that gives you a lot of background detail on the production of the film along with plenty of humorous musings from the subjects which allows you some insights into how they view the movie.
Deleted Scenes: There are 22 unused scenes totaling 37 minutes provided here featuring moments that were cut for time but are terrifically entertaining for those who like the main feature.
Coven Short Film by Mark Borchardt: The 37-minute film produced during the filming of this documentary is provided here. This was not included on the previous Blu-Ray, so this is a really nice addition!
Of course, I’m saving the best for last simply due to the fact that this might be my favorite documentary of all time. Probably most cinephiles can relate or empathize with its main subject despite selfish tendencies; the memorable Mark Borchardt stars in this beautifully humanistic portrayal of pursuing the dream of filmmaking, against all odds and with reckless determination. All the while attempting to do this, demons keep getting in the way. After all Thom Yorke once said, “ambition makes you look pretty ugly.” And that’s the case here at times.
Mark Borchardt wants to make a film called Northwestern. He’s not got much education, or too much sophistication. But he loves movies. He’s as ready to reference Dawn of the Dead as The Seventh Seal and has something to say about both. But he gets becomes less motivated the more he drinks, which he does copiously and on camera. Since he can’t get his dream project off the ground, he opts to focus on something completely different: it’s called Coven (pronounced coe-ven). He plans to make this with a little help from his friend.
One of the most compelling things in American Movie is the contrast with Mark and his childhood friend, Mike Shank. Mike is a burnout. He speaks in monotone and doesn’t seem to process life in a straightforward way. But he’s off alcohol and drugs and plays guitar beautifully. He provides the film’s soundtrack. He is the cheerful companion to Mark’s wild flights of fancy, his ambitions, and unlikely possibilities. It’s one of the best friendships ever captured on film, providing huge laughs but remarkably warm pathos as well.
I have a feeling that if you’re reading this, you’ve seen American Movie by now. To me this is more than just another movie or another documentary. It really is a reflection of the American dream unfulfilled. Mark’s dream is to be a filmmaker but a lot of things hold him back. This is also a part of the film I’m putting together eventually so watching this movie today hits home on a completely different level.
American Movie was made by the team of Chris Smith and Sarah Price, with Chris directing, producing, and handling visuals, while Sarah produced and ran the sound. Since this is a documentary, there isn’t much innovative camerawork or anything like that to warrant a 4K upgrade, but everything seems to be technically sound and it certainly looks great regardless. For me, this is one of the greatest works of art of my lifetime. Possibly because it is something instantly identifiable to me - wanting to do something so badly but being held back by things like mental illness or addiction.
Not to mention the fact that this movie is also hilarious at times but captures the experience of being an imperfect human being, simply trying to accomplish a goal. You do not have to be a fan of horror movies to care whether or not Mark gets his movie made. You just have to admire the attempt to accomplish something even in the face of so many obstacles, debt and life stressors in general. It truly is a remarkable documentary and I am grateful that it exists so don’t pass this one by. It’s worth owning in any format. American Movie 4K