New DVD review: "Raging Bull" special edition
Film: A+
DVD: A
It's official. There is a new victor for "Best Martin Scorsese DVD." The recently-released, long overdue special edition of 1980's "Raging Bull" is a textbook example of how to properly give a masterpiece the DVD treatment it deserves.
The 1980 film tells the story of real-life Bronx boxer Jake La Motta (Robert De Niro) who would become middleweight champion. Throughout the years he struggles with pathological paranoia about his wife Vicky cheating on him. Eventually he ends up as a washed up, overweight, night club comedian.
Of Scorsese's five masterpieces -- the others being "Mean Streets," "Taxi Driver," "The Last Temptation of Christ" and "Goodfellas" in my view -- "Raging Bull" is probably the one with the greatest depth, the fiercest emotional intensity, the best acting, and the most dazzling technical prowess. There's a reason why it was voted the best film of the 1980s. Its greatness just hits you in the face.
And the DVD does what a great DVD is supposed to do: enhance the movie and make the viewer see it in a totally different light. The second disc provides four behind the scenes featurettes. Each focuses on a different part of the filmmaking process. The first, "Before the Fight," focuses on the different forces that led to the film being made. The second, "Inside the Fight," looks in depth at how the fight sequences were shot. "Outside the Ring" is about the dramatic scenes. "After the Fight" takes on the postproduction and the impact of the film. Breaking up what would be one long documentary into four parts was a smart decision.
Additional features include the documentary "The Bronx Bull," newsreel footage of La Motta, and a side by side comparison of De Niro and La Motta in the ring. They're practically identical. Three commentaries round out the package.
This is hands-down one of the best, most satisfying DVDs to come out in months. It leaves no stone unturned, providing everything one would want.
For those who have yet to experience this great masterpiece of filmmaking, one of the best films of the 20th century, this is a prime opportunity.
New DVD review: "A Shark Tale"
Film: C+
DVD: B
"A Shark Tale" is a film of such wonderful potential. When it first splashed into theaters it met with fairly mixed reviews. Yet there were still numerous reasons to be attracted to it, including the extraordinary setting of the film: The filmmakers took great care to take an urban city and then "fishify" it as a bustling underwater coral reef metropolis.
They then "fishified" the numerous celebrities who provided the voices. Hence the Robert De Niro shark having a mole on his right cheek, and the sexy Angelina Jolie fish with the actress's trademark lips.
Overall the film had a lively, exciting, colorful look to it.
So what's the problem? How about a weak, conventional, boring story? Oscar, the Will Smith fish, is in the right place at the right time so that it appears as though he kills one of the sharks -- mobsters -- that terrorize the reef. He then proceeds to lie himself into celebrity and riches until the sharks come after him. Such a tragedy -- a great world with fun characters without a story worthy of them.
DVD-wise the disc is fairly loaded with stuff -- much of it fairly dull or of little interest to those older than my fifth grader sister. Still, there are several fun featurettes and a great look at the upcoming "Wallace and Gromit" movie.
And for the record: I was wincing throughout the film because of all the terrible jokes and ridiculous, painful things that they made Martin Scorsese say as a fish.
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