I know this may sound odd, but despite 'Wings' not being one of my favorite silents - although I do like it - I picked it up on blu-ray immediately to support studios restoring and releasing these silent classics on the new format. So happy I did - this blu-ray is stunning. It's a must-own for any serious film fan. I only hope other studios give this much attention and appreciation to their classics.
Normally, I'd agree with you about the blu-ray being not much better than the DVD copy, but honestly, you have GOT to see this on blu-ray. I don't believe I've ever seen a silent look this good in any format on any screen. Paramount did a superb job restoring it, and to be honest, the transfer stacks up with the best transfers from modern films. It's a must see!
Anytime I think of the ending to 'The Planet of the Apes,' I'm reminded of the genius of Rod Sterling. It's a real shame the man wasn't able to write down ideas for many other movies, because he was clever in giving the audience satisfying, yet shocking moments. As for the latest movie in the franchise, I hope George Lucas got a chance to go see it. It's a shining example of how prequels SHOULD be made.
"The Son of the Sheik" is a pretty interesting film, and if I recall correctly, was meant to reboot Valentino's career which somewhat fizzled out in the mid-20s. The idea was to do a sequel of his enormously popular 1921 film, "The Sheik," and, in 1926, the sequel was a novel concept (imagine that).
For anyone interested in Valentino's career, I recommend seeing the 1920 epic "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." It was the film that made Valentino famous for his memorable tango scene.
I feel like one of the few people left you actually prefers Chaplin's work over Keaton's. That's not to say Keaton wasn't a phenomenal talent; rather, I just found Chaplin to be a better storyteller. If you can get past the occasional left-leaning subtext, you'll find some great work. "The Great Dictator" was brilliant in attempting to mix comedic bits with moments that - although very restrained - do show some of the humiliation Jews were subject to during Nazi rule.
Really hope Criterion gets around to releasing 'City Lights' on Blu-ray later this year. One of my favorite films and undeniably Chaplin's best work.
What a phenomenal career. As one of my friends said, "Guess God wanted a Slim Jim." Macho Man, you will be missed.
The only people who are shocked and outraged by this are people who don't follow the comic book world. As a fan of different heroes, you quickly learn that a fair amount of writers and contributors for these characters are liberal and from time to time incorporate silly social and political commentary into their products. It's never stopped me from being a fan of Superman or any other hero I grew up with; instead it just makes me avoid junk like this and wait for better content down the road.
I think one point being avoided here is the process by how WB released their classic films on blu-ray. Think about this - Disney releases its classic films on blu-ray every few months with successful results, and it's not just because the films have an audience driven by children. They keep prices relatively low (sometimes even offer a coupon for early customers) and include DVD and digital copies of the films for added value.
WB did the opposite - they gave customers only one option: to buy these hideously large collectors' sets during a classic film's first run that normally retailed from 40 to 60 bucks. They would then wait months before finally releasing a smaller, more cost effective version. Key point to take away: classic film fans like myself are willing to pay a premium for content, but not if we have to pay excessive amounts for a package with novelty items we don't even want to check out a beautiful new restoration of a film we love.
I know I'm not in the majority here, but the 1925 version of Ben-Hur is a better one overall than the 59 interpretation. It's a shorter, tighter presentation of the story that gives the Christ scenes a more personal approach. For anyone who hasn't seen it, pick up the DVD with the score from Carl Davis - it's phenomenal.
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