Here lie the random thoughts... oh, forget it!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
In Prep for John Carpenter Week
Besides having my son turn 15 that month, the other event I'm looking forward to in October is the blogathon for a favorite director of mine. My good friend J.D. over at RADIATOR HEAVEN will be celebrating John Carpenter Week October 3 - 9, 2010.
So, feeling pretty inspired by all of this I acquired two films by Carpenter I've been looking forward to. The first is a copy of the film which initially started my appreciation for the talents of one of the most underrated actors I know. The performer is Kurt Russell, and the film is the 1979 TV movie by John Carpenter, Elvis (finally out this year in DVD):
The second film, at first, you'd suspect would already be in my library of discs... and it is. Starman came out in 1984 and starred Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen (another pair of favorites). However, for the U.S. market, each and every disc released (including last year's version in Blu-ray Disc) has basically sucked when it came to extras and special features. In other words, they're pretty barebones (and sometimes badly cropped). So, I recently picked up the Region 2 disc from the U.K. for the upcoming occasion:
It offers the proper widescreen aspect ratio (2.35:1), the trailer, music video, a featurette, and a commentary track that includes John Carpenter and Jeff Bridges discussing the film. Take that, Sony U.S.! I swear, it pays to have a region-free disc player ;-).
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Thanks for the plug, my friend! I just picked up that ELVIS disc a few weeks ago and am eagerly anticipating diving in and checking it out. And yes, the R2 version of STARMAN with commentary is just yet another reason why I need to get a regionless player. Also, the R2 versions of PRINCE OF DARKNESS and THEY LIVE also feature commentaries with Carpenter and Peter Jason and Carpenter and Roddy Piper, respectively.
ReplyDeleteGlad to do it, J.D. I'm looking forward to that week. Given what studios sometimes hold back (in extras) for this market, a region-free player is the only way to access some really compelling material. Thanks, my friend.
ReplyDeletep.s., let me know when you have one and I'll lend you what I have--which also includes the original theatrical cut of Michael Mann's The Last of the Mohicans.
Ah, MOHICANS. Which reminds me that I need to upgrade to Blu-ray some day and get the new SE of that film with a Mann commentary!
ReplyDeleteThe new Mann commentary track is definitely something to look forward to with the new BD of MOHICANS. Thanks, J.D.
ReplyDeleteI'm very interested to hear what you have ot say about the ELVIS film. That might be one I want to check out! Love Kurt Russell, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward to sitting down with this one, Jen. It's been such a long time since I saw it, and Kurt is so great in it. Thanks, Jen.
ReplyDeleteHA. I can only say, great minds thinks alike my friend.
ReplyDeleteI know of your fine appreciation of both Russell and Carpenter, SFF. We are definitely on the same wavelength, my friend. Thanks so much for your comment.
ReplyDeleteIt does indeed pay to have a region-free disc player. I picked one up a couple of years ago, haven't often needed the region-freeness but it's so wonderful to have it when it is needed. I still have a region-free VHS player, too, but since I never drag out the tapes anymore I don't know why I keep it.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more, Naomi. I've used my region-free player more than I thought I ever would. I've gotten a chance to see and hear features I'd never thought existed. Thanks, Naomi.
ReplyDelete