“Possessed” (Warner/Blu-ray, 1947, b/w, audio commentary, featurette, trailer). ![]() (The film won three of its eight Academy Award nominations.) Old-fashioned patriotism and family loyalty dominate the film, which is filled with rousing songs and Cagney at his most dynamic - and that’s saying something. Cohan, reminiscing about his life as we see his difficulties and triumphs during a long show-business career. James Cagney is a dancing fool in his Oscar-winning performance as tunesmith George M. “Yankee Doodle Dandy” (Warner Archive/Blu-ray, 1942, b/w, audio commentary, featurettes, newsreel, two short films, two cartoons, trailers, audio-only radio show/outtakes/rehearsals). But it also includes eight of his early videos, including the hilarious “Eat It,” “I Lost on Jeopardy,” “Like a Surgeon” and “Dare to Be Stupid.” “The Compleat Al” is a feature-length mockumentary of Yankovic’s life, with some allusions to truth and a lot of silliness. Co-stars include Kevin McCarthy, Michael Richards, Victoria Jackson, Fran Drescher, Gedde Watanabe and Anthony Geary. There isn’t even a single profanity.īut as they lampoon everything from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” to “Gandhi” it’s definitely a mix of laugh-worthy hits and groan-worthy misses. The movie isn’t really offensive, though, except perhaps for some blood-spurting spoofery (a la Monty Python). ![]() “UHF” is a pretty funny, if inconsistent, skit film wrapped in a spoof of “Network” as Al and a pal (David Bowe) operate a failing TV station, soon learning that the more offensive the show, the better the ratings. ![]() With rock-music parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic’s career being revitalized of late, it was just a matter of time before someone would come up with the idea of reissuing his 1980s movie, “UHF,” and his Showtime cable special “The Compleat Al.” If you’re a “Weird Al” fan, your time is now. “UHF: Special Edition” (MGM/Shout!/Blu-ray, 1989, PG-13, deleted scenes, audio commentary, 2014 Comic-Con panel, featurettes, music video, photo gallery, promo materials). (The Warner Archive films below are available at .) Eclectic golden oldies newly released this week are led by Blu-ray upgrades of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s only starring movie and the musical that earned James Cagney his Oscar.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |