Hello again! There's still been enough free time to write a pair of reviews for a pair of exceptional films. The turkeys have been scarcer than usual lately - both of these pictures are gems:

Facets Video's It All Starts Today was so good I watched it twice in two days. Philipe Torreton stars as a pre-school teacher in Northern France, and the result is the best film about the reality of teaching since Stand and Deliver. The whole concept of dedication to society is evaporating in the world, leaving a whole desperate subclass of educated teachers to raise our children without funds or support ... and this excellent drama by Bertrand Tavernier shows the truth while leaving us with a message of hope. Highly recommended.

Columbia TriStar's Shampoo is Hal Ashby's sly comedy about the beautiful people of Beverly Hills, and how all of them somehow want to sleep with Warren Beatty. Julie Christie, Lee Grant and Goldie Hawn shine in this almost perfect satire, that's too true to be a satire.

Some nice reader rebuttal and clarification letters came in for a couple of older reviews. Revisit The Mystery of Picasso and you'll find it augmented with an explanation of the painting/filming technique; and a real sportscaster rakes Savant over the coals for my criticism of The Harder They Fall. Good reading, and Savant doesn't have to eat too much crow, either. I'm saving up the many Metropolis response letters I've been getting, and will post them when the disc hits on February 18. Thanks! Glenn Erickson

It's a nice night. Why? Because correspondent Lee Broughton of the UK (not to be confused with Carleton of the F.O.) filed an exhaustive review, giving Savant a break - I've got 24 more hours to finalize what I'm working on!

Image Entertainment and Blue Underground have brought out a hot boxed set of Spaghetti Westerns, cleverly titled The Spaghetti Western Collection. The four titles are Django Kill, Run Man Run, Mannaja, and (not available separately, I understand) the original Django. They sound pretty good for fans of Tomas Milian and Franco Nero!

Good pal Gary Teetzel sent me a list of hot genre titles being released by Columbia, Paramount, and Fox, that seem to converge in a regular orgy of GOM in May (GOM = Good Old Movies). Was shocked to find out that Fox will be letting Sink the Bismarck! sail, as it's one of my favorites. Savant's wish list is going to be getting fatter .... Thanks, Glenn Erickson

It's Saturday and Savant gets a day off, which naturally means more reviews - laundry and groceries can wait.

It doesn't come out until February 18, but Savant has a preview review up of Kino's magnificent disc of the Restored Authorized Edition of Fritz Lang's Metropolis. The film looks so good, and so much has been restored to it (much more than the 1983 Giorgio Moroder version) that I'll bet Lang himself would like it again - at UCLA in 1974 he told us he believed it to be a failure. It certainly doesn't play like a failure here.

First Run Features has released an important DVD in The Eye of Vichy. It's a 1993 compilation of French newsreels made during the Nazi occupation, an amazing history lesson that puts faces and voices to many of the names of the time, heroes and collaborators alike. It also stands as a document of the use of propaganda in the hands of a totalitarian state that wants to control the minds of its people as well as their actions.

Not much else to relate, at least that I can remember at the moment. Hope you are as excited by the Metropolis release as I am. Thanks to Aitam-Bar Sagi for his technical assistance with the review. Anyone notice my new animated logo? Glenn Erickson

Greetings from Los Angeles. The best filmic entry on Pablo Picasso, and the last film from Humphrey Bogart are the DVD fare on Savant's docket tonight.

Image Entertainment and Milestone present us with The Mystery of Picasso, a movie about art that is itself a work of art - a recording of Pablo Picasso painting about twenty unique filmic canvasses. We see him creating them brushstroke by brushstroke, and they were destroyed after the film was finished. By Henri-Georges Clouzot; also with another Picasso-related short subject, Guernica by Alain Resnais.

Coluimbia TriStar have released The Harder They Fall, an old-fashioned but powerful indictment of corruption in the Boxing game. Humphrey Bogart (in his last appearance) stars, with Rod Steiger and Jan Sterling. Thanks! Glenn Erickson

Savant gets to re-premiere a review (I read it again, it's not bad) and talk about another fairly obscure movie today. Big titles come out, Savant reviews something you've never heard of: It's the Law.

Warners' Mildred Pierce is making a comeback, at least the review here at DVD Savant is - we didn't know, but we weren't supposed to post it earlier than two weeks before street date. The Joan Crawford Oscar vehicle is worth repeating, however - it's one of the best movies of the forties.

Image's The Ice Runner was a film that Savant followed during filming, because people I knew (trailermakers, actually) went to Russia to film it. It's got some unique properties, but didn't turn out as they expected - between the time they handed it over to the producer, and it came out, new writers and editors had ... done things to it. With Edward Albert and Victor Wong, and a large Russian cast, including Caribou & a polar bear.

The reviews coming out in the next week are all arcane, interesting, but none of them are from anything newer than 1960 .... hope this doesn't turn you off! I have my Kino METROPOLIS review pretty much solidified, but I'm going to wait until a bit closer to street date to help out the distributors as much as possible. Thanks for reading! Glenn Erickson

It's a warm Sunday here in Los Angeles, and I have reviews of two foreign films, one rare, and the other a restored classic.

Criterion's Pépé le Moko is the source film for all those steamy romantic adventures that play out in exotic locales, from Casablanca to The English Patient. Young, virile proletarian crook Jean Gabin is the uncrowned king of the Casbah, untouched by the frustrated French police, until he's smitten by a visiting woman of easy virtue. The atmosphere and hormones ooze off the screen, in Julien Duvivier's lush treatment. With a host of unique interviews and text resources.

Image Entertainment's The Wide Blue Road is about fishermen, not truck drivers, but Yves Montand makes a credible Italian fisherman using dangerous and illegal fishing methods, who stubbornly refuses to play by the rules of his fellow workers, while avoiding the cops who are determined to bust him. Unusually intense and fair-minded to all concerned, this colorful feature by Gillo Pontecorvo has good acting, especially from Montand's complex, troubled hero.

This welcome note from Guillaume Lessard at CalTech: Dear Savant: You and your readers might be interested to know that Jacques Tati's Jour de fete is being released this week as a Region-2 two-sided disc in France, with the original black-and-white version and the restored color version. For your reference, here's the link to Amazon's product page:
Amazon-France

It's back to work at an accelerated pace, but Savant has a number of reviews banked, and new discs coming in that will be easy to write on, tired or not. Stay healthy .... Glenn Erickson

Two superior thrillers from Germany and England today. One is a favorite Wim Wenders crime drama, and the other a socially-conscious, uncompromising thriller about a topic that was practically taboo when it was made. Both are fine discs.

Anchor Bay's The American Friend is Wim Wenders popular EuroNoir that introduced Bruno Ganz to the screen, and reignited the career of Dennis Hopper. It's a superior thriller with superb cinematography from Robby Müller.

Home Vision Entertainment offers a flawless, uncut verson of Victim, the groundbreaking film that had the courage to present the plight of British Homosexuals caught between archaeic laws and predatory blackmailers. The intelligent thriller has great performances. With Dirk Bogarde and Sylvia Syms.

Not much to report ... am expecting the Kino METROPOLIS, perhaps today, and will be eager to review it. Maybe next week I'll go over the upcoming titles that most intrigue me. Thanks! Glenn Erickson

Savant is slipping two more reviews in under the wire - a rare and unique English spy thriller, and a documentary about a movie star that aired on TCM last year.

Home Vision Entertainment brings us another interesting English release with the movie that reportedly made Deborah Kerr an MGM star, I See a Dark Stranger. It's an amusing thriller with the refreshing angle of a young heroine who become an anti-British spy. Savant was disturbed by its persistent anti-Irish slurs, and will be curious to hear what my UK correspondents have to say about it.

MGM's Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Story is a superior biodoc that benefits from a wealth of family home movies, letters and interviews to tell the tale of a movie star whose biggest legacy was her stand in WW2, for her adopted home and against Hitler. A fascinating star who led a very liberated career and personal life, Dietrich comes off as a sincere and principled woman.

Savant's review for MILDRED PIERCE has been de-linked for a few days - Warners has reminded DVDTalk of a review embargo policy. Although we sometimes receive review copies much earlier, they ask that the reviews go up no sooner than two weeks before street date. Savant pleads ignorance and will happily comply with their wishes. I'd like to add that I've never been informed of any such guidelines, and if I'm breaking any other company's rules, I'd appreciate being informed about it. I've already received a lot of mail from readers excitedly anticipating the PIERCE disc. Glenn Erickson

Savant had a nice little education in modern action movie lore yesterday, watching a new Japanese crime film. I also have another Criterion classic newly reviewed.

Chimera/The American Cinematheque presents Takashi Miike's City of Lost Souls, a wild and freewheeling cross-cultural melange that actually creates entertaiment from a generic tale of star-crossed lovers on the run. With guns, swords, CGI cockfights, and a Japanese-Brazilian hero!

Criterion's Trouble in Paradise breathes new life into an Ernst Lubitsch favorite. Herbert Marshall, Miriam Hopkins and Kay Francis sparkle with pre-code sexuality. Enhanced with an entire Lubitsch short silent feature.

Savant finally caught up with SPIRITED AWAY last night, the praised but under-released Japanese animated film that really ought to win the Oscar this year. It was truly fantastic, and if you find any way to see it before it comes to DVD, it's recommended, even in the (very good) dubbed version. Thanks! Glenn Erickson

January proceeds at its petty pace, with exceptional entertainment being released every week. Today, a classic, and some silly fun.

Fox's celebrated and revered How Green Was My Valley is another almost perfect film, John Ford's family saga of Welsh miners whose life is changing under the weight of bad economic times. Ford was a real visual poet, and understanding this classic gives meaning to many of his later, less-lauded work. In beautiful black & white, and (I'm fairly sure) a vintage experimental stereophonic mix.

A&E's bulky boxed set of Stingray: The Complete Series is 39 episodes of marionettes, submarines, evil underwater enemies, and colorful fantasy action. The music is weird-retro and the expressionless wooden-headed heroes may warp your mind. For aficionados and nostalgic members of the 60's TeeVee generation.

Various news: I've been tipped by reader Jack H. that Buena Vista's impending release of The Absent-Minded Professor will be COLORIZED. If it's not so, I'm just spreading needless hysteria, but if it's true, it sure doesn't speak well for the marketers at Disney. Maybe there's two versions of the film on the disc. Just turning off the color in playback isn't a good idea, because it'll look washed-out: Colorized versions use very low-contrast transfers as a way of painting chroma into dark areas. Colorization is apparently one of those discredited ideas that keeps wanting to come back. The way some critics talk, Disney is already re-coloring its animated classics to the extent that their imperfect, original versions are already in jeopardy of being lost. It's commerce, folks, like everything else, and in our democracy, we can vote with our pocketbooks. Thanks for reading, Glenn Erickson

Hi ho ... Savant's online was successful today, so he's feeling no pain. These reviews are mostly positive as well.

Fox's All About Eve loads a shimmering restoration of the fave theatrical backstabbing epic with some good extras, especially a pair of commentaries. No bumpy ride here.

Lee Broughton checks in from England with a review of 2 separate PAL releases, Mondo Macabro's The Vampire and Blood of the Virgins, two Latin American horror films from 1957 and 1967 respectively.

And BMG/Sanctuary offers a DVD of Rust Never Sleeps, the docu record of Neil Young and Crazy Horse's 1978 concert tour.

I just got a notice from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new Black & White 'Scope festival, which is showing a number of desirable double bills and single attractions, like THE LONGEST DAY, LA DOLCE VITA, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, along with special titles 40 GUNS, THE HAUNTING, THE INNOCENTS, etc. But the kicker is Jack Cardiff's directorial debut SONS AND LOVERS, which Savant got only a brief glimpse at in 'scope last year, transferring clips for the Cardiff Oscar montage. I'm going to be there, for sure! Thanks for reading! Glenn Erickson

Savant comes across with two very interesting reviews, another Criterion Godard epic, and one of the best American films of the forties.

Warners' Mildred Pierce is a hard-hitting adaptation of James M. Cain's hardboiled novel, that turns his incisive examination of mother love and ambition run wild in ethics-challenged Los Angeles society, circa 1937, into a film noir masterpiece. This is Joan Crawford's Oscar baby, where we forget her offscreen personality and marvel at her acting skill. Top Savant recommendations - and not because I edited the accompanying documentary included on the disc.

Criterion's Band of Outsiders is more manna for lovers of Jean-Luc 'Cinema' Godard's brand of insouciant filmmaking, with glowing Raoul Coutard cinematography, and the mesmerizing presence of Anna Karina. With some top extras, including new interviews.

Savant had a day off today, which accounts for the two reviews, but goes back to the editing treadmill on Sunday to beat a Tuesday deadline on a hot project. I really enjoyed writing about MILDRED PIERCE and hope the review prompts some welcome reader responses -even if you think my opinions stink! (They don't .... I hope.)

I may be premature, but it looks like DVDTalk's server woes are all better - my DSL is loading pages and making uploads normally now. No need to read a book while loading pages. Thanks for reading! Glenn Erickson

The holidays are over and Savant's back in action again. Another new disc with a Savant-edited docu is in my hands - so naturally I'll be reviewing it soon. But meanwhile ...

Blue Underground's Quiet Days at Clichy is a raunchy Danish import that is actually a serious attempt to make a quality sex movie. Two randy layabouts run wild in 1969 Paris, and have no trouble at all rounding up partners ... even though many are prostitutes. The film has the feel of a Truffaut film, and the disc backs it up with an excellent interview with the scandalous Henry Miller's longtime publisher.

Columbia TriStar's Tommy, the SuperBit edition, is a diamond-clear version of a musical siege that either has dated poorly, or is just the rock'n roll equivalent of a train wreck. Ann-Margret writhes, Oliver Reed grimaces, but it's up to Tina Turner and Elton John to perk up this oddity.

The new year has plunged Savant into newer and bolder editorial adventures, but this column will still get the attention it needs. With the holidays finally subsiding, the spice, I mean, the reviews, will flow once more.

Here's a note for fans of Fellini and Fellini Satyricon: Last year, Savant reader Gordon Thomas sent me a practically book-length set of essays on the film, and now he's compiled it into a very attractive and informative website called Satyricon Confidential. It's highly recommended for the more ambitious & academic reader. Good graphics, too.

Well, I missed Sergio Leone's The Colossus of Rhodes tonight at the Cinematheque, but will hear about it hopefully from Gary Teetzel tomorrow ... with my luck, it will have been the best print imaginable of an unheralded masterpiece, never to be shown again ... Back soon, Glenn Erickson