hellboy

THE FLICK: As Hollywood digs further in the pantheon of comic-book heroes mining for cinematic success, Hellboy seem the most unlikely of choices. Not for lack of creativity, mind you. The eccentrically inventive story combines Nazis, demons, secret government agencies and doomed love triangles to great effect. But it’s precisely this hodge-podge of ingredients that should have made any adaptation of Mike Mignola’s witty sardonic hero nigh impossible. Should have. But I don’t think anyone was counting on director Guillermo Del Toro’s masterful balancing act of humor, horror, action and actual character development...especially when your character is a 9-foot tall red-skinned devil-child with sawed off horns and a pointed tail. When all is said and done, Hellboy makes for an invigorating experience – unpredictable, unusual and all the more exceptional because none of this cult comic book BS should work on the big screen...but it does. Kicking off during WWII with a raid on demon-conjuring Nazis, Hellboy is raised from an infant by a scientist father-figure (John Hurt) who surrounds his surrogate son with other gifted “freaks of nature” enrolled in a clandestine government agency formed to protect society from otherworldly menaces. Hellboy (played by Ron Perlman under very impressive make-up) has the hots for Liz (Selma Blair), one of his pyrotechnically charged teammates. While Abe Sapian (voiced by David Hyde Pierce) is the empathetic psychic fish-man of the group. Of course, what would a team of super powered freaks be without some bad guys to fight? And this time it’s Rasputin (yes, that Rasputin) back from the dead to unlock an interdimensional gate and release some Lovecraftian tentacled monsters, triggering the final apocalypse. All this likely sounds more than a little ridiculous from the outside looking in. But Del Toro has such an enthusiasm for the material it’s rabidly infectious. Starting with the production design - a blend of vacuum-tube technology and middle age mysticism – the film shares a quirky clockwork fascination with Del Toro’s debut feature, “Cronos.” But incorporates the best elements of the director’s earlier action scenes from “Blade 2.” Hellboy has story to spare (most of which will turn up in the Director’s Cut already announced) and it’s this well-rounded mythology that provides enough tantalizing plot elements and character flaws for a few sequels to come. THE FEATURES: Ladies and gentlemen prepare to be amazed. Even with its brief theatrical to DVD window, Hellboy has more special features than a lavishly produced studio classic culled from the vault. And there’s more in the works. The disc comes with a $5 mail in rebate for the yet-to-come “Director’s Cut,” which will reincorporate even more footage. So why buy now? Read on, good fellow. Read on. Disc one begins with the option to watch the movie with several branching features, designated by an onscreen icon. The Right Hand of Doom set visits (there’s about 8 or 9 of them) are verite-style footage from the set. The branching DVD comics pop up as backstory for specific characters like well designed Internet Flash movies. And the storyboard track runs concurrently with the film for a comparative look at pre-production. Two commentaries - one with Del Toro and Mignola, another with the cast – go into more personal details. And for a real treat, the shooting script (well-worth reading), script supervisor and director’s notebook are all available on DVD-ROM. Disc Two opens the floodgates. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a 3-hour documentary on DVD before. At least one that wasn’t filled with unnecessary fluff and promotional riff-raff. But The Seeds of Creation pulls it off – covering every possible aspect of the film with an eye for detail. Del Toro is so aware of the power of DVD (as he was with “Blade 2”) it’s almost as if he’s daring another director to provide as much material. If this were the only extra available it would be more than enough. But, lucky for us, there’s more. There are three deleted scenes which will undoubtedly be included in the director’s cut. Character bios, trailers, tv spots, poster designs, storyboards, 3D sculpture tours and even some cartoons “recommended” by Hellboy himself – a trio of 60’s era Dr. Suess ‘toons called “Gerald McBoing Boing” and a stunning interpretation of “The Tell Tale Heart” narrated by James Mason which foreshadows much of Mignola’s signature style. Even cooler are several animatics (usually a tedious bore on most discs), cut in a rough, hand-drawn style with full motion and voice work. Like a black-and-white pulp magazine, they have an energy that succeeds even independent of the film. FINAL SCORE: All right, I’ll stop panting. Hellboy itself is a unique piece of work. Which means you’ll either love it or hate it...no sitting on the fence. But the DVD is an accomplishment all on its own. And if you’re a fan of the film, it’s truly a bargain at any price.