INDIANA JONES

INDIANA JONES & THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL: I’ll be upfront with you, I didn’t really want another Indy movie to be made. The Last Crusade had enough engine trouble as it was; after 20 years of waiting, I wasn’t confident the franchise engine would even turn over. And from a screenplay standpoint, Crystal Skull is most definitely running on empty. Lucas’ insistence on incorporating ancient alien invaders seems too far afield from Indy’s usual supernatural quests and trotting out fan favorite Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) for a 3rd act reunion seemed like desperate pandering. Yet, Crystal Skull plays better on Blu-ray, one-step removed from the unattainable expectations that a fourth chapter was bound to generate. The effects, which the film leaned far too heavily upon, seem more subdued and Spielberg’s shot selection more impressive (that image of Indy silhouetted against an A-bomb sky is a doozy!). Individual scenes are easy to criticize as being beneath the modern forerunner of action-adventure films – Shia LeBeouf swinging with monkeys? Come on! – but as a whole the film contains enough moments of old-school stunts and nostalgic levity to warrant adding to the collection. Need one more reason? This is without a doubt the best-looking Blu-ray transfer I’ve ever seen. There’s no Spielberg commentary (as usual) but you’re sure getting your money’s worth, with a second disc of extras covering everything from make-up to marketing, the most extensive of which is the production diaries running a full 80-minutes. And it’s all in glorious hi-def! THE OMEN COLLECTION: The film that caused the name “Damien” to be forever stricken from baby books, the 1976 original is great piece of Hollywood craftsmanship, combining a top tier star like Gregory Peck with B-movie Satanic hokum. But so earnest is director Richard Donner’s approach (much like Superman two years later) that he makes you buy into the devilish conspiracy and ask for seconds. Parent studio 20th Century Fox was only too happy to oblige, pumping out two more sequels and a remake (the TV movie, part of an original DVD box set, is no longer included). Omen II is pretty much a direct retread, Omen III takes more risks by showing us Damien as an adult (played by Sam Neill) just a few steps away from the presidency, while the 2006 version adds little to the franchise except a fresh coat of paint. While none of the progeny can live up to the paranoia of the original (come on...who here hasn’t checked their scalps for a 666 scar?), Fox’s new Omen Collection is still a great Halloween treat on Blu-ray, packing the first film with three commentaries, an isolated score and full documentary on the Omen Legacy. Plus director’s commentary on each of the sequels. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN: In the annals of spoof history, Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein should have its very own shelf. Not necessarily because it’s his funniest (Blazing Saddles always gets more laughs) of his most popular (Spaceballs draws in the younger fans), but because it has the most respect for the material it’s mocking. In fact, despite dressing up his monster in a tuxedo and having hot soup poured down his pants, Brooks film could very well pass for one of the many Universal sequels pumped out in the ‘30s and ‘40s. Everything from the production design and to the black-and-white photography is reproduced with exacting detail. All of which makes the comedy even more effective as Brooks proceeds to good-naturedly tickle the ribs of monster movie clichés. I’m mean, come on, who hasn’t wondered if the Monster was enhanced, you know, down there? Starring a stellar cast of Mel Brooks regulars like Gene Wilder, Cloris Leachman and Madeline Kahn, it’s Peter Boyle who turns in the best Monster impression since Karloff by putting up with the insanity spiraling around him with cracking a smile. Fox’s Blu-ray edition is jam-packed for a catalog release, with a commentary, trivia track, several featurettes, deleted scenes and the list keeps going! ICONS OF HORROR COLLECTION – HAMMER FILMS: Featuring four of the most rare titles in the Hammer catalog, these creepy classics show off what the studio does best. Working with well-known characters like the mummy, Dr. Jekyll and Medusa, Hammer was able to spin the story to appease modern audiences by upping the sex and violence but maintain a certain degree of British dignity to the proceedings. Think of it as “crass with class.” Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb is unbearably talky for the first hour, but makes up for it with non-stop scares in the last half-hour. Scream of Fear is one of the studio’s many post-Psycho thrillers with gorgeous photography from Douglas Slocombe and one heck of a twist ending. The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll is a marvelously mature take on the Robert Louis Stevenson story, full of Freudian implications and edgy sexual tension. While The Gorgon may be the best flick of the bunch, finding the Fisher / Lee / Cushing combination firing on all cylinders. Sony’s two-disc set includes no extras besides trailers, but the razor sharp transfers are a bargain at any price.