Movies hit DVD in October and November 2019
The Dick Cavett Show: New York Radio Pioneers
The Dick Cavett Show has a new compilation of New York Radio Pioneers. You get vintage interviews with Bob and Ray, Don Imus and Howard Stern. Earlier today, I had to explain who Dan Aykroyd was to a mid-20s person. I have no hope that they know anybody on this DVD outside of Howard Stern.
Still, it’s 2 DVDs of Dick Cavett talking to old people about things that don’t matter to anyone but older people. Nothing is newer than 1995 and that’s a Don Imus interview. Most people will have forgotten what got Imus kicked off the air by now. Still, it would be enough to make the PC Babies flip out. Well, it was bad. Plus, Imus sucks. Dick Cavett, everybody!
The Demons
The Demons is a look at life through the eyes of the young Felix. Serving as Philippe Lesage’s feature debut, he works as a quiet director. However, I felt that the idea that Felix was scared of everything never quite landed. Still, it’s quite a fascinating November watch.
Genese
Genese is a look atyoung love in France. Coming as the sequel to The Demons, it almost has this Linklater feel as we try to follow people as they move slowly through the troubled romances of the modern day. It’s cute, but it ain’t Truffaut. The DVD comes with a commentary.
The Miracle of the Little Prince
The Miracle of the Little Prince is a documentary I covered earlier this year. I’m not sure if it made it to the front page, as it got eaten during a lot of the site early revamp work. It’s an amazingly shot look into how Antoine de Saint-Exupery made The Little Prince. But, deep dives into international kid literature will not be for everyone. Oh well, I’d still recommend it.
That Part Feeling
That Part Feeling is a look at Arvo Part. Part is a bit of a recluse, while being one of the greatest living composers. Various talking head conductors and musicians talk about his influence. Yet, no one can pinpoint the magic of what he does. I wish we had a commentary, so damn bad. Still, I appreciate what Film Movement does for us.
Sesame Street 50th Anniversary Celebration!
Sesame Street 50th Anniversary is the latest anniversary celebration for the Inner City Muppets that won’t quite. Shown on PBS and HBO, the special was a chance to bring together generations of Sesame fans to celebrate the Street turning a corner. There are an endless amount of celebrities on-hand to celebrate what Sesame Street offers to kids. However, nobody is going to address the tiered audience approach of sending what was once public entertainment to premium cable.
There are layers and layers of societal commentary to unpack there. But, Meghan Trainor has a song about families. I would hammer the material further, but I think I just saw Elvis Costello.
Interview with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: The David Susskind Archives
The David Susskind Archives is opening up for DVD. The release of the interview with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr is interesting. Especially because I had no idea who David Susskind might be. November has been an odd month so far, so deep cut historical pieces shouldn’t be out of the norm. Susskind’s show was dumped by WNEW due to the station not wanting to handle shows about race relations. Naturally, Susskind took his interview show to a rival network and booked Doctor King. Pretty baller.
Barbara Rubin & The Exploding NY Underground
Barbara Rubin & The Exploding NY Underground is a curious look at the pioneering mother of Christmas art porn. Seriously, check out Christmas on Earth when you have the time. This is the lady who got Dylan into religion and The Velvet Underground in the Factory. She lived with Ginsberg and retired to France. No one knew anything too deep about her, so why should a fan? That’s what this documentary gets at in 78 minutes.
Official Secrets
Official Secrets is the latest IFC release coming to use from Paramount. Coming from the director of Eye in the Sky, it’s the latest foreign assessment of what went wrong in the 00s in terms of the intelligence community. The fact of the matter is we can’t get Americans to care about the greatest treason plot since Benedict Arnold, but we’re expected to fawn interest over British Intelligence dramas? Well, Keira Knightley’s in it. She got me back into Jane Austen after Gwyneth Paltrow did her best to ruin it. The DVD comes with a Digital Copy.
[…] David Susskind is an older interviewer that MVD seems hellbent on getting me to study. Susskind’s Open End program was WNTA’s stellar New York political program. Coming near the end of the Eisenhower presidency, David Susskind saw the perfect opportunity to interview Nikita Khrushchev. What resulted was an hours long conversation about the Cold War up to that point. […]