Have you seen the new display in the library’s audio-visual section? Mike has put out a selection of the library’s Criterion Collection DVDs and Blu-rays, and there’s a lot of great stuff to choose from. Here are some of my favorites:
If you’re in the mood for warm-hearted and funny, check out Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King. Released in 1991, the movie tells the story of a radio shock jock (Jeff Bridges) whose on-air antics inadvertently lead to tragedy. Stripped of his fame, the former DJ meets up with a homeless man (Robin Williams) on a mythic quest. King finds Gilliam’s baroque sensibilities grounded by terrific performances from Bridges, Williams, Mercedes Ruehl (who won an Oscar for the film), and Amanda Plummer.
Want something spooky and outside the mainstream? Try Carnival of Souls, an eerie black and white ghost story about a woman who may (or may not) have survived a horrible car crash. The twist isn’t much of a twist, and the movie is often clumsy and oddly paced, but for the patient, director Herk Harvey’s knack for creepy landscapes and striking camera angles creates a mood that’s unlike anything else I’ve seen.
For a more professional experience, there’s Thief, written and directed by Michael Mann (his feature film debut). James Caan offers one of his best performances as Frank, a jewel thief and ex-convict determined to build the kind of life he spent his time in prison dreaming about. Fans of Mann will recognize a lot of his stylistic obsessions already evident here, including long takes, sleek, frequently gorgeous visuals, and an obsessive attention to detail.
Finally, if you don’t mind a heavy dose of cynicism with your laughs, there’s Billy Wilder’s Ace In The Hole. Best known for comedies like Some Like It Hot and The Apartment (and the noir classic Sunset Boulevard), Ace finds Wilder at his most nihilistic, following the adventures of a reporter (Kirk Douglas) who stumbles over the scoop of a lifetime–provided he doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. A bleakly funny take on America’s national obsession with turning tragedy into an amusement park, Ace might be too bitter for some, but its honesty rings true even today.
