DVD Collectors Online

Two-Lane Blacktop, a review by Jon

TWO-LANE BLACKTOP (1971)
4 out of 5



James Taylor (Driver) and Dennis Wilson (Mechanic) are driving across America in a souped up Chevvy, drag racing for money. Along the way they pick up a hitchhiker, played by Laurie Bird, and get into a race for "pinks" with Warren Oates in his G.T.O.

Time for change of pace. So far this marathon has featured people driving for a reason, but the early 1970s American cinema was defined by several classic movies that were more about the road than the journey. Aimless quests for freedom matched only by aimless filmmaking in some cases, started by Easy Rider in 1969. That's a film I found hard to really like, but I do admire it and it's importance can't be undervalued.

Two-Lane Blacktop is in some ways, Easy Rider in cars, though the characters have more interest in their vehicles than Fonda and Hopper who were more interested in drugs. It certainly shares it's laidback, cool vibe. Or is that lazy and comatose? Depends on your point of view, but Two-Lane is definitely better without compromising the idyllic idea of freedom.

The script is so lean the characters don't have names. Driver and Mechanic as they are credited, are also played by singers who can't act. That sounds like a criticism, but it's just an observation, because their manner was ideal and they weren't tasked with any sort of development. This is a film about mood and, I felt, a melancholic nostalgia for a time that surely couldn't last. The very final shot is as memorable and poetic as any.

The story, such as it is, follows the two as they drive across America challenging other drivers and entering competitions in drag racing to earn money. Get a proper job, you might say! But that's kind of the point. They pick up a hitchhiker... well, actually she just gets in the car when they stop for food. Then they get in and ignore her and carry on the journey. They say nothing for miles! Which pretty much tells you the whole style of things just kind of happening without argument or commentary. An urban natural order perhaps.

They keep tussling with the driver of a G.T.O. and finally make a bet for the cars on who can get to Washington first. That might sound like a plot, but trust me, it isn't! You have to see it to see why. Warren Oates plays an incredible character in a very poignant role as "G.T.O.". He's a show-off seemingly trying to fit in and be hip who annoyed me at first, but he gives the film a purpose and some much needed dialogue and by the end, he's a heartbreaking figure. For a film that seems so light, his part is brilliantly written. He picks up a string of hitchhikers (each one a comedy moment in their own right, especially Harry Dean Stanton) and gives each one a different story. One he tells the story to twice, so used as he is to lying. He reminded me a little of Leonard in Memento; it's impossible to know how long he has been out on the road or why. It gives the film a mysterious sad quality.

That character and the commitment to the mood make for a powerful screenplay, while Monte Hellman's direction is similarly restrained. There's plenty of driving of course and plenty of talk about cars, but very few stunts unless you count track shots at drag races. There is one highlight when they spin off the road to avoid an accident, but this isn't a pure petrol head experience. They do sound great though!

It's very hard to commit and say whether this film, like might be said about Easy Rider, is monumental work of art or a pointless exercise in boredom. It's wide open to interpretation. I loved it. G.T.O. made sense of the whole lot for me and made it a very memorable experience and I look forward to seeing it again. If you fancy challenging your conceptions about what makes a good film, give it a shot. It's a little bit of French New Wave played out on the American highways!

The Criterion DVD is superb. If you enjoy the film (big "if" possibly!) the interviews and features expand on it brilliantly. Nice feature about tracking down and restoring the Chevy too. Comes with a "book". Wasn't sure what to do with that; certainly wouldn't fit in the DVD player...

The Car's the star: Custom Chevy versus Ford Pontiac G.T.O.


Trailer

(From Car Movie Marathon on August 20th, 2008)

The Muppet Christmas Carol, a review by Dragonfire

Charles Dickens' classic holiday story sparkles with humor and whimsy in the hands of the always hilarious Muppets! Michael Caine stars as penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooged in a performance that's anything but "bah humbug!" Alone on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by ghosts who transport him to his past, present and future - and it's not a pretty sight! But along the way he comes upon poor, kind, humble Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and his family, including Tiny Tim who teaches Scrooge the true meaning of Christmas. Complete with original music and dazzling special effects, this heartfelt holiday movie is exceptional entertainment your family will enjoy for every Christmas to come.

My Thoughts

This is really one of the best versions of A Christmas Carol that I've ever seen.  The Muppet characters worked really well in the parts and Michael Caine was a great Scrooge.  Several songs were added - which is normal for a Muppet project - and they all worked really well.  They moved the story forward and weren't just there to have the Muppets sing.  There was a decent amount of humor, usually provided by the Muppet characters, but the movie kept the more serious moments from the original story as well.  This was the first major project for the Muppets after the death of Jim Henson and I think it was done very well.  Kermit's voice was different, but it was close to how Henson had performed the character.

 

(From 25 Days of Christmas on December 22nd, 2008)

Babylon 5: Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: With the arrival of the aides to the Minbari ambassador Delenn, Lennier and to the Narn ambassador G'Kar, Na'Toth the main cast for the first season and - by and large - the entire show is complete. The Earth administration has planned that each of the alien cultures and Earth show in a festival the ceremonies of their largest believe system. Meanwhile G'Kar gets a death threat against him from an enemy who has currently died.

My opinion: It's an interesting fact to notice that alien cultures in TV shows - especially the alien of the week in most shows - seem to be somewhat uniform. Look at the Klingons or the Romulans of Star Trek for example. Except of course the story is about two rivaling parties on the same planet. But more than two? Seldom. But Earth is always depicted as a diversed culture. And coming back to my point, I simply adored the scene when Sinclair presented all these people with their different believe systems, it was a great ending of that show.


Synopsis: For over a hundred years there have been telepaths ("teep") among the human population. Every teep who whishes to use his/her abilities has to join the Psi Corps. And the Psi Corps has its own police: The Psi Cops. And two of them arrive at the station to look for a renegade and former lover of the stations teep Talia Winters. But that renegade has developed abilities even the Psi Corps couldn't have imagined. Meanwhile, Sinclairs lover tries to examine a planet for its minerals and nearly gets killed.

My option: A Bester show is always a good one. Bester is a Psi Cop portrayed by Walter Koenig (ST: Chekov) and the mutual loathing between the stations personell and Bester is build up and continues throughout the show. We see for the first time that Psi Corps is experimenting on their own people to enhance them beyond their given abilities.

Quote of the episode:
G'Kar: "Let me pass on to you the one thing I've learned about this place. No one here is exactly what he appears. Not Mollari. Not Delenn. Not Sinclair. And not me."


Synopsis: Enmity and hatred is shown from humans to any form of alien. A good friend of Delenn's is struck down and branded. There is an organisation that tries to bring Earth back to its "rightful place in the universe". And meanwhile Londo has to deal with a young Centauri couple who fell in love but both are promised to other people.

My opinion: We see the first glimpse of hatred between humans and aliens based on simple racism and the fear of "alien influence". It's a sad episode because of that story but a good one.


Synopsis: Two men arrive at the station and capture Sinclair to find out what happend in the 24 hours he can't remember when the war ended.

My opinion: They shed some light onto the events happened at the Battle of the Line. But when I say some I mean some. It's more a form of grey than really white light. We don't get all the facts at once and that's what makes the show so interesting. From now on we can wonder what exactly Delenn had to do with the ending of the war.


(From Babylon 5: Marathon on August 4th, 2007)