DVD Reviews

High and Low/Tengoku to jigoku (1963) Japan Director Akira Kurosawa Screenplay Hideo Oguni, Eijiro Hisaita, Ryuzo Kikushima, Akira Kurosawa Based on the bookKing's Ransom by Ed McBain (aka Evan Hunter) Producers Ryuzo Kikushima, Tomoyuki Tanaka Directors of Photography Asakazu Nakai, Takao Saito Production Designer Yoshiro Muraki Costumes Miyuki Suzuki With Toshiro Mifune (Kingo Gondo), Tatsuya Nakadai (Inspector Tokura), Kyoko Kagawa (Reiko Gondo), Tatsuya Mihashi (Kawanishi), Tsutomo Yamazaki (Takeuchi), Yutaka Sada (Aoki), Isao Kimura (Detective Arai) Runtime 143 minutes DVD USA, 2008 Produced and Distributed by The Criterion Collection (region 1) Aspect Ratio 2.35:1 Sound Mix Dolby 4.0 Extras New, restored high-definition digital transfer with original four-track surround sound. Audio commentary by Stephen Prince. New subtitle translation. 37-minute documentary on the making of High and Low. Interview with Toshiro Mifune. Interview with Tsutomu Yamazaki. American and Japanese theatrical trailers. 35-page booklet with essays by Geoffrey O'Brien and Donald Richie.

Muriel, ou le Temps d'un retour (1963) France Director Alain Resnais Producer Anatole Dauman With Delphine Seyrig, Jean-Pierre Kerien, Nita Klein, Jean-Baptiste Thierree Runtime 111 minutes DVD UK, March 2009 Distributed by Eureka, The Masters of Cinema (region 2) Aspect Ratio 1.66:1

In The Pit (2006) Director Juan Carlos Rulfo Producers Eugenia Montiel and Juan Carlos Rulfo Runtime 84 minutes DVD Mexico, 2006 Produced and Distributed by Kino International Extras Theatrical trailer. Stills gallery. Optional English subtitles.

Manufactured Landscapes (2006) Director Jennifer Baichwal Producers Nick De Pencier, Daniel Iron and Jennifer Baichwal Runtime 82 minutes DVD Canada, 2006 Produced and Distributed by Zeitgeist Extras Additional scenes with audio commentary by director. Edward Burtynsky's photo gallery. Video discussion with Baichwal and Burtynsky. Video interview with cinematographer/collaborator Peter Mettler, Al Gore and Baichwal at the Nashville Film Festival. US Theatrical Trailer. Optional English subtitles.

Nous ne vieillirons pas ensemble (1972) France Director Maurice Pialat Screenplay Tito Carpi and Maurice Pialat Producers Jacques Dorfmann, Maurice Pialat and Jean-Pierre Rassam Director of Photography Luciano Tovoli With Marlene Jobert (Catherine), Jean Yanne (Jean), Macha Meril (Franoise), Christine Fabrega (Catherine's mother), Jacques Galland (Catherine's father) Runtime 102 minutes DVD UK, 2009 Produced and Distributed by Eureka, The Masters Of Cinema Series (region 2) Aspect Ratio Anamorphic Widescreen 1.66:1 Sound Mix Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono ExtrasLa Camargue (1966), 6-minute essay-documentary by Maurice Pialat. 19-minute 2003 interview with star Marlene Jobert. 5-minute excerpt from the 1972 Pour le cinema: Special Cannes, featuring interviews with Jean Yanne and Maurice Pialat. 8-minute excerpt from the 1972 Vive le cinema featuring Francois Truffaut in conversation. 12-minute excerpt from 1972 Vive le cinema featuring Maurice Pialat. Original trailer, plus six other Pialat trailers. Booklet with new essay by former Cahier du cinema editor-in-chief Emmanual Burdeau.

Passe ton Bac d'abord (1979) France Director Maurice Pialat Screenplay Maurice Pialat Producer Maurice Pialat Director of Photography Pierre William Glenn and Jean-Paul Janssen Editing Sophie Coussein, Martine Giordano and Arlette Langmann With Sabine Haudepin (Elisabeth), Philippe Marlaud (Philippe), Bernard Tronczak (Bernard), Patrick Lepcynski (Patrick), Valerie Chassigneux (Valerie) Runtime 81 minutes DVD UK, 2009 Produced and Distributed by Eureka, The Masters Of Cinema Series (region 2) Aspect Ratio Anamorphic Widescreen 1.66:1 Sound Mix Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Extras Interview with Pialat contributors Arlette Langmann and Patrick Grandperret. Apres Le Bac (2003), a 26-minute documentary featurette by Serge Toubiana and Sonia Buchman. Original trailer, and six other trailers for Maurice Pialat features. A lengthy booklet with newly translated Pialat interviews.

The dumbing-down of Tavernier and James Lee Burke By Patrick McGilligan