More new releases help ease summer doldrums
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By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
Summer re-runs make the DVDs in this week's batch even more tempting.
Witness: Special Collector's Edition
Australian director Peter Weir made his American debut in 1985 with this outstanding film that combines a crime drama with a sensitive look at culture clash.
Harrison Ford showed his range with the portrayal of John Book, a tough Philadelphia cop who is investigating the murder of an undercover narcotics agent. An Amish boy witnessed the gruesome murder while he was in the men's room of the Philadelphia train station. When the boy identifies another police officer as the murderer, Book is shot and ultimately is sheltered by the Amish family. There he must fit in while he recovers and protects the boy and his mother.
The film is still very compelling and the lengthy documentary describes in detail how it was made, as well as presenting interviews with Weir, Ford, actors Kelly McGillis and Lucas Haas.
I remember when I first saw the film, the beauty of the lighting and the composition of so many of the scenes, and Weir reveals how he worked with the cinematographer to use the paintings of the Dutch master Vermeer as their inspiration.
Witness is a great film that deserves repeat viewing.
For more information go to paramount.com/homeentertainment.
Oliver's Twist 2
Jaime Oliver is one of the most popular celebrity chefs in both Great Britain and the United States, thanks to his numerous television series. He came to the forefront here when the Food Channel imported his first show The Naked Chef several years ago.
The word "naked" referred to Oliver's simple but effective recipes, which the young chef put together with disarming ease.
Oliver followed up that first series with Oliver's Twist. Essentially, it is the same show as the first, but without the mildly salacious title and the annoying editing and camera angles.
The second Twist series is about to be released on DVD in this country, and if you're a foodie, you're bound to like it. Oliver comes across as a fairly unpretentious young man whose goal is to present dishes that most people could make themselves.
Hey, who would have thought to roast butternut squash with the seeds intact? (they taste like peanuts, Oliver said) and to sprinkle the squash with paprika?
A feature of the DVD is that besides the 15 half-hour shows the two-disc set will include an insert with two recipe lists and a link to a web site where all the ingredients are listed.
For more information, log onto www.capitalent.com.
Star Trek Enterprise: Season Two
I have to admit that my initial viewing of Star Trek Enterprise didn't impress me much, and apparently I wasn't alone as UPN cancelled the show after two seasons.
However, I gave the show another chance when this new seven-disc DVD set came across my desk, and I have to say it's much better than I remembered it.
The producers of the franchise took a calculated risk by producing a show that goes back to the beginning of the Star Trek saga rather than building on the considerable back story provided by the last three series. This show is about the first Enterprise space vessel and presents a time when the judgement and abilities of humans to negotiate space are so mis-trusted that the Vulcans insist on a representative on board to ride shotgun.
The cast is sometimes a little irritating, but Scott Bakula is pretty able as the ship's captain. The writing is frequently clever as it turns many of the Star Trek conventions upside down.
Since the number of people who actually watch UPN is actually pretty small not every one has a UPN station in their area this DVD release will undoubtedly allow a greater audience to discover the show.
For more information, log onto www.paramount.com/
homeentertainment.
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