Discland
edited by Jonathan Doyle
Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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"Candidate" Lives

And here's the knowledgable and engaging Mr. Leydon, writing on his just-launched blog, on the persistent pleasures of The Manchurian Candidate. The black-and-white one with Laurence Harvey and Frank Sinatra, of course. "At once unmistakably of its time and undeniably timeless," etc. I know this, we all know this...but it's nice to read someone say it yet again. There's a showing on Turner Classic Movies on Tuesday evening.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 30, 2006 at 9:24 AM

comment #1

Larry says ...

I've always thought the plot of TMC was ridiculous. For instance, Frank Sinatra gets into a big fight with Henry Silva and nothing ever comes of it, everything goes back to normal. Or Sinatra has hundreds of men at his disposal, but for some reason tries to stop the killing at the convention all by himself.

Posted by Larry at July 30, 2006 10:50 AM

comment #2

Lisa says ...

I always really liked this movie - I thought the remake was a little odd.Angela Landsbury was great in it. Just one question, tho...

"(According to Hollywood legend, Frank Sinatra, star and co-producer of Manchurian Candidate, curtailed all distribution of the movie after JFK, a close friend, was assassinated. The truth is far more prosaic: Sinatra withheld the movie from re-release until 1988 because of a squabble over profits.)"

Didn't Sinatra do this with Suddenly as well? the one about the presidential assassination in a small town?

Posted by Lisa at July 30, 2006 12:59 PM

comment #3

cadavra says ...

It wasn't Sinatra who pulled the picture, but his attorney, Mickey Rudin, who was embarrassed by the shitty deal he'd made with United Artists. SUDDENLY never disappeared; it simply fell into the public domain.

Posted by cadavra at July 30, 2006 10:35 PM

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