"Straight Time" on DVD

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Ulu Grosbard's extremely good and true Straight Time came out on DVD on 5.22, and it feels weird being in Italy (heading back to the U.S. tomorrow morning) and not being able to rent it, and not hearing or reading all that much about it online. Is everyone asleep back there? Except for Once and Knocked Up and I forget-what-other-films, the movie world is a relative desert right now, so the availability of Straight Time, Prince of the City and If... on DVD should be cause for a major heads-up. By the way, Los Angelenos will want to catch a special Straight Time screening and panel scheduled at the Los Angeles Film Festival on 6.23 at 6:30PM, at the Billy Wilder theatre in Westwood.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 4, 2007 at 11:20 AM

comment #1

Dr. Smith says ...

Just bought both "Straight Time" and "POC" on DVD, but haven't had time to watch them yet. ST is one of my all-time favorites, cannot fucking wait to see it again after at least 10 years.

Posted by Dr. Smith at June 4, 2007 11:55 AM

comment #2

jeffmcm says ...

There's also Paprika and 28 Weeks Later and Away From Her so it's not a total desert.

(Who else is stunned that Waitress has 90% approval from Rottentomatoes? It's really crummy.)

Posted by jeffmcm at June 4, 2007 12:08 PM

comment #3

Campbell says ...

Watched ST last week. Eh. It's an actor's movie and has some nice moments- esp. the way the confrontation between Hoffman & Busey is depicted -but actually I found the direction sloppy in parts and the movie itself ultimately kind of superfluous. The closing line, and the photographs afterward, don't carry so much with the weight of inevitability as they do the burden of editorializing.

Still, it's a notable film for being Hoffman's one attempt at directing, featuring the Sandy Baron (Clompas from Seinfield!), Mr. Bunker, and both a young Jake Busey and a fresh-faced Theresa Russell. And Harry Dean is truly great in it.

PitC moved to the top of the queue...

Posted by Campbell at June 4, 2007 12:30 PM

comment #4

George Prager says ...

Bought it, now if they could only release Diary of a Mad Housewife and The Landlord...

Posted by George Prager at June 4, 2007 12:36 PM

comment #5

MickTravis says ...

Asleep?

Uh. Bring up Kubrick again and see what happens.

Posted by MickTravis at June 4, 2007 12:38 PM

comment #6

BurmaShave says ...

jeffmcm, learn to say "I thought". Perhaps it's too late to introduce that into your vocabulary. Waitress was fine. I do think the reviews are a little bit forgiving beacause of what happened to Shelley, which is fine. Who wants to be a jerk?

Posted by BurmaShave at June 4, 2007 12:40 PM

comment #7

malibugigolo says ...

From the same director: True Confessions was better than Straight Time.

Posted by malibugigolo at June 4, 2007 12:59 PM

comment #8

Pelham123 says ...

"Straight Time" is at the top of my queue. Also, if you've never read any of Edward Bunker's books (he wrote the book "Straight Time" is based on) he is highly recommended. "Education of A Felon", his memoir, is remarkable. And, hey, the special edition of "Rio Bravo" was released.

Posted by Pelham123 at June 4, 2007 1:07 PM

comment #9

Terry McCarty says ...

malibugigolo wrote:
From the same director: True Confessions was better than Straight Time.

STRAIGHT TIME began its filming directed by Hoffman and when the directing/acting responsibilities became too much, Grosbard became the director.

Posted by Terry McCarty at June 4, 2007 2:50 PM

comment #10

christian says ...

ST is worth watching for hoffman alone -- it's one of his best performances.

Posted by christian at June 4, 2007 2:54 PM

comment #11

nemo says ...

I remember an interview with Bunker where he talked about how fearful he felt each time his release date from prison approached. He said, like a lot of cons, he felt more secure with the certainties of jail than with the uncertainties of life on the outside. That fear of the outside comes through strongly in "Straight Time".

Bunker's IMDB entry says he got to be friends with Danny Trejo when they were in Folsom together in the 1970s. Good to see they both made successes of their lives in the movie industry.

Man, if you look at Bunker's juvenile record, he was one scary kid. He makes Mark Wahlberg look like a choir boy.

Posted by nemo at June 4, 2007 4:16 PM

comment #12

jeffmcm says ...

Burmashave: yes, too late.

Posted by jeffmcm at June 4, 2007 5:05 PM

comment #13

BurmaShave says ...

Isn't Bunker's life the basis for Animal Factory?

Posted by BurmaShave at June 4, 2007 7:17 PM

comment #14

Joshua Mooney says ...

I agree with BurmaShave/And BurmaShave agrees with me/Movies are a passing fad/But we all hope that dear old dad/Keeps his face smooth enough to rave/He'll do that using BurmaShave.

But seriously: I just saw "Waitress," and really enjoyed it. Not perfect, but moving and funny and oddly beautiful. (I swear there were odd grace-notes of Faulkner in there!) I've since read a good number of reviews specifically to see if, or how, reviewers dealt with Shelley's murder. My conclusion? I don't think any of them were unmoved by her tragic death. Hell, I'm glad they weren't. We're all emotional animals, aren't we? Any extra half-star, then, for a good woman who was cut down in her prime. No crime there. Anyway, jeffmcm, nothing about that movie was "really crummy." Unless you were talking about pie-crusts. In which case you spelled it wrong.

[jeffmcm, learn to say "I thought". Perhaps it's too late to introduce that into your vocabulary. Waitress was fine. I do think the reviews are a little bit forgiving beacause of what happened to Shelley, which is fine. Who wants to be a jerk?

Posted by: BurmaShave at June 4, 2007 12:40 PM]

Posted by Joshua Mooney at June 5, 2007 10:05 AM

comment #15

poodleskirt says ...

Grosbard's "Georgia" is also very much worth seeing. Amazing performances, and it has a surprisingly durable soundtrack.

I also agree with BurmaShave on the merits of "Waitress".

Gotta say, though, that I was ever so slightly let down by "Once". The movie is lovely but exceptionally modest... the reviews and the hype had me believe otherwise.

Posted by poodleskirt at June 5, 2007 10:17 AM

comment #16

Pelham123 says ...

"Animal Factory" is based on one of Bunker's novels. I think that is his only book set specifically in prison whereas his other books are about crime and criminals (& prison). His works are exciting and particularly harrowing, not to mention hair-raisingly realistic, but Bunker is also very literary. He is truly a writer and not some jailhouse con putting words on paper.

Posted by Pelham123 at June 5, 2007 11:28 AM

comment #17

George Prager says ...

What about Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is he Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? ANd while we're at it, two Hoffman movies I've never seen: John and Mary and Agatha.

Posted by George Prager at June 5, 2007 1:29 PM

comment #18

le corbeau says ...

"ANd while we're at it, two Hoffman movies I've never seen: John and Mary and Agatha."

He's miscast in Agatha, sticks out very brash-American in that genteel Brit-lit movie. Redgrave is quite good, very nice use of period 20s settings that still existed by 1978 or 9 (clearly real places, not sets).

Posted by le corbeau at June 5, 2007 8:20 PM

comment #19

nemo says ...

Bunker's IMDB credits say he was a consultant on "American Heart", an excellent but little-seen 1992 film also about an alcoholic recent ex-con trying, not too successfully, to go straight. One of Jeff Bridges's best roles. Bridges is thoroughly convincing, which must be partly attributable to Bunker's coaching.

Posted by nemo at June 5, 2007 9:12 PM

comment #20

christian says ...

i can't believe JOHN AND MARY starring hoffman and mia farrow, directed by peter yates is totally unavailable.

WIHKAWIHSTTTAM (!) i have it on vhs but needs a widescreen release. it's a unique 70's film with a lot of good stuff - it's main flaw is that herb gardner knew nothing about modern music so kellerman's rock god status is defined by his jingles for the army and tv -- not in 1971 bud!

Posted by christian at June 6, 2007 8:55 AM

comment #21