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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Hey, how come David Jones' Betrayal, a screen version of the renowned Harold Pinter play which came out 25 years ago and never saw life on laser disc in the early to mid '90s, is still sitting on the Fox Home Video shelf?

One indication of the completely buried status of Betrayal is that you can't find any decent online stills from it. This awful shot looks like a screen capture from somebody's TV screen as the grotesque VHS version was being played.

Ben Kingsley and Jeremy Irons' performances (as a cuckolded publisher husband and his best friend, a literary agent) ) are easily among their career best. The luncheon scene alone ("I mean, you love modern prose...probably gives you both a thrill!") is worth the price alone. And the only way to see it, still, is to buy a cruddy VHS version on E-Bay.

I remember to this day going to the 20th Century Fox lot in '83 to catch a screening of this. I had just arrived here from Manhattan and was still finding my feet. The screening was two or three weeks away from release and was quite the thing to see. I remember taking a friend, Kathryn Galan, and discussing it with her in the parking lot.

I've been badgering Fox Home Video about this title for a good eight to ten years, and all they've shown so far is a Ceaucescu-like silence and resistance to the idea.

Quiet, Tender, Ultra-Wide<< previous | next >>Perspective

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 8, 2008 at 6:34 PM

comment #1

Edward says ...

I've mentioned before what a huge fan I am of Pinter. This film is a classic from a great play. Fox Home Video are idiots.

Posted by Edward at July 8, 2008 6:45 PM

comment #2

BurmaShave says ...

25 years.Haha shocking I'm sure.

Posted by BurmaShave at July 8, 2008 6:57 PM

comment #3

Carl LaFong says ...

Fox Home Video are the same folks who let BEDAZZLED languish on the shelves for decades (save for a pricey laserdisc edition). I get the impression sometimes they aren't terribly fond of their British back-catalog imports.

Maybe if BETRAYAL had more 'splosions in it they'd release it? "Starring 'Simon Gruber' from Die Hard 3!!!"

Anyway, I used to have a jones for Patricia Hodge. Her CV has been kinda spotty over the last half dozen years. Too bad...

Posted by Carl LaFong at July 8, 2008 7:01 PM

comment #4

Amazing Larry says ...

Wait a second, what would BETRAYAL possibly gain from being in Blu-Ray? The answer: not a damn thing, so Fox doesn't care. And David Jones (while being damn awesome when he was with the Monkees) isn't exactly a director whose work fanboys are clamoring for, unless he's an alias for Sam Raimi, in which case Anchor Bay would license it immediately from FHV and release it twice a year until the sun explodes.

Anyway, what about Criterion? This has got a pedigree that would seem to be right up their alley. Anybody know a brotha over there?

In that still, Jeremy Irons looks like he's about to run out and play keyboards for Men At Work.

Posted by Amazing Larry at July 8, 2008 7:04 PM

comment #5

Carl LaFong says ...

Gadzooks! According to the LaserdiscDatabase, BETRAYAL was released on CED, but never even rated LD treatment. http://www.lddb.com/ced/164//Betrayal-(1983)

Man, CED sucked big time. Skipped like crazy if you looked at it sideways, and god forbid it you so much as breathed on the disc. Heck, you could play frisbee with an LD and then pop it in the player with no problem.

I agree with Larry, though; it'd be a natural for Criterion. What's the Fox policy on third-party distribution? It's nice that Paramount is finally letting a few trickle out, but Warners is adamantly opposed.

Posted by Carl LaFong at July 8, 2008 7:14 PM

comment #6

The Bandsaw Vigilante says ...

"In that still, Jeremy Irons looks like he's about to run out and play keyboards for Men At Work."

Actually, I think he looks more like mid-'80s Alan Wilder from Depeche Mode in that pic.

Posted by The Bandsaw Vigilante at July 8, 2008 7:27 PM

comment #7

Amazing Larry says ...

Wow, CED. Now I'm having a full flashback. I used to love to pop the discs of the movies I hated out of the sleeves, run a crayon across them, and then laugh when my cousins couldn't watch ANNIE for the bloody millionth time. Served 'em right for telling my Da that I found his disc of THE GODFATHER. Fascists.

Speaking of awesome British movies, is/has there been any talk of a R1 release of THREADS? I had a PAL->NTSC conversion VHS tape of that way back in the early '90s that looked terrible but still traumatized every person that I made watch it. Bastard makes THE DAY AFTER look like READING RAINBOW. You lot would love it.

Posted by Amazing Larry at July 8, 2008 7:30 PM

comment #8

jjgittes says ...

Betrayal is amazing. Heartbreaking at the end ......

While we're at it can I please get a nice Region 1 dvd release of David
Mamet's "Homicide" ........really doesn't seem like too much to ask does it?

Posted by jjgittes at July 8, 2008 7:46 PM

comment #9

Jeremy Smith says ...

Rothman's too busy being the champion of film history on FMC to deal with shit like this. Maybe when they're done with that SUPERCROSS Blu-ray transfer...
I used to have a Betamax copy of BETRAYAL taped from The Movie Channel, but that's long gone. No excuse for this to go unreleased.

Posted by Jeremy Smith at July 8, 2008 7:53 PM

comment #10

Jimmycrackcorn says ...

Here's a funny story: I once went to a screening of this and the projectionist was so toasted, he showed the reels in the WRONG ORDER! I went up to complain and he insisted they were labeled that way, so of course I left soon after, already knowing how it would come out. Maybe the Fox people had a similar experience seeing it like that and that's why they won't release the durn thing!

Posted by Jimmycrackcorn at July 8, 2008 8:20 PM

comment #11

Chris Willman says ...

Maybe the makers of "Irreversible" have paid them off to suppress it.

Posted by Chris Willman at July 8, 2008 8:24 PM

comment #12

Jeremy Smith says ...

We'll always have that so-so SEINFELD episode...

Posted by Jeremy Smith at July 8, 2008 8:25 PM

comment #13

tommysunshine says ...

Other quality British movies NOT on DVD:
Nothing But The Best with Alan Bates
Surviving Picasso with Anthony Hopkins
The Browning Version with Albert Finney

Posted by tommysunshine at July 8, 2008 8:57 PM

comment #14

btwnproductions says ...

Finney's BROWNING VERSION was on DVD, and can still be found on Amazon Marketplace. Criterion has the Michael Redgrave version.

Posted by btwnproductions at July 8, 2008 10:12 PM

comment #15

bmcintire says ...

Also still waiting around for VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED, THE DEVILS, JUDE and SAINT JOAN. To no avail.

Posted by bmcintire at July 8, 2008 10:29 PM

comment #16

Bob Violence says ...

Are we sure Fox still has this? As far as I can tell it was a pickup, and I'm not sure the distribution rights would still hold after 25 years. Has it ever shown up on FMC?

Posted by Bob Violence at July 8, 2008 11:28 PM

comment #17

ROTC says ...

Another title yet to be released: ORPHANS, directed by Alan J. Pakula, starring Albert Finney, Matthew Modine and Kevin Anderson. Like BETRAYAL, it's an unexpectedly involving film adaptation of a challenging stage play. It was produced and distributed by Lorimar; I don't know who has the rights now.

Posted by ROTC at July 9, 2008 12:59 AM

comment #18

CinemaPhreek says ...

If you can afford it, you can get this DVD - only it's Region 2 and they are damn pricey.

Posted by CinemaPhreek at July 9, 2008 1:55 AM

comment #19

Sax says ...

One of my all-time favorite caper films -- The Jokers, in which Michael Crawford and Oliver Reed steal the Crown Jewels -- is not even available on VHS. Michael Winner is pretty much a forgotten film-maker these days, except for his work with Cahrles Bronson. But The Jokers is delightful.

Posted by Sax at July 9, 2008 2:15 AM

comment #20

joncro says ...

When I was about 12 they were shooting something around the corner from my house, I saw the trucks and the crew on my way to school every morning. Years later when I saw Betrayal I recognised the streets and realised this is what they were working on.

Good film too.

Posted by joncro at July 9, 2008 2:20 AM

comment #21

BurmaShave says ...

Seeing that picture again this morning, could anyone seeing those two have ever imagined Kingsley, despite their shared affection for slumming, would have such a remarkably better film career?

Posted by BurmaShave at July 9, 2008 3:29 AM

comment #22

btwnproductions says ...

I think the rights may be up for grabs. Fox disbanded International Classics around the time of BETRAYAL'a release.

Posted by btwnproductions at July 9, 2008 5:03 AM

comment #23

btwnproductions says ...

I think the rights may be up for grabs. Fox disbanded International Classics around the time of BETRAYAL's release.

Posted by btwnproductions at July 9, 2008 5:04 AM

comment #24

Rich S. says ...

Maybe Kingsley paid them a king's ransom to insure that no one ever sees him in that sweater (with that haircut) again.

Posted by Rich S. at July 9, 2008 5:54 AM

comment #25

tophertilson says ...

And where's Neil Jordan's THE BUTCHER BOY while we're at it? I love that film.

Posted by tophertilson at July 9, 2008 6:45 AM

comment #26

Admiral82 says ...

tophertilson:
Butcher Boy is available on Region 1. Here... http://www.amazon.com/Butcher-Boy-Eamonn-Owens/dp/B000JYW5AK/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1215611448&sr=8-1

Posted by Admiral82 at July 9, 2008 6:59 AM

comment #27

dixiedugan says ...

Amazing Larry - Threads was YouTube and I think it's still available there. Not the most ideal I know. And yes...it's the best of the nuclear stories - disturbingly awesome.

Posted by dixiedugan at July 9, 2008 7:18 AM

comment #28

Bob Violence says ...

Seeing that picture again this morning, could anyone seeing those two have ever imagined Kingsley, despite their shared affection for slumming, would have such a remarkably better film career?

"Remarkably"? Different strokes, I suppose, but it seems like a wash to me:

Irons: The Mission, Dead Ringers, Reversal of Fortune, Kafka, Damage, The Lion King, Die Hard With a Vengeance, Dungeons and Dragons, The Time Machine, Kingdom of Heaven, Inland Empire
Kingsley: Bugsy, Sneakers, Freddie as F.R.O.7., Searching for Bobby Fischer, Schindler's List, Death and the Maiden, What Planet Are You From?, Sexy Beast, Thunderbirds, The Love Guru

I'd say the big difference is that Kingsley had a widely lauded comeback role (Sexy Beast) and then immediately reverted to form, whereas Irons has just been sort of plugging away.

Posted by Bob Violence at July 9, 2008 7:33 AM

comment #29

tophertilson says ...

Thanks Admiral82! I didn't know it was available.

Posted by tophertilson at July 9, 2008 8:03 AM

comment #30

Walter says ...

Big fan of the play, though I had no idea there even was a film version. Now *I* want them to release it on DVD.

Posted by Walter at July 9, 2008 8:06 AM

comment #31

btwnproductions says ...

VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED was also on DVD (and again available on Amazon Marketplace) but I think TCM shows a longer version.

And Irons is Broadway-bound this fall, in a play with Joan Allen.

Posted by btwnproductions at July 9, 2008 8:12 AM

comment #32

nemo says ...

When I saw Betrayal in a movie theater 25 years ago, Irons and Kingsley looked like middle-aged men to me. Now in this still they look like college kids to me.

I remember being amazed when I figured out that the plot in this play was unwinding backwards in time. It is a device that has been used successfully since then (Memento does so brilliantly), but it is the first time I have ever been aware of it in a play or a movie.

There is a much earlier short story by French bad boy Alain Robbe-Grillet (screenwriter for Last Year at Marienbad) that also unwinds backwards, but it is very short, only about two pages.

Posted by nemo at July 9, 2008 10:38 AM

comment #33