Garv’s Pick of the Week: The Front Page (Kino Lorber)
For the release week of August 6th:
Garv’s Pick of the Week: The Front Page [Blu-ray / Kino Lorber]: A couple of lesser-known films written and directed by the great Billy Wilder are receiving a Blu-ray debut from Kino Lorber this week. The classic theatrical comedy by Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur, The Front Page, gets a rewrite from Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, as well as a color, widescreen motion picture remake. This was the third film adaptation of the play, which suffers by comparison with His Girl Friday (one of the funniest films ever made); but it is much better than its reputation.
Additional Titles of Interest —
A Foreign Affair [Blu-ray / Kino Lorber]: I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Wilder’s Post-World War II romantic comedy, set in occupied Germany, with Marlene Dietrich, Jean Arthur, and John Lund, but what I’ve seen was great. I’m looking forward to watching it from front to back.
Tom Lehrer: Live In Copenhagen [DVD / PBS]: I grew up loving the comedy albums of the dark, satirical songwriter Tom Lehrer. I was unaware until recently that any of Lehrer’s live appearances were filmed, but this week, we get a rare, 1967 concert on DVD.
The Reflecting Skin [Blu-ray / Film Movement]: A rural dark comedy sorta-vampire film about childhood fantasy set in the 1950s. Ya know, that old plot.
An Angel at My Table [Blu-ray / Criterion]: Jane Campion’s biopic of writer Janet Frame gets the prestige Criterion treatment.
Touch of Death [Blu-ray / Raro Video]: A “late period” Lucio Fulci film. That isn’t necessarily a good thing or a bad thing.
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