FilmJerk Favorites

A group of unique directors and the essential works that you've got to see.

||| Alfred Hitchcock |||
Alfred Hitchcock

This is perhaps an obvious choice, however, most people tend to overlook the Master of Suspense’s early work as well as the relevancy of his last film as a key element in the continuing transition and development of the genre he defined.

One of Hitchcock's early triumphs, this predecessor to the mistaken identity man on the run scenario Hitchcock turned to time and again, stars Robert Donat as the innocent wrongly accused of murder and pursued by both the police and enemy spies. This is the first example of Hitchcock’s mastery over the suspense tale, giving us a glimpse of the greatness to come.

Considered to be one of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest works, this story of two men who meet by chance on a train and frivolously discuss swapping murders is a prime example of a common Hitchcock theme of the man who suddenly finds himself within a nightmare world over which he has no control. You can easily see how this film lays the ground work for the more popular “North by Northwest”.

Alfred Hitchcock's final film is a light-hearted thriller involving phony psychics, kidnappers and organized religion, all of which cross paths in the search for a missing heir and a fortune in jewels. Here, Hitchcock has brilliantly developed his signature form to include the now common, and often overused, device of plot twist, after plot twist, after plot twist. Widescreen!

Recommended by CarrieSpecht

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Vikings: Journey to New Worlds

By BrianOrndorf

October 27th, 2006

The Vikings come to DVD in the new IMAX release, "Journey to New Worlds." More of a history lesson backed by goofy recreations than any sort of travelogue, this picture can be something of a drag. But stick around for the Icelandic vistas; they are worth the time spent watching this mediocre large format production.

Vikings: Journey to New Worlds

The idea of watching an IMAX film in the comfort of your home has always confused me. These productions are meant to be seen in the large-format environment, surrounded by impressionable children, and admission prices that hover around pure insanity. Unless you’ve fallen in love with the picture and want to sustain the experience after the theatrical showing, I wouldn’t recommend a DVD first viewing for these mini-epics. Especially for a film that’s only mediocre to begin with.

“Vikings” is a terribly ambitious film. It’s a schoolroom lesson on the legendary society, hoping to encompass hundreds of years of history and myth in just under 40 minutes (and that includes opening titles!). That’s a pretty tall order, but director Marc Fafard puts forth an incredible effort to give the viewer a peek behind this historical curtain, shedding needed light on an often misunderstood culture.

Fafard doesn’t have much documentation to work with here outside of the Icelandic Sagas, a type of Viking oral history that is considered by many to be the best record of their existence. To combat the film droning into a college lecture, Fafard employs a host of period recreations to pad out the experience. Some are successful, and some look like a bunch of obscenely bearded ex-truckers hamming it up in front of a blue screen. Either way, the recreations tend to distract from the historical perspective of the film; they feel like filler in a film that doesn’t have time to be screwing around.

“Vikings” aims to debunk many common misconceptions. One of the more interesting revelations is the scope of their global reach, as the Vikings settled all over Europe, Russia, and the Middle East during their reign. Another is the whole Christopher Columbus “discovering America” mumbo jumbo; “Vikings” seems almost perturbed to note that these guys were traipsing around North America 500 years before Columbus and that his history-book-hogging behind stole the spotlight.

We learn a little about the iconic Viking longships that ruled the waters, a little about Eric the Red and his travels to Greenland with son Leif Eriksson, and the eventual disappearance of the Vikings from the land due to warring indigenous tribes. It’s interesting material, but truthfully you’re only getting scraps of information, leading to a fractured overview of a multifaceted society.

As with the best IMAX experiences, “Vikings” finds its beauty in the flyovers of Iceland and Greenland, where the natural beauty that enraptured the Vikings is given the royal treatment. This is where large-format films excel, and “Vikings” is no different. It’s gorgeous country, presented in immaculate detail with splendid color and crisp atmosphere. “Vikings” comes alive when it stops trying to cram history into narrow spaces and lets the vistas do all the talking. Only then does the viewer see what these legendary men spent their lives chasing after: utopia.

THE DVD

Video:

Well, it isn’t exactly IMAX proportions, but the image here is crisp and clear, displaying the clarity of a traditional IMAX production. Those with smaller televisions might have trouble reading the tiny subtitles, since they were created with the large format in mind, not home exhibition.

Sound:

“Vikings” features a robust Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, matching the charging thunder of the title characters well. For an educational film, this disc rumbles nicely, and should give the average audio system a good workout. Also included is a DTS track.

Extras:

A 20-minute documentary (“The Making of Vikings”) covers the production, interviewing the cast and crew as they try to mount this ambitious IMAX film. Much like the feature, the doc is dry and measured, but if you found “Vikings” enjoyable, this short look at its creation will unlock some of its technical secrets.

A theatrical trailer for “Vikings” is included here, along with looks at several other IMAX titles.

My rating: C-