tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16632324502001540622024-03-05T18:13:33.129-05:00The Films of Todd SolondzA site/blog dedicated to the films of Todd Solondz.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-20880184973185476142023-12-01T10:26:00.001-05:002023-12-01T10:26:39.023-05:00The Final Iteration Of Love Child?<p>Apparently Rachel Weisz & Colin Farrell are as out as Penélope Cruz & Edgar Ramírez before them, but <i>Love Child</i> is still coming. According to <i><a href="https://thefilmstage.com/elizabeth-olsen-to-lead-todd-solondzs-love-child-shooting-this-spring/">FilmStage.com</a></i>, Elizabeth Olsen is now set to star in the picture, with no word yet on her male co-star. The brief description of the plot reads the same as it did in 2017, though they quite possibly just took it from there. According to <a href="https://www.backstage.com/casting/love-child-2738814/">a casting ad in <i>Backstage</i></a>, it's coming from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/volitionmediapartners/">Volition Media</a> and is due to start filming in "March or April 2024 in NYC." Not to jinx it, but that sounds pretty settled! 🤞<br /></p>John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-79790906738572281122023-02-28T12:44:00.010-05:002023-03-01T00:54:58.364-05:00Welcome To the Dollhouse - The Special Edition!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC8KrVQB7QqukfySCs3EL7xz90NerQp7k_Mt31C0LK_zs1a6lPEDJ1pwfg-MP2uFgBEx-3qU8pFaZeUq9utZatttKx0Pzgx6VLIR3CNVi_0JcDmyKRVS4qWgOvksOIG1YOMuC_Py1W3QbcSwunvLPRtwiwOmfSheSrc0qm5jJTjEYeRaNucrUJfuT/s1911/wttdh.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1911" data-original-width="1583" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC8KrVQB7QqukfySCs3EL7xz90NerQp7k_Mt31C0LK_zs1a6lPEDJ1pwfg-MP2uFgBEx-3qU8pFaZeUq9utZatttKx0Pzgx6VLIR3CNVi_0JcDmyKRVS4qWgOvksOIG1YOMuC_Py1W3QbcSwunvLPRtwiwOmfSheSrc0qm5jJTjEYeRaNucrUJfuT/s800/wttdh.png" width="134" /></a></div>Well, it only took, what? 24 years since the original barebones DVD release of Todd Solondz's ground-breaking depiction of modern adolescence, <i>Welcome To the Dollhouse</i> (27 if you want to go all the way back to the laserdisc)? But we've finally got a proper special edition! Sony at least gave us a feature-less blu-ray in 2018 to tide us over. But you can throw all of that crap out, now, because a new UK outfit called Radiance Films - sort of the next iteration of the sadly shuttered Arrow Academy line striking out on their own - have given this film the care and respect it's always deserved. The official release date is March 6th.<br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0dI_gveRvom3-JnOnoM4P-c0d1tbGo78L15rPEztd2AQU49nCYKhgwv9tKw1w00w4ZTo2kBPEcnvnnCxjVdsE690kME1g_tbO3c5Qxr8K01Bm8BP2tWvroZILAArMnUqxbjxYwd-OAJLTKVWXcF9v9Fq5yIDdmI7yk4VHFrRiEKJvvS4-X3kKGu2/s1920/welcometdhc1d341.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0dI_gveRvom3-JnOnoM4P-c0d1tbGo78L15rPEztd2AQU49nCYKhgwv9tKw1w00w4ZTo2kBPEcnvnnCxjVdsE690kME1g_tbO3c5Qxr8K01Bm8BP2tWvroZILAArMnUqxbjxYwd-OAJLTKVWXcF9v9Fq5yIDdmI7yk4VHFrRiEKJvvS4-X3kKGu2/s800/welcometdhc1d341.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">2023 Radiance Films blu-ray.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluAI_-Rd1OSXWGZGaZLBsurhVw34709wTXFYR_PhNl5z8FWLKwWEYoY-1WrUndrW0ufmc2p-kMrjN2S2HuIo-G6aaQue_EJYv7QtsBBOChegqu-pjNbJnOWGs1F_VR4ZGY5tEvAkTxpcY619mxTwEcgYBsZUAnscCMiwMGHzlW1_jccK1LIhN8kmn/s1920/welcometdhc2d1759.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluAI_-Rd1OSXWGZGaZLBsurhVw34709wTXFYR_PhNl5z8FWLKwWEYoY-1WrUndrW0ufmc2p-kMrjN2S2HuIo-G6aaQue_EJYv7QtsBBOChegqu-pjNbJnOWGs1F_VR4ZGY5tEvAkTxpcY619mxTwEcgYBsZUAnscCMiwMGHzlW1_jccK1LIhN8kmn/s800/welcometdhc2d1759.png" width="400" /></a></div></div></div>So I've taken screenshots that match <a href="http://www.toddsolondz.com/2018/10/welcome-to-dollhouse-finally-in-hd-dvd.html">my earlier comparison of the DVD and previous blu-ray</a>, so you can go ahead and compare them directly. The film is still framed at 1.85:1, the color-timing's the same, and is clearly using the same master, which we now know from Radiance's booklet, is taken from the interpositive. But these are not identical. Radiance's new edition features a much better encode. Casual viewers might not notice the difference, but flipping back and forth between the old and new screen shots, you can watch the film grain appear and disappear. This new edition really does have a stronger capture and genuinely filmic look.<br /><br />Importantly, too, in the audio department, Radiance restores the original stereo track (in lossless PCM), as opposed to the US blu-ray, which replaced it with a 5.1 remix. All three discs also offer optional English subtitles.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMP6HqjR_U09dJNTW-CwjijvEneg79syDgC-rzjDqA0dDErTi9mxzZGOG7OW7PVvayTR_4Hrna3sSX2zN6PJytfIYGsi86qSo166RcHHh2xSludP8jthguT9R2Z7VbKjMK0m5rG8vABApJ0unh9fRmwHLUL66IpG_lds9MpNjUlUXJuqddjIyPS-p/s1920/wttdhe.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMP6HqjR_U09dJNTW-CwjijvEneg79syDgC-rzjDqA0dDErTi9mxzZGOG7OW7PVvayTR_4Hrna3sSX2zN6PJytfIYGsi86qSo166RcHHh2xSludP8jthguT9R2Z7VbKjMK0m5rG8vABApJ0unh9fRmwHLUL66IpG_lds9MpNjUlUXJuqddjIyPS-p/s800/wttdhe.png" width="400" /></a></div>But now let's get into The Special Features Club (sorry)! First and foremost, we get all new on-camera interviews with Solondz and Heather Matarazzo. There's also a Criterion-style visual essay, which tracks the Dawn Wiener character through this, <i>Palindromes</i> and <i>Wiener-Dog</i>, and a fun audio commentary by the hosts of the <i>This Ends At Prom</i> podcast. The trailer is here, too, restored to widescreen for the first time. Also included is a full-color, 48-page booklet, with credits, Solondz's director's notes, three critical essays, extracts from a Solondz interview and critical reviews, and technical notes. This limited edition features reversible artwork, an obi strip, and if you order direct from Radiance, a <i>Welcome To the Dollhouse</i> bookmark.<br /><br />The limited edition is restricted to just 2000 copies, and is still available as of this writing. Though after that sells out, there will very likely be a standard edition with all of the same contents except the obi, bookmark and booklet. This release is region B, so make sure you can play region B blu-rays before ordering. If you can't, though, this fantastic disc may be reason enough to get yourself a region free player!<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-46922099295469224232021-06-17T05:45:00.002-04:002021-06-17T05:45:25.330-04:00Love Child Is Back On Track!<p>It's been over four years <a href="http://www.toddsolondz.com/2017/02/up-next-love-child.html">since we heard about Todd Solondz's upcoming feature</a>, <i>Love Child</i>. Obviously, the pandemic derailed everybody's film projects, but the fact that it was originally intended for a 2018 release date made it seem like this particular film was stalling long before that. So it was great news to wake up to a <i>Love Child </i>news story today across the trades. Apparently the film is complete and ready to start making the semi-public rounds, debuting at Cannes' upcoming "Virtual Market" later this month. <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2021/06/love-child-colin-farrell-rachel-weisz-todd-solondz-1234644504/">This article</a> from <i>Indiewire </i>seems to have the most details.</p><p>The film is still with Killer Films, but apparently Penélope Cruz & Edgar Ramírez are out, and Rachel Weisz & Colin Farrell are in - <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6493902/reference">the film's imdb page</a> has already been updated to confirm the replacements. The premise sounds the same as it was described to us in 2017, though I think there's a good chance the characters are no longer named Immaculada and Nacho. Solondz <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cannes-lobster-stars-rachel-weisz-colin-farrell-reunite-in-todd-solondzs-love-child-1234967955/">has been quoted</a> as saying, "This is my first movie with a plot and my first movie taking place in Texas... It’s fun and it’s sexy and it’s shaped by the Hollywood movies that made me want to become a filmmaker." Can't wait!<br /></p><p>After this unexpected good news, one wonders if we'll hear updates on <a href="http://www.toddsolondz.com/2017/07/another-new-solondz-film-quarters.html"><i>The Quarters</i></a> and <a href="http://www.toddsolondz.com/2014/06/todd-solondz-next-film-will-be-russian.html"><i>St. Petersburg</i></a> sometime soon, now, too.<br /></p>John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-41552332499964514022018-10-02T03:03:00.001-04:002023-02-28T22:51:33.537-05:00Welcome To the Dollhouse Finally in HD! (DVD/ Blu-ray Comparison)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxEv49DSzRz9wZwCeBh-sqFvrmHctIqTTaOo-s-fP_MhyphenhyphenH30rie5q3ob1Y363qSfwasXNbUIUE32dyEItSMxBm1LPgAfGaCVStwpW2pAefmin24AKbk5vDWNOUswOa3sils8hbMfSEaOU/s0/welcometdh.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxEv49DSzRz9wZwCeBh-sqFvrmHctIqTTaOo-s-fP_MhyphenhyphenH30rie5q3ob1Y363qSfwasXNbUIUE32dyEItSMxBm1LPgAfGaCVStwpW2pAefmin24AKbk5vDWNOUswOa3sils8hbMfSEaOU/s0/welcometdh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It's been a long time coming, but we've finally gotten a much-needed upgrade to his middle-school masterpiece <i>Welcome To the Dollhouse</i>. Sony has just released the film on blu-ray, and it's quite a substantial upgrade over the very old (1999) DVD from Columbia Tri-Star. Now, early releases in this line of Sony's blus were MOD BDRs, which is to say burnt discs like you can make on your computer as opposed to properly pressed discs, which last longer and don't have the playback issues on some players like BDRs do. But happily, like Warner Archive, Sony has switched to pressing these blus right, so <i>Welcome To the Dollhouse</i> is a properly pressed disc.<br />
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And it looks pretty great - here are a couple comparisons (<a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/">DVDExotica</a> style...click the screenshots to see them in full size, 100% resolution) between it and the blu. The original DVD also offered a fullscreen version that really butchered the compositions. So let's look at all three versions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbVgAy3uIJPnYIweqvv6ZTSysDQiTwF3qMDy5tq3TRI5xEUjfmlgRZqopPJ46UJf4lUoY3_nKsyltqb1gKg3oZkoLrWSQq_hKGz3MomdcPofL-71w-ptpvW-qZml-bmdhj9fRp6SU7go/s0/welcometdhc1a.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbVgAy3uIJPnYIweqvv6ZTSysDQiTwF3qMDy5tq3TRI5xEUjfmlgRZqopPJ46UJf4lUoY3_nKsyltqb1gKg3oZkoLrWSQq_hKGz3MomdcPofL-71w-ptpvW-qZml-bmdhj9fRp6SU7go/s400/welcometdhc1a.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">1999 DVD (fullscreen) top; 1999 DVD (widescreen) mid; 2018 blu-ray bottom.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYqpdk03qeinevwgsXPbj4cKQ6-I-5yYFOQeUOZcP5JMCY2_8KiDQ5tpzwB4kStCOnJxqokov7LTg6_7WhSWpjYqFYdstRmjNQo6ogd9nDLaRNuhvBD7y98D_6uVPZkYCHKNk87Sq0FY/s0/welcometdhc1b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYqpdk03qeinevwgsXPbj4cKQ6-I-5yYFOQeUOZcP5JMCY2_8KiDQ5tpzwB4kStCOnJxqokov7LTg6_7WhSWpjYqFYdstRmjNQo6ogd9nDLaRNuhvBD7y98D_6uVPZkYCHKNk87Sq0FY/s800/welcometdhc1b.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now, I've left the matting on the first set of shots just to make the differences a little clearer. The fullscreen DVD is framed at an aspect ratio of 1.31:1, and splits the difference between cutting off information along the sides while opening up the mattes to uncover a little more vertical information. The widescreen DVD is framed at a common but not quite accurate ratio of 1.78:1, with slight matting along the bottom and sides, areas which would've largely been hidden by televisions' overscan area back in the 90s. Finally, the blu-ray presents the film in its authentic, original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and as you can see, shows even more info along the sides than the previous widescreen DVD.<br />
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And of course, the blu is naturally an upgrade over the DVD just by virtue of being high definition over standard definition. But the DVD really shows its age, with messy, blocky compression, edge enhancement unnatural colors and other flaws that have really been crying out for a new master. I mean, this close-up highlight speaks for itself. It's still not quite a cutting edge blu... It's a single layer disc where the film grain appears a little wishy-washy, and fine detail could probably still be a little bit clearer. But compared to other contemporary blu-ray releases, it would probably rate a solid B, and compared to the old DVD, it's flat-out essential.<br />
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Interestingly, the blu-ray replaces the original stereo mix with a 5.1, though I can't say they sound very different. Of course, the blu-ray bumps the audio up to a lossless DTS-HD track as well. Both discs also include optional English subtitles, and unfortunately but unsurprisingly, both discs are pretty barebones, only offering the fullscreen theatrical trailer for a special feature. International fans will be happy to know it's an all-region (ABC) disc.<br />
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Now, if we could just get <i>Happiness</i>... that DVD is even more in need of replacing. It isn't even anamorphic.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-78626873484422064992018-07-19T04:36:00.004-04:002020-10-14T22:37:18.672-04:00Emma and Max, On StageFrustratingly, Solondz has three upcoming film projects in the air (though admittedly, two are more like film projects he's <a href="http://www.toddsolondz.com/2014/06/todd-solondz-next-film-will-be-russian.html">contributing</a> <a href="http://www.toddsolondz.com/2017/07/another-new-solondz-film-quarters.html">portions</a> to), with nary an update as to when any of those might land in our theaters or streaming services. But if you're in the tri-state area, you'll soon be able to sate your Solondz jones at The Flea Theater in NYC.<br />
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Yes, Todd Solondz is both writing and directing an original play entitled <i>Emma and Max</i>, which will run through the month of October in the Sam Theater (Confused? The Sam Theater is the upstairs theater in the larger Flea Theater building, which houses three theaters in total). With a cast of five as-yet unannounced Equity actors, the official website describes the play as, "a satire of tragic dimensions" that "explores the illusions and delusions, hopes and despair, of the city’s well-off and worn-down." Other credits include artistic director Niegel Smith, costume designer Andre Lauger and casting director Ann Goulder. Tickets are already on sale <a href="https://ci.ovationtix.com/14/production/996218">here</a>.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-11388051503766061892017-07-14T02:23:00.002-04:002017-07-14T02:23:53.398-04:00Another New Solondz Film? The QuartersYes, in addition to <i>Love Child</i> and <i>St Petersburg: A Category of Feelings</i>, Todd Solondz <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/The-reel-deal-in-the-Holy-City-499526">is reported</a> to be directing on even another film.<i> </i>Called<i>, Th</i>e <i>Quarters</i>, this one seems to have a lot more in common with <i>St. Petersburg</i>, in that it's another collaborative film, where Solondz will just be writing and directing one segment, alongside several other filmmakers. Also like <i>St. Petersburg</i>, this is another one centered around a particular city, in this case Jerusalem's Old City, with the title <i>The Quarters</i> referring to the city's four "quarters:" Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian.<br />
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This movie is being filmed in conjunction with the The Jerusalem Film Festival, and the other three directors will be Anna Muylaert, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, and Arsinee Khanjian (Atom Egoyan's wife, who usually acts in his films; this will be her first time directing). <a href="http://jff.org.il/en/article/8932">The JFF's official website</a> lists this as set to film in 2018 and be released in 2019. Fingers crossed, considering <i>St. Petersburg</i> seems to have gone pretty much off the radar, as did the similar French project, <a href="http://breillat.blogspot.com/2008/04/propos-de-nice-la-suite-1995.html"><i>À propos de Nice, la suite</i></a>, which I've been waiting for since 1995. But let's not be cynical, and instead look forward to seeing all four movies eventually. John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-18425320140722027512017-02-06T03:21:00.001-05:002017-02-06T03:21:11.983-05:00Up Next: Love ChildEvery time Solondz mentions his difficulty finding funding, I worry that this is going to be his last film. But <i>Deadline </i>has just posted <a href="http://deadline.com/2017/02/penelope-cruz-edgar-ramirez-berlin-todd-solondz-love-child-madriver-pictures-1201900782/">a reassuring announcement</a> about a new film, <i>Love Child</i>. Solondz will be back writing and directing for Killer Films, who previously produced his <i>Happiness</i>, <i>Storytelling </i>and <i>Wiener-Dog</i>. Penélope Cruz is set to star in the film, along with an actor named Edgar Ramírez.<br />
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The plot is described in the <i>Deadline </i>article as, "a dark and hilarious twist on the classic Oedipal theme. Story follows
11-year-old Junior, a delusional aspiring Broadway star with an
inappropriate obsession with his mother Immaculada. After orchestrating
an accident that nearly kills his abusive father, he encourages Nacho,
the handsome man living in the family’s guesthouse, to court his mother
and become his new dad. But when the two fall in love, Junior becomes so
jealous that he is no longer the subject of his mother’s attention that
he hatches a plan to frame Nacho for his father’s murder." Sounds fun to me; reminds me of the 1972 Robert Klein film, <i>Rivals</i>. There's already <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6493902/combined">an IMDB page</a> for the film, with a general 2018 release date.<br />
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Meanwhile, there's still no news on the Russian Petersburg film, which Solondz presumably wrapped on a couple years ago now.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-48436556926054081452016-08-28T14:05:00.002-04:002023-02-28T22:55:32.068-05:00Blu Wiener-Dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9q9B0UiwkbefZxV7ATqJCMG1kwA9h8Flr20tih8ksLY22aZ2JZOV0qhWSG01mtIDzuiNgvp8N_jyIdO5RxT3OaqarP3f4pPo9hSsq8pkizfCHwTtwoSF17D3yGit69mo3rjJxzBUexo/s1600/wienerblu.jpg"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9q9B0UiwkbefZxV7ATqJCMG1kwA9h8Flr20tih8ksLY22aZ2JZOV0qhWSG01mtIDzuiNgvp8N_jyIdO5RxT3OaqarP3f4pPo9hSsq8pkizfCHwTtwoSF17D3yGit69mo3rjJxzBUexo/s800/wienerblu.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Okay, I guess it exists! There was just one week's delay, and now Solondz's latest film, <i>Wiener-Dog</i>, is available on both DVD and blu-ray, as MOD DV-Rs and BD-Rs, direct from Amazon. The blu is a single-layer disc with no special features or anything, but you are given the option of a 5.1 or Stereo mix. The back of the case lists Closed Captions, too, but they don't seem to actually be on here. The UPC symbol is also layered over the description, though; so clearly the artwork was a rush job. But how does it look? Pretty good! Wanna see a couple screenshots?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjKLV9dx5__CS3l8pA8oCBU6d-hfAI-AIpYJ6z0nqScZntff3EMpWEn7ItcEKLXQ-Sd1xIeI1FnwwGDC_rNqqGMSq3l8ewFVXGhiOHp14AjIaCUdszURlHujMciY516GobxNB69DO9zI/s1600/wiener1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjKLV9dx5__CS3l8pA8oCBU6d-hfAI-AIpYJ6z0nqScZntff3EMpWEn7ItcEKLXQ-Sd1xIeI1FnwwGDC_rNqqGMSq3l8ewFVXGhiOHp14AjIaCUdszURlHujMciY516GobxNB69DO9zI/s800/wiener1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUioIku3nXBCTIXCM5nBW75wZqlzh1tyDw1DaRheTIUOMmX9Jc-TERYstm01-0fp0-N0S0_hFTCPv9MlmeUNmGXq9wofD2IPLOXuge3-yaIz-NGsvDoYZelIbkEZjV7__01UoakHDphbE/s1600/wiener2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUioIku3nXBCTIXCM5nBW75wZqlzh1tyDw1DaRheTIUOMmX9Jc-TERYstm01-0fp0-N0S0_hFTCPv9MlmeUNmGXq9wofD2IPLOXuge3-yaIz-NGsvDoYZelIbkEZjV7__01UoakHDphbE/s800/wiener2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1NF-zu18zBDSf5ybbcyD0zNBQHuIemuX8iBQmhFw647JqZZB2sHGR4f8cc9cGXNrb99HBi2E69iK9mm8HOn6YoK9isjnmGCh_BuCfWF4ckKxdPYZ7ma4VeVSwK1mHCMT36RgowPaFqI/s1600/wiener3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1NF-zu18zBDSf5ybbcyD0zNBQHuIemuX8iBQmhFw647JqZZB2sHGR4f8cc9cGXNrb99HBi2E69iK9mm8HOn6YoK9isjnmGCh_BuCfWF4ckKxdPYZ7ma4VeVSwK1mHCMT36RgowPaFqI/s800/wiener3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
The picture is slightly letterboxed to 1.85:1 and looks great in HD. Unfortunately, as a BD-R, however, the playback was completely borked on my PC's blu-ray drive and even my Seiki. But it worked alright in my Pioneer player. Again, region free collectors might want to hold out for a properly pressed disc from another region. Unfortunately, it's looking like Canada and the UK are only getting DVDs, so Germany's the only blu option so far (of course, more regions may still announce releases in the coming months... I'd be surprised if nothing came out in Australia, for instance). I've been able to find a release date for that one now, though: November 29. But for now at least, this is what we get. And aside from BD-R playback drama, this is pretty satisfying.<br />
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Of course, you can also watch it streamed from Amazon now, if that's your bag. Look at all the 1-star reviews it's getting from people expecting a happy family film about a puppy - yikes! But hey, it's here. We've finally got <i>Wiener-Dog</i>. I haven't even had a chance to watch it yet; my copy just arrived an hour ago, but I can't wait. <span style="color: yellow;"><b>=) </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><u>Update 8/31/16:</u></span></span></span> I imagine hearing this from the guy who runs toddsolondz.com carries roughly the same degree of integrity as your mother telling you that you're handsome, but I've just watched <i>Wiener-Dog</i> and thought it was great!<br />
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Now, I just wonder what's happening with <i>Petersburg Carousel</i>...John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-82353803575712735952016-08-16T03:53:00.001-04:002023-02-28T12:13:04.462-05:00Wiener Dog on DVD and Blu-Ray... Next Week?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzJD9AraJNj3KOZVR-DB_l2kjtidMhZYF6DBRyOQZ3coRr5PpM1CPtUj_wLNnUkW8zd0h59X5mV3ZqhB_ouTNq1uH-biXShyJlGTfyxvrXnYS4jFCGu85qF43CHf2sUA1FKfQifhBiuw/s1600/wiener.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzJD9AraJNj3KOZVR-DB_l2kjtidMhZYF6DBRyOQZ3coRr5PpM1CPtUj_wLNnUkW8zd0h59X5mV3ZqhB_ouTNq1uH-biXShyJlGTfyxvrXnYS4jFCGu85qF43CHf2sUA1FKfQifhBiuw/s800/wiener.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
It would seem so! Amazon has pre-orders for <i>Wiener Dog</i> up now on both DVD and blu-ray, with a release date of August 23rd. And considering Amazon isn't just the seller but the film's own distributor, they should know.<br />
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...On the other, just a week away from release, and they just have a poster up as the image rather than a proper cover isn't a promising sign. The seasoned DVD collector in me tells me to expect delays. But who knows? Hopefully not. And hey, I'm just happy to see that this is getting a physical release at all, and not just going the "streaming exclusive" route.<br />
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Excited by this discovery, I searched around and saw that Amazon.ca has an Oct 11th release date, UK has December 5th, and Germany has pre-orders up but no specified date yet. The bad news is that the US release is going to be a BD-R (as in a made-on-demand burned disc as opposed to a pressed, manufactured blu-ray), so it may be worth holding out for one of these foreign releases, as those are coming from Mongrel Media, Spirit Entertainment Limited (never heard of them...) and GmbH, respectively.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-17235882197664221532016-06-23T02:09:00.001-04:002016-08-02T23:00:31.704-04:00The Rare Graduate Film, Babysitter, Now Viewable Online!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixY-6S0nbYXHuij9srAluz7mht_VerYzGn9n8e1Um55FOjkX7YPw5VQhkJlAYEk_gw1aJv5rcBVPy4M2T-yrNX6Fp5dF95Lj6vKH9N2uf2e0jHJ4swFg4VOrXuWWKo1nggtvq_hVnd6AE/s1600/babysitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixY-6S0nbYXHuij9srAluz7mht_VerYzGn9n8e1Um55FOjkX7YPw5VQhkJlAYEk_gw1aJv5rcBVPy4M2T-yrNX6Fp5dF95Lj6vKH9N2uf2e0jHJ4swFg4VOrXuWWKo1nggtvq_hVnd6AE/s400/babysitter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It's been hard to find much info on Solondz's graduate film, <a href="http://toddsolondz.com/babysitter.html"><i>Babysitter</i></a>. It was listed on some of his early bios, and Solondz once personally confirmed for me that it exists, but that's about it. The IMDB even removed their listing for it. But any mystery surrounding <i>Babysitter can </i>now be considered solved, as the entire nine-minute short has been uploaded <a href="https://vimeo.com/169616776">onto Vimeo</a> for <a href="http://www.lecinemaclub.com/"><i>Le CiNéMa Club</i></a>!<br />
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It's a surprisingly high quality transfer, and for a student film with no synced sound, it's also surprisingly entertaining. As opposed to <a href="http://toddsolondz.com/feelings.html"><i>Feelings</i></a>, which comes off as more of an interesting early exercise by the filmmaker, this one's engaging in its own right. You can feel his distinct writer's voice in the work; and it's entertaining enough that it's really worth the watch even if you're not a die-hard Solondz fanatic. Maybe the next time Criterion or another high end label gives one of his films the special edition treatment, they could include this and his other short films as bonus features.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-79408112550826348492016-05-26T22:35:00.001-04:002016-08-28T14:05:51.049-04:00The Wiener-Dog Trailer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XBNKaQQYMWE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XBNKaQQYMWE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<i>Love & Friendship</i> is getting a pretty wide theatrical release from Amazon this weekend, so hopefully this bodes well for <i>Wiener-Dog</i>, too. If Amazon gets them into roughly the same theaters, this could be Solondz's biggest theatrical opening ever. But we still don't know what there plans are, let alone for home video/ DVD/ blu-ray down the line... Anyway, some very promising material in this trailer - can't wait to see the film!<br />
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In theaters June 24th.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-26466462481424117812016-01-27T10:57:00.002-05:002016-08-28T14:06:04.365-04:00Wiener Dog Bought By AmazonAccording to <a href="http://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/sundance-amazon-lands-todd-solondz-comedy-wiener-dog-exclusive-1201689003/"><i>Variety</i></a>, Amazon has just bought <i>Wiener Dog</i>. This makes sense, since the new head of Amazon Pictures is Ted Hope, who produced past Solondz features <i>Dark Horse</i>, <i>Storytelling </i>and <i>Happiness</i>. Apparently, to secure the film, Amazon has "committed to a significant theatrical release." This would then, or perhaps simultaneously, lead to the film streaming on amazon.com. There's no mention of any physical media, but hopefully somebody in that mix will remember DVD and blu-ray.<br />
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This isn't Amazon's only deal coming out of the recent Sundance Film Festival. They'll also be picking up distribution of Whit Stillman's <i>Love and Friendship</i>, his long awaited adaptation of Jane Austen's epistolary novel, starring Chloe Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale and Stephen Fry. So they've got two of my most anticipated films of 2016 on their roster - pretty impressive!John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-43689739020999532602016-01-26T05:30:00.001-05:002016-08-28T14:06:22.402-04:00Wiener Dog Is Loose!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipt_ejI7fx6_liMiJCAxjcNemqIu2o4C-lDL3uIaRwB6pTeUjoDsz_GeH4Q0gU4Kmar_eD2l-weuSuG6phVUW3rYw5I0SUvSV2S091RKXzUpEOlQKhHy1UPD7Xf4ZWDOtvxVstHU8Qbfg/s1600/weinerdog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipt_ejI7fx6_liMiJCAxjcNemqIu2o4C-lDL3uIaRwB6pTeUjoDsz_GeH4Q0gU4Kmar_eD2l-weuSuG6phVUW3rYw5I0SUvSV2S091RKXzUpEOlQKhHy1UPD7Xf4ZWDOtvxVstHU8Qbfg/s400/weinerdog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Todd Solondz's new film, <i>Wiener Dog</i>, just had its debut screening at Sundance Film Festival. Reviews are flooding in, which pretty much answer all our <i>Wiener Dog</i> questions about what to expect.<br />
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Apparently it's essentially an anthology in four parts, connected by a literal wiener dog that appears in all four stories. Yes, one of the four (the second) is a sort of sequel to <i>Welcome To the Dollhouse</i>, with Greta Gerwig as an older Dawn Weiner, who goes on a road trip with Brendan Sexton III's character, now played by Kieran Culkin. The first segment stars Julie Delpy as a mother of a cancer survivor who buys her son the dog. The third stars Danny Devito as a screenwriter forced to make a living teaching filmwriting to students. And finally, the dog winds up with Ellyn Burstyn as a woman who gets an unwelcome visit from her granddaughter.<br />
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I've just read ten reviews in a row (<a href="http://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/wiener-dog-review-1201686820/">Variety</a>, <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2016/01/wiener-dog-is-todd-solondzs-weirdest-movie-ever.html">Vulture</a>, <a href="http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/sundance-review-todd-solondzs-wiener-dog-starring-greta-gerwig-danny-devito-julie-delpy-20160123">Indiewire</a>, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jan/23/wiener-dog-review-todd-solondz-sundance-greta-gerwig">The Guardian</a>, <a href="http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/945931-sundance-2016-life-ruff-wiener-dog#/slide/1">Crave</a>, <a href="http://thefilmstage.com/reviews/sundance-review-wiener-dog/">Film Stage</a>, <a href="http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/wiener-dog-review/5099233.article">Screen Daily</a>, <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/todd-solondz-and-his-wiener-dog-delight-with-morbid-humor/">The Wrap</a>, <a href="http://gulfnews.com/leisure/movies/features/sundance-2016-danny-devito-shines-in-wiener-dog-1.1658677">Gulf News</a> and <a href="http://host.madison.com/entertainment/movies/devito-shines-in-solondz-s-dark-twisted-wiener-dog/article_c5b8c766-4fdb-5b61-921e-fc257e6e4d1b.html">Madison</a>) and they've all sort of run together in my mind, but they were all positive, ranging from high to mixed praise. and they all seem to agree that tonally, it's in keeping with Solondz's past work, which is always nice to hear as fans.<br />
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Now, let's just hope it's not a whole year before it breaks out of the festival circuit and us industry outsiders get to see it.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-88356973597994741032014-10-25T08:52:00.002-04:002016-08-28T14:06:46.276-04:00New Solondz Film: Wiener Dog!In addition to and apart from his segment of <i>St Petersburg: A Category of Feelings</i>, which has yet to be released, <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/todd-solondz-plots-sort-sequel-742966"><i>The Hollywood Reporter</i> has just learned</a> of a new Solondz feature in the works. It sounds like a real return home for Solondz... Firstly, Dawn Weiner, lead character in the Solondz classic <i>Welcome To the Dollhouse</i>, is set return in this film, entitled <i>Wiener-Dog</i>. <i>THR </i>describes the film, <i>"an ensemble indie that is tied together thematically by a dachshund. But
one of the stories also will center on Dawn Wiener, the character
mercilessly teased as 'Weiner Dog' in the 1995 cult hit... The script tells several stories featuring people who find their life inspired or changed by one particular dachshund, who seems to be spreading comfort and joy."</i><br />
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Solondz fans will remember that he asked Heather Matarazzo, the actress who originally played Dawn Weiner, to reprise her role for <i>Palindromes</i>. As he describes <a href="http://movies.about.com/od/palindromes/a/palints040605.htm">in this <i>About:Entertainement</i> interview</a>, <i>"I begged Heather Matarazzo to revise this role, but she refused me. She
did not want to ever play this character again."</i> And because of that, the film opened at her character's funeral. So, I suppose this will be a prequel to <i>Palindromes</i>? Or perhaps it's better not to get hung up on the continuity. At any rate, it appears the role won't be played by Matarazzo this time around, which is still a shame. But it appears Greta Gerwig will be playing the part now, who you may know for starring in recent films by Woody Allen, Whit Stillman, Noah Baumbach and even her own <i>Nights and Weekends</i>. <br />
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At any rate, this film is also a return for Solondz in that it will be produced by Christine Vachon and her company, Killer Films. He hasn't worked with Killer since Happiness, so it looks like a lot of elements are circling back around for this new film.<br />
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Julie Delpy has also been reported to appear in the picture. But it should be noted that both her and Gerwig are still described only as being <i>"in talks to star in the movie."</i> So fingers crossed; but my hopes are certainly high.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-56565764219106487012014-06-02T06:48:00.000-04:002015-10-10T13:19:48.574-04:00Todd Solondz Next Film Will Be... Russian?<i>The Hollywood Reporter </i>has <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/russias-lenfilm-produce-anthology-film-708193">just announced</a> a new, Russian anthology film about St. Petersburg called <i>St Petersburg: A Category of Feelings</i>. Overseen by Fyodor Bondarchuk (son of Sergey Bondarchuk, and an established director in his own right), it will consist of ten short films, each by a different director. And yes, one of those directors will be Todd Solondz. The sub-films will be titled<i> Pleasure, Effort, Trust, Envy, Repose, Shrewdness, Bravery, Uncertainty, Refuge </i>and <i>Glee</i>... the first letter of each word spelling out "PETERSBURG," get it? There's no word on which of those will be Todd's entry, but maybe it's more fun to guess for now anyway. <i>Uncertainty </i>perhaps?<br />
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Also fun to note is that another of the ten will be directed by French filmmaker<b> </b>Cedric Klapisch, which will make it a bit of an <i>In Transit</i> reunion for Solondz. According to the article, the film is already funded and they expect to have substantial international distribution. So it looks like a safe bet that we'll be able to look forward to this one. John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-55017567044820704412013-10-31T23:26:00.000-04:002015-10-10T13:20:08.713-04:00Future Reloaded, New Solondz Short FilmThis year the Venice International Film Festival commissioned 70 filmmakers who've had success at the fest to create original short films, between one and three minutes long. There are some compelling names on that list, including <a href="http://breillat.blogspot.com/">Catherine Breillat</a>, Bernardo Bertolucci, Atom Egoyan, Isabel Coixet, Claire Denis and yes, Todd Solondz. The festival <a href="http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/">describes</a> the series of films, collectively titled <i>Future Reloaded</i>, as, <i>"both a collective tribute to the Festival (the world’s first film festival to celebrate its 70th edition) and a reflection on the future of cinema." </i>The films have already been completed and at least most of them seem to be available onlime.<br />
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Solondz has both written and directed his film, which is produced by Laura Terruso and executive produced by Solondz regular Mike S. Ryan. It's a strange little film (which doesn't seem to have its own, individual title) reading excerpts from course catalog of a Chinese film school existing a thousand years in the future. Here, see it for yourself:<br />
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Interestingly, the IMDB <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3064438/combined">has an entry</a> for a two hour documentary called <i>Venice 70: Future Reloaded</i>, which lists all 70 of the filmmakers as co-directors. I don't know if this is an upcoming documentary <i>about </i>the short films, or very possibly just a lazy way to list all 70 short films as one easy entry to the database. I'm hoping it means that the festival intends to package all 70 films as a single DVD; but we'll see. At any rate, we've got an unexpected new short film by Solondz on our hands - enjoy!Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-24810254037101899682012-11-13T23:47:00.002-05:002012-11-13T23:47:59.383-05:00Dark Horse on DVD & Blu Now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJxQ6tCivuu-bH-HkRLkjKnI2S4siXlj-mF0Wap_fJD7_jGViAX4t5D6UvWjzgPdxAegt5uQPbNQdH0az86l1jkZ6tvdSCG_u209ZQBba7ZspRsF6PP3nIkqESQvVdV6LvehHXx19xlk/s1600/darkhorsedvdreel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJxQ6tCivuu-bH-HkRLkjKnI2S4siXlj-mF0Wap_fJD7_jGViAX4t5D6UvWjzgPdxAegt5uQPbNQdH0az86l1jkZ6tvdSCG_u209ZQBba7ZspRsF6PP3nIkqESQvVdV6LvehHXx19xlk/s200/darkhorsedvdreel.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>
Today's the day! <i>Dark Horse</i> is now available on both DVD and Blu-Ray from Virgil Films, and the same from Mongrel Media in Canada. All are quite bare-bones (what, did Criterion spoil you?), the menus only sporting Play and Chapter options... not even a trailer or optional subtitles. But it looks great, as any new release should, and it's a terrific film. I mean, granted, this is the guy who runs toddsolondz.com recommending a Todd Solondz film to you, so you should realize I might be a bit predisposed to appreciate it; but for me, it's one of his best films in a long time.<br />
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<i>Dark Horse</i> is also available on DVD (and has been for a few weeks) in the UK from Axiom Films and Australia from Reel DVD (pictured). So that's your Regions 1, 2 and 4 covered. The Australian disc even includes the trailer, edging it just ahead of its domestic counterparts. There are no Blu-Ray versions available from Axiom or Reel however.Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-16815312722669026652012-08-23T02:15:00.001-04:002012-08-23T02:29:12.175-04:00Dark Horse DVD This November!Not much by way of specs have been released yet, but we know <i>Dark Horse</i> will be coming to DVD (and Blu-Ray!) on November 13th from Arts Alliance America/ Virgil Films and Entertainment. I've seen it announced on some sites that it will be unrated and in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1; but even that may just be guessing the obvious. There's nothing up on there about <i>Dark Horse</i> yet, but <a href="http://www.virgilfilmsent.com/news.php">here's the company website</a>, and you can now pre-order the DVD or Blu from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Horse-Blu-ray/dp/B008ZQ4W5U/ref=tmm_blu_title_0"><i>Amazon</i></a>.Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-25989684941026596222012-05-08T23:57:00.000-04:002012-05-08T23:57:17.569-04:00The Dark Horse TrailerThe official theatrical trailer for <i>Dark Horse</i> is now online, and here it is!<br />
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<script class="5dcb98a0-9921-11e1-bcc4-123138165f92" src="http://www.indiewire.com/embed/script.jsp?videoId=5dcb98a0-9921-11e1-bcc4-123138165f92&width=440"></script>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-70355823098981201632012-05-02T19:43:00.004-04:002012-05-02T19:43:41.837-04:00Dark Horse In Theaters This SummerAccording to <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dark-horse-brainstorm-media-enter-theatrical-distribution-319518">this article</a> in <i>The Hollywood Reporter</i>, <i>Dark Horse</i> has acquired distribution and will be released in theaters here in the US this summer. It's been picked up by Brainstorm Media, marking their first theatrical outing.<br />
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Producer Ted Hope is quoted as saying,<i> "Like that old 35mm we all once loved, <em>Dark Horse</em> will be playing only in theaters this summer. Meyer and his team have constructed a way for the filmmakers and our investors to be true partners in this venture."</i><br />
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Apparently, we can expect <i>Dark Horse</i> to open in New York on June 8th, followed by later openings in other cities. The article doesn't say so, but presumably Brainstorm will follow this up with a DVD/ digital release after the summer, for those of us who don't live in a major, metropolitan city.Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-31392271842054727242011-08-12T03:27:00.003-04:002011-08-12T04:17:20.434-04:00Next Out of the Gate: Dark Horse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURoqI5MUODhneaQrRH_p50g47K4HutSmZoeTRIbgStBaOQ2uGgTRiJgo0cffPELasliO6t2LltYz8lM332yLUSHlzUhTRG1EfuhtwLr6yuTH2kQeIUkCVZSPVSXXeRrHr5Rk3_vYmMpY/s1600/darkhorseposter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURoqI5MUODhneaQrRH_p50g47K4HutSmZoeTRIbgStBaOQ2uGgTRiJgo0cffPELasliO6t2LltYz8lM332yLUSHlzUhTRG1EfuhtwLr6yuTH2kQeIUkCVZSPVSXXeRrHr5Rk3_vYmMpY/s400/darkhorseposter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639868049823448178" border="0" /></a>So Todd Solondz's latest film is on its way, set to debut at the <a href="http://tiff.net/thefestival">Toronto</a> and <a href="http://www.labiennale.org/en/Home.html">Venice</a> Film Festivals next month. Hopefully, that means it won't be too much longer, then, for it to disseminate to us little people with a more general release. <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Horse</span> features some intriguing and noteworthy names among its cast: Mia Farrow, Christopher Walken and <span style="font-style: italic;">Storytelling </span>alumni Selma Blair, and is produced by regular Solondz collaborators Ted Hope and Derrick Tseng (for the full cast and crew line-up, check out <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Horse</span>'s <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1690455/">page on the imdb</a>). The plot is briefly described as: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Thirty-something guy with arrested development falls for thirty-something girl with arrested development, but moving out of his junior high school bedroom proves too much. Tragedy ensues."</span>
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<br />I'm not sure if the film is 100% complete yet, but with locked festival commitments, they've gotta be close! And while there isn't an official trailer or anything yet, there is a brief clip that fans will definitely want to check out: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp9ueZ6rUA8">here</a>. And you can follow the film's official faecbook page, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/darkhorsemovie">facebook.com/darkhorsemovie</a>.
<br />Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-63563729994633722132011-08-07T03:31:00.004-04:002011-08-07T05:23:28.831-04:00toddsolondz.com Getting a Make-Over!<span style="font-style: italic;">Toddsolondz.com</span> is in the midst of a much, much, much needed facelift. The main aspect of which is that I've created and am incorporating solondz.blogspot.com as the main page.<br /><br />You see, when I first created toddsolondz.com years ago, it a lay-out I was pretty happy with, at least for the time. It gradually got out-dated. And then, when I met Mr. Solondz in person, he asked me to change it (because it was originally called <span style="font-style: italic;">Fear, Anxiety & Depression: The Films of Todd Solondz</span>, and he didn't care for the film he's more or less disowned as the title and theme of the website). So, I made a bunch of quick changes and graphics which were just meant to be temporary, and were, to be honest, kinda garish and awful. But, predictably, that "temporary" layout remained for years.<br /><br />So, now it's getting over-hauled! These changes will make updates easier for me to make, and hopefully a little more inviting for you guys. It'll let you RSS subscribe, so you get news updates sent to you whenever I update, so you don't have to keep checking back to see if I've made any changes. And it's got all the little <span style="font-style: italic;">facebook</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">twitter </span>and whatever buttons you kids like to play with. <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 0);">;)</span><br /><br />The 2011 version of the site hasn't just been reduced to the blog, however. All the cool pages from the original site: the film pages (click the boxes on the left!) and the galleries are still here. And when <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Horse </span>comes out, you can bet there'll be a film page and gallery added for that, too.<br /><br />I'll be tinkering with it over the coming weeks, and like every site, it's forever "under maintenance." So don't freak out if something's screwed up. But at least we're getting this site out of the stone age, and let's all agree to forget about the yellow and orange.Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-48546024141532218072011-04-19T03:01:00.000-04:002011-08-07T03:01:55.268-04:00Life During Wartime - Criterion DVD!The wait for a <span style="font-style: italic;">Life During Wartime</span> DVD (and Blu-Ray) in the US is finally over! Well, not really; but at least it's finally been announced. And it's coming from The Criterion Collection, no less.<br /> <br />It's slated for a July 26th release date, and for you diehard Criterion collectors, it will be Spine #574. The features will be:<br /> <br /> <ul><li> New digital transfer, supervised and approved by director of photography Ed Lachman, with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition</li><li> Ask Todd, an audio Q&A with director Todd Solondz in which he responds to viewers’ questions</li><li> Making “Life During Wartime,” a new documentary featuring interviews with actors Shirley Henderson, Allison Janney, Michael Lerner, Paul Reubens, Ally Sheedy, and Michael Kenneth Williams, and on-set footage of the actors and crew</li><li> New video piece in which Lachman discusses his work on the film</li><li> Original theatrical trailer</li><li> PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Sterritt</li></ul> This makes it the first of Todd Solondz's films to appear on DVD with extras!Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-80450896163751232142010-10-05T03:09:00.000-04:002011-08-07T03:09:52.206-04:00His Next Film: Dark HorseA column in today's <span style="font-style: italic;">Variety </span>makes reference of a new Todd Solondz film, just getting underway. The <a href="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118025144.html?categoryid=3683&cs=1">piece by Peter Caranicas</a> points out that costume designers known as Kurt & Bart are booked to work on Todd Solondz's <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Horse</span>.<br /> <br />But there's a lot better info on the film to be found in <a href="http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/07/exclusive-todd-solondzs-next-picture.html">this brief interview</a> with Solondz on a blog called <span style="font-style: italic;">The Playlist</span>. Apparently, we can expect this film to be much less controversial than his past efforts.Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1663232450200154062.post-15230381760189068682010-07-16T03:10:00.000-04:002011-08-07T03:11:05.836-04:00The Wartime Wait Is Over!<span style="font-style: italic;">Life During Wartime</span> is <span style="font-weight: bold;">now</span> available on DVD from Artificial Eye in the UK/ Region 2. Go ahead and order it - I did! Meanwhile, in the US, it's debuting in NY theaters next week, on July 23rd. With IFC's On Demand thing, I think that also means you'll be able to watch it online at <a href="http://www.ifcfilms.com/">ifcfilms.com</a> on that date.<br /> <br />And, as you may've noticed on the front page, our <span style="font-style: italic;">Life During Wartime</span> page is now live, too! Be sure to check out the still gallery, too. Plenty of great screenshots, the official plot description and even the lyrics to the song "Life During Wartime" as written by Todd Solondz (not to be confused by the Talking Heads or Greenday songs of the same title) and personally transcribed by me. :)Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0