DVD Scene
Informative 'Pollock' DVD is a class act

This column is written for The Advertiser by Jordan Riefe, a Los Angeles-based writer who is the West Coast radio correspondent for Variety magazine and a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association. His film reviews appear in Hotdog magazines, and he is syndicated throughout Europe and Asia.

By Jordan Riefe
Special to The Advertiser

Ed Harris stars as the painter Jackson Pollock in the 2000 film "Pollock," which won an Academy Award for supporting actress Marcia Gay Harden. The DVD release includes four scenes that had been deleted from the film version. Advertiser library photo

Bio-pic on American abstract painter Jackson Pollock, covering his early career through his success — a chronicle of art, alcoholism and emotional turbulence.

Two Oscar nominations and one win helped "Pollock" overcome mixed reviews last year when it opened in art houses. Supporting actress Marcia Gay Harden took home the statuette, while actor/director Ed Harris got the nod for this gut-wrenching paean to one of America's most innovative artists.

"Whether it's fear or joy or rage, he just had nothing that held him back," says Harris in the 22-minute making-of doc. As much about Pollock the artist as it is about "Pollock" the movie, this doc is informative and free of the usual pandering, one of the best I've seen. Also included is a Charlie Rose interview in which Harris reveals much about his history with the project and his passion for his subject.

Four deleted scenes include Pollock in a drunken rant at The Cedars, a Greenwich Village bar, as well as a searing scene in which Pollock drunkenly tries to touch up one of long-time companion Lee Krasner's (Harden) canvases. Harris' commentary is sharp and unforgiving as he forthrightly criticizes what does and doesn't work in the scenes. All in all, this disc is a class act; a fine film along with thoughtful and intelligent extras.

"Valentine" (Warner Bros.), 2001
R
96 minutes
Denise Richards, David Boreanaz, Marley Shelton, Katherine Heigl

A lunatic stalks and butchers vapid twentysomethings on Valentine's Day.

"By the time we get to the finale," says production designer Stephen Geaghan, "where all the carnage takes place and the blood flows, all of the red in the film will hopefully make sense." Much of that red, of course, belongs to beauties such as Denise Richards, Marley Shelton and Katherine Heigl.

Other special features include a montage/video set to the tune "Opticon" by rock band Orgy, and a making-of doc full of the usual promotional twaddle about how great the actors were and how much fun went into bringing "Valentine" to the screen. One unintentionally hilarious sound bite features David Boreanaz recalling being trapped by chickens in a barn. Director Jamie Blanks chatters nonstop through his commentary, discussing various stages of pre-production and an early version of the project at another studio that was to star Tara Reid. In fact, the film plays better with the commentary than without.

"Sweet November" (Warner Bros.), 2001
PG-13
120 minutes
Charlize Theron, Keanu Reeves, Greg Germann, Jason Isaacs

A rich but emotionally out-of-touch young ad executive gets a lesson in humanity from a beautiful young woman with a dark secret.

Strictly for the 10-hankie set, this tear-jerker was dead on arrival at the box office earlier this year. While Theron is stunning and Keanu keeps up the charade, this doomed romance can't overcome the maudlin hand of director Pat O'Connor. Short on extras, the disc includes a making-of titled "Sweet November: From The Heart." "Life is something precious that's given to you," says Theron on the set of the film. "And it can go away any time." A true statement that is so obvious it becomes trivial.

Not surprisingly, O'Connor declined to do commentary. So, the disc is rounded out with only the usual extras: theatrical trailer, cast/filmmaker profiles, language and subtitle options.

"Hatari" (Paramount Pictures), 1962
G
157 minutes
John Wayne, Red Buttons, Hardy Kruger, Elsa Martinelli, Gerard Blain

A team of professional game hunters in Africa employs traps and snares to capture animals for zoos and circus attractions.

John Wayne with lions and tigers and bears, oh my! "Hatari" came late in the career of director Howard Hawks, helmsman of classics such as "His Girl Friday," "Bringing Up Baby" and "Sahara." The inter-genre guru comes up short here, but does manage to serve up some kinetic pursuit sequences that would give the ASPCA conniption fits. Most memorable is Henry Mancini's score, including the classic "Elephant Walk." Short on extras, the disc is rounded out by a theatrical trailer and subtitles for the deaf.