ekrats4 Reviews

Doug Stanhope: Oslo - Burning the Bridge to Nowhere (2011 Video)

Stanhope delivers a special as unique as his act

[9/10 · 28 May 2011]

It's kind of out of focus at times, the crowd isn't pretty, and the lighting is reminiscent on early John Holmes productions, but the result is a snapshot of one of the best stand-ups today.

Hailing from the Saigon of Arizona, Bisbee; Stanhope is not one to shy away from taboo topics, in fact he embraces them. His material delves into a drunken philosophy that is brilliant and simple at the same time. Stanhope reminds us that we have the power inside of us to rebel against the system.

Or just have fun, and don't shy away from a good time.

If you want to see a good representation of what it's like to see Doug on a random night, grab this DVD. You may not get the perfect edits of a 52 minute HBO special, but you will get Doug Stanhope in Norway, as important a statement of time as Intolerance.

In the Electric Mist (2009)

Make sure you watch the European cut

[6/10 · 31 July 2010]

Most of you have probably never heard of Tavernier, which is a shame as he has at least two masterpieces under his belt. The American DVD release is not only cut by 15 minutes, it is also drastically different in structure and tone. Think Leone's American cut of Once Upon a time In America. You didn't like that, did you? Well, to be honest neither of the films are perfect, but the American DVD is UNWATCHABLE. At least the director's cut is the way Tavernier preferred; and actually a middling thriller that is worthy of giving a spin. Gone is the made for TV pacing and ludicrous ending, and while it's not his best work, it will probably entertain you enough.

The acting is serviceable in both versions, but the lack of a back story (and thus motivation) makes some of the character actions seem out of place and silly.

I happen to like Heaven's Prisoners a lot more than anyone has any right to, and I think Tommy Lee Jones is a very good replacement for Baldwin. Gone is the optimistic charm of old Dave, hello new Dave that is bitter by what life has shown him. But a lot of that is lost in the American DVD.