Filmmakers can get away with murder in opening sequences
For the record, by Fantastic Four 141, Sue had left the team to take care of Franklin full-time. She was replaced on the active roster by Medusa, a tall powerful redhead whose primary power was, well, the ability to use her hair as a living weapon (it works on paper, trust me.) Perhaps it is a coincidence, but Paul´s father (Kevin Kline) has an affair with Janey (Sigourney Weaver), a tall powerful redhead who, as far as I know, does not beat up super-villains with her hair, though Janey can flay men alive with her forked tongue. If, in the spirit of Mr. Fantastic, we want to stretch even further, we could argue that Paul´s mother (Joan Allen) plays an Invisible Girl of her own, at least in her husband´s eyes. Of course in the comic book, Reed and Medusa never had a fling, but I still like the analogies. Come to think of it, the casting of Tobey Maguire reminds me of one of Spider-Man´s earliest appearances when he tried to join the Fantastic Four but got turned down, but I´ll leave that discussion for a later date.
One other curious aspect of the film is the number of young actors who have become stars in the ensuing decade. The film features Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire, Elijah Wood, and Katie Holmes. Ricci was already a star. Both Wood and Maguire had worked in TV and film before but neither was established, and the film marks Holmes´ screen debut.
VIDEO
The film is presented in its original 1.85:1 wide-screen aspect ratio. This is yet another fine transfer by Criterion. It´s not quite as razor-sharp as the wonderful transfer of "Mafioso" this month and looks just a little too dark in a few places (though it´s always hard to tell how much comes from the source) but it´s still superb.
AUDIO
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo. Optional English subtitles support the English audio.
EXTRAS
Criterion´s two-disc collection begins with a breezy commentary track by Lee and producer-screenwriter James Schamus.
Disc Two offers a boatload of extras.
"Weathering the Ice Storm" is a newly produced documentary (36 min) which features the cast reminiscing about their experiences on the film.
An interview with Rick Moody (21 min) allows the novelist a chance to discuss the film adaptation of his original work.
The disc also includes an interview (32 min) with Lee and Schamus, long-time working partners, recorded in November 2007 at the NYC Museum of the Moving Image. David Schwartz conducts the interview.
Four deleted scenes (7 min. total) are also offered. None of them are sorely missed.
The extras collection wraps up with interviews with cinematographer Frederick Elmes (14 min.), production designer Mark Friedberg (14 min.), and costume designer Carol Oditz (8 min.)
The relatively slim insert booklet includes an essay by film critic Bill Krohn and a few more panels of Fantastic Four 141.
FILM VALUE
I didn´t write much about the film in my main review, so to make up for it, I leave you with the definitive synopsis of the film.
[SPOILER ALERT]
"The Ice Storm" begins with Spider-Man reading an issue of Fantastic Four, and ends with Frodo getting fried.
[END SPOILER]
Chances are pretty high you´ll like the movie better than I do. If I never see another film about the hypocrisy and corruption of the suburban nuclear family, I´ll be a happy man.
One other curious aspect of the film is the number of young actors who have become stars in the ensuing decade. The film features Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire, Elijah Wood, and Katie Holmes. Ricci was already a star. Both Wood and Maguire had worked in TV and film before but neither was established, and the film marks Holmes´ screen debut.
VIDEO
The film is presented in its original 1.85:1 wide-screen aspect ratio. This is yet another fine transfer by Criterion. It´s not quite as razor-sharp as the wonderful transfer of "Mafioso" this month and looks just a little too dark in a few places (though it´s always hard to tell how much comes from the source) but it´s still superb.
AUDIO
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo. Optional English subtitles support the English audio.
EXTRAS
Criterion´s two-disc collection begins with a breezy commentary track by Lee and producer-screenwriter James Schamus.
Disc Two offers a boatload of extras.
"Weathering the Ice Storm" is a newly produced documentary (36 min) which features the cast reminiscing about their experiences on the film.
An interview with Rick Moody (21 min) allows the novelist a chance to discuss the film adaptation of his original work.
The disc also includes an interview (32 min) with Lee and Schamus, long-time working partners, recorded in November 2007 at the NYC Museum of the Moving Image. David Schwartz conducts the interview.
Four deleted scenes (7 min. total) are also offered. None of them are sorely missed.
The extras collection wraps up with interviews with cinematographer Frederick Elmes (14 min.), production designer Mark Friedberg (14 min.), and costume designer Carol Oditz (8 min.)
The relatively slim insert booklet includes an essay by film critic Bill Krohn and a few more panels of Fantastic Four 141.
FILM VALUE
I didn´t write much about the film in my main review, so to make up for it, I leave you with the definitive synopsis of the film.
[SPOILER ALERT]
"The Ice Storm" begins with Spider-Man reading an issue of Fantastic Four, and ends with Frodo getting fried.
[END SPOILER]
Chances are pretty high you´ll like the movie better than I do. If I never see another film about the hypocrisy and corruption of the suburban nuclear family, I´ll be a happy man.
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[release]23445[/release]