DVD Review: Ascent Of Evil: The Story Of Mein Kampf

We are living in a dark and dangerous time, with a president who unabashedly praises and fawns over dictators, a president who has strong authoritarian leanings himself. This is a president who recently referred to immigrants as an infestation, which calls to mind another demented authoritarian figure, Adolf Hitler. In an interview back in 1990, Donald Trump said he owned a copy of Mein Kampf, the book Hitler wrote while in prison. More recently, he defended the Nazis who held a violent rally in Charlottesville, calling some of them “very fine people.” And we’ve just learned that another Nazi rally is planned for August in our nation’s capital. So this is exactly the right time to take a closer look at Mein Kampf, to understand just what Hitler was saying and thinking when he wrote it in the 1920s before his sudden rise to power, and the effect the book had on the course of history.

The documentary Ascent Of Evil: The Story Of Mein Kampf begins with footage from the conclusion of World War II in Germany, including some footage of the concentration camps. Though many Germans claimed to be unaware of the atrocities going on all around them, Elwyn Jones at the Nuremberg Trials argued that the plan had been scripted in Mein Kampf, that the book led to the Holocaust. This film then takes us into the pages of this infamous tome by first giving us the story of Hitler’s life leading to its publication. There is information on how Hitler drew inspiration from Mussolini and decided to take power by force, but failed and was imprisoned. The film contains interviews with several historians, one of whom mentions that Hitler became the laughing stock of all the newspapers (which might remind you again of Donald Trump). While in prison, Hitler began to write what would become Mein Kampf, at first in preparation for his defense. What is fascinating is that Hitler is the only one of the conspirators not to plead not guilty. Instead, as one historian tells us, he used the trial as a platform. “Everything that he dreamed up, people believed,” we are told. This, again, is terrifying close to our current situation.

The film includes a lot of still photographs, including some from his short time in prison. There are details on some of the visitors Hitler received while in prison, as well as on the books he read that helped shape some of his worst ideas, those of the racial struggle. Hitler was obsessed with Jews, believing them responsible for Germany’s defeat in World War I. The documentary mentions that the word “Juden” appears 373 times in Mein Kampf, an average of once every two pages. The film contains some interesting information on the choice of the book’s title. Interestingly, initially the book was not a commercial success, as its contents did not meet the public’s expectations. But when the Great Depression hit Germany, fringe parties began to gain members, and the book began to sell.

The film includes an interview with a German man who said that people didn’t take Hitler seriously. They didn’t think he would remain in power, and they made jokes about him. That too has a ring of familiarity about it, doesn’t it? There is also some fascinating material about the French translation of the book, and the resulting trial. Mein Kampf foretold Hitler’s conquest of France, and in an interview with a French reporter about those very passages, Hitler simply lied, saying that he had changed since writing the book and now sought peace. What other leader do we know who likes to change his story to suit his goals? The continuing popularity of the book is understandable, but frightening. We are at a critical juncture in our own country, when things could very easily go very wrong. In fact, they already have, with the election of Donald Trump. Let’s hope we can get back on course soon, through the power of our votes. Meanwhile, there is a lot we should learn from history.

Ascent Of Evil: The Story Of Mein Kampf was directed by Frederic Monteil and is scheduled to be released on DVD on June 26, 2018 through MVD Visual. The DVD contains the film’s trailer.

DVD Review: Divine Divas

Divine Divas is an affectionate and personal look at a group of crossdressing and transgender artists in Brazil, the first such group to grace the stage at the Rival Theater back in the 1960s. The film is directed and narrated by Leandra Leal, the granddaughter of Américo Leal, who first opened his stage to these women. Leandra Leal has close personal ties to the venue and to these performers, who helped make up her strongest memories of childhood. The film follows the artists as they prepare for a special show to mark an anniversary of the theater’s opening, a show that Leandra Leal herself helped to organize. Ten years earlier, there had been another reunion of these artists to commemorate an anniversary, that one organized by the film director’s mother. That show had been titled Divine Divas; thus, the title of the new performance and the film.

Because the performers are now in their seventies, they have a certain perspective on the history of crossdressing performances, and have many interesting (and often humorous) anecdotes about their struggles. They talk about how back in the day it was dangerous. “You had to be in the closet, afraid, repressed,” says one performer. They talk about the history of their individual performances, and about dealing with censorship and ridiculous rules, even with arrests. They tell some incredible, emotionally engaging stories. The film does include some still photos and old footage, but it mainly focuses on the interviews, on these women’s stories, and on their preparation for the new show.

Interestingly, some of the performers live and dress as women full-time, some are transgender, while others dress as men when not performing. “The uncertainties I have as a man go away when I become a woman. I get so much younger when I’m a woman on stage,” one of the performers tells us. We see rehearsals for the performance, including vocal warmups. And of course we see some of the show. But really the film is about these people, their stories, more than the actual performance. It is a loving and gentle look at an endearing and beautiful group of performers.

Divine Divas was released on DVD on May 8, 2018 through MVD Visual. The DVD contains no special features.

Blu-ray/DVD Review: Bruce’s Deadly Fingers

Bruce’s Deadly Fingers is a fun martial arts film from 1976 starring Bruce Le (yes, to be confused with Bruce Lee), and directed by Joseph Kong. The plot involves several people looking for Bruce Lee’s kung fu finger book, and, well, not much else. And, yes, every time the kung fu finger book is mentioned, it makes me laugh. The film is enjoyable right from its brightly colored opening title sequence.

It takes about a minute before we get our first fight scene. But first we get a couple of those delightful, quick zooms in on the combatants eyes, and something like three lines of dialogue, in which one guy says he’ll have to find proof, and the other says he’s looking for proof. At the main villain’s home, Rose wonders why he is after the kung fu finger book, saying: “All you think of it finger kung fu. You don’t care about me.” And it seems she’s correct. He sends his men out to find the book. And so there are lots of fight scenes, many of which feature one guy being able to dispatch several bad guys at once. Which is exactly what we want from this type of film. And there are more great lines like, “All right, you bastard, be a good boy and tell us where the kung fu finger book is or else we’ll kill you.”

Anyway, Bruce Wong (Bruce Le) returns to Hong Kong from the United States, only to find out his mother is dead and his sister has moved away. He is also looking for the kung fu finger book, of course. But first he has to rescue his sister, Shiu Ju, who is being forced into prostitution. “Shut up, I don’t like your face,” he tells the guy in charge of the prostitution ring. But that guy is actually working for the main villain. All the bad guys work for that one guy, you see. The bad guys decide to kidnap Shiu Ju and Mina, Bruce’s friend, in order to force Bruce to tell them where the kung fu finger book is. Anyway, you get the idea. It’s not a good movie, but it is seriously enjoyable.

In a scene where one man is demonstrating a fighting style to a bunch of shirtless guys, we learn that hitting the air makes noise, something that strikes me as ridiculous. And there is a scene where Bruce is able to go make a phone call, get a hold of the guy he’s calling, talk for a bit, get cut off, and return to the other room to say he was cut off, all in six seconds. That’s more impressive than his fighting. This film also includes a scene with death by 8 ball. And for Pink Floyd fans, check out a scene near the end where they use the beginning of Pink Floyd’s “Time” as part of the score, probably without permission (if you’re curious, it is right around the 72-minute mark).

Special Features

This two-disc set includes several special features. There are some deleted scenes, including a drug scene. The one that’s most interesting is the missing telephone call scene, its existence explaining how Bruce was able to have that call and get back to the other room in only six seconds. I wonder why the scene was cut. It seems necessary. Anyway, the deleted scenes total approximately six and a half minutes.

Chop-Sucky: Bad Kung Fu Dubs is simply a collection of some of the funnier scenes from Bruce’s Deadly Fingers. Funny, that is, because of the English dubbing. And yes, most of them have people saying “Kung fu finger book.” Also included in the special features are a photo gallery, the film’s trailer, and the trailers for several other films, including Fists Of Fury, The Way Of The Dragon, and Game Of Death.

There is also a commentary track by Michael Worth. He talks about the idea of the kung fu finger book, and mentions that Bruce Lee never created such a thing. He also talks about the way they used Bruce Lee to sell films that he wasn’t actually in. And he talks about the various actors in the film, and their other credits. It’s certainly not the best commentary track ever, and he does at moments let time pass without saying anything, but it is still worth listening to.

Bruce’s Deadly Fingers was released as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack on May 8, 2018 through MVD Visual. The film is presented in widescreen, from a new 2K scan from the original 35 mm negative.

DVD Review: The Fencer

The Fencer tells the true story of champion fencer Endel Nelis, who in the years following World War II started a fencing club for children in Estonia, while trying to keep out of sight of Stalin’s Secret Police. It’s an engaging film that centers on his work with the kids in a time when most of them were in need of a father figure in their lives. By helping them, he is putting himself at risk. But by helping them, he is also finding himself again.

Title cards at the beginning give us a bit of information on the period and the situation. During World War II, Estonia was occupied by Germany and by the Soviet Union at different times. And after the war, the Soviet Union, under Stalin, occupied the country. Estonian men who had been drafted by Nazi Germany during the war were hunted by Stalin’s Secret Police. When the film starts, we follow Endel Nelis (Mart Avandi) as he gets off a train and walks through the streets alone to a school, the camera remaining behind him the entire time. It’s a great sequence, and the film later uses similar shots for a different effect. He has come to this small town to get a teaching job, and the principal notices that “fencing” is on his resume. He is hired to be the athletic instructor, and is told he has other responsibilities as well, which mainly seem to be running a sports club for the children. However, after repairing all the skis, with the intention of making the sports club a skiing club, he finds the next day that they’ve all been taken. The principal, a cold authoritarian figure, informs him that the school shares their sports equipment with the military airbase. This is the only time in the film that this comes into play, and we never hear about it again or see the airbase, so it feels like this moment is simply there to force Endel to rely on his fencing background. It is one of the only weak turns of the film.

But rely on his fencing, he does. And when he does, he is surprised to find that nearly the entire school has shown up for lessons. And so he begins to train them, fashioning branches into foils for the children. He is encouraged by Kadri (Ursula Ratasepp), a teacher for whom he develops feelings. And while the principal wishes Endel to cease the fencing instructions and to teach sports better suited to the proletariat, the children’s parents get behind the program. The children wish to enter into a competition in Leningrad. While everything seems to be going well, we are reminded of the dangers Endel faces, mainly through contact with a friend who tries to get him a position farther from Leningrad and who later warns him to stay away from Leningrad at all costs. And for some reason the principal takes it upon himself (and his assistant) to look further into Endel’s background. For me, it is never satisfactorily explained why he would wish to do this, other than he’s just an authoritarian bastard, and that is the only other weakness of the film.

The performances – including those by the children – are extraordinary. And the look of the film is excellent, often beautiful. I got completely caught up in this story and these characters. And it is ultimately an uplifting tale.

Special Features

The DVD includes an interview with the film’s director, Klaus Härö, who talks about the story and some of the similarities with his other work, and about shooting period films. He also talks about the cast, mentioning that Mart Avandi is actually a popular comedian in Estonia, which is interesting. This interview was conducted in 2015, and is approximately twenty-two minutes.

The director provides an audio commentary on certain scenes. He talks about reading the script and what interested him in the story, and about the shots from the beginning that I love. He also talks about shooting a period piece, and about the casting. He gives an interesting anecdote about the day he shot the scene with the grandfather being taken away by the authorities.

The special features also include the film’s trailer.

The Fencer was directed by Klaus Härö, and was released on DVD on April 10, 2018 through Music Box Films. It is presented in its original Estonian, with English subtitles.

DVD Review: Manifesto

Cate Blanchett is, I believe, the best living actor. In film after film, she continues to impress audiences. And her range seems boundless, having played everyone from Queen Elizabeth to Bob Dylan. And she’s not afraid to take chances in her work. This has never been clearer than in Manifesto, in which she plays multiple roles. The film itself deals with various types of art, and the manifestos associated with them, each delivered by Cate Blanchett as different characters. However, it is not a journey through history, but rather creates its own strange version of the present, where all these ideas seem to combine, or at least flow from one to another (and sometimes back again).

The film opens with Cate Blanchett delivering part of Tristan Tzara’s manifesto: “I am against action. I am for continuous contradiction, for affirmation too, I am neither for nor against, and I do not explain because I hate common sense.” She goes on to quote from Philippe Soupalt: “I am writing a manifesto because I have nothing to say.” Ah, a wonderful choice to begin a film titled Manifesto. And the spark that we see on screen might be a lit fuse for a bomb – our imagination fills in dreadful possibilities sometimes, doesn’t it? – but turns out to be for fireworks. Not only that, but fireworks lit by a trio of elderly women. Then, interestingly, we get a quick series of shots of the various people Cate Blanchett will play in the film, as well as the names – in rapid succession – of those from whom Cate will quote. And I am drawn in immediately.

For each character, we have a different and quite distinct landscape or setting. From the rubble of a city, we move to a room full of people working at computers, and in voice over Cate speaks from the manifesto of futurism: “The suffering of a man is of the same interest to us as the suffering of an electric lamp.” As she says “Make room for youth, for violence, for daring,” the camera pulls back and pans up to show many more computer screens, as well as giant screens on other side of the frame, a somewhat frightening – though not youthful or violent – image. Then a similar camera move shows us a large apartment complex. The camera work is wonderful, and the transitions from one scene to the next have meaning and even beauty. At one point, a coffin shifts to a dining room table being set.

There is a delightful humor to this film. The shot of the three elevators like strange pods has a certain wonderfully sad humor. And the funeral scene where Cate reads from the Dada manifesto made me laugh with joy. I’ve always appreciate the Dada perspective anyway, but watching Cate tell mourners “One dies as a hero or as an idiot, which is the same thing” is a delight. She goes on to say: “Dada is still shit. But from now on…” And here she breaks a bit – it is a funeral, after all – and then continues: “From now on, we want to shit in different colors.” But perhaps the funniest scene is the one that follows the funeral, where – after the table is set, and lunch is served – Cate’s children (and husband, who enters a bit later) fold their hands in prayer to listen to her orison: “I am for an art that is political, erotical, mystical, that does something other than sit on its ass in a museum.” Ah, if the prayers in my home had been like that, I might still be among the believers. We return to this scene later, when Cate is continuing: “I am for the art of teddy bears and guns, exploding umbrellas,” eventually getting a surprised and slightly bemused look from her husband. Will those children ever get to eat?

Sometimes Cate speaks to us in voice over, sometimes directly to the camera. Sometimes she speaks to other characters, including a puppet. In one of my favorite scenes she is a teacher speaking to very young children, telling them “Nothing is original, okay? So you can steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration, and fuels your imagination” (quoting Jim Jarmusch). She then starts giving them instructions from the Dogme 95 Manifesto, “The camera must be handheld” and so on. I also love the broadcast news scene, where as a news anchor Cate says – in an official voice – “All current art is fake.” She then speaks to a field reporter, also played by Cate – and both are named Cate, by the way – who is standing in the rain (rain which is later revealed to be fake).  I love the humor of this film, as Cate says to the reporter, herself, “When to reflect is gazing in the mirror, when to contemplate is, well, thinking about yourself.”

Manifesto is an unusual film that is engaging and compelling, funny and beautiful. Cate Blanchett gives a tremendous performance. Or rather, several tremendous performances. The film was written and directed by Julian Rosefeldt, and released on DVD on May 8, 2018 through MVD Visual. The DVD contains no special features.

Blu-ray Review: The City Of The Dead

The City Of The Dead is a spooky gem of a film, with good performances, an intriguing tale and plenty of atmosphere, shot in glorious black and white. It stars Christopher Lee as Alan Driscoll, a professor with a passionate interest in witchcraft, and Venitia Stevenson as Nan Barlow, one of his students who develops her own interest in the occult. It has now received a new Blu-ray release, featuring a new 2K film transfer and restoration, and a couple of special features.

The film opens with a lynch mob emerging from the mist and shadows at a quick clip, heading directly at us. Fortunately, these people are not after us, but a woman named Elizabeth Selwyn (Patricia Jessel), who they believe is a witch. This is Massachusetts in 1692, after all. When they bring her out of her home, she certainly looks like a witch (though it’s difficult to shake from my mind that wonderful scene from Monty Python And The Holy Grail). There is an interesting and unusual shot when she’s tied to the stake; it’s a close-up of her head, turning from side to side, then suddenly stopping and looking almost directly at us. It’s unexpected and kind of creepy. Jethrow Keane (Valentine Dyall), whom Elizabeth had earlier called out by name, is in the crowd. And while we think maybe Elizabeth is not a witch, Jethrow utters, “Help her, O Lucifer, help her.” So we were wrong. Elizabeth, in the flames, curses the town for all eternity. And as she burns, she smiles and even laughs. What a fantastic opening scene.

The film then takes us to modern day (in this case, 1960, when the film was originally released), where Professor Driscoll is lecturing a group of students about witchcraft, and telling them the story of Elizabeth Selwyn’s death. After class, Nan Barlow expresses an interest in learning more and wants to travel to Massachusetts to do personal research on the subject, over the minor objections of her brother Richard (Dennis Lotis) and boyfriend Bill Maitland (Tom Naylor). Driscoll recommends Whitewood, the town where Elizabeth was burned at the stake. She travels there alone, meeting a strange hitchhiker on the way.

They’re a bit too heavy on the fog machine when Nan stops to ask for directions. But the town itself has a great, creepy atmosphere, and is populated by unusual characters. I love how as she’s driving in, her headlights catch one person simply standing by a building, watching her. It’s like the whole town is simply waiting, either for her or for some event, or both. At the inn, she finds more unusual characters, including Mrs. Newless, who closely resembles Elizabeth Selwyn, and Lottie, a mute servant who desperately wishes to help Nan. She also encounters a priest who warns her to leave – “Evil has triumphed over good here,” he tells her – and Patricia Russell (Betta St. John), the priest’s granddaughter, who is sorting through her grandmother’s store and lends Nan a rare book on witchcraft.

I love the moment when Nan reads aloud to Mrs. Newless about a sacrifice, clearly describing what is likely destined to be her own fate.  There are some surprises in this film (such as Nan’s undergarments – holy moly). The City Of The Dead came out the same year as Psycho, and it has something akin to that film’s structure, with two distinct sections. It’s not a perfect film – the ending could be a bit better – but it is completely enjoyable and engaging, is well-acted, and is definitely worth checking out.

Special Features

The DVD includes a commentary track by Christopher Lee, moderated by Jay Slater. Lee talks about the film’s atmosphere, comparing it to the atmosphere of the work of H.P. Lovecraft. He also talks about the camera work and focus, and about the other title the film was later given, Horror Hotel. Interestingly, when they recorded the track, they did so without being able to hear the film’s sound, so they are often guessing as to what is being said on screen. This track seems to have been recorded in 2001.

There is also an interview with Christopher Lee, conducted by Brad Stevens. He talks about some of the directors he worked with early in his career, including Orson Welles. He also talks about working on the Hammer films, and tells an interesting anecdote about To The Devil A Daughter, as well as giving his candid thoughts on the film industry. Christopher Lee is a perfect interview subject, as he is so eloquent and has so many interesting stories to tell. This interview is approximately forty-five minutes. The film’s trailer is also included in the special features.

The City Of The Dead was directed by John Moxey, and was released on Blu-ray on March 27, 2018 through VCI Entertainment and MVD Visual.

Blu-ray Review: My Friend Dahmer

The Blu-ray package for My Friend Dahmer delighted me before I even opened it. On the back, it reads: “Jeffrey Dahmer (Disney Channel’s Ross Lynch) is an awkward teenager.” The name Disney right after the name Jeffrey Dahmer is absolutely priceless, and the whole idea of this film, depicting Jeffrey Dahmer in high school, might sound at first like a comedy, a dark and twisted comedy. Jeffrey Dahmer, for the two or three people who may not know, murdered seventeen men and boys, keeping their skulls and other souvenirs, and eating some parts of the bodies. But of course he murdered his first victim right after high school, so at this point in his life he was already getting into dark areas. My Friend Dahmer is based on the graphic novel by Derk Backderf, who was Dahmer’s classmate and friend in high school. It stars Ross Lynch as Jeff Dahmer, Alex Wolff as John “Derf” Backderf, Anne Heche as Joyce Dahmer and Dallas Roberts as Lionel Dahmer.

When we first see Jeffrey, he is seated toward the back of the school bus, alone, noticing roadkill and a male jogger through the window. He soon retrieves the dead cat, surprising two classmates when they ask what’s in his trash bag. The kids follow him to a little shed on his property which he uses as his laboratory, and they watch as he pours acid onto the cat to dissolve its skin. One kid asks, “Why are you doing this?” (a line, by the way, that is so many movies). Jeffrey answers frankly, “I like bones.” And indeed he does, for he has quite a collection in that shed.

He has only one friend in school until one day when in class he imitates someone with a speech problem. That gets a laugh, which leads Jeffrey to give a full-blown performance in the hall, seizure and all. A crowd gathers around him, and soon he is approached by Derf, who invites him to become friends with him and his pals. They create the Jeffrey Dahmer Fan Club, and they would often encourage Jeffrey, “Let’s do a Dahmer,” which meant spazzing out in front of people to get a reaction, not killing and dismembering people. But that, as you might imagine, becomes disturbing too.

We see not just his troubles in school, but also his less-than-ideal home life, with a mother who apparently isn’t quite stable herself. (Anne Heche is absolutely wonderful as Jeffrey’s mother.) She is sometimes delightful in her lunacy, like when she’s proud about buying a new car. (Oh my, the glass she drinks from at one point made me laugh, as my parents still have a set of those exact glasses.) Jeffrey’s father, however, is concerned that Jeffrey is spending too much time alone with skeletons in his shed. You feel for his dad, who admits to having had trouble making friends himself.

There are some funny lines, like when Jeff tells another student, “I have to pick up roadkill, but I’m trying to quit.” And I love that after Derf warns Jeff to stay away from a particular guy, saying that he’s a total psycho, the next shot is of Jeff and the guy walking together in the woods. I also love the moment when he asks the one black kid if his insides are the same color as his. And the doctor’s examination scene is really good. Stuff like that is humorous. But the film is not a comedy. There are moments when you really feel for Jeffrey, and other moments when you’re frightened of him. Ross Lynch gives an excellent, captivating performance.

Special Features

The Blu-ray includes a short interview with actor Ross Lynch, who talks about the film and about getting information from Derk. “I think the hardest part of playing Jeffrey Dahmer was actually shaking him off,” he says. He would take long showers at the end of each day to shake off the character. He also talks about shooting in the actual Dahmer house. The special features also include a behind-the-scenes slide show and the film’s trailer.

My Friend Dahmer was directed by Marc Meyers, and was released on Blu-ray on April 10, 2018 through MVD Visual.