The Tales of Hoffmann, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Mississippi Mermaid, & Bed and Board

The Tales of Hoffmann was outstanding. As it was an Archers production, it was absolutely gorgeous and the special effects were very good. I was really impressed with pretty much everything. Especially due to my missing of ballet due to being sick this weekend. So I got some ballet in anyway. And some opera. So I was all "Gimme some culture", and this movie was all "Here's some culture", and I was all "I'll watch", and it was all "Offenbach!" and I was all, "OOOH!" and "AHHH!". Really, really gorgeous in every way. Impressive. And, um, apparently, I can thanks this film for Dawn of the Dead and The Departed. Yeah, apparently, George Romero and Martin Scorsese fought over a 16mm print of the film and a projector. Really, wow. I knew that Scorsese was an immense fan of the Archers, but I never knew that Romero was such a fan. Makes me even more thankful for them, besides the brilliance of the films. I really didn't expect to see an interview with Romero on the disc. Criterion, thank you.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice was a short, done by Michael Powell, which was done by Disney fifteen years earlier. It works a little better without Mickey Mouse, though. I also want to thank Criterion again for putting this on the disc. Sonia Arova was pretty impressive, although I would have wanted to see the full 30 minute version, because 13 minutes just doesn't feel very long.

Mississippi Mermaid was a little disappointing, although there were two gratuitous Catherine Deneuve topless scenes. I mean, two completely necessary scenes. Yes. I guess I've never been in love quite enough to kill for it, but I liked the nod to Shoot the Piano Player near the end. It just felt a little light.

Bed and Board was... what the hell Truffaut? You really created Antoine Doinel to be my favorite character in movie history, right? I mean, seriously. Although I've never spent any time with prostitutes. Although I've always wanted to have a job moving remote-controlled boats around a model of a port. And that I'm pretty sure that I would have much more to talk about with a Japanese lady. Plus, why would I leave Claude Jade? I am pretty sure that Kyoko was made to be boring, and it was very successful. And what's up with the name Hiroko Berghauer? Strange.