BATTLE OF THE JAPAN SEA

 

BATTLE OF THE JAPAN SEA is a 1969 war epic from Japan's Toho Studios, directed by Seiji Maruyama and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka, the instigator of the Godzilla film series. This was the last movie that special effects genius Eiji Tsuburaya worked on, and it is filled with dozens of intricate model battleships and explosions. 

The title of the film refers to the Battle of Tsushima, one of the climatic acts of the Russo-Japanese War, but the story is a mini-history of the entire conflict. It begins in 1904, as a narrator, along with animated maps, lays out the background behind Japan and Russia's decision to fight one another. Much of the focus of the film rests upon Admiral Togo (Toshiro Mifune), the resolute Japanese naval commander who became a national icon due to his overseeing his country's overwhelming victory at the Battle of Tsushima. 

I'm certainly no expert on the Russo-Japanese War, but from what I could ascertain the movie follows the actual events closely for the most part. One has to realize that this is a Japanese film, so obviously there will be some sort of slant. Despite that, the overall tone is not as jingoistic as other cinematic war epics. The Russians portrayed in the story actually speak their native language, and they are not shown as monsters or villains. At the end of the film Admiral Togo visits his Russian counterpart, who was wounded in the final battle, captured, and is now recuperating in a Japanese hospital. Togo and the Russian admiral treat each other with respect and courtesy, as fellow warriors. 

The battle scenes are the main reasons to watch BATTLE OF THE JAPAN SEA. No matter what genre they were working on, the technicians at Toho Studios were proficient experts, and they knew how to put together outstanding action sequences. There's even a land battle sequence, with Japanese troops attempting to storm a virtually impregnable Russian position. When it comes to the violence and scope of major military actions, BATTLE OF THE JAPAN SEA can hold its own with any other American or British war picture made in the 1960s. 

One factor this movie does not have is the extraneous fluff one finds in other historical epics. There's no love interest for any of the Japanese officers shown in the film--as a matter of fact, there's no major (or even minor) female roles whatsoever. There are almost no scenes of what is going on back in Japan during the conflict--the narration and animated maps continue throughout the story, giving the viewer info on what is going on and why. Theodore Roosevelt's attempts at bringing the Russo-Japanese War to an end are not even mentioned. 

BATTLE OF THE JAPAN SEA was made in color and Tohoscope, and I was able to find an excellent, uncut print to view on the internet which actually had English subtitles. It is a well-made film which makes excellent use of the widescreen image, and it has a rousing music score by Masaru Sato, a composer who had worked with Akira Kurosawa several times and was also a Godzilla series veteran. 

As a history buff and film geek, I was impressed with BATTLE OF THE JAPAN SEA, but I'm sure that I would have appreciated it even better if I had more knowledge about the Russo-Japanese War. What this movie shows is that Toho, like Hammer Films, was capable of making a much broader product than the usual genre films they are associated with. 

THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE On Blu-ray From Severin

 

Included in Severin's THE EUROCRYPT OF CHRISTOPHER LEE COLLECTION 3 box set is the 2023 documentary THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE, written and directed by Jon Spira. 

Jon Spira also wrote and directed ELSTREE 1976, a film that I enjoyed. With ELSTREE 1976, Spira looked at the making of STAR WARS from a unique angle--the memories of various background and supporting players who were involved in the production. The unique angle Spira uses in THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE is having the main story told by a marionette made up to look like Lee, voiced by Peter Serafinowicz (who does a decent representation of Lee's tone and speaking pattern). 

The result is....unusual, to say the least. It takes a while to get used to this approach, especially when it is combined with different forms of animation that attempt to recreate certain events in Lee's life. There are times when the use of the marionette and the animation gets a bit too cute. It's not the approach I would have chosen, but what do I know??

I've read plenty of interviews, books, and articles about Lee, and I own a copy of one of the versions of his autobiography (yes, there are multiple ones). I can say that the narration presented in this film from this representation of Lee is a good approximation of the real man's statements and opinions--but while watching this documentary one must remember that it is an interpretation of Lee--you can't assume that what is shown and said here is 100% what Lee really felt. 

The documentary gives a good overview of Lee's long and varied life, and fans of the actor will be familiar with most of the details, such as his descending from Italian nobility, the mystery over his military career during World War II, his attempts at breaking away from his horror movie image, and his reputation for being distant and even pompous at times, a reputation that nearly all of the guests on this film go out of their way to refute. 

Among those guests who talk about their relationships with Lee are directors Joe Dante, John Landis, and Peter Jackson, along with Lee's son-in-law Juan Aneiros and niece, the actress Harriet Walter. Lee biographer and English Gothic expert Jonathan Rigby also appears, and his insights, along with those of Walter, make the most impact. 

Due to the fact that Lee "appears" in this documentary as a marionette and we "hear" his voice, there isn't very much actual footage of Lee as his real self. There is plenty of footage from his films. The major highlights of Lee's acting career are presented, but there are a few moments that I thought should have been mentioned. Considering that Lee lived to be 93 years old, appeared in hundreds and hundreds of films, and this documentary is 102 minutes long, one can understand that the filmmakers behind this had to pick and choose what could be discussed. (On the extras included on this disc, the filmmakers mention that rights issues hindered them from showing certain things.) 

The main thesis of THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE is that the actor, despite his commanding presence, was a sensitive man who was concerned about his reputation in the film industry. Christopher Lee fans won't see this as a major revelation--I remember years ago a quote I read from Peter Cushing where he said that Lee was basically a shy person, an assessment that makes a lot of sense. Just about any performer or creative individual is sensitive in some way--they couldn't do what they do if they weren't. This documentary does show that Lee was much more human and relatable than most would think. 

Severin presents THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE on a region free disc, and as would be expected from a recently made film, the picture and sound quality is exemplary. The extras include a new audio commentary with director Jon Spira and producer Hank Starrs. The two veer wildly from one unconnected subject to another, and they really don't give much insight into how the film was made. 

Another extra is a Q & A with Jon Spira, Hank Starrs, and Jonathan Rigby, held at a screening of the documentary by the BFI. In this short session Spira and Starrs do give some details about their decisions in shaping the film. 

There's also extended interview footage of most of the guests that appear in the feature, and I have to say that some of the stories and anecdotes they tell are more interesting than what appears in the finished film. A trailer is included as well. The artwork for the disc cover (see above) was created by Graham Humphreys. 

Christopher Lee is one of my favorite actors of all time, and my appreciation for his life and career has only grown over the years. THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE is a well-done tribute to the man, but it wouldn't call it the definitive examination of his life. Lee's life was so varied and extraordinary that I don't think there can be a definitive summation of it. This documentary works best when it shows Lee's human side as presented by those who knew and worked with him. 

STORM OVER THE PACIFIC

 

STORM OVER THE PACIFIC is a 1960 Japanese film, produced by Toho Studios, that covers the Pacific theater in World War II from Pearl Harbor to the Battle of Midway. 

Toho is of course best known for their Godzilla series, and other science-fiction and monster movies, but they also made several historical & military epics. STORM OVER THE PACIFIC gives a viewpoint from the other side, so to speak, at least for English-speaking audiences. 

The movie begins with the Japanese fleet sailing to Hawaii to begin the attack on Pearl Harbor, with the focus on a young navigator-bombardier named Lt. Kitami (Yosuke Natsuki). The surprise raid is successful, and through Kitami's narration and a series of montages, the viewer learns about the Japanese military dominating in the Western Pacific. Kitami gets leave to marry his hometown sweetheart, but on the day of the ceremony he's called back to his ship, the aircraft carrier Hiryu. The Hiryu is to be part of a large force that will be sent out to attack and invade Midway Island, in the hopes of bringing out the American fleet so it can be destroyed. In the battle the Japanese fleet is devastated, with Kitami barely surviving the sinking of his carrier. Back home recuperating, Kitami realizes that the Japanese authorities are not letting the public know about the massive losses suffered at Midway. His enthusiasm dampened, Kitami goes off on another mission, his future uncertain. 

STORM OVER THE PACIFIC will be a treat for WWII buffs--just make sure you find the original unedited Japanese version of this film, which is available on the Internet Archive. (The movie was edited, dubbed, and released in the U.S. with the title I BOMBED PEARL HARBOR.) The film portrays events in a matter-of-fact manner--there's no grandstanding or angry attitudes. Kitami is a likable fellow who is proud to serve his country, but he's not filled with rage against any enemy. After his marriage, he even questions the idea of his life being sworn to the Emperor. 

Armchair historians will appreciate the fact that the movie highlights the strategic and tactical decisions (and mistakes) made by the Japanese navy during the period after Pearl Harbor. At one point Admiral Yamaguchi (played by the legendary Toshiro Mifune) discusses with Admiral Yamamoto why Japan must inflict as much damage to America in as short a time as possible, in order to bring about a quick end to the war. The reason for this is that Japan does not have the supplies and the infrastructure to survive a long campaign--something the officers in this story know all too well. While STORM OVER THE PACIFIC presents the early successes of the Japanese in WWII, there's also a sense of foreboding. (Toshiro Mifune would go on to play Yamamoto multiple times.) 

If you are a fan of Toho's Godzilla series, STORM OVER THE PACIFIC features plenty of familiar names and faces, such as actors Takashi Shimura, Jun Tazaki, and Akihiko Hirata. The producer of the film was Tomoyuki Tanaka, the man who instigated the Godzilla series, and the battle sequences, which contain plenty of models and miniatures, were overseen by FX master Eiji Tsuburaya. There are some that will never get used to models in a movie like this, but for me I personally find them much more watchable than CGI. (Besides, there's no way Toho could have made a film like this without the use of models.) A large sunken pool was constructed on the Toho lot to film the battle scenes of STORM OVER THE PACIFIC, and this construct was used for almost every Kaiju movie the studio made thereafter. (Battle footage from STORM OVER THE PACIFIC was used for TORA, TORA, TORA and MIDWAY.) 

STORM OVER THE PACIFIC is a very well-made war picture, and it at times even winds up being more realistic than most American WWII movies. 

FOCUS ON LOUISE BROOKS On Blu-ray From Flicker Alley

 

For this Region Free Blu-ray Flicker Alley and the San Francisco Film Preserve have gathered together clips and fragments from four different films featuring Louise Brooks. 

In a number of ways Louise Brooks is the equivalent to Marilyn Monroe and James Dean in that her image and legends about her personal life have had far more impact than any of her movie performances. FOCUS ON LOUISE BROOKS gives an example of how hard it is to get an appreciation for Brooks' early acting career. Of the four films covered on this disc, none of them presently survive in a complete form....and Brooks is not the main star in any of them. Nevertheless, she still manages to have a striking onscreen charisma, even in these short clips. 

This Blu-ray has trailers and a few test shots (some in early color) from THE AMERICAN VENUS, in which Brooks got her first onscreen credit. About 20 minutes exist from NOW WE'RE IN THE AIR, a silly WWI comedy starring Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton. The publicity stills that Brooks posed for (see the one used for the disc case above) are more familiar than anything in the actual movie. Brooks actually had a dual role as twins, but the footage that exists only shows her as one of the ladies. 

About thirty minutes exist of JUST ANOTHER BLONDE, a romantic comedy in which Brooks plays the second female lead to Dorothy Mackaill. 

The main feature on this disc is THE STREET OF FORGOTTEN MEN, a 1925 production which contains Louise Brooks' screen debut. This film exists almost in its entirety, except for the second reel, which has been recreated with stills and excerpts from a copy of the script. THE STREET OF FORGOTTEN MEN is a melodrama concerning a group of characters from the Bowery section of New York City in the early 1900s who pretend to be disabled and down and out so that they can make a living as professional beggars. The most successful of this group is a man called "Easy Money Charley" (Percy Marmont) who has a secret life in which he raises an orphan (Mary Brian) in the suburbs away from his underhanded activities. Charley's ward falls in love with an upper-class lawyer (Neil Hamilton), and the fake vagabond goes to great lengths to make sure her past and her association with him is not known. The movie has a major Lon Chaney/Tod Browning vibe to it, and it is well-directed by Herbert Brenon. 

Brooks has a very small part toward the end of THE STREET OF FORGOTTEN MEN--she plays the female companion of the story's heavy--but she still makes a big impression. Her freshness and modern looks make her appear to be a visitor from another planet when compared to the disreputable denizens who surround her in the very short time she is in front of the camera. 

FOCUS ON LOUISE BROOKS may not actually have much footage of Brooks, but it has plenty of extras to compensate. It comes with a 16-page illustrated booklet, with articles on the films covered on the disc by Brooks expert Thomas Gladysz, and notes on what it took to restore this footage by Robert Byrne. The booklet also has info on the two men who provided original music for the footage on the disc, Wayne Barker and Stephen Horne. For each collection of footage on this disc, extensive text notes appear that detail the restoration involved for it. 

The disc also has a featurette that runs about a half hour long called "Looking at Lulu", in which film historian Pamela Hutchinson gives a concise examination of Brooks's life and acting career. Hutchinson also provides a fine audio commentary for THE STREET OF FORGOTTEN MEN. 

Thomas Gladysz, Robert Byrne, and Kathy Rose O'Regan also do audio commentaries on the rest of the footage, and they detail Brooks' work on each film and the restoration process for each of them. There's also an extensive image gallery, and the disc sleeve is reversible. If one orders this disc direct from Flicker Alley, it comes in a special slipcase (see below). 

There really isn't all that much footage of Louise Brooks on this disc, but once again her image takes center stage throughout it. A lot of time and effort went into the restoration of the footage included here, and while it is not extensive, it's enough to show that Louise Brooks could project a notable screen presence with very little to do. Perhaps Flicker Alley has plans for more Louise Brooks-related product, since there are still a few of her films that still exist and have not had a major home video release. 

 

THE WITCH'S CURSE

 

Yesterday I wrote a blog post concerning the magnificent restoration of Riccardo Freda's THE GHOST by Severin. A number of extras on the Blu-ray for THE GHOST mention another film directed by Riccardo Freda that contains some Gothic elements: THE WITCH'S CURSE, originally known in Italian as MACISTE ALL'INFERNO. I decided to seek out this film. 

A number of streaming and internet sites have the American version of THE WITCH'S CURSE, an edited, non-widescreen edition that is in poor shape. Luckily, I was able to find the full original Italian version, in its proper aspect ratio and with excellent visual quality. This version has an Italian voice track, but I was able to use English closed-captioning. 

As one can discover from the original Italian title, THE WITCH'S CURSE is actually an entry in the very long-running series of movies that feature the legendary character Maciste. This fellow, a demigod of great strength and ability, was introduced way back in the silent era. Maciste is usually lumped into the same category with Hercules, Samson, Goliath, and other sword & sandal characters, but the Maciste films stick out by putting the lead character in all sorts of time frames and situations. A number of Maciste films wound up being shown in America, or on TV, and the character was usually renamed Hercules or some other mythical hero. 

THE WITCH'S CURSE is a prime example of Maciste's penchant for showing up at just about any time and any place. The story begins in 1522, Scotland, where a witch is being burned at the stake. The witch naturally places a curse on the local countryside (this sequence easily brings to mind the openings of Bava's BLACK SUNDAY and THE CITY OF THE DEAD). A hundred years later, a descendant of the witch, a young woman, has arrived at the local village along with her newly-wedded husband. The husband has decided to stay at the abandoned castle of his wife's family. This, along with an outbreak of demonic possession, causes the villagers to go berserk, grab their pitchforks and torches, storm the castle, and demand that the young newlyweds be punished as witches. Suddenly, Maciste (Kirk Morris) rides into the fray, and rescues the young couple from the mob. 

There is absolutely no explanation why Maciste just happens to ride in on a horse, nor why he is only wearing a loincloth and sandals, as if he is still living in ancient times. He seems to immediately assess and understand the situation, and this is never explained either. Later in the film Maciste explains that he travels the world bringing help to those who need it, as if he's some sort of divine intervention. 

No one in the Scottish village seems to question why Maciste is there (one would think the superstitious villagers would automatically perceive the mighty being as a supernatural threat). While the witch's descendant is held for trial, Maciste is led by a sympathetic town official to the tree that grows on the spot that the witch was burned. Maciste upends the tree, and discovers underneath it a portal which leads to the underworld. Maciste enters, hoping to find the witch and destroy her, thereby saving the young couple. 

What follows is a very long sequence detailing Maciste's adventures in Hell. The muscleman battles a lion, snakes, a giant, and an eagle, and he also comes upon hundreds of condemned souls writhing in pain due to various tortures (this scene presents a striking tableau, to say the least.) Maciste also comes across a voluptuous blond maiden (Helene Chanel) who offers to help him on his quest. (If you think there's more to this maiden than meets the eye, you're right.) 

At this point I have to mention that THE WITCH'S CURSE bears a great resemblance to Mario Bava's HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD, which had been made the year before. Italian genre cinema has a long history of being influenced by (and imitating) other films, so this isn't surprising, especially when one knows that Riccardo Freda and Mario Bava had worked together multiple times. HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD is a much more entertaining film than THE WITCH'S CURSE--Bava brings much more flair and panache to this type of story than Freda does. 

Maciste does eventually find the witch and overcome her. (I won't give away how he does so, but it is rather creative for this type of story.) This causes the young couple back in Scotland to be saved at literally the last second, and Maciste rides off to further adventures. 

Among English-speaking film buffs, Riccardo Freda is best known for his two Gothic films starring Barbara Steele and his collaborations with Mario Bava, but he had a long and fruitful directorial career that dealt with all sorts of genres. Freda made a number of historical costume adventures, and this is reflected in the Scottish sequences of THE WITCH'S CURSE. The middle part of the story, Maciste's journey to Hell, feels as if it is a different movie altogether, which makes me wonder if the strongman was added to an already existing script. As I've stated before, Freda's style here isn't as showy as Mario Bava's would have been, but his version of Hell (filmed inside an actual location, the Castellana Caves) is still memorable. 

Despite his acting name, Kirk Morris was an Italian, born Adriano Bellini. He also was very young when THE WITCH'S CURSE was made (internet sources state he was born in 1942) and he certainly looks it. His Maciste has almost no dialogue (which is probably just as well), but Morris does have a stalwart physical presence, and it appears he did a majority of his own stunts. THE WITCH'S CURSE doesn't have a major supporting presence like Christopher Lee was in HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD, but Helene Chanel does provide plenty of Eurobabe eye candy. 

THE WITCH'S CURSE is a very good bizarre adventure, but it winds up feeling like two different movies mixed together. Maciste's tribulations in Hell take up so much running time that one even starts to forget why he went there in the first place. (The length of this sequence is extended by a dazed Maciste staring into an enchanted pool and seeing scenes from his past movies.) If you do seek out THE WITCH'S CURSE, try to find the original Italian version--it will give you more of an appreciation of Riccardo Freda's film making talents. I'm going to try and view more of Freda's historical adventures. 

THE GHOST (1963) On Blu-ray From Severin

 

For years, classic horror film fans such as myself have been begging for a major restoration and home video release of THE GHOST (original Italian title LO SPETTRO), the 1963 Gothic melodrama from director Riccardo Freda. The fact that THE GHOST also starred the iconic Barbara Steele made the film's status even more important for film geeks. The Severin company has come through by backing a restoration of the movie themselves and presenting it on a 4K/Blu-ray four-disc set stuffed with extras. 

Putting all the bells & whistles on the set aside for the moment, this restoration of THE GHOST is a major achievement. Up until now the film could easily be accessed on YouTube or various streaming sites, but the movie's color scheme was faded, and the overall visual quality was murky and flat. Severin's THE GHOST is much brighter and livelier, with bold colors and an increased sharpness that brings out the costumes and production design. THE GHOST didn't have a large budget, but it certainly doesn't look cheap, especially on this new Blu-ray. 

THE GHOST is a follow-up to Riccardo Freda's THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK, but it is not a sequel to that film, despite the fact that it features another Dr. Hichcock who also happens to be married to a woman played by Barbara Steele. (I like to think that the two Dr. Hichcocks are cousins--they certainly have the same taste in women.) The Dr. Hichcock of THE GHOST (Elio Jotta) is wheelchair-bound, and the only thing keeping him alive is a poisonous concoction of his own creation. Hichcock is administered the antidote to this potion by a handsome young doctor named Charles (Peter Baldwin), who is carrying on an affair with Hichcock's much younger wife Margaret (Barbara Steele). Mrs. Hichcock convinces Charles to do her husband in, which he does, and the duo assume that Margaret will now inherit her husband's vast wealth. But the money cannot be found, and as the devious couple search all over the Hichcock estate for it, they start to turn on one another. They also experience various manifestations that make them wonder if Dr. Hichcock is still alive or has come back as a vengeful spirit. Charles and Margaret are also constantly watched by Hichcock's baleful maid (Harriet White Medin). In the end, Hichcock, Margaret, Charles, and the maid all get what they deserve, but not what each of them wanted. 

THE GHOST is a much more slower-paced and somber film than THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK. THE GHOST has only four major characters, and nearly the entire film takes place inside the vast Hichcock manor. This still gives Riccardo Freda plenty of chances to indulge in a heavy Gothic atmosphere, and to wallow in the cruel beauty of Barbara Steele. THE GHOST is one of the great Italian Gothics, with one very nasty scene of violence and an extremely ironic twist ending. 

Sevrerin's version of THE GHOST on this set is provided with English and Italian voice tracks, along with English subtitles. The Blu-ray on this set is Region Free. The set has a special slipcover (see photo above). The movie is presented on a 4K disc and a Blu-ray disc. 

As for the extras, there's plenty of them. The Blu-ray disc with the actual movie also has a number of programs. "Til Death Returns" is a 22 minute talk with Italian film historian Roberto Curti, who goes into the making of THE GHOST, and also discusses the career of Riccardo Freda. "Give Up The Ghost" is a 28 minute featurette narrated by Tim Lucas. Lucas examines the film's elements and compares its links to THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK. "Wounds of Deceit" is a rambling essay on the movie, running about 11 minutes and narrated by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. 

The movie disc also has footage from special showings of THE GHOST at movie festivals in Venice and Paris in 2025. This footage is enlivened by the appearance of Barbara Steele herself, who comes off as very hale, hearty, and quite articulate. For years Steele had the reputation of being indifferent or even hostile to her horror film past, but in this footage she seems to have finally appreciated or at least accepted it. (I'm sure the folks at Severin went out of their way to give her the grand treatment as well.) 

There's also an audio interview with Barbara Steele that runs about 40 minutes (it is set up to run along with the film). I don't know the circumstances of the interview, or when it was recorded, but it sounds as if it was done recently--I assume it happened in conjunction with the festival showings of the restoration of THE GHOST. Once again Steele seems more than happy to discuss her horror film past, and she even goes into her own personal life as well. The movie disc also has a new audio commentary by Kat Ellinger, which I haven't listened to yet. American and Italian trailers for the film are included, and the Italian one is of particular interest, since it has footage that is not in the existing version of the movie.  

The third disc on this set contains an 80 minute documentary on 1960s Italian Gothic horror films entitled EXECUTIONERS, MASKS, SECRETS. It is an Italian production, with English subtitles. It's a decent look at this genre, with Italian and French critics discussing the main elements of the Italian Gothic. Barbara Steele appears in this as well, and she even speaks Italian! The documentary has footage from a number of films, but it's obvious that rights issues limited what could be shown. Those who do not know much about Italian Gothic cinema will probably enjoy this picture the most. 

The fourth disc is a CD, and it contains film music from composer Francesco De Masi, including most of his score for THE GHOST. It also has De Masi's music from three other films, which are not Gothics....as a matter of fact, they're movies I haven't even heard of. The music is in stereo, and there's about 70 minutes of it. The disc case contains a card which has a track listing for the CD on one side, and the other has a photo which is probably the ultimate definition of Barbara Steele's career in horror films (see below). 

When I was a teenager back in the 1980s, seeing any of Barbara Steele's horror films was almost impossible. Image Entertainment's special edition DVD of BLACK SUNDAY was almost the equivalent of the Holy Grail. Now with Severin's incredible restoration and release of THE GHOST, every single one of Barbara Steele's Italian Gothics is available officially on Blu-ray. Severin's special edition of THE GHOST was supposed to show up before the end of 2025, and if it had, it would have easily topped my "best of the year" Blu-ray list. It'll certainly be on my 2026 list. Even if there wasn't any enticing extras, the magnificent restoration of THE GHOST alone would deserve fulsome praise. Any fan of Gothic horror cinema needs this Blu-ray. (For those who are put off by the four-disc set's price, or feel that they don't need all the extras, it appears that a standard edition Blu-ray of THE GHOST will be coming from Severin in the future.) 

WEEKEND OF A CHAMPION

 

I had never heard of this film, or even knew of its existence, until I saw it being offered for sale on DVD in the updated Edward R. Hamilton catalog. It is a documentary detailing Formula One racing legend Jackie Stewart's quest to win the Monaco Grand Prix in May of 1971. 

What really piqued my interest in this DVD was the pairing of Jackie Stewart with Roman Polanski, a truly bizarre coupling. Polanski really was a racing fan at the time (Formula One has a far more glamorous and glitzy reputation than the likes of NASCAR does), and he wanted to showcase Stewart, who was a friend, in a film that would detail his routine during a major event. 

Polanski produced the film, but he hired documentary veteran Frank Simon to direct it. The result is a fascinating look at a world and a time long gone, especially from a racing standpoint. 

Polanski accompanies Stewart as he qualifies and competes at Monte Carlo, but for the most part he stays out of the way and doesn't hog the camera. The racing footage is impressive--F1 geeks will lap it up. The only real drama that the movie has is the rainy weather, which creates problems for Stewart and his crew. The actual race winds up being somewhat anticlimactic, in that Stewart wins rather handily. 

As for Stewart himself, he comes off as even-keeled, focused, and very articulate about his profession and what it takes to be a champion driver. Stewart retired from competitive racing in 1973, and my knowledge of him comes from his time as a TV racing commentator. What made Stewart such an effective commentator is that he had an innate ability to explain all the details of auto racing and do it in a way that even someone who knew nothing about cars could understand what was going on. Stewart shows that ability already in this film, as he explains to Polanski just what it takes to drive a tricky road course like Monte Carlo.  

We do get to see a bit of the exotic allure of Monaco (Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier show up at the trophy ceremony) but the film mostly sticks to the race, and the preparations for it. 

This version of the film has an 2012 afterword in which Stewart and Polanski, while sitting in the same hotel suite Jackie stayed in during the 1971 race, look back on the film and how much F1 has changed. 

WEEKEND OF A CHAMPION will get attention just from the idea of Jackie Stewart hanging out with Roman Polanski, but it winds up being a fine documentary that racing fans will certainly enjoy. I think there's enough here, even from a nostalgia standpoint alone, to interest even those who have no idea what Formula One is.