Following their Collector's Edition Blu-ray release of Bernard Rose's Candyman (based on Clive Barker's short story "The Forbidden") back in 2018, Scream Factory is now bringing the iconic horror film to 4K Ultra HD in both its theatrical and unrated cuts.
Ahead of its May 24th release, the full specs and special features have been revealed for Candyman Collector's Edition 4K Uhd & Blu-ray, including a new interview with Vanessa Williams:
Press Release: On May 24th Candyman (1992) (Collector's Edition) (4k Uhd) will be released from Scream Factory™, bowing on Ultra High-Definition for the first time ever. This definitive collector’s edition will come with many special features, including an interview with actress Vanessa Williams. This definitive collector’s edition will come with many special features and is currently available for pre-order at ShoutFactory.com.
The myth of Candyman has endured for generations. His legacy is eternal rage. Written and...
Ahead of its May 24th release, the full specs and special features have been revealed for Candyman Collector's Edition 4K Uhd & Blu-ray, including a new interview with Vanessa Williams:
Press Release: On May 24th Candyman (1992) (Collector's Edition) (4k Uhd) will be released from Scream Factory™, bowing on Ultra High-Definition for the first time ever. This definitive collector’s edition will come with many special features, including an interview with actress Vanessa Williams. This definitive collector’s edition will come with many special features and is currently available for pre-order at ShoutFactory.com.
The myth of Candyman has endured for generations. His legacy is eternal rage. Written and...
- 4/8/2022
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Happy Thanksgiving week, everyone! As everyone here in the States prepares for the grand feast later this week, we have a new round of horror and sci-fi home media releases to indulge in before it’s time for turkey and stuffing. Scream Factory is doing the dark lord’s work this Tuesday with their Collector’s Edition releases of both Candyman and Urban Legend, and they’re even showing Urban Legends: Final Cut some love as well. Season 2 of The Outer Limits comes home this week, the recent sci-fi actioner Kin arrives on multiple formats, and Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is getting a 4K upgrade to boot.
Other notable releases for November 20th include the Steelbook editions of both Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey and Streets of Fire, Luciferina on Blu-ray and DVD, and Malicious on DVD.
Candyman: Collector’s Edition
This gut-wrenching thriller follows a...
Other notable releases for November 20th include the Steelbook editions of both Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey and Streets of Fire, Luciferina on Blu-ray and DVD, and Malicious on DVD.
Candyman: Collector’s Edition
This gut-wrenching thriller follows a...
- 11/20/2018
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
"We dare you to say his name five times." Based on Clive Barker's short story "The Forbidden," the urban legend horror film Candyman is coming to Blu-ray like never before in a new Collector's Edition from Scream Factory, including a bunch of new interviews with the cast and crew, as well as a new audio commentary with writer/director Bernard Rose and The Candyman himself, Tony Todd.
Press Release: "The myth of Candyman has endured for generations. He legacy is eternal rage. This November, we dare you to look into a mirror and say his name five times when terrifying 90’s cult classic thriller, Candyman Collector’s Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray arrives on home entertainment shelves November 20, 2018. Written and directed by Bernard Rose (Frankenstein), executive produced by Clive Barker (Nightbreed), and music by Philip Glass, Candyman stars Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, Xander Berkeley, and Kasi Lemmon. A must-have for loyal fans,...
Press Release: "The myth of Candyman has endured for generations. He legacy is eternal rage. This November, we dare you to look into a mirror and say his name five times when terrifying 90’s cult classic thriller, Candyman Collector’s Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray arrives on home entertainment shelves November 20, 2018. Written and directed by Bernard Rose (Frankenstein), executive produced by Clive Barker (Nightbreed), and music by Philip Glass, Candyman stars Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, Xander Berkeley, and Kasi Lemmon. A must-have for loyal fans,...
- 10/10/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
If you wish to summon the Candyman, you can either look in the mirror and say his name five times or just wait until this nifty limited edition Blu-Ray is released in the UK in a couple of months.
That’s right, the 1992 cult classic is getting a fancy new home video release courtesy of Arrow Video that’s boasting enough riches for horror fans in North America to maybe want to get in on the action, too. The story of a grad student whose research into the urban legend of a hook-handed killer opens up a world of torment, Candyman is an artfully gruesome little gem that spawned two lesser sequels.
The Blu-Ray’s wealth of bonus features, meanwhile, are as follows:
Brand new 2K restoration from a new 4k scan of the original negative, supervised and approved by writer-director Bernard Rose and director of photography Anthony B. Richmond...
That’s right, the 1992 cult classic is getting a fancy new home video release courtesy of Arrow Video that’s boasting enough riches for horror fans in North America to maybe want to get in on the action, too. The story of a grad student whose research into the urban legend of a hook-handed killer opens up a world of torment, Candyman is an artfully gruesome little gem that spawned two lesser sequels.
The Blu-Ray’s wealth of bonus features, meanwhile, are as follows:
Brand new 2K restoration from a new 4k scan of the original negative, supervised and approved by writer-director Bernard Rose and director of photography Anthony B. Richmond...
- 7/14/2018
- by David Pountain
- We Got This Covered
We’ve all met Tracy Flick — the eager-beaver student that charms the right teachers, wins all the awards and corners the big scholarships. Alexander Payne’s witty, perceptive look at High School shows the predicament of a model teacher who can’t help but sabotage a pupil’s run for class president. Reese Witherspoon’s wholly original characterization scores big, and Matthew Broderick plays what is probably his best screen role.
Election
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 904
1999 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 103 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date December 5, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, Phil Reeves, Molly Hagan, Delaney Driscoll, Mark Harelik, Colleen Camp.
Cinematography: James Glennon
Film Editor: Kevin Tent
Production Design: Jane Ann Stewart
Original Music: Rolfe Kent
Written by Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor from a novel by Tom Perotta
Produced by Albert Berger, David Gale, Keith Samples, Ron Yerxa
Directed by Alexander Payne
“What...
Election
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 904
1999 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 103 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date December 5, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, Phil Reeves, Molly Hagan, Delaney Driscoll, Mark Harelik, Colleen Camp.
Cinematography: James Glennon
Film Editor: Kevin Tent
Production Design: Jane Ann Stewart
Original Music: Rolfe Kent
Written by Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor from a novel by Tom Perotta
Produced by Albert Berger, David Gale, Keith Samples, Ron Yerxa
Directed by Alexander Payne
“What...
- 12/2/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
“Beverly Hills, 90210” actress Gabrielle Carteris won the three-way race to become SAG-aftra’s new Executive Vice President on Thursday at the union’s inaugural convention. Carteris beat out president Ken Howard’s pick, New York Local president Mike Hodge, and Jane Stewart, who was a late entry to the race. A total of 303 ballots were cast. Carteris received 66.5 percent of the vote, Mike Hodge received 23.22 percent, Jane Austin received 10.28 percent. Millie Wright was also a candidate. “I am so grateful to be elected executive vice president and I look forward to building on the merged union that we created,...
- 9/26/2013
- by TheWrap Staff
- The Wrap
DVD Review
The Descendants
Directed by: Alexander Payne
Cast: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Nick Krause, Robert Forster
Running Time: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: R
Due Out: March 13, 2012
Plot: After his wife gets into a boating accident, Matt King (Clooney) tries reconnecting with his two daughters while overseeing the possible sale of a large piece of Hawaiian land that’s been in his family for decades.
Who’S It For? Fans of George Clooney and Alexander Payne should have no trouble finding plenty to like about this film. Those who appreciate a family drama that elicits tears as well as laughs should also take a look.
Movie:
It takes a deft hand to successfully blend tragedy and laughs. I’m not going to pretend The Descendants pulls it off flawlessly – Nick Krause’s comic relief rubbed me the wrong way for much of the film – but overall it’s another winner from writer/director Alexander Payne.
The Descendants
Directed by: Alexander Payne
Cast: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Nick Krause, Robert Forster
Running Time: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: R
Due Out: March 13, 2012
Plot: After his wife gets into a boating accident, Matt King (Clooney) tries reconnecting with his two daughters while overseeing the possible sale of a large piece of Hawaiian land that’s been in his family for decades.
Who’S It For? Fans of George Clooney and Alexander Payne should have no trouble finding plenty to like about this film. Those who appreciate a family drama that elicits tears as well as laughs should also take a look.
Movie:
It takes a deft hand to successfully blend tragedy and laughs. I’m not going to pretend The Descendants pulls it off flawlessly – Nick Krause’s comic relief rubbed me the wrong way for much of the film – but overall it’s another winner from writer/director Alexander Payne.
- 3/16/2012
- by Shane T. Nier
- The Scorecard Review
Associated Press Kaui Hart Hemmings
In early 2007, the unpublished manuscript of a novel by a young writer living in San Francisco named Kaui Hart Hemmings reached Jim Burke, the producing partner of director Alexander Payne.
“I read it in a single weekend,” said Burke. He was touched by Hemmings’s story of a detached father who’s forced to become more involved in his two daughters’ lives after an accident involving his wife and their mother, perhaps because of his...
In early 2007, the unpublished manuscript of a novel by a young writer living in San Francisco named Kaui Hart Hemmings reached Jim Burke, the producing partner of director Alexander Payne.
“I read it in a single weekend,” said Burke. He was touched by Hemmings’s story of a detached father who’s forced to become more involved in his two daughters’ lives after an accident involving his wife and their mother, perhaps because of his...
- 11/23/2011
- by Julia Flynn Siler
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
In his first film since the Oscar-winning Sideways, writer-director Alexander Payne once again proves himself a master of the kind of smart, sharp, deeply felt comedy that was once the hallmark of Billy Wilder and Jean Renoir. Based on the bestselling novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, The Descendants stars George Clooney as Matt King, the heir of a prominent Hawaiian land-owning family whose life is turned upside-down when his wife is critically injured in a boating accident. Accustomed to being .the back-up parent,. King suddenly finds himself center stage in the lives of his two young daughters (excellent newcomers Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller), while at the same time being forced to decide the fate of a vast plot of unspoiled land his family has owned since the 1860s. Rooted in Clooney.s beautifully understated performance, Payne.s film is an uncommonly perceptive portrait of marriage, family and community, suffused...
- 10/18/2011
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Taylor Momsen left residents in New York fuming on Thursday, when a performance by her group The Pretty Reckless disrupted their peaceful suburb.
The Gossip Girl star and her bandmembers were playing a gig as part of this week's (begs07Sep09) New York Fashion Week.
Organisers set up a makeshift stage in the West Village for the teenager's band - but the performance left locals less than impressed.
Lawyer Jane Stewart tells the New York Post, "If I had eggs I would throw them. Even my 12-year-old son was annoyed. I understand them doing it in the Fashion District, but this is a residential area."...
The Gossip Girl star and her bandmembers were playing a gig as part of this week's (begs07Sep09) New York Fashion Week.
Organisers set up a makeshift stage in the West Village for the teenager's band - but the performance left locals less than impressed.
Lawyer Jane Stewart tells the New York Post, "If I had eggs I would throw them. Even my 12-year-old son was annoyed. I understand them doing it in the Fashion District, but this is a residential area."...
- 9/11/2009
- WENN
Yesterday came the yearly announcement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as it extended 134 invitations to several artists and executives "who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures" read the press release. Of course all of them can decline, but I wouldn't necessarily expect that to happen as all who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2009 to the Academy's roster of voting members. "These filmmakers have, over the course of their careers, captured the imagination of audiences around the world," said Academy President Sid Ganis. "It's this kind of talent and creativity that make up the Academy, and I welcome each of them to our ranks." The list follows below and reading around the best analysis I saw of it came from Nathaniel Rogers at The Film Experience who, among other things, pointed out the addition of longtime Darren Aronofsky's...
- 7/1/2009
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued invitations to 134 members of the film community to join the group. There were a maximum of 166 open slots to fill this year, but the various branch committees endorsed fewer candidates than were proposed to them.
Hugh Jackman, who hosted the most recent Oscar show, has been invited to join. So have Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, James Franco and Michelle Williams. The list even includes a number of comic performers like Michael Cera, Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd.
Voting membership in the organization has held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.
New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception at the Academy's Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study in Beverly Hills in September.
"These filmmakers have, over the course of their careers, captured the imagination of audiences around the world," Academy president Sid Ganis. Said. "It's...
Hugh Jackman, who hosted the most recent Oscar show, has been invited to join. So have Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, James Franco and Michelle Williams. The list even includes a number of comic performers like Michael Cera, Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd.
Voting membership in the organization has held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.
New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception at the Academy's Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study in Beverly Hills in September.
"These filmmakers have, over the course of their careers, captured the imagination of audiences around the world," Academy president Sid Ganis. Said. "It's...
- 6/30/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With his observations about the clash between a tightly wound Manhattan careerist and her boyfriend' s loose-limbed New England clan, writer-director Thomas Bezucha puts a fresh slant on the dynamics of family-reunion Christmas movies. But "The Family Stone" spends too much time on unconvincing romantic-comedy contrivances to be consistently engaging.
Throughout the uneven film and its mixed bag of performances, the compelling point of focus is Diane Keaton's smart, funny, spot-on natural portrait of the formidable Stone matriarch. Fans of the actress and of Sarah Jessica Parker, in her first major post-"Sex and the City" film role, will flock to the holiday offering, which should be a draw for older audiences and women.
Unfortunately, Parker is one of the actors who fares least well here. Fans looking for Carrie Bradshaw's irreverence will find instead a multitasking, throat-clearing control freak. Parker does, however, deliver some strong moments late in the proceedings, when script mechanics release her character, Meredith, from the Stone family's sacrificial altar.
The story unfolds over three days in an unidentified New England town, where Meredith and her boyfriend, Everett (Dermot Mulroney), visit his artsy mother and professor father (Craig T. Nelson, lending low-key strength). The deck is stacked against her: Everett's outspoken younger sister Amy (Rachel McAdams), having already met Meredith, hates her. And Sybil (Keaton), a striking, casually dressed woman with a Susan Sontag-style shock of white hair, regards Meredith with a roll of the eyes and a sneer of disdain when she crosses the threshold in Black Power pumps that couldn't be more out of place. Who wouldn't feel intimidated?
Where Bezucha (whose other feature credit is the indie "Big Eden") gets it right is in his clear-eyed depiction of the way ultra-tolerant, "open-minded" people can be utterly intolerant -- and even delight in being mean, with McAdams and Keaton offering fine examples. But he layers his story with romantic alignments and realignments that all feel forced.
The roundelay begins when Meredith, under passive-aggressive siege, summons her sister to lend moral support. When Everett lays eyes on the luminous Julie (Claire Danes), as clear a contrast to the shrill Meredith as could be imagined, his mask of misery finally melts. Like Parker, Mulroney is constrained by a role that doesn't quite parse. However mismatched Everett and Meredith May be, any couple this appearance-conscious would at least try not to look as downright miserable as these two do. And as successful businesspeople, they would know how to work a room somewhat better than they manage here.
But families have a way of laying low our best defenses, and as this gathering unravels, Meredith's chief ally is not her boyfriend but his brother (Luke Wilson, in one of the film's best performances), a documentary film editor exuding a soulful -- and cannabis-enhanced -- serenity. Also seeing through Meredith's brittle demeanor to her self-doubt is Nelson's paterfamilias Kelly, providing counterpoint to Sybil and Amy's drama for flash judgments.
Rounding out the brood are married, pregnant daughter Susannah (Elizabeth Reaser) and youngest son Thad (Tyrone Giordano), perhaps Bezucha's most loaded construct. Thad is gay and deaf, his partner (Brian White) is black, and they're planning to adopt. All of which would be fine if Thad didn't exist merely as a setup for the dinner-table debacle in which Meredith, speaking her mind, plants both feet firmly in mouth and proceeds to do a Riverdance.
It's no wonder that Sybil is bracing herself against Everett's request for the heirloom ring -- the second meaning of the film's title -- that she had promised him for his intended, long before Meredith entered the picture. Keaton brings a bracing acerbity to Sybil, who reneges on that promise with an unapologetic, "Tough shit". Although she's not always likable, her toughness and honesty are her family's life force.
The production has a suitably unfussy sheen, with Jane Ann Stewart's production design and Shay Cunliffe's costumes conveying the Stone home's lived-in, bohemia-tinged comfort. New Jersey and Connecticut locations serve well as the snow-covered burg. A holiday-themed bonus awaits Keaton fans who stay to the end of the credits.
THE FAMILY STONE
20th Century Fox
Fox 2000 Pictures presents a Michael London production
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Thomas Bezucha
Producer: Michael London
Executive producer: Jennifer Ogden
Director of photography: Jonathan Brown
Production designer: Jane Ann Stewart
Music: Michael Giacchino
Costume designer: Shay Cunliffe
Editor: Jeffrey Ford
Cast:
Sybil Stone: Diane Keaton
Julie Morton: Claire Danes
Meredith Morton: Sarah Jessica Parker
Everett Stone: Dermot Mulroney
Kelly Stone: Craig T. Nelson
Ben Stone: Luke Wilson
Amy Stone: Rachel McAdams
Thad Stone: Tyrone Giordano
Patrick Thomas: Brian White
Susannah: Elizabeth Reaser
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time 103 minutes...
Throughout the uneven film and its mixed bag of performances, the compelling point of focus is Diane Keaton's smart, funny, spot-on natural portrait of the formidable Stone matriarch. Fans of the actress and of Sarah Jessica Parker, in her first major post-"Sex and the City" film role, will flock to the holiday offering, which should be a draw for older audiences and women.
Unfortunately, Parker is one of the actors who fares least well here. Fans looking for Carrie Bradshaw's irreverence will find instead a multitasking, throat-clearing control freak. Parker does, however, deliver some strong moments late in the proceedings, when script mechanics release her character, Meredith, from the Stone family's sacrificial altar.
The story unfolds over three days in an unidentified New England town, where Meredith and her boyfriend, Everett (Dermot Mulroney), visit his artsy mother and professor father (Craig T. Nelson, lending low-key strength). The deck is stacked against her: Everett's outspoken younger sister Amy (Rachel McAdams), having already met Meredith, hates her. And Sybil (Keaton), a striking, casually dressed woman with a Susan Sontag-style shock of white hair, regards Meredith with a roll of the eyes and a sneer of disdain when she crosses the threshold in Black Power pumps that couldn't be more out of place. Who wouldn't feel intimidated?
Where Bezucha (whose other feature credit is the indie "Big Eden") gets it right is in his clear-eyed depiction of the way ultra-tolerant, "open-minded" people can be utterly intolerant -- and even delight in being mean, with McAdams and Keaton offering fine examples. But he layers his story with romantic alignments and realignments that all feel forced.
The roundelay begins when Meredith, under passive-aggressive siege, summons her sister to lend moral support. When Everett lays eyes on the luminous Julie (Claire Danes), as clear a contrast to the shrill Meredith as could be imagined, his mask of misery finally melts. Like Parker, Mulroney is constrained by a role that doesn't quite parse. However mismatched Everett and Meredith May be, any couple this appearance-conscious would at least try not to look as downright miserable as these two do. And as successful businesspeople, they would know how to work a room somewhat better than they manage here.
But families have a way of laying low our best defenses, and as this gathering unravels, Meredith's chief ally is not her boyfriend but his brother (Luke Wilson, in one of the film's best performances), a documentary film editor exuding a soulful -- and cannabis-enhanced -- serenity. Also seeing through Meredith's brittle demeanor to her self-doubt is Nelson's paterfamilias Kelly, providing counterpoint to Sybil and Amy's drama for flash judgments.
Rounding out the brood are married, pregnant daughter Susannah (Elizabeth Reaser) and youngest son Thad (Tyrone Giordano), perhaps Bezucha's most loaded construct. Thad is gay and deaf, his partner (Brian White) is black, and they're planning to adopt. All of which would be fine if Thad didn't exist merely as a setup for the dinner-table debacle in which Meredith, speaking her mind, plants both feet firmly in mouth and proceeds to do a Riverdance.
It's no wonder that Sybil is bracing herself against Everett's request for the heirloom ring -- the second meaning of the film's title -- that she had promised him for his intended, long before Meredith entered the picture. Keaton brings a bracing acerbity to Sybil, who reneges on that promise with an unapologetic, "Tough shit". Although she's not always likable, her toughness and honesty are her family's life force.
The production has a suitably unfussy sheen, with Jane Ann Stewart's production design and Shay Cunliffe's costumes conveying the Stone home's lived-in, bohemia-tinged comfort. New Jersey and Connecticut locations serve well as the snow-covered burg. A holiday-themed bonus awaits Keaton fans who stay to the end of the credits.
THE FAMILY STONE
20th Century Fox
Fox 2000 Pictures presents a Michael London production
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Thomas Bezucha
Producer: Michael London
Executive producer: Jennifer Ogden
Director of photography: Jonathan Brown
Production designer: Jane Ann Stewart
Music: Michael Giacchino
Costume designer: Shay Cunliffe
Editor: Jeffrey Ford
Cast:
Sybil Stone: Diane Keaton
Julie Morton: Claire Danes
Meredith Morton: Sarah Jessica Parker
Everett Stone: Dermot Mulroney
Kelly Stone: Craig T. Nelson
Ben Stone: Luke Wilson
Amy Stone: Rachel McAdams
Thad Stone: Tyrone Giordano
Patrick Thomas: Brian White
Susannah: Elizabeth Reaser
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time 103 minutes...
- 12/20/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After a couple of major misfires ("Dead Man on Campus", "200 Cigarettes"), MTV Films goes to the head of the class with "Election", a sharp, funny, bracingly on-the-money high school satire.
A winning sophomore effort from "Citizen Ruth" director Alexander Payne, boasting a deliciously driven performance by ever-dependable Reese Witherspoon as a take-no-prisoners overachiever, this subversive suburban send-up is easily the best among the recent spate of teen screen candidates.
Given the glut of youth-oriented product, strong reviews and Witherspoon's solid fan base may not ensure a landslide victory, but enthusiastic word-of-mouth should translate into respectable boxoffice tallies.
Adapted by Payne and "Citizen Ruth" collaborator Jim Taylor from a Tom Perrotta novel, the picture is set against the backdrop of a heated high school election.
Having lent her indomitable spirit to nearly every committee and club at George Washington Carver High, scarily ambitious Tracy Flick (Witherspoon) has her sights set on the student government presidency.
A one-person Up With People, Tracy's latest quest appears to be a cakewalk -- that is, until mild-mannered teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick, in one of his best film roles in years) decides to intervene.
It seems Tracy, whose hushed-up affair with fellow teacher Mr. Novotny (Mark Harelik) effectively ended his academic career and marriage, is beginning to make similar advances in Mr. McAllister's direction. If elected, she'll be working closely with him in his capacity as student government adviser. Deciding to take action, McAllister persuades sidelined football hero Paul Metzler (Chris Klein), a bit of a dim bulb with a likable, "gosh, gee whiz" personality, to run against her.
Soon, a third hat is thrown into the ring when Paul starts going with the former crush of his vengeance-seeking, rebellious lesbian sister Tammy (delightful newcomer Jessica Campbell).
Meanwhile, McAllister seems to be spending more time doing chores for lonely Mrs. Novotny (Delaney Driscoll) than he is with his overlooked wife (Molly Hagan).
Payne handles the swirling comic activity with deft aplomb, playfully integrating voice-overs, sustained freeze frames and cleverly chosen musical cues to bitingly original effect. While the progressively twisted pace loses some of its adrenaline toward the end -- 10 minutes less could have made a noticeable difference -- it's a minor quibble.
With the unspoken but obvious joke of having Broderick return to high school as a meek teacher some 13 years after wreaking havoc as Ferris Bueller, only to meet his match in bad-girl-in-goody-goody-clothing Witherspoon, "Election" knows how to pick its sparring partners.
Top vote-getters also include James Glennon's assured camera work, which manages to achieve vivid results despite the high school corridor fluorescent lighting; Jane Ann Stewart's disturbingly familiar production design; and costume designer Wendy Chuck's knack for using a couple of short-sleeved shirts and ties to illustrate the extent of the average teacher's accessorizing skills.
ELECTION
Paramount
An MTV Films production
in association with Bona Fide Prods.
Director: Alexander Payne
Screenwriters: Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor
Based on the novel by: Tom Perrotta
Producers: David Gale, Keith Samples, Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa
Executive producer: Van Toffler
Director of photography: James Glennon
Production designer: Jane Ann Stewart
Editor: Kevin Tent
Costume designer: Wendy Chuck
Music: Rolfe Kent
Music supervisor: Dondi Bastone
Casting: Lisa Beach
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jim McAllister: Matthew Broderick
Tracy Flick: Reese Witherspoon
Paul Metzler: Chris Klein
Tammy Metzler: Jessica Campbell
Dave Novotny: Mark Harelik
Diane McAllister: Molly Hagan
Linda Novotny: Delaney Driscoll
Barbara Flick: Colleen Camp
Running time -- 104 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
A winning sophomore effort from "Citizen Ruth" director Alexander Payne, boasting a deliciously driven performance by ever-dependable Reese Witherspoon as a take-no-prisoners overachiever, this subversive suburban send-up is easily the best among the recent spate of teen screen candidates.
Given the glut of youth-oriented product, strong reviews and Witherspoon's solid fan base may not ensure a landslide victory, but enthusiastic word-of-mouth should translate into respectable boxoffice tallies.
Adapted by Payne and "Citizen Ruth" collaborator Jim Taylor from a Tom Perrotta novel, the picture is set against the backdrop of a heated high school election.
Having lent her indomitable spirit to nearly every committee and club at George Washington Carver High, scarily ambitious Tracy Flick (Witherspoon) has her sights set on the student government presidency.
A one-person Up With People, Tracy's latest quest appears to be a cakewalk -- that is, until mild-mannered teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick, in one of his best film roles in years) decides to intervene.
It seems Tracy, whose hushed-up affair with fellow teacher Mr. Novotny (Mark Harelik) effectively ended his academic career and marriage, is beginning to make similar advances in Mr. McAllister's direction. If elected, she'll be working closely with him in his capacity as student government adviser. Deciding to take action, McAllister persuades sidelined football hero Paul Metzler (Chris Klein), a bit of a dim bulb with a likable, "gosh, gee whiz" personality, to run against her.
Soon, a third hat is thrown into the ring when Paul starts going with the former crush of his vengeance-seeking, rebellious lesbian sister Tammy (delightful newcomer Jessica Campbell).
Meanwhile, McAllister seems to be spending more time doing chores for lonely Mrs. Novotny (Delaney Driscoll) than he is with his overlooked wife (Molly Hagan).
Payne handles the swirling comic activity with deft aplomb, playfully integrating voice-overs, sustained freeze frames and cleverly chosen musical cues to bitingly original effect. While the progressively twisted pace loses some of its adrenaline toward the end -- 10 minutes less could have made a noticeable difference -- it's a minor quibble.
With the unspoken but obvious joke of having Broderick return to high school as a meek teacher some 13 years after wreaking havoc as Ferris Bueller, only to meet his match in bad-girl-in-goody-goody-clothing Witherspoon, "Election" knows how to pick its sparring partners.
Top vote-getters also include James Glennon's assured camera work, which manages to achieve vivid results despite the high school corridor fluorescent lighting; Jane Ann Stewart's disturbingly familiar production design; and costume designer Wendy Chuck's knack for using a couple of short-sleeved shirts and ties to illustrate the extent of the average teacher's accessorizing skills.
ELECTION
Paramount
An MTV Films production
in association with Bona Fide Prods.
Director: Alexander Payne
Screenwriters: Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor
Based on the novel by: Tom Perrotta
Producers: David Gale, Keith Samples, Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa
Executive producer: Van Toffler
Director of photography: James Glennon
Production designer: Jane Ann Stewart
Editor: Kevin Tent
Costume designer: Wendy Chuck
Music: Rolfe Kent
Music supervisor: Dondi Bastone
Casting: Lisa Beach
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jim McAllister: Matthew Broderick
Tracy Flick: Reese Witherspoon
Paul Metzler: Chris Klein
Tammy Metzler: Jessica Campbell
Dave Novotny: Mark Harelik
Diane McAllister: Molly Hagan
Linda Novotny: Delaney Driscoll
Barbara Flick: Colleen Camp
Running time -- 104 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 4/19/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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