The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 14, 1998 - 11
'Space'
DVD
loses its
1interest
By Matthew Barrett
DilyArts Writer
All of the special features shots on
the bVD version of "Lost In Space"
can't hide the fact that the sci-fi
a k is a muddled and uninspired
lake of the popular '60s televi-
sion program. The film has one of
te year's best casts, but the makers
were unable to translate the talent
into perfor-
mances.
" William Hurt
is off the mark
Lost in as the distant
Space and removed
S e John Robinson.
As an actor,
On DVD Hurt doesn't fit
well in the role
and he overdoes
it while trying to
get across the
tension between
John and his son
Will.
One of the biggest negatives of the
movie is the performance of peren-
* villain Gary Oldman. Once
again, Oldman is playing evil as the
niveling Dr. Smith. The character
neaks on board the Robinsons'
pacecraft to sabotage the voyage,
sut ends up getting stuck with them
>n the damaged ship. Smith is too
>assive to put any type of fear in the
udience, which is especially disap-
pointing considering Oldman's fero-
s turns in films such as "The
r fessional" and "Air Force One."
The sharp conversations between
[udy Robinson (Heather Graham)
tnd Don West (Matt LeBlanc) pro-
ide the film's most enjoyable
equences. Graham is delightful as
;he keeps West at an arm's length
hroughout the story before giving
im the obligatory peck at the film's
nd.
The DVD, like the film, is loaded
4 flashy extras. It has two com-
tentary tracks, one features the
writer and director, and the other
contains the producer, editor, and a
few other important behind the
cenes players.
The writer and director commen-
ary is very laid back and contains
Trite reviews hurt 'Chicks'
Chicks on Film
Gabrielle Cosgriff,
Anne Reifenberg and
Cynthia Thomas
Avon
*
Here's a hint: When trying to get the world to respect
you and treat you as an equal, stupidity is generally not
the best route to pursue. This would seem obvious, and
yet, the new video guide, "Chicks on Film: Video Picks
for Women and Other Intelligent Forms of Life," by
Gabrielle Cosgriff, Ann Reifenberg and Cynthia Thomas,
shows that not everyone has figured this out. This book,
written under the aegis of feminism, is just a slap in the
face to the women's movement, and its 250 reviews do
little for the intelligent video shop-
per.
The book, loosely based on a
cable TV show hosted by the
authors, is a response to the phe-
nomenon that, as the women say,
"it's mostly guys who critique
movies on TV, not to mention in news-
papers and magazines." Let us not quib-
ble over the fact that Pauline Kael - a
woman - is widely regarded as one of the
best film critics of all time, or that Janet
Maslin and Lisa Schwarzbaum - both of
whom are female - are also well respected in the
industry.
The authors go on to write that "women are more com-
plex than guys, who require only noise, cars, large
firearms, and naked floozies on the screen." But we soon
find that these three women are not necessarily more
highly evolved than men and that they enjoy the same
superficial effects.
"Chicks on Film" is divided into arbitrary sections -
apparently based on a higher form of logic than most are
capable. "Chicks in Charge," "Ueber-Chicks,"
"Sisterhood" and "Men in Uniform" are just a few of the
politically correct and broad chapter categories. In each
section, films relating to the category get a small review
from one of the women, followed by a short response and
opinion from the other two. Most of the time the three
do not agree on what is worth watching.
The format works well - notwithstanding the terse
Women of Michigan
You are invited to:
DISCOVER ALPHA
DISCOVER YOURSL
nature of the reviews - but the organization seems ran-
dom and, at times, misled.
In one section, "Nun but the Brave," a review for
"Dead Man Walking" immediately precedes a critique
for "The Sound of Music" Aside from the nun factor -
and perhaps the Nazi/capital punishment link - these
films have little in common..
And when was the last tite we really wanted to see a
nun movie, anyway?
In review after review, the triad defeats the purpose of
its work, by continually criticizing films based on their
inherent "male" elements, instead of simply looking at
whether a movie is well-made or not and why.
Furthermore, the three use stereotypically "female" ele-
ments - such as cute animals, good butts and great kiss-
es - to judge.
In a review of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," Cynthia
Thomas writes, "you'd have to be a T-800 with no human
parts to enjoy this movie." According to Thomas, if
a movie does not move the viewer to tears and is
full of "male" elements, it is not worth the time
it takes to watch it. She writes, in response to
a review of "The Secret of Roan Inish,"
"Give me a movie with cute animals and
I'm happy." But she, of course, does not
buy into stereotypes.
The selection of films reviewed is
also a bit haphazard. Most of the
films mentioned are already considered
classics. The writers' platitudes about
why "Now Voyager" is a great "ueber-
chick" movie, or why Olivia De Haviland really
deserved her Oscar for "The Heiress" seem insulting to
these already well-respected titles.
Some films that would otherwise fit well in a video
guide - "Citizen Kane," "On the Waterfront," "Carrie,"
to name a few -- are not included seemingly because
they do not fit squarely into one of the pre-determined
categories.
"Chicks on Film," which claims to be a feminist retort
to a sexist and male-dominated corner of the world, sim-
ply gives men more reasons to dismiss "chick-films" and
"chick reviewers."
The three writers make their own opinions seem laugh-
able and trite, and then they do not tell you why to watch
or not watch a movie - just whether the lead actor has a.
good butt or not. Gloria Steinem should be very upset by
this work.
-Aaron Rich
Courtesy of NewLne Cinema
Top: Mimi Rogers is Maureen Robinson in the sci-fi adventure "Lost in Space." The
film is now out on DVD.
Bottom: William Hurt gets technical In "Lost In Space."
little interesting information. Stories about the shots. While this informa-
about life on the set or the actors are tion is probably of great interest to
few and far between, as the com- fans of the special effects process, it
mentary focuses on problems with is a little hard for the average view-
special effects and how they er to follow.
changed the movie. Two things of The disc also contains interviews
note included are that Sean Patrick with several members of the televi-
Flanery was originally cast as Don sion show's cast, many of whom
West, and that the man beiind the made cameos in the film, and a
mask in the spider shoot-out scene video on the future of space travel. It
isn't always Matt LeBlane." (The also has features including the orig-
actor was shooting "Friends" in inal screenplay that can only be
America and the mask allowed the accessed when the DVD is viewed
production to use a stand-in.) on a computer.
The second commentary delves The DVD has plenty of interesting
deeper into the special effects, and extras, but probably isn t worth the
at several points gets very technical purchase.
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