Kevin's Digital Week 19: Carey, Abbott and Costello

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Monday, 05 April 2010 05:00

Written by Kevin Filipski

Blu-Ray of the Week

An Education
(Sony)
Lone Scherfig’s bittersweetly comic drama about a high-school girl’s difficult coming-of-age in pre-Beatles London, 1963, is a brilliant showcase for the scene-stealing lead performance of Carey Mulligan, who should have won Best Actress over Sandra Bullock. Mulligan creates a rare intelligent, headstrong teenage character, painfully exposing her vulnerabilities and fears, hopes and dreams, and joys and harsh realities; it‘s one of the great screen performances of recent years.  An Education also gains immeasurably from Peter Sarsgaard’s portrayal of the girl’s slick but callow suitor, and flawless support by Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson, Olivia Williams, Cara Seymour, Dominic Cooper and Rosamund Pike. Nick Hornby’s literate script comes from Lynn Barber‘s memoir.

Sony has given An Education a stellar Blu-ray transfer and an assortment of good but unexceptional special features. The commentary by director Scherfig and leads Mulligan and Sarsgaard is worth listening to, and the handful of deleted scenes is a nice bonus, even if it’s easy to see why they were cut.

A short on-set featurette and brief interviews on the red carpet at the film’s premiere round out the extras.

DVD of the Week

The Abbott and Costello Show—The Complete Series
(E1)
For many, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello need no introduction. Their classic comedy routines and television and movie appearances are legendary. And now, with the release of The Abbott and Costello Show—The Complete Series, new fans can enter the fold. With 52 episodes from the show’s two seasons (1952-3), restored and remastered on nine discs, this set is a must-have for fans of Bud and Lou and classic TV comedy like The Honeymooners or Lucy.

All their best routines are here, from “Who’s on First” and Niagara Falls to Mustard and the Lemon Bit. In addition, there are three hours’ worth of special features, including the Hey Abbott! 1978 TV retrospective hosted by Milton Berle and featuring Steve Allen, Joe Besser and Phil Silvers; a Season One classic routines reel; rare home movies from the Costello family archive; the restored 1948 short film 10,000 Kids and a Cop (documenting the Lou Costello, Jr. Youth Foundation‘s philanthropic work); and interviews with sons Chris and Paddy Costello.

A 44-page commemorative book gives some invaluable series history, and four collectible postcards are included. At a bargain-basement price, this set is a keeper.