Master of Dark Shadows documentary
Recently released on Blu-ray and DVD: A Silent Voice: The Movie, Master of Dark Shadows, Shooting Stars, Rich Girl.
A Silent Voice: The Movie
The thumbs of the middle-school students in this anime are sometimes glued to their devices, but some things are true across eras: the horseplay and cruelty of children, the in-groups and their putdowns of the outsiders, the monotony of school. The arrival of Shoko, the new deaf girl in class, is the engine that moves this endearing, animated and agreeably paced adaptation by director Naoko Yamada (Tamako Love Story) of a popular Japanese manga.
Master of Dark Shadows
According to Dan Curtis, it came to him in a dream—a young woman arriving at a remote, spooky mansion. He pitched his small-screen Jane Eyre to ABC, where it became a daytime soap opera. “Dark Shadows” floundered until Curtis’ daughters demanded: “Make it scary!” The cult series finally found its path by introducing Barnabas, the vampire, as the romantic, inwardly tortured hero. The revealing documentary includes interviews with Curtis, cast members and colleagues.
Shooting Stars
The movie industry loves to spoof itself. An interesting British example is this 1928 silent film by Anthony Asquith, which makes good-natured fun from the foibles of the stars, including a temperamental heroine in a fake tree rescued by a cowboy on a fake horse. Shooting Stars is technically sophisticated with fluid camera movements, multiple perspectives and excellent use of lighting. The story is visually amusing and revealing of the cinematic methods of its time.
Rich Girl
A rich young woman and her bodyguard fall in love—and then they are seized by kidnappers. How will it end? Rich Girl is a low-budget, apartheid-era movie produced in South Africa for black audiences with blacks in the leading screen roles. It has imaginative moments along with Ed Wood-worthy stretches, but its depiction of a black upper class (with white servants) is interesting. The DVD is part of the ambitious Retro Afrika release series.
