Blu-ray Round-up

"Thelma and Louise" (Fox) -  The iconic nineties road movie, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as best friends who hit the highway and turn outlaw after shooting a rapist, celebrates its 20th Anniversary with a Blu-ray debut. Scott uses the iconic landscape of Monument Valley, most associated with the westerns of John Ford, to great effect as a new frontier embraced by two women trying to outrun society. Harvey Keitel is the dogged detective who warms to the truth and tries to stop them, Michael Madsen is Sarandon’s soulful boyfriend, and Brad Pitt made a small splash as a seductive hitchhiker who charms his way into Davis’ bed.

The Blu-ray includes the supplements from the 2003 DVD special edition. Director Ridley Scott delivers one commentary track (ever the thoughtful professional, he gives lengthy explanations to creative decisions and production challenges and solutions) and writer Callie Khouri teams up with stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis for a second, rather more playful and less enlightening track than Scott’s. The collection of 16 deleted and extended scenes offer about 30 minutes worth of footage taken from a workprint, and Scott explains why he didn’t use the alternate longer ending in a commentary track. Also features the hour long documentary "Thelma and Louise: The Last Journey," an in-depth look back at the film from inspiration to production to cultural controversy featuring every leading actor in addition to director, writer, and producer. You hear the word “empowering” so often that co-star Stephen Tobolowsky’s analysis is bracing: “That’s what’s so remarkable about the movie. This film is a tragedy. They try to take control of their lives, they cannot change the course of there lives. Yet for some reason it is still taken to people’s hearts as some sort of anthem of empowerment.” No one else comes close to acknowledging that in either the commentary or the documentary interviews.

"A Private Function" (Image) and "Five Corners" (Image), both previously available on DVD in numerous editions, now arrive on DVD and debut on Blu-ray from Image as part of their Handmade Films catalogue. In "A Private Function" (1984), written by playwright Alan Bennett ("The Madness of King George") and directed by Malcolm Mowbray, Michael Palin and Maggie Smith enter into a conspiracy to get fresh meat during the rationing of World War II and see it arrive in the form of a live pig. Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins and John Turturro star in "Five Corners" (1987), directed by Tony Bill from an original screenplay by John Patrick Shanley ("Moonstruck"). No supplements on either disc.

"Carnival Magic" (Cultra/HD Cinema Classics) – Al Adamson's long-lost family movie about a circus magician and a talking chimp is found and released on  Blu-ray+DVD Combo pack. Because Adamson demands that kind of detail. Love that groovy Peter Max-lite pop-art cover!