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 It's
been years since Clint Eastwood entered into a unique
gentleman's agreement with Warner Brothers' head of
production, which allows Eastwood and his production
company Malpaso free rein to produce whatever movies
the aging superstar feels like doing. Many of these
titles were quick to appear on DVD, but most in early,
bare-bones releases with a disappointing lack of extras
and transfers that are no longer up to today's standards.
Warner has happily picked up the pace, and the new
release of all five Dirty Harry movies along with
a new Special Edition of classic Western The Outlaw
Josey Wales and the feature-length documentary
Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows see a marked
improvement on the great man's DVD presence.
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The Outlaw Josey Wales: Previously available
in a bare-bones DVD release, this new Special Edition
sports a much-improved transfer, terrifically detailed
Dolby Digital 5.1 audio mix, and a fantastic new documentary
that covers this great Western's production history.
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the review
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Dirty Harry: Another one previously available
on DVD in a meagre bare-bones version with an aging
transfer, this new Special Edition also carries a
terrific documentary that covers the entire Dirty
Harry franchise and a much-improved transfer.
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the review
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Magnum Force: The first Dirty Harry sequel
treads a little too carefully in its political agenda
in an effort to atone for the controversy caused by
the first film.
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the review
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The Enforcer: The third instalment finds more
comfortable footing, with a welcome focus on the Harry
Callahan character as he is reluctantly teamed up
with a female partner, with whom he must save the
city from the usual kind of terrorist plot.
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the review
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Sudden
Impact: Fashions have changed in this fourth Dirty
Harry movie, as Callahan finds himself surrounded
by scary 1980s hairdos and silly costume design. It
makes little difference for Harry himself, who picks
up a new handgun but still has the same collection
of acerbic one-liners for sending off the usual gang
of hard-ass criminals.
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the review
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The
Dead Pool: One senses Eastwood's getting fed up
with his timeworn character, as tension runs dry in
this final instalment. Structured more like a vioilent
Agatha Christie murder mystery than an action caper,
this whodunnit is set in the familiar world of celebrities
and movie production, where a flamboyant serial killer
is on the loose.
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the review
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Clint
Eastwood: Out of the Shadows: An excellent, BBC-produced
feature-length documentary that does an outstanding
job charting Eastwood's rise from bit player to superstardom
all the way through to his recognition and success
as a director. With great contributions from Martin
Scorsese, Gene Hackman, Richard Schickel and many
others including the man himself, this is essential
viewing and a great companion to the current set of
Eastwood Collection DVD releases.
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the review
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True
Crime: An unconvincing thriller still has some
nice moments both for an aging Clint and for his co-star
James Woods, who leaps at the opportunity to bring
some frenetic life to his character.
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the review
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A
Fistful of Dollars: Eastwood's star-making turn
still available on a fairly bare-bones DVD from MGM/UA,
with a non-anamorphic transfer that's just begging
for a long overdue Special Edition re-release.
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the review
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For
a Few Dollars More: Sergio Leone's second spaghetti
Western featuring Eastwood's 'Man with no Name' is
another classic in despearte need of anamorphic remastering.
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the review
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High
Plains Drifter: Proving that he could beat them
at their own game, Eastwood directed himself in this
American-produced but clearly Leone-inspired Western
about an avenging spirit come to clean up a bizarre
town with a dark secret.
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the review
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Space
Cowboys: Eastwood's latest directorial effort
is an amiable comedy-adventure with a sly sense of
humor and some excellent special effects, once again
gleefully aware of his own aging presence.
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the review
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