Kevin Smith's 'Zack and Miri' doesn't quite measure up
"Zack and Miri Make a Porno" It's hard not to view Kevin Smith's latest as an attempt to outdo Judd Apatow in the "filthy comedy with a heart of gold" sweepstakes. Apatow has scored big hits - "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Knocked Up" - by mining the same territory Smith explored (with far smaller box-office receipts) in "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy." Why shouldn't Smith enjoy some of that big Hollywood bank?
Unfortunately, "Zack and Miri" doesn't measure up to Smith's best work, or Apatow's. Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks play the titular platonic friends and roommates, who decide to make and star in a skin flick to pay off their mounting debts. Along the way, they discover long-ignored feelings for each other. I liked Rogen and Banks, but the writing in "Zack and Miri" feels forced; it replaces Smith's usually strong character work with a string of increasingly desperate poop-and-sex gags. The scene where Zack and Miri make love is one of the most sincere and romantic scenes Smith has ever delivered, but it stands here only as an indicator of what this disappointing film could have been.
This two-disc set comes loaded with bonus features, including no less than 43 deleted scenes, a comprehensive making-of documentary and a Q-and-A from last year's Comic-Con International in San Diego. The lack of a commentary, though, is a big loss. (R; Genius Products, $29.95)
"Friday the 13th" (Uncut Deluxe Edition) I'm fascinated by this little 1980 film that launched (what seems like) a thousand sequels. Conceived as a low-budget cash-in on the popularity of John Carpenter's "Halloween," the movie struck gold at the box office, introduced the world to horror icon Jason Voorhees and attracted a following as devoted and passionate as any in filmdom.
Watching it nearly 30 years later, I'm struck by how effective the movie is. Producer-director Sean Cunningham's leering camerawork and muted color scheme create an atmosphere of creepy dread from the opening shot. Henry Manfredini's minimalist score is a classic, and by slasher-film standards, the acting is solid. The story, new at the time, has become a well-worn cliché: Teenagers gather at a remote summer camp, where a killer picks them off one by one. I like that the killer actually has a reason for attacking the kids here; it gives the movie a bit of dramatic weight that would disappear in the sequels.
With a "Friday" remake hitting theaters next week, Paramount has rereleased the original in a new "Deluxe Edition" that offers an uncut version of the film; a few extra seconds of gore have been restored, including chilling footage of a decapitated victim's grasping hands. The picture looks surprisingly good, and the above-average extras include a cast-and-crew commentary and several retrospective featurettes. All in all, a nice release.
Sequel alert: Also arriving this week are Deluxe Editions of the first two "Friday" sequels: "Friday the 13th, Part II" and "Friday the 13th, Part III in 3-D." Here is where the franchise abandoned any pretense of telling an actual story and became a mindless "body count" series, instead. New director Steve Miner delivers a couple of striking shots in Part II, and Part III includes the scene where Jason dons his iconic hockey mask for the first time. Other than that, these are pretty forgettable. The special features on Part II include an interesting discussion with Peter Bracke, author of a definitive history of the franchise. Part III offers virtually no extras, except for two pairs of glasses so you can watch it in 3-D (the 2-D version is also included). (NR and R; Paramount, $16.99 each)