The Aviator (2004)

Movie: 4/5 Picture Quality: 4~5/5 Sound Quality: 3.25/5 Extras: 5/5

Version: U.S.A / Region A, B, C
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
VC-1 BD-50
Average video bit rate: 14.90 Mbps
Running time: 2:50:05
Movie size: 22,63 GB
Disc size: 29,47 GB
DD AC3 5.1 640Kbps English / Spanish French

Subtitles: English SDH / French / Spanish / Portuguese

#Audio Commentary
#Deleted Scenes (SD - 2 minutes)
#A Life Without Limits: The Making of The Aviator (SD - 12 minutes)
#The Role of Howard Hughes in Aviation History (SD - 15 minutes)
#Modern Marvels: Howard Hughes (SD - 42 minutes)
#The Affliction of Howard Hughes: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (SD - 14 minutes)
#OCD Panel Discussion (SD - 15 minutes)
#An Evening with Leonardo DiCaprio and Alan Alda (SD - 28 minutes)
#The Visual Effects of The Aviator (SD - 12 minutes)
#Constructing The Aviator: The Work of Dante Ferretti (SD - 6 minutes)
#Costuming The Aviator: The Work of Sandy Powell (SD - 4 minutes)
#The Age of Glamour: The Hair and Makeup of The Aviator (SD - 8 minutes)
#Scoring The Aviator: The Work of Howard Shore (SD - 7 minutes)
#The Wainwright Family: Loudon, Rufus, and Martha (SD - 5 minutes)
#Stills Gallery (HD)
#Theatrical Trailer (HD)

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Version: Dutch FilmWorks / Region A, B, C
VC-1 BD-50
Average video bit rate: 23~30 Mbps
DTS-HD MA 48Khz/16-bit English
DD AC3 5.1 640Kbps English
Subtitles: None

#Trailer (3 min)
#Behind the Scenes (PAL - 22 min)
#Max Factor: Age of Glamour (PAL - 7 min)
#The Mysterious Howard Hughes (PAL - 44 min)
#Interviews (PAL - 13 min)
#Trailers October 13, 2008

I had such consideration...

...for Martin Scorcese that I feel very sorry for his precocious senility. I can't think of any other explanation (there is no excuse) for mistaking di Caprio for an actor (which is about as ludicrous as mistaking McDos for restaurants). And, since he's persisting in polluting the screens with something whose only merit is he never will be a "Has Been" (since he never was anything in the first place), from now on I will keep clear from Scorcese's movies. October 8, 2008

Overrated

The problem that almost all biopics have is that they tell far too much of their subjects' life facts that most of the drama is drained. They never seem to find the important nor key moments in a life in which to imbue the tale, rather they cram a life with minutia, and miss out on any real insight. Such it is with Martin Scorsese's latest film, now out on DVD. The Aviator spans twenty or so years in the life of Howard Hughes, the reclusive billionaire and eccentric, but never delves into the man, merely glossing the surface of its subject, mainly due to the pallid script by John Logan of Gladiator infamy. Having recently watched a DVD version of Raging Bull, from 1980, the difference is stark. I've never thought Raging Bull was Scorsese's best work- it's not on a par with Taxi Driver, The King Of Comedy, After Hours, nor Goodfellas- but it can be argued as a great film, and it's a cut above this film whose first half has potential, albeit flawed, but whose second half reeks.
The film has many flaws, other than the script, though. The major one being Leonardo DiCaprio is simply not a good nor compelling actor, especially in comparison to Robert De Niro. He is, next to Tom Cruise, perhaps the most milquetoast and passionless actor going and radiates none of the magnetism, power, and arrogance of the real man- he is a boy pretending to be a man, and clearly way out of his league. He has absolutely zero range, and is unwilling to let go of himself to the role. He is always Leonardio DiCaprio, never Howard Hughes. Better actors, like Brad Pitt in Kalifornia or A River Runs Through It, do so. DiCaprio is woefully miscast- although since he shepherded the film to fruition Scorsese had little choice but to use him. First off, he doesn't age, as Hughes, in the twenty years of the film- what? Was all the money gone for looser prosthetic jowls or crow's feet? At forty-five Hughes still looks like a teenager, especially in scenes with his airline rival Juan Trippe, as played by Alec Baldwin, a man who in real life was only a few years older than Hughes. Next to Baldwin the two characters seem of different generations- as the fey DiCaprio may not be able to pass for thirty until he's fifty or sixty, and certainly never lets us in to the `real' Hughes', as he is content with mere gesticulation. DiCaprio also looks nothing like Hughes, facially, but that's not so important if the acting is up to snuff- think Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon in Oliver Stone's Nixon. This evidences itself in that DiCaprio sounds nothing like Hughes, and the constant ticking and twitching he does to suggest that Hughes suffered from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is just too carny for a convincing dramatic role, even up to the film's final shot of Hughes in a Tourette's Syndrome-like daze- which is far too reminiscent of both the prison and end scenes of Raging Bull. It's never a good sign when a director has to rip off a better, earlier film of his own.... While not bad, that's also not good. If you need proof just ask yourself if you ever thought you'd hear a phrase like `a rather conventional Hollywood film by Martin Scorsese' and you'll get the points that Scorsese did not.
September 18, 2008

Cate Blanchett Owns This Movie

"The Aviator" IS Cate Blanchett's film, her Oscar deserving role as Katherine Hepburn is so dead-on, you'd think she was possessed by her spirit. As for the film, not bad, a little slow at times, the CGI is horrific, and Alan Alda's performance as the slimy senator is quite good.
The Blu-Ray is loaded with extras, and the transfer is quite clean, probably in the top 20.
I've never really been a Dicaprio fan, but if he keeps making movies with Marty Scorsese ("The Departed"), I think one these days, he'll get his own Oscar. September 12, 2008

Scorsese and DiCaprio at their best

That plane crash was probably one of the most brutal scenes that I have ever seen.

The performances were all excellent. Leonardo Dicaprio gave a so far career best performance. When he is in the car covering his mouth as he said the same thing over and over, It was very impressive.

Blanchett gives the Hepburn in the movie life, energy, humor, depth, one of the best performances of 04. Beckinsale was also good. When she tears down the tape in the house, she serves the movie the way Blanchett does, though without as much depth, but still is excellent.

Alan Alda deserved his nomination. He is a good villain, but also one who is thinking about playing the Washington game. The whole chairman scene with Baldwin was a good entry for his character. Also with the Baldwin character-Citizen Kane did pop into my head. It was probably the set, but his powerful character doing what he can to tear down Hughes reminded me of CK.

The Aviator is one of the best movies of 04, even if it drags with the hearings, it provides for the set up for one of the more triumphant scenes with the flying of the Spruce Goose.

September 10, 2008

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