Blu-ray Review “The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)”

Starring: George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Reed, Angela Lansbury, Peter Lawford, Lowell Gilmore
Director: Albert Lewin
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Archive Collection
DVD Release Date: November 11, 2014
Run Time: 110 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Based on the classic by Oscar Wilde, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a nice blend of horror/drama with a pinch of supernatural. The film is just a year sort of its 70th anniversary and it still holds up today. Albert Lewin writes and directs with Angela Lansbury and Donna Reed star. I think this is Warner Archive Collection’s best release to date!

Official Premise: George Sanders commands the screen as the acerbic, cynical Lord Henry Wotton whose errant musings unwittingly plunge a soul into a leprotic existence of amoral degradation. Hurd Harfield plays the eponymous Gray whose unchanging, placid beauty is enabled by his cursed portrait that embodies his age and decay.

The 1080p HD presentation is nothing short of pristine. It really showcases Cinematographer Harry Stradling, Sr. use of shadow very well with this black and white film. He went on to also win the Oscar for this cinematography for this picture. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono works perfect for the film. It is clear and sharp and sounds amazing with the score by Herbert Stothart.

The special features are decent as well (even thought they were taken from Warner’s 2008 DVD release). There is a commentary track with Angela Lansbury and Film Historian Steve Haberman, which is very informative and entertaining. Also included is the Oscar-winning short”Stairway to Light”, the Tom and Jerry cartoon, “Quiet Please!”, which also won the Oscar for Best Short Subject, Cartoons, for 1945 and a Theatrical Trailer rounds out the extras.

Dorian Missick and Kate Kelton Join Third Season of SyFy’s Popular Series Haven

DORIAN MISSICK (SOUTHLAND, THE CAPE) AND KATE KELTON (HAROLD AND KUMAR, AMERICAN PSYCHO 2) JOIN THIRD SEASON OF SYFY’S POPULAR SERIES HAVEN

SEASON 3 OF HAVEN PREMIERES FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

NEW YORK – May 18, 2012 – Dorian Missick (Southland, The Cape) and Kate Kelton (Harold and Kumar, American Psycho 2) will join the cast ofSyfy’s popular series Haven in recurring roles when the show returns for its third season beginning Friday, September 21 at 10PM (ET/PT).

Kelton portrays the spirited and fierce “Jordan McKee.” She’s a waitress at “The Gun & Rose Diner,” and also an influential member of a mysterious organization of “troubled” people whose identity is known by the distinctive tattoo marking its members. 

Missick plays “Tommy Bowen,” a street smart Boston detective who comes to Haven investigating a suspected serial killer case. A shrewd, calculating policeman, he’s also a fish out of water, completely mismatched with this L.L. Bean world.  

Season three of Haven picks up immediately following the events of the gripping season two finale with Audrey having been brutally kidnapped; Nathan (Lucas Bryant) warned against pursuing a romantic relationship with Audrey; and Duke (Eric Balfour) seemingly engaged in a fight to the death with Nathan after he discovers his family lineage is to kill Haven citizens with troubles.

Haven, based on the novella The Colorado Kid from renowned author Stephen King, follows former FBI agent Audrey Parker, who becomes a cop in the small town of Haven, Maine, and soon discovers the town’s many secrets, which also hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of her lost past. 

From leading independent studio Entertainment One (eOne), Haven is co-commissioned by Shaw Media in Canada and globally via Universal Networks International (UNI).

The creative team behind Haven includes executive producers John Morayniss (The Firm, Hell on Wheels) from eOne Television and David MacLeod (Legends of the Fall, The Ray Bradbury Theater) of Big Motion Pictures, who are joined by Lloyd Segan, Shawn Piller, Scott Shepherd (Stephen King’s The Dead Zone, Greek) of Piller/Segan/Shepherd and Matt McGuinness (Journeyman, Dark Blue) as well as Sam Ernst & Jim Dunn (Stephen King’s The Dead Zone), who also developed the series.

Haven is produced by Entertainment One and Big Motion Pictures in association with Piller/Segan/Shepherd and airs on Syfy in the U.S., Showcase in Canada and internationally on Universal Networks International’s channels. Entertainment One controls the worldwide distribution rights to the one-hour series and concluded a deal with Germany’s Tele München Group (TMG) for the television rights in Continental Europe.

About Syfy

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com) and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

About Entertainment One

Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a leading international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content.  The company’s comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.  Through established Entertainment and Distribution divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming and merchandising and licensing. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 20,000 film and television titles, 2,500 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.

About Universal Networks International
Universal Networks International, the global channels division of NBCUniversal, is one of the world’s premier entertainment networks, delivering quality content and compelling brands to 150 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia.  The portfolio includes the brands Syfy, Universal Channel, DIVA Universal, Studio Universal and 13th Street Universal and now, with the acquisition by Comcast Corporation, E! Entertainment Television, The Style Network and Golf Channel. These brands deliver a full range of entertainment experiences to local audiences across the globe.  Universal Networks International also operates Movies 24 and has an interest in the KidsCo joint venture.

About Shaw Communications Inc.

Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.4 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 18 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, History Television and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.

Interview with Dorian Missick and Regina King

Dorian Missick and Regina King are co-stars in TNT’s hit cop drama “Southland”. The show is currently entering its 4th season, which begins January 17th, 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Dorian and Regina about working on the show and what we can expect from this exciting season.

Mike Gencarelli: What can you tell us about this season and what we have to look forward to from your characters?
Regina King: Well it’s tough for us because there’s only so much we can reveal. So whenever we get this question it’s kind of like “how do we skirt around it this time?”. Well what we can say is that Robinson, the character that Dorian plays and Adam’s definitely come from probably similar beginnings. Their adult life outside of the job is very different and you get an opportunity to see how those different family lives inform the way they do their jobs or just their day to day thought. Russell’s character kind of had a dysfunctional thing happening within his marriage and then Robinson is the exact opposite. I think it kind of just makes an interesting balance…kind of like a yin and yang thing.

MG: Dorian, you’re joining an already established cast. Does it take a little bit of time for you to find I guess your footing amongst the cast? Or was it right away that you found chemistry?
Dorian Missick: There’s always a struggle when you’re kind of like the new kid on the block. This particular situation was really extra daunting for me simply because I was a huge fan of the show long before it was even an option of me being a part of it. But everybody on the cast is great. We get a little training at the academy, so it gives you the opportunity to get to know everyone and figure out everybody’s personalities. Regina and I have a lot friends in common but I had never actually had a chance to meet her until we started training. I think it was the first time I’d ever met her. Everybody has been really open and friendly. So yeah, it was a nice, smooth transition actually.

MG: Regina, can you talk about reuniting with your “227” costar Marla Gibbs?
RK: It was sweet. I mean the cool thing was that she auditioned for that part sand she got that part on her own merit. They called me and asked me would I be okay with it, after they had decided she was the best for it. And I’m like are you kidding me? Of course.
DM: Man that day was surreal for me.
RK: Was it really?
DM: It was kind of – yeah, because it was kind of early on for me. I think it was like the second episode or something like that.
RK: Yeah. I think you’re right.
DM: I just was like this is a little too much man. I mean I’ve been watching both of them for years and then to get to see you guys together and the energy between the two of you. I enjoyed it. It was one of my favorite days at work period, in my career but definitely on the show. It was a highlight.
RK: It was a special moment. It was. And just to see Marla since she’s still really sharp. Do you know what I mean? She’s been doing this for a long time and she doesn’t miss a beat. She kind of forgot one of her lines and you would have never known.

MG: Do you feel it’s easier to be a part of an ensemble so that you don’t have to carry quite such a heavy load because everything is so good, everyone does such a good job? Or is it easier to play a lead?
RK: Well I mean for me my choice was to be in a show that was an ensemble. I’m not really interested in 17 hour days every day. And that’s kind of what you get when the show is all about you. I just think it’s a little more interesting personally when I’m watching TV and I watch a show and there are quite a few different stories going on. It brings me in more.
DM: Yeah. One of the thing that I particularly love about this show, having done other television shows and things like that, is that the writers really do pay a lot of attention to detail and that enables us to kind of feel more taken care of from an acting perspective. You feel safer walking into a room every time you get a new script because I know from being on other shows. Sometimes you get a script and you want to pray over it before you open it because you have no idea how good or bad it’s going to be. whereas on this show it’s not like that. I really appreciate that. You can tell that the writers care about every character and they care about the story lines enough that they put in energy to develop them So whether it’s playing a lead character or being a part of an ensemble it is really just the writing. You can be the main person of the show and if the show is stupid then it’s not that much you’re not having that much fun from an acting perspective. But here I think that good writing attracts good actors, which attracts good directors. So just from an artistic standpoint, it’s everything that you want.
RK: There’s definitely a trickle down effect.

MG: Do you feel that the writing is better in television or do feature films take priority over that?
RK: I think right now as far as actors are concerned I think we just want – we just are looking for things with good writing just like great characters. just with all the different cable networks there just happens to be in television right now, especially on the cable networks, they’re just writing more that’s interesting for actors. That’s why you’re seeing so many movie actors on TV. I’m not saying that I’m giving up on movies or anything like that. I just am going wherever the art is inspiring. And my journey right now has been it’s inspired me the most, on “Southland”. But there’s just like a lot of great shows on TV now and there’s not that line that used to be there like film actors were just film actors and television actors were just television actors and there was a definitive line. Now that’s all gray. If it’s good work you’re going to respond.
DM: Period. Yeah. I totally agree with that. It’s about the writing. I mean there’s good writing and bad writing in all mediums. You know, coming from the theater I’ve done some really bad plays and that’s the worst because you’re stuck saying these terrible lines for like six to eight weeks, maybe a month. So I think any actor worth his salt they chase after good stories and good characters. Just right now it’s happening a lot in cable television particularly but it’s happening a lot on screen.
I think the film industry is going to have to shrink to a certain extent because these big event movies aren’t making the money that they wanted to make in the past and the writing isn’t that good oftentimes. So now it’s like there’s a resurgence of independent films and television happening. I think we’re in a great time creatively.

MG: Speaking of independent films, there are a lot of actors who are sort of taking the leap to develop and produce themselves. Are either of you sort of moving in that direction, establishing your own production companies and developing more?
RK: Yeah, definitely. I started a production company a few years ago with my sister and have been developing a project that has been very close to us for a couple of years. I’m hoping that everything will be in place, that once we wrap “Southland” in February that it’ll be my theatrical directorial debut.

MG: Can you give us some more information on that film?
RK: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
DM: You’ve got to build on that one.
RK: It’s based a book called “Let the Church Say Amen”. It’s by an author named ReShonda Tate Billingsley. She’s written several books and this is the first book that opens you up to a particular character named Rachel who is kind of the lead character in a lot of her other stories. It was an Essence bestseller and a bestseller on a few other lists. But it’s about a father, who’s a pastor, who’s kind of neglected his family to put time into building his church. As a result, he now has this dysfunctional family so we kind of meet this family right in the height of their dysfunction. We see how they deal with that. I feel like although the characters – the family is a black family that theme is a universal theme where the matriarch or the patriarch neglects their family and the family suffers.
You don’t have to just be black or white or Asian to understand or relate to that experience. So I felt like this would be a great thing for my first piece to tackle because it does have such a universal theme.
DM: That sounds dope.
RK: And yeah…I’m excited about.

MG: How about you Dorian?
DM: I also have a production company. We’ve been developing for the last couple of years a project about the ’70s writer (Donald Duane). I’ve been developing that. Obviously this is the first time I ever talked about it. So yeah, it’s myself and Pete Chatmon, the guy who directed me and Zoe Saldana in “Premium”. So we’ve been developing that for a couple of years and we’re looking to shoot more than likely in the next seven/eight months.
RK: Yeah, it’s definitely a grind but it’s a natural move for actors to have more of a role behind the camera, especially in a time where media is going is with reality TV and with the internet. A lot of people don’t even have cable anymore or TV and they watch everything on the internet. So it’s just I think smart for entertainers to make themselves more familiar and educate themselves on the world of production so that when the shift happens hard core we still remain a part of it.
DM: Right.
RK: The shift to new media.
DM: It’s just responsible. It’s a responsible move in any industry, particularly this industry but in any industry. It’s responsible for you to learn the ins and outs even above and beyond what your job calls for because as the economy changes and as the structure of any kind of job changes you want to be well versed in all aspects of it so that you can continue to keep yourself around that you can still continue to be valuable. Because if you’re a one trick pony, once people are done with that trick you’ve got to find something else to do.

MG: Regina, Is there any truth to the rumor that you and Jackee might be getting your own talk show after your stint on “Watch What Happens Live”?
RK: I didn’t know that there was a rumor.
DM: I would watch it. I started it.
RK: You started it?
DM: I started that rumor. Yeah.
RK: : Funny. As of now that is only a rumor. But hey, you never know. Jackee can handle a show on her own. Definitely.
DM: : I love that.