Movies DVDs Music Books Comix TV Games Sports The Hit List Weekly Sweeps at HJ HWJ Blogs
In Stores | Top Sales | Index | DVD/Movie Archive

Title Search: Advanced Search
         
now_playingAboutHeader

Paramount's Centennial Collection
Release Date:
Tuesday, November 11, 2008

MPAA Rating:
NR

Genre:
Various

Starring:
Various, and Sundry

Written By:
Various

Director:
Various

Synopsis:
In celebration of its upcoming hundred-year anniversary, Paramount Studios is releasing a special collection of its films on called The Centennial Collection.

Paramount Pictures itself was created in 1912 at the hands of Adolph Zukor, who took performance to new heights by filming theatrical stage stars of the day in full-length moving pictures. The popularity of the new medium grew exponentially. The success of the original studio system depended on heavy investment and control of movie theaters and, of course, the film stars themselves. For many years, the studio was king. Powerful executives could make or break careers. Domination in these areas could only last so long, though, and by the time Sunset Boulevard was made in 1950, monopoly over movie theater chains had been challenged in court and broken.

But with this collection, older audiences get a chance to enjoy many of Paramount's classic movies all over again, while new viewers are treated to them for the first time, digitally mastered and restored using the latest technolog.


Paramount's Centennial Collection | Preview

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
Linda Zalamea

Content Image
In effort to be crowned the queen of Audrey Hepburn film reviews, here is my fourth, and most likely final, installment. No collection of Audrey classics would be complete without the quintessential Breakfast at Tiffany's.

In all seriousness, Breakfast at Tiffany's has grown on me, and more accurately, with me, over the years. When I first watched it, I could easily point out each character's flaws and probably voiced pat answers and solutions for each of their problems&ellips; if only in my head. These days, the judgment has waned and given way to empathy. I finally understand "Moon River"&ellips; at least I think I do. Only time will tell.

Peering into Holly Golightly and Paul Varjak's lives, I see two people who desperately wish to be loved, to belong, and to do something meaningful in their respective lives. Somewhere along the way, however, they each bought the lie that they would only fulfill their dreams through supreme independence. Not willing to be owned or loved by anyone or anything, they pushed down past hurts and refused to let anyone in. And in their quest for autonomy, they ironically sold their souls to the highest bidder in exchange for temporal luxuries. Luxuries which ultimately fail to satisfy and sustain the empty, yet hungry, recesses of the heart.

A contemporary of Audrey's used to sing "I Did it My Way," a sentiment which has given way to the "Me" generation I grew up in. The last few lines of the song say, "To say the things he truly feels /And not the words of one who kneels / The record shows I took the blows / And did it my way!" I am relieved that Holly and Paul realized that doing it "their way" was empty, and that when they humbled themselves to love and belong to one another, they were truly rich and complete.

As a follower of Christ, I can attest to the amazing truths I have witnessed in His upside-down kingdom. When I let go, I gain. When I die to myself, I truly live. When I chain myself to Him, it is then that I am truly set free. My life is given meaning and I can love because He loves me and gave His life to cover my sins. I no longer have to run around like Holly wondering who I really am&ellips; I belong to Him. I'll cry tears of joy over that truth anytime&ellips; even in an alley, during a storm, somewhere in New York.

As for the DVD&ellips; great special features from the Paramount Centennial Collection once again. "A Golightly Gathering" reunites actors from the infamous cocktail party to reminisce about their time on the set. "Henry Mancini: More Than Music" is a touching featurette which chronicles his impact on the music industry and features his beautiful and still-adoring widow. "Mr. Yunioshi: An Asian Perspective" brings a sobering commentary on how the Asian community felt about Mickey Rooney's portrayal. In other featurettes, Hepburn's fans will enjoy more on Audrey's classic style and a visit to Tiffany's itself.

Copyright © 2008 Hollywood Jesus. All rights reserved.
More About Paramount's Centennial Collection
Reviews: