May 25, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • Page 27 ‘Papillon’ traces escape attempt from Devil’s Island by Dennis Seuling “Papillon” (Warner Home Video), directed by Franklin J. Schaffner (“Patton,” “Planet of the Apes”), is the story of French petty criminal Henri Charriere, known as Papillon (butterfly) because of a prominent tattoo. Papillon is unjustly convicted of murder and struggles to escape the notorious penal colony of Devil’s Island. Steve McQueen plays Papillon and Dustin Hoffman plays fellow convict Louis Dega, the most famous counterfeiter in France. Papillon promises to protect Louis in exchange for his help in planning what will be a difficult escape. At 150 minutes, the film would have benefited from tighter editing to cut a few false endings. What keeps the viewer involved is the unlikely relationship between Papillon, a man of action, and Louis, a bookish intellectual. The movie has some fine moments, among them Papillon’s experience in a leper colony, relying on disease victims for help. Another finds the pair atop a cliff on the island with Papillon wondering if a raft made of coconuts might get him through the rough seas. It’s apparent in this scene that the endless ocean, not jail cells or guards, is the real prison. The new Blu-ray edition contains the featurette “The Magnificent Rebel” and a 32-page book with background information, archival photos, and an examination of the controversy surrounding the film’s accuracy. Charriere was accused of fabricating parts of his autobiography, on which the script was based. “I Am Number Four” (Touchstone Home Entertainment) is an action sciencefiction thriller with an interesting premise. Number Four (Alex Pettyfer) is an alien whose home planet, Lorien, was destroyed by an evil race of hit men called the Mogadorians. Four is one of nine Lorien children sent to Earth to escape their planet’s destruction. Legend says they will eventually gain enough power to vanquish the Modadorians. So the Mogadorians have tracked them to Earth, intent on wiping out all nine. One, Two, and Three have already been killed. Four must act quickly and decisively, but first he must hide in plain sight. How? He enrolls in the local high school. This movie is all over the place and far too ambitious. Sometimes it aspires to be “The Matrix,” other times “The X Files,” and still others a John Hughes flick. Extras on the Blu-ray/DVD/digital combo pack include a making-of featurette, bloopers, and six deleted scenes. “The Big Bang” (Anchor Bay) is a film noir-inspired detective thriller. Late one night, private investigator Ned Cruz (Antonio Banderas) gets a visit from a recently paroled Russian boxer with a job offer: find Steve McQueen plays a man sentenced to imprisonment on Devil’s Island in ‘Papillon.’ Lexie, his missing girlfriend, and the $30 million stash of diamonds she is hiding. As Detective Cruz sets out to find her, the clues send him to some colorful characters, from a Hollywood action star (James Van Der Beek) with a dirty secret, to an enterprising porn producer (Snoop Dog) who takes a personal interest in his work, to a kinky waitress (Autumn Reeser) with a fetish for particle physics. Lexie proves elusive and Cruz becomes obsessed with finding her. This is a strange film. It combines the mystery genre with the basics of physics, interrupting the narrative several times with monologues that stop the action dead. The script falls into the trap of providing extraneous details to shore up the science aspect of the plot, making for a picture topheavy with talk. Banderas looks as lost as many viewers will be trying to figure out this weird spin on what should have been a straightforward murder mystery. Blu-ray extras include director audio commentary, a making-of featurette, and extended scenes. The film is also available on DVD. “Gettysburg: The Director’s Cut” and “Gods and Generals: The Extended Director’s Cut” (Warner Home Video) are new on Blu-ray to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. “Gettysburg” is director Ronald F. Maxwell’s acclaimed film about the three-day battle. Shot on actual battle locations and filled with authentic details, it takes viewers into the bloodiest battle fought on American soil. The film is methodical in its depiction of all the major participants, strategies, and decisions made during the legendary battle. Tom Berenger, Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen, and Stephen Lang star. 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