Page 22 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & II • December 14, 2011 Noel Coward pre-code comedy debuts on Blu-ray by Dennis Seuling “Design for Living” (The Criterion Collection), the 1933 film adaptation of a Noel Coward play, is making its bow on Blu-ray. Struggling playwright Tom Chambers (Fredric March) and struggling artist George Curtis (Gary Cooper) meet successful commercial artist Gilda Farrell (Miriam Hopkins) on a train bound for Paris. Tom and George both fall in love with the spirited, independent Gilda. Unable to decide which man she prefers, but with feelings for both, she decides to become a patroness of the arts and help both men achieve success in their respective fields. Director Ernst Lubitsch (“Ninotchka”) jettisoned much of Coward’s lofty, often poetic dialogue in favor of an earthier treatment. Made shortly before Hollywood’s Production Code prohibited anything that smacked of sex, the film has a refreshingly adult take on relationships, though it easily falls into the category of farce or even screwball comedy. Writer Ben Hecht’s trademark wisecracking cynicism and Lubitsch’s debonair comedic flair go well together. Hecht was never fond of writing that smacked of “upper class” and basically rewrote Coward’s entire script, providing a more accessible cast of characters that wouldn’t seem so far removed from the experience of the average moviegoer. The film moves briskly and has more laughs than the play. March and Hopkins come off as passionate and their performances leave nothing to the imagination as to what is on their minds. Cooper, unfortunately, looks out of his depth and uncomfortable in evening clothes trying to keep up with the plot. Where’s Cary Grant when you need him? The Blu-ray Criterion edition contains a new high-definition restoration; “The Clerk,” starring Charles Laughton, director Lubitsch’s segment of the 1932 anthology film “If I Had a Million;” selected scene commentary; a 1964 British television production of “Design for Living;” and a booklet featuring a critical essay. “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment) is a prequel to 1968’s “Planet of the Apes” and shows in methodical detail how apes came to surpass human beings at the top of Earth’s food chain. Will Rodman (James Franco) is a research scientist working for a large drug company on a cure for Alzheimer’s. He has a personal stake in making a breakthrough, since his father (John Lithgow) has the disease and is gradually slipping away. Will uses chimpanzees in his test trials. A serum that Will and his staff have created has a profound effect on the chimps: It sharpens their intelligence and heightens their ability to reason. There are many sequences in this film that are totally absorbing, even though they feature no dialogue. Viewers believe the chimpanzees thanks to close-ups that appear to read their thoughts. Director Rupert Wyatt has paced the film well, so viewers accept the transformation of the apes into creatures with thoughts of taking up a cause, escaping, and seeking revenge. The two-disc combo pack contains Blu-ray, DVD, digital copy, deleted scenes, scene breakdowns, several featurettes, and audio commentary with the director and writers. The movie is also available on a single-disc DVD edition. “Fright Night” (Buena Vista Home Entertainment) is a remake of the 1985 flick that transferred cinema’s vampire lore to a contemporary American setting. This version is an anemic imitation starring Colin Farrell as Jerry, given to dark brooding, understated pain, and some creepy sex appeal. Teenager Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin, “Star Trek”) lives with his Mom (Toni Collette) in Las Gary Cooper, Miriam Hopkins, and Fredric March in a scene from Ernst Lubitsch’s ‘Design for Living,’ based on the Noel Coward play. Vegas. His longtime nerdy best friend, Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a fan of comic books, horror movies, and the supernatural, informs Charley that his new neighbor is a vampire, but Charley brushes Ed’s warnings aside. He is preoccupied with inducing Amy (Imogen Poots) to notice him. Farrell doesn’t convey sufficient menace and never fully inhabits the role. Yelchin, an appealing young actor, could benefit from a few lessons in balancing a performance. He acts on a similar note for most of the film and then goes overboard in the climax. For some reason, David Tennant co-stars as Peter Vincent, star of an elaborate Vegas stage show called “Fright Night,” about stalking and killing vampires. Drunk, obnoxious, and arrogant, Vincent is awkwardly worked into the plot when Charley consults him for vampire advice. Tennant is reminiscent of Russell Brand’s Arthur character and is equally over-the-top and irritating. The three-disc “Fright Night” combo pack contains Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD, and digital versions. Bonuses include featurettes, a gag reel, music video, and five deleted scenes. “Fright Night” is also available in two-disc (Blu-ray and DVD) and single disc DVD editions. “Little Deaths” (Image Entertainment), a horror anthology in the tradition of “Dead of Night,” “Tales from the Crypt,” and “Tales from the Darkside,” (continued on next page)