August 15, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • Page 19 ‘The Hunger Games’ recalls Roman epics by Dennis Seuling “The Hunger Games” (Lionsgate), to be released Aug. 18, takes place in a future time after civil war has taken a great toll on North America. When order is finally brought to 12 rebellious regions, the decadent central government of Panem forces each region to pay tribute in the form of two human beings, one male, one female, between the ages of 12 and 18. These 24 individuals, chosen by lottery in a “reaping” ceremony, will be trained and coached until they are released into the forest, where they will hunt and kill each other. The last one standing will be declared the winner. The yearly event is broadcast on TV as the ultimate reality show. When her young sister is selected by lottery as the current year’s entrant from her district, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) comes forward to take her place. This is acceptable according to the rules, though a volunteer never has come forward before. She and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), the boy chosen from their district, make their way to the Capitol to prepare for the Games. “The Hunger Games” is reminiscent of all those Roman epics in which men fought to the death in the arena. Making the participants so young gives the movie a sad underlying tone and highlights the devaluation of human life by the corrupt central government that has made this savage “game” an annual event and the throngs that both dread and anticipate it. The movie is beautifully detailed, from the bizarre hairdos, costumes, and makeup of the Capitol’s residents to its splendid architecture. Katniss’ district, by contrast, is an assortment of shacks and dirt roads more 1930s Dust Bowl than sumptuous futuristic landscape. Blu-ray extras on this two-disc release include a profile of writer Suzanne Collins and the phenomenon created by her novel, on which the movie is based; a making-of featurette; a conversation with director Gary Ross; and a look at the movie’s extensive preparation. “The Hunger Games” is also available in a two-disc DVD edition. “Full Metal Jacket” (Warner Home Video), Stanley Kubrick’s intense tale about the Vietnam War, ranks among the best of the Vietnam movies, along with “Apocalypse Now,” “The Deer Hunter,” and “Platoon.” Viewers follow Private “Joker” (Matthew Modine) as he enlists at Parris Island, where Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (former Marine R. Lee Ermey) turns recruits into killers. The film shifts to the front, where Joker joins “Stars and Stripes,” the military newspaper, and accompanies a youthful, glory-hungry outfit about to encounter a mysterious, deadly enemy in the Tet Offensive. The film has two distinct parts: the boot camp journey of the recruits and the battlefield action. In the former, the focus is on Private “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence (Vincent D’Onofrio), overweight, mild-mannered, and the particular target of Sgt. Hartman’s tirades. D’Onofrio is excellent and frightening when he finally gets the hang of guns while showing the results of constant berating, ostracism, and feelings of inferiority. Other Marines are played by Adam Baldwin, Dorian Harewood, and Arliss Howard. The two-disc, 25th Anniversary Bluray edition contains a one-hour docu- Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is selected as one of the competitors in ‘The Hunger Games.’ mentary; commentary by Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, and critic/screenwriter Jay Cocks; the featurette “Full Metal Jacket: Between Good and Evil;” and a 40-page book with photos and production notes. “Les Vampires” (Kino Lorber) is a French serial crafted by Louis Feuillade, the master of the espionage serial whose labyrinthine plots and unforgettable characters influenced Saturday matinee cliffhangers of the ‘30s and ‘40s. Comprised of 10 episodes that clock in at just under seven hours, “Les Vampires,” made in 1915-16, follows journalist Philippe Guerande (continued on Crossword page)