Hollywoodland (www.the-usher.com)

"My son would never kill himself"

June 16, 1959, Hollywood is rocked by the suicide of former TV actor George Reeves (Affleck). Famed for playing Superman on the popular Saturday morning TV show, he shot a speeding bullet through his own head and was found dead by his fiancé Leonore Lemmon (Tunney). George Reeves' mother didn't believe that her son would have taken his own live however and hires private investigator Louis Simo (Brody) to discover what really happens but his enquiries lead him to the upper echelons of Hollywood society and power.

One of Hollywood's biggest mysteries is finally addressed but can this movie answer the many questions posed by the death of former Man of Steel, George Reeves or only open up many more?

The death of George Reeves in 1959 has cultivated many a conspiracy theory over the decades. His apparent suicide raised questions because of his apparent romantic connections with the then head of MGM Eddie Mannix's wife Toni and the fact that he had left her for another woman a few months before. There were the reported public arguments between Reeves and his new fiancé over money and where his career was going. Add to this the fact that his career was on the slide and his future projects were been kyboshed by Mannix and you have questions that can be asked.

'Hollywoodland' centres on the LA private investigator Louis Simo as he looks into the case that the police have closed but George Reeves' mother won't let go. His investigations bring him to the attention of Mannix and his people and as he gets closer to discovering more and more about the case, the more dangerous it becomes. George Reeves' career and life is shown in flashback, as we discover how he got his big break as on TV as Superman and more importantly his relationship with his older lover Toni Mannix. The film highlights how this relationship influenced and limited his career, as well as the affect that been a hero to millions of children affected him personally. This paints an interesting picture of the man but the film doesn't really offer any answers.

The performances from the ensemble cast are very good. Diane Lane is exceptionally good as the possessive Toni Mannix. This is a woman who adores George but also needs to control his ever move. Buying him a house and keeping him in the Hollywood lifestyle, Lane plays the role of the older woman with her toy-boy with great skill. Ben Affleck finally makes a decent career choice by taking a role that he can really sink his teeth into. While he may not look that much like the star, he conveys with a heavy heart and a sense of disappoint as Reeves heads to his dramatic end. Adrien Brody is his usually watchable self as P.I. Louis Simo but the limitations of the character's development and the lacklustre facts he uncovers limit his impact in the film. There are also good supporting turns from Bob Hoskins as MGM boss Eddie Mannix, Robin Tunney as Reeves' fiancé Leonore Lemmon and Jeffery DeMunn as George's agent and friend Art Weissman.

'Hollywoodland' is a movie with an interesting subject but nothing much to say. The film offers three theories about George Reeves' death but doesn't really draw any conclusions. With Adrien Brody's character been a fictional amalgamation of investigators and police officers, the credibility of the film also takes a hit. The story however is still interesting and the performances make the movie much better than it could have been.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1, the presentation is good.

BONUS FEATURES

Featuring Commentary with director Allen Coulter
The man at the helm talks about bringing the story of George Reeves' death to the silver screen. He talks passionately about the movie highlighting the look, style and feel of the film and making the difference between the two eras really standout. He also discusses the casting and performances, as well as discussing key scenes in the movie. This is a decent single person commentary from someone who feels very strongly about the film.

Re-Creating Old Hollywood (6.53 mins)
Director Allen Coulter, producer Greg Williamson, columnist James R. Bacon, executive producer Miles Dale, production designer Leslie McDonald and stars Ben Affleck, Bob Hoskins and Diane Lane talk about recreating the look and feel of 1950s Hollywood. Here we see how they recreated Coconut Grove, Ciros and the Santa Monica Beach Club.

Behind the Headlines (7.21 mins)
Director Allen Coulter, producer Greg Williamson, executive producer Miles Dale, screenwriter Paul Bernbaum and stars Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Ben Affleck, Bob Hoskins and Robin Tunney talk about the film not been a biopic but a mix of fictional and factual storytelling. They also discuss the differences between the Reeves and Simo stories and showing the differences between the two social levels and circles.

Hollywood Then & Now (7.56 mins)
Director Allen Coulter, producer Greg Williamson, executive producer Miles Dale, screenwriter Paul Bernbaum, historian Ruby Behlmer, actor/historian Jim Beaver, columnist James R. Bacon and stars Ben Affleck, Bob Hoskins and Diane Lane talk about the old studio system, the control of stars and the fear of the upcoming medium of television.

Deleted Scenes (5.07 mins)
Watch scenes from George Reeves' funeral, wiretaps, Mannix's House and more from the LAPD but these deleted or extended scenes suffer from the lack of a commentary track or introduction to reveal why they were removed.

Trailers
Previews of 'Catch a Fire', 'Hot Fuzz' and 'Man of the Year'

OVERALL

The DVD treatment for 'Hollywoodland' will please fans of the film. With a good commentary and some decent featurettes, there is much to enjoy here.

DVD

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2006