What Really Matters

Remember those glorious days when movies were based on an actual story rather than on special effects? When it was a thrill to discover the unexpected truth in a character’s soul, and when revelation came in the hands of a powerful monologue instead of a deafening explosion?

This month, two DVD releases bring back the forgotten tradition of quality storytelling, using technology to their advantage, without forgetting that a strong script and a good cast are still the keys to an unforgettable movie.

First, DVD goes noir with “L.A. Confidential,” a dense and glittering thriller that is doubtlessly one of last year’s most richly satisfying movie experiences. Fans of the film will have a field day with this elaborate special edition offering the usual extras together with more substantial material.

For starters, there’s the illuminating if slightly self-conscious “Off the Record” documentary, including in-depth interviews with director Curtis Hanson, novelist James Ellroy, whose book it was based on, and Academy Award winner Kim Basinger, among others.

Even more attractive are “Photo Pitch,” a collection of visual materials Hanson used to sell his vision of the movie to the studios, and “The L.A. of L.A. Confidential,” a map that opens up to reveal the many legendary spots of the city that were used as locations for the film.

An equally lavish special edition is the DVD version of “Boogie Nights” (New Line), the sweeping epic covering the grand era of the porn industry, directed with the flair of a master storyteller by newcomer Paul Thomas Anderson.

A cautionary tale that ignites an explosive mix of sardonic humor, poignant vulnerability and corrosive sadness, “Boogie Nights” demands to be seen more than once. And if you want a better understanding of the self-contained universe presented in the movie, you will enjoy the nine scenes that were deleted from the final cut, as well as a pleasant, chatty commentary by Anderson, who from the very beginning admits that he learned a lot about filmmaking by listening to audio commentaries on laserdisc. Interestingly enough, the two-hour-plus monologue betrays the director’s young age much more than the movie itself.

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On the laserdisc front, the Criterion Collection has just released two films directed by a noteworthy woman in the history of French cinema, a new wave pioneer and keen observer of the human soul.

Agnes Varda has been making movies since the mid-’50s, and Criterion managed a fascinating juxtaposition with the simultaneous release of the auteur’s second film, 1962’s “Cleo From 5 to 7,” and the nihilistic road movie “Vagabond,” which she made 23 years later.

As in most films from the “nouvelle vague,” “Cleo’s” black-and-white naturalism and poetic editing appear refreshing even by today’s standards. The movie tells in real time the story of a female singer who awaits the results of a biopsy for cancer; despite the grim subject matter, its statement is passionately life-affirming.

That is not the case with the morose “Vagabond,” a social meditation on film that exemplifies the pompous self-indulgence that afflicts some European cinema. The contrast between the films makes you long for the sparkling naivete of the French new wave.

CURRENT RELEASES

Laserdisc

“Peter Pan” (Image). The 1953 classic is a little more formal and narrative-oriented than the other Disney movies of its time. Includes “You Can Fly,” a 15-minute featurette of the making of the film.

“The Man Who Would Be King” (Image). This rousing John Huston epic was recently re-released on the big screen. No extras here but the film itself, on a stunning wide-screen version.

“The Court Jester” (Pioneer). This endearing medieval extravaganza shows Danny Kaye at the height of his silly comedic powers.

Digital Videodisc

“Rollerball” (MGM). Violence is seen as an addictive drug in this brutal depiction of a near future. Includes an audio commentary with director Norman Jewison and a 1975 behind-the-scenes featurette.

“In the Company of Men” (Columbia TriStar). If you were left pining for revenge after watching this most cruel of dark comedies, you will find redemption in the entertaining commentaries recorded by the director and his wonderful cast.

“The Seven Per Cent Solution” (Image). Sigmund Freud meets Sherlock Holmes in this cozy adventure that could have only been made in the ‘70s. With Robert Duvall, Laurence Olivier and Joel Grey.