Brubaker

Time Curve: Music for Piano by Philip Glass and William Duckworth
$11.99
Philip Glass is a keyboard composer at heart and his innovative art is captured in its essence in this superbly played solo recital, which features some of his best-know piano compositions. Shorn of the multi-textures and color rainbows that characterize Glass' orchestral and ensemble compositions, the profoundly meditative and trancelike quality of his music -- while never becoming cloying and avoiding any sense of vapidity -- comes to the fore. Hearing Glass' music stripped down to its essentials one also becomes aware of his place in the tradition of great keyboard composer/pianists -- and particularly his affinity with Debussy, whose non-Western composition idiom is evoked throughout this disc. The interesting Duckworth pieces are written in a similar idiom. All the selections receive excellent, beautifully recorded performance from Brubaker, one of the leading exponents of contemporary classical piano works.

Brubaker
$14.98
I have always had a soft spot for the 1980 film "Brubaker." This earnest work, detailing horrible conditions in a Southern prison, stars Robert Redford in fine superstar form as liberal warden Henry Brubaker attempting to reform the conditions of a penal system suffering from decades of neglect. "Brubaker," in many ways, is the end of a glorious 1970's era of Redford's career. He would soon become a director ("Ordinary People" in 1980), and would work only sporadically as an actor for the next 10 years, evolving into the older roles we see today.

Redford's character mysteriously arrives on the scene as a quiet inmate, witnessing a variety of shocking injustices including torture, rape, maggot-infested food and murder. After 30 minutes of grime (which evidently takes place over several days), he steps forward, revealing himself to be the new prison warden.

Based on an actual case which took place in Arkansas during the 1960s, "Brubaker," to its discredit, takes quiet a few liberties for dramatic effect. I have always wondered how Redford's character escaped unscathed during his brief inmate tenure. And when he finally makes his proclamation, he takes a huge risk by walking into the warden's office adorned in nothing more than soiled prisoner scrubs. This is not the way it happened, and while this device allows the viewer to witness primitive prison conditions first-hand, it creates an uneven film.

Brubaker has his work cut out for him. He essentially rolls up his sleeves, hires a new doctor, plants crops and has fresh food available for the inmates. This is all well and good until he must make an appearance at a prison board meeting (at the local Hilton) and answer the inevitable questions as to why improvements are even necessary. With selfish abandon, he alienates the board and decides to go to war against their corruption.

"Brubaker" boasts one of the finest supporting casts you are likely ever going to see. Yaphet Kotto, David Keith, Murray Hamilton, Jane Alexander, Tim McIntire, Matt Clark, Everett McGill, M. Emmet Walsh, Albert Salmi, Val Avery, Richard Ward (in his final role) and with an early performance by a singing Morgan Freeman to boot! Such expert casting raises the level of "Brubaker" several notches, and Kotto, as cynical inmate trustee Richard 'Dickie' Coombes, just about steals the film. Interestingly, he sees the futility of Brubaker's quest. He announces to him at one point, "You're going to get people killed!"

Stuart Rosenberg directed this film, and a token glance at his resume reveals the fine prison drama "Cool Hand Luke" in 1967. Reportedly Bob Rafelson ('Five Easy Pieces") was originally on board, and one wonders what his vision might have been. Abrupt changes in directors never help a production, and "Brubaker" suffers from an overall lack of character development. Rarely is there a scene of personal contemplation. We know very little about Brubaker's life, with the exception that he eats TV dinners and falls asleep on the couch. Redford's star persona is supposed to fill in the gaps, but it weakens the film's quality.

By the conclusion, Brubaker has discovered some unmarked prisoner graves, though his source is murdered in a very sad scene. Politicians wish this secret to be kept quiet, giving Brubaker negotiating power to receive the funds necessary to fulfill his reformation. His refusal to compromise seems short-sighted and egotistical. Men get killed, he gets rightfully fired, and by film's end the prison is returning to traditional ways.

There is really no way to have a happy ending for this story, though less formula would have better served its message. I couldn't help but recall the brilliant 1995 film "Dead Man Walking." It too was a cry for prisoner rights, but told from the viewpoint of multi-dimensional characters with disturbing flaws and anguish. "Brubaker" has the same message, 15 years before, though with contrivances injected to enhance traditional Hollywood flow.

Glass Cage / Brubaker
$11.99
2 composers who challenge the genre and make a wonderful pairing in the 21st Century minimalist world. Must for the collector. 4 stars.

The Last Castle
$9.99
THE LAST CASTLE

(USA/Canada - 2001)

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)
Theatrical soundtracks: Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS

A battle of wills erupts between a martinet prison warden (James Gandolfini) and his latest inmate (Robert Redford), a former Army officer who leads an uprising against Gandolfini's brutal regime.

A B-movie plot with A-class production values, toplined by one of the world's most recognizable actors, and played with grim conviction by a fine supporting cast. The escalating conflict between Redford and Gandolfini conforms to every expectation, and the final assault on the warden's stronghold is deliriously over-the-top. But the movie works like a dream, thanks to star wattage from Redford and gung-ho direction by Rod Lurie, working from David Scarpa's old-fashioned screenplay, co-written with Graham Yost. An unpretentious, entertaining potboiler, no more or less. Music by Jerry Goldsmith.