HBO Takes a Look at FOUR HOURS AT THE CAPITOL

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from director Jamie Roberts and HBO is a look at one day that has changed the way we look at our politicians and political system with the documentary FOUR HOURS AT THE CAPITOL.

This documentary starts off with Officer Mike Fanone from the D.C. Metro Police Department with twenty years of duty. Explaining how his day would start it would be even more difficult to experience how his day would end.

At the White House, the then 45^th President was giving a hell-fire speech to his supporters but down at the Capitol, proud boy Eddie Block was at the Washington Monument because he could not get to the speech. He sees people moving toward the Capitol, so he follows the group and records what he sees.

Many in the Capitol know there are people gathering outside including Rep. Buddy Carter and Rep. Jim McGovern but neither could have seen where it was going. Liah Han, assistant to the office of Speaker Nancy Pelosi also was becoming aware of the gathering.

Tayler Hansen, a reporter for The Gateway Pundit was in the crowd at the White House speech and is witnessing the reaction of the crowd to what they were hearing. He followed the proud boys even before the violent outbreak. Ashley Gilbertson of The New York Times recalls the crowd as showing “blind devotion”.

Bobby Pickles, also a proud boy explained, “the president says, ‘go to the capitol’ so we went to the capitol.” Soon after began the pushing past barriers with crowds following and it is when “all hell broke loose”.

Officer Winston Pingeon from the U.S. Capitol police reports that the incident actually began 19 minutes before the White House speech ended. Already the police are overwhelmed as the crowd grows even larger, chanting gets louder and tempers flare like a flash fire. Trying to enter the Capitol building, the officers are overtaken.

Inside the chamber, Rep. Eric Swalwell and Rep. Ruben Gallego are there to certify the electoral votes of the election and have no idea what is happening outside. Violence erupts as pepper balls are shot into the crowd and pushing past the police now turns to violence against them. Videographer Brendan Gutenschwager feared what was going and for very good reason.

Couy Griffin representing cowboys for the then standing president, saw the outburst along with activist filmmaker Nick Alvear, and car salesman Domic Box all have their opinions about stolen votes and frustrations. As the crowds escalated, Commander Ramey Kyle of D.C. Metro was making his way to the Capitol saying, “we knew we were in for a fight”.

Inspector Robert Glover, also of D.C. Metro talks about officers beginning to fall and becoming injured by the crowds. Civilians were now attacking and beating police officer to get further into the building. Rep. Jim McGovern began getting txt from family about what was happening. The police are now outnumbered and the break in begins as fire alarms go off and Capitol police sweep in to take people away.

Rep. Jason Crow speaks on how everything quickly became intense, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro was told to continue on with government business. It also became quickly clear that those still in the building knew it was time to protect themselves any way they could as the protestors were becoming insurrectionists.

Officer Goodman tires to keep the crowd away from the Senate Chambers as Officer Byron Evans hears on the radio of the escalation and Officer Keith Robishaw helps to hold the line. Both Majority Whip Dick Durbin and Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer both tell of their experience and how quickly it happened.

The crowds inside grow larger and they are looking for the Vice-President and the Speaker of the House. Finding the Senate Chamber, the intruders ransacked papers and sat in seats while outside it had become complete bedlam as more officers like Daniel Hodge are assaulted and to survive they had to retreat.

The House of Representatives and those inside can now hear the insurrectionists and had to run. Trying to escape to the chant of “stop the steal” reverberating on the floor. There were people in the gallery hiding and making calls to loved ones. Finally, Rep. Adam Kinzinger is led with others to a protective location and is angry that the then president said – nothing.

Officer Fanone arrives at the Capitol and, along with partner Jimmy Albright get to the Capitol tunnel and see that the insurrectionists were attempting to push their way in as the police hold the line. Other officers begin to show up as well and they managed to push the crowd completely back out the tunnel.

As control is resumed, so is the business of the government and the continuation of certifying the election. In the end, 140 officers are injured with one officer dead and four protesters die.

Arrests begin to happen and the reality of it is that the man who pushed the crowds forward promising to be there with them to the Capitol is the same man who stayed behind.

HBO Home Entertainment brings critically acclaimed and groundbreaking programming throughout the world. Releases include the global hit Game of Thrones, True Detective, Girls, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, True Blood, The Wire and Entourage. The company's catalog contains hundreds of titles including Big Little Lies and Band of Brothers. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.hbo.com.

FOUR HOURS AT THE CAPITOL is a look at the timeline of the attack on the Capitol building on January 6, 2020. I know where I was, because it was hours before I could get up from my seat. Sitting at home with family watching the news about the certification, it started as a low murmur and almost in a blink it became violent, and my jaw dropped. Calling out to my family who were in the next room to join me because there was no way I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.

They looked at the television set and I saw the look on their faces so it became clear that we were witnessing something frightening which would be followed by horror. It became a day that is still talked about 21 months later.

What director Roberts was able to do was gather those who lived and, in some cases, survived the day. Even more poignant are the stories that we did not know about that reignited the horror for my family who thought we had seen it all. It is in these stories and the faces of those telling it that will break hearts.

That day also bring the realization that since September 11^th has our country been united in a cause like we all were that day. Now, there is arguing, fighting, accusing, lying, deceiving just to name a few of the divisive things that are happening in the country. The idea of fair play and people who run for office congratulate the winner and look to the next challenge has been damaged, perhaps beyond repair.

Watching FOUR HOURS AT THE CAPITOL, all I could think was that those protecting the Capitol and its occupants inside must have felt like the day was never going to end. The fear and anxiety was palpable then and it seemed to still be with those telling their story. Each frame of the story lets us know what happened and we have certainly learned why it happened even before January 6, 2020.

The importance of this documentary is to never, ever let this happen again and to do that we have to understand how it all got to this point. Not that many of need a grand outline of that but it is important in the telling about this day.

In the end – the ramifications are still being felt today!

 

 

SCARFACE: The World is Yours Limited Edition!

Jeri Jacquin

In celebration of the 1983 classic film with a screenplay by Oliver Stone, director Brian De Palma and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes the SCARFACE "The World Is Yours" Limited Edition 4K UHD/Bluray and Digital.

Tony Montana (Al Pacino) is a Cuban refugee arriving in Miami along with friends Manny (Steven Bauer), Angel (Pepe Serna) and Chi-Chi (Angel Salazar). Given green cards they become dishwashers which is totally distasteful for Tony who feels he is meant for something bigger.

Involved in a hit gone bad, Tony wants to meet Miami drug dealer Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia) to deliver his drugs and money in person. Taking the initiative, Tony and Manny are hired to work for Frank which sets them up to bring his mother Georgina (Miriam Colon) and sister Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) to Miami. Once Tony's mother discovers what he is doing she refuses to have him around.

Tony has his first opportunity when Frank sends him to Bolivia to meet another drug kingpin in Alejandro Sosa (Paul Shenar). His sidekick Omar (F. Murray Abraham) isn't happy with what's happening and Sosa takes the opportunity to deal with him as well as warn Tony not to ever mess with him. This isn't the only thing that upsets Frank as word gets out that Tony is going solo behind his back sending an attack. Tony isn't about to let that slide and with moves of his own he marries Elvira (Michelle Pfeiffer) and builds an empire bringing in more money than anyone could have imagined.

Years go by and Manny isn't happy with what Tony is doing. Expanding into money laundering, the boss is also addicted to his own product. All of this leads to tension with Elvira and a mild disdain between husband and wife. Looking for the next big thrill, it comes when he is arrested and charged with tax evasion.

Sosa agrees to help Tony with his little problem but Sosa also has a little problem that Tony needs to take care of in the form of a journalist about to blow up the kingpins life. Frustrated with the whole thing Tony takes it out on Elvira in a public place but she's had enough and walks away. Heading for New York to do what Sosa asks, Tony has a moment of conscious and returns to Miami.

Promising Tony that he would pay for not doing the job, he learns that Gina is missing. Finding her with Manny after asking him to stay away turns ugly. Feeling everything crumbling, Tony takes Gina and returns to the mansion and a cocaine face dive.

That’s when hell comes knocking at the door and one of the biggest gun fights reminds Tony that "The World is Yours", even if only temporarily.

Pacino as Tony is a man who wants to get away from everything he knows in Cuba to start over. Discovering that starting over isn't as easy as he thought, it takes a hot second before he finds the best way to get what he wants. The problem is that the best way in his mind is the worst way for everyone around him. Pacino is totally absorbed in portraying this character and after years of watching it trust me when I say I've looked for an opening - there isn't one. Pacino makes damn sure with this performance that no one can ever touch it again.

Bauer as Manny is a friend to Tony and wants to succeed. I have to say he has more of a conscience than his friend but that probably isn't saying too much. As the years pass and the danger becomes even crazier, it is Manny who seems to want to walk away but doesn't know how. Bauer gives a strong performance and that could be considered saying something standing next to Al Pacino.

Pfeiffer as Elvira is a woman who falls for a smooth talking man promising her a good life. It may have started out that way but, as with all things sinister, it begins to force itself into her life. She becomes no better than Tony as they both begin to drown in their dislike of one another because it's like looking in a mirror for each of them. What started out as the potential for a good life was based on lies and false promises, nothing good can ever come of that. Elvira is just one sniff away from destroying any chance of a life period and Pfeiffer makes you believe it.

Mastrantonio as Gina quickly assimilates into the Miami scene which completely drives her brother insane. He wants a sweet and innocent sister but Gina has other plans. This is a character that cries out to be saved but when everyone is in self-destruct mode it turns into 'if you can't beat them, join them'. Loggia as Frank shows Tony what it takes to have the drug business and after creating a monster suffers a creators fate.

Abraham as Omar has always been such an interesting character because Abraham is always in my head as the underhanded Salieri from AMADEUS or the underhanded Dar Adal from the series Homeland. I forget that Omar was the first underhanded character I'd ever seen him portray and he did it so well then as he does now. Shenar as Sosa was always a force to be reckoned with but Tony thought he was always one step ahead. Trust me, when someone says 'don't cross me' I suggest you not cross them, especially in the violent world created by drug kingpins!

Other cast include Harris Yulin as Mel Bernstein, Michael P. Moran as Nick the Pig, Al Israel as Hector the Toad, Mark Margolis as Alberto the Shadow, Geno Silva as The Skull, Dennis Holahan as Jerry, Ted Beniades as Seidelbaum and Gregg Henry as Charles Goodson.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are film of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

The combo includes SCARFACE (1983) 4K UHD, SCARFACE (1983) Bluray, SCARFACE (1983) Digital, and SCARFACE (1932) Bluray. The Bonus Features include SCARFACE 35th Anniversary Reunion: An All-New Conversation with Director Brian De Palma and Actors Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer and Steven Bauer from the Tribeca Film Festival, The SCARFACE Phenomenon, The World of Tony Montana, The Rebirth, The Acting, The Creating, Deleted Scenes, SCARFACE: The TV Version and more!

Pacino saw the 1932 version of SCARFACE and saw potential in remaking the film. After a shift in writers, Oliver Stone was brought on to create the iconic script. De Palma brought his direction and SCARFACE would become an iconic film making list after list for villains, movie quotes and gangster films (Body count: 42). "Say hello to my little friend" (which was an M16 assault rifle with an M203 40mm grenade launcher on the barrel) is uttered at least once a day somewhere on the planet in so many ways and in so many situations.

There is actually nothing that can touch SCARFACE and even though there are rumors always abound of a remake or a sequel, I personally wouldn't see it. I love everything about this film from its intrigue to cinematography to the cast who create the whole story with the nuances of the characters they portray.

SCARFACE is a film that is memorable for my generation and it continues to stun the next generation of audiences because, despite the polyester suits, what happens to Tony and the gang is not so far off what is happening today. There is a mentality and a way of life that lends itself to the kinds of danger and violence these characters bring on themselves.

That being said, I love the cinematography, the costuming and the music choices. It is as if Pacino, Bauer, Pfeiffer and the rest of the actors gave it everything and the rest is pure icing on this magnificent cake of a film. It is as if Pacino dares us to go along for the ride and when we are shocked, Tony laughs at our squeamishness. His idea of the American dream sends most of us running the other way and he makes no apologies as he doesn't suffer fools and the weak.

SCARFACE is iconic, epic and is a totally uncomfortable film to watch but like all train wrecks you can't look away. The characters are bad, that's clear from the start but maybe there is something in us that hopes someone, anyone will find redemption. Once again, our definition of redemption and Tony's is what brings on the final scene of the film. 

In the end - he loved the American dream with a vengeance!

The Michael Mann’s Masterpiece HEAT Comes to Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray next week from writer/director Michael Mann and 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment comes the Director’s Definitive Edition of HEAT.

Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) is a professional thief and along with crew Chris (Val Kilmer), Breedan (Dennis Haysbert), Cheritto (Tom Sizemore) are always out to score big money. Wanting to make a big score – McCauley loses control of the heist and it brings in heavy law enforcement.

Trying to connect the dots when the robbery takes out armored car security, Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) is on the scene. Along with his law enforcement crew of Sgt. Drucker (Mykelti Williamson), Casals (Wes Studi) and Bosko (Ted Levine), Hanna knows that he will have to turn over every rock to find someone who will talk.

McCauley wants one more shot at a final score before retiring and even though he feels that law enforcement are breathing down his neck, it won’t stop him. What just might is falling for Eady (Amy Brenneman) which goes against his dictum of ‘never have anything in your life that you can’t walk out on in thirty seconds flat’.

Hanna becomes so involved in trying to nail McCauley and his gang, home life with wife Justine (Diane Verona) begins to a very big back seat. Each minute away from home brings Hanna closer to learning where the next heist will take place.

Final showdown is inevitable!

Pacino as Hanna is absolutely stunning as a police officer dedicated to catching the bad guy. Using every trick in the book, he seems to be one step behind the bad guy which only intensifies his resolve to make it all stop. I love Pacino in intense roles like this one because he not only becomes unreadable at times but still manages to surprise me and this role did just that.

De Niro as McCauley is equally as intense in this role. As McCauley, De Niro knows exactly what it takes to stay in control and focus on the goal. Even the moments where he seems to be softening, there are hard edges that even Brenneman gets cut on. Seeing Pacino and De Niro on screen together in the restaurant scene just gave me chills that I haven’t felt since THE GODFATHER II. Love both of these actors!

Brenneman as Eady is a woman who sees McCauley as a challenge to get close to. Not realizing what he is capable of, she suspects that there is something surrounding him and, of course, she wants to save him from himself.

Kilmer as Shiherlis knows what he is doing when it comes to crime but has no idea how to keep the wife happy. The relationship between McCauley and Shiherlis is tight and Kilmer delivers. Judd as Charlene is a woman I wouldn’t trust with a ten foot pole or secrets for that matter.

Sizemore as Cheritto brings in the tough criminal who swings a weapon with no fear. Haysbert as Breedan is a line cook who misses the old life but gets one more shot at it! Voight as Nate tries to keep the plans moving in the right direction.

Levine as Bosko always makes an interesting law man yet I still can’t get his role in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS out of my head. Fichtner as Van Zant is a man who clearly doesn’t know who he is dealing with and going against McCauley isn’t such a good idea.

Cast also includes Diane Verona as Justine, Ashley Judd as Charlene Shiherlis, Natalie Portman as Lauren Gustafson, and Tom Noonan as Kelso.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.com.

The HEAT Bluray Special Features include new Academy Panel reuniting director Mann, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and moderated by Christopher Nolan, Toronto International Film Festival Q&A with director Mann, Commentary by Michael Mann, The Making of Heat – True Crime, Crime Stories, Into the Fire, Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation, Return to the Scene of the Crime, Additional Footage of Deleted Scenes, and Theatrical Trailers – Surprise of a Lifetime, Two Actors Collide, Closing In.

Taking inspiration from the late Chicago police detective Charlie Adamson – who was killed by the actual Neil McCauley in a shootout in 1963 – HEAT was the culmination of years of research by director Mann resulting in its depth and range of characters and choreography of action.

It has been 20 years since HEAT first riveted audiences and anyone who watches it today could never tell that all these years has passed. That’s how amazing the storytelling, performances and cinematography and direction is for this film. The action sequences are impeccable and scary at the same time.

This is what filmmaking should always be and Mann now brings brilliance to Bluray for everyone to see with over one hour of extras. Be prepared to be blown away once again or for the first time!

I personally am excited that HEAT is coming to Bluray as anytime Pacino and De Niro get together you can be sure it will be an epic experience. HEAT will make fans happy and bring a new generation into the fold. It’s a film that embodies perfection in every sense.

In the end – a Los Angeles crime drama like no other!