America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 27, 2010

Criterion's "America Lost and Found: The BBS Story" collection contains seven legendary underground films that changed the landscape of American cinema - "Easy Rider" (1969), "The King of Marvin Gardens" (1972), "Head" (1968), "Five Easy Pieces" (1970), "The Last Picture Show" (1971), "Drive, He Said" (1971), and "A Safe Place" (1971). The collection also contains an enormous amount of supplemental features - various exclusive interviews with Jack Nicholson, Bob Rafelson, Peter Bogdanovich, Ellen Burstyn, Henry Janglom, Karen Black; video interviews with cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs; audio commentaries with the late Dennis Hopper, Henry Jaglom, Bob Rafelson, ex-Monkees Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork; an archival interview with director Francois Truffaut; documentary film by Laurent Bouzereau; various video pieces; featurettes; screen tests; deleted footage; trailers; and more. The collection also arrives with a massive 112-page illustrated booklet with various essays by renowned film critics. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for each film. Region-A "locked".

The Mavericks

Easy Rider

Easy Rider is the definitive counter-culture film. The loud statement that announced the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. A true legend. It is also a hilarious, sad, and incredibly revealing film about America a lot of Americans did not know existed.

Captain America (Peter Fonda, Spirits of the Dead) and Billy (Dennis Hopper, The Last Days of Frankie the Fly), two bikers from Los Angeles, travel to Mardi Gras. Their trip is financed by a cocaine deal that has made them quite a bit of money. Neither Captain America nor Billy, however, uses hard drugs. They prefer marijuana. As they travel across America the two encounter hippies, various rednecks, and eventually a wacky lawyer (Jack Nicholson, Prizzi's Honor) with some great information about the best whorehouse in the union.

The King of Marvin Gardens

David (Jack Nicholson) is a lonely late-night radio talk show jockey who lives together with his grandfather (Charles LaVine) somewhere in Philadelphia. Jason (Bruce Dern, The Great Gatsby, The Driver), David’s brother, is a small time hustler trying to make it big. He lives in Atlantic City, New Jersey, together with a beautiful but emotionally unstable blondie, Sally (Ellen Burstyn, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Requiem for a Dream), and her stepdaughter, Jessica (Julie Anne Robinson). Jason shares both - which is why rather often there is a lot of tension between the three.

Jason phones David and asks him to come to Atlantic City and get him out of jail. When his brother arrives, Jason shares with him his plan to buy an island not too far off of Hawaii and build a casino on it. The deal will be financed with the money of his boss, Lewis (Scatman Crothers, The Shining), a black gangster who believes that Jason has lost his mind.

Head

Bob Rafelson’s legendary film is a little bit of everything - concert movie, smart satire about a society in transition, terrific comedy, and a radical political film disguised as an avant-garde picture. Above all, however, Head is undoubtedly one of the greatest psychedelic films ever made in Hollywood.

The film is comprised of a series of 'trippy' sequences - a brand new bridge is about to be revealed but the Monkees disrupt the ceremony and consequently get trapped in a giant black box; a Coke machine appears in an unnamed desert and a group of Italian soldiers immediately decide to stop fighting an imaginary enemy; cowboys and indians clash while someone is shooting a film; a boxing match goes terribly wrong; Frank Zappa shows up with a talking cow; etc.

Five Easy Pieces

Classical pianist Bobby Dupea (Jack Nicholson) has left his bourgeois family in Washington and found peace in Southern California, where he works at an oil rig and spends most of his free time bowling. He has also found a girlfriend, Ray (Karen Black, The Great Gatsby, The Day of the Locust), a nice-looking waitress who likes sex and crying on Bobby’s shoulder.

After his sister tells him that his father is seriously ill, Bobby heads back to Washington, together with the enthusiastic Ray. Along the way, however, he meets other women and dumps Ray in a motel. At his family house, Bobby is once again confronted with the same pretentious, suffocating bourgeois atmosphere that drove him away years ago.

The Last Picture Show

Peter Bogdanovich’s film is about a small West Texas town in which a beloved movie theater is dying – as is the entire town. Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges, The Fisher King) and Sonny Crawford (Timothy Bottoms, Johnny Got His Gun) are best friends who have rather similar interests and desires. Jacy (Cybill Shepherd, Taxi Driver) is Duane’s girlfriend. She is rich and beautiful, a girl every boy wants – and she knows it. Mostly unaware of the issues many of the town folks have to deal with, Duane, Sonny, and Jacy are happy with their lives. But when the town begins to disintegrate so do various relationships.

Drive, He Said/A Safe Place

Jack Nicholson’s directorial debut tells the story of an antagonistic college basketball player, Hector (William Tepper, Miss Right), whose life is slowly spinning out of control. Eventually, Hector’s misery affects the lives of a number of people around him – Olive (Karen Black), the wife of one of his professors, Coach Bullion (Bruce Dern), and Gabriel (Michael Margotta, Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?), Hector's radical roommate.

Henry Jaglom’s directorial debut, A Safe Place, is about a beautiful but sad young woman, Susan (Tuesday Weld, Who'll Stop the Rain, Once Upon a Time in America), who has a terrible time coming to terms with everything that surrounds her – which is why she spends most of her time in an imaginary, safer world where anything is possible.

Criterion’s America Lost and Found: The BBS Story contains seven legendary underground films, produced between 1968 and 1972, that changed the landscape of American cinema. Bold, unconventional, provocative and controversial, these films captured an intense transformational period in America, which the film industry had ignored. In 1969, the most famous of these films, Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider, went on to win the Best First Work award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Virtually all of the BBS films feature emotional characters who in one way or another rebel against the socio-political status quo in America during the late 60s and early 70s. In Five Easy Pieces, the main character is a man who confronts his bourgeois family; in The King of Marvin Gardens, two brothers who view the world from two completely different angles come together and challenge the rules they are expected to follow; in Easy Rider, the two bikers clash with various rednecks who single them out because they look different and exude a sense of freedom; in A Safe Place, the young woman completely rejects the world she is expected to fit in. Like the groundbreaking films from the French New Wave, the BBS films changed perceptions, expectations, and standards, and reconnected American cinema with reality.

Despite being produced with very limited budgets, practically all of the BBS films look remarkably polished. Legendary cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs’ lensing (his use of natural light in Easy Rider, as well the prolonged static shots in The King of Marvin Gardens, should be studied by aspiring cinematographers) literally redefined existing standards.

Note: BBS stands for director Bob Rafelson, producer Bert Schneider, and producer Steve Blauner.

America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Easy Rider

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"Supervised by director of photography Laszlo Kovacs, this new high-definition transfer was created in 4K resolution on a Northlight 2 Scanner from the original camera negative and the black-and-white separation masters.

Telecine supervisors: Laszlo Kovacs; Grover Crisp/Sony Pictures, Los Angeles.
Telecine colorist: Janet Wilson/Motion Picture Imaging, Los Angeles."

Criterion's high-definition transfer is practically identical to the one Sony Pictures used for their Blu-ray release of Easy Rider. Fine object detail is exceptionally strong, clarity excellent, and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. The color-scheme is very impressive - the variety of yellows, blues, greens, reds, browns, and blacks look rich and at the same time natural. Edge-enhancement and macroblocking are never an issue of concern. I also did not see any traces of heavy noise reduction. The fine grain is very much intact and wonderfully resolved. Finally, I did not see any annoying large cuts, warps, marks, or debris to report in this review. To sum it all up, Easy Rider looks absolutely fantastic on Blu-ray. What a treat!

The King of Marvin Gardens

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"Supervised by director of photography Laszlo Kovacs, this new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from a new 35 mm interpositive.

Telecine supervisors: Laszlo Kovacs; Grover Crisp/Sony Pictures, Los Angeles.
Telecine colorist: Tess Walsh/Ascent Media, Burbank, CA."

Our screencaptures do not reveal how incredibly strong this high-definition transfer is. For example, the opening scene with Jack Nicholson - a prolonged, beautiful close-up - conveys outstanding detail, depth and clarity. Elsewhere the footage with Atlantic City looks pleasingly fresh and healthy; contrast, clarity, and the variety of different colors are indeed very impressive. Edge-enhancement is not a serious issue of concern; neither is macroblocking. I did not see any traces of heavy noise reduction either. Occasionally the film appears somewhat soft (specifically, during some of the beach scenes), but this is a visual effect intended by its director. Lastly, I did not see any large cuts, marks, warps, or debris to report in this review.

Head

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"Head is presented in the director's preferred aspect ratio of 1.78:1. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from a 35mm interpositive.

Telecine supervisors: Rita Belda; Grover Crisp/Sony Pictures, Los Angeles.
Telecine colorist: John Dunn/Ascent Media, Burbank, CA."

This high-definition transfer does not disappoint either. Fine object detail is very good, clarity pleasing, and with a few minor exceptions contrast levels consistent. There are some extremely minor color pulsations that are occasionally noticeable, but they are never distracting. Generally speaking, the variety of soft reds, blues, greens, yellows, browns, grays, and blacks look healthy and fresh. Edge-enhancement is not a serious issue of concern. I also did not detect any traces of heavy noise reduction. Indeed, the grain structure is very much intact and in fact quite prominent. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues to report in this review. Blown through a digital projector, the high-definition transfer conveys wonderful depth and tightness.

Five Easy Pieces

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"Supervised by director of photography Laszlo Kovacs, this new high-definition digital transfer was created in 4K resolution on a Northlight 2 Scanner from the original camera negative and the black-and-white separation masters.

Telecine supervisors: Laszlo Kovacs; Grover Crisp/Sony Pictures, Los Angeles.
Telecine colorist: John Dunn/Ascent Media, Burbank, CA."

The results here are striking. In fact, I share the opinion that Five Easy Pieces looks as impressive as Easy Rider. Fine object detail is outstanding, clarity excellent, and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. The color-scheme is also terrific - reds, blues, greens, yellows, browns, and blacks look very healthy and natural. Furthermore, I did not see traces of prominent edge-enhancement or heavy noise reduction; indeed, the film's grain structure is fully retained. I also did not see any compression artifacts. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues. I also did not see any disturbing scratches, debris, marks, or stains to report in this review. What a great high-definition transfer!

The Last Picture Show

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"Supervised by director Peter Bogdanovich, this new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from a new 35 mm fine-grain master positive.

Telecine supervisors: Peter Bogdanovich; Grover Crisp/Sony Pictures, Los Angeles.
Telecine colorist: Tess Walsh/Ascent Media, Burbank, CA."

Fine object detail is very pleasing, clarity very good, and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. The color-scheme is excellent - the variety of grays, blacks, and whites look healthy and well balanced. Edge-enhancement is not a serious issue of concern; neither is macroblocking. I also did not see any traces of heavy noise reduction. The fine film grain is prominent and beautifully resolved. Furthermore, there are no serious stability issues. When blown through a digital projector, the image remains tight and conveys wonderful organic qualities (again, there are no traces of external manipulation). Finally, I did not see any annoying scratches, debris, marks, or stains to report in this review.

Drive, He Said/A Safe Place

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"Drive, He Said is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Supervised by director Jack Nicholson, this new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from a 35 mm interpositive.

Telecine supervisors: Jack Nicholson; Michael Friend/Sony Pictures, Los Angeles.
Telecine colorist: Richard Cassel/Technicolor Creative Services, Los Angeles, CA; Brian McMahon/Prime Focus, New York."

"A Safe Place is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from a new 35 mm interpositive.

Telecine supervisors: Tom Zaczyk/Sony Pictures, Los Angeles.
Telecine colorist: Richard Cassel/Technicolor Creative Services, Hollywood."

Drive, He Said looks great. Fine object detail is excellent, clarity very pleasing, and contrast levels consistent. Many of the numerous close-ups that could be seen throughout the film look beautiful - there is depth and tightness to the image that will definitely impress those of you who like to project these Blu-ray releases on large screens. The color-scheme does not disappoint either; blues, reds, greens, browns, and blacks look fresh and healthy. I did not see any traces of heavy noise reduction - the grain is prominent and fully intact. Lastly, I noticed a few minor flecks but did not see any large cuts, warps, stains, or marks to report in this review.

A Safe Place looks just as impressive. Fine object detail is excellent, clarity very pleasing, and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. Generally speaking, A Safe Place has a lovely organic look - the film grain is prominent but very well resolved; the colors are fresh and healthy, never bleeding; and there are absolutely no compression issues to report in this review. Aside from some minor background flicker that pops up here and there, the image also conveys good depth and tightness around the edges. Finally, I did not see any serious cuts, stains, marks, or debris to report in this review.

(Note: The six discs included in this collection are Region-A "locked". Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access their content).

America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Easy Rider

The following text is included with this Blu-ray disc:

"The soundtracks were remastered at 24-bit from the original 35mm magnetic 3-track masters and multitrack music masters under the supervision of director Dennis Hopper."

There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, and English Dolby Digital 1.0. For the record, Criterion have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

I almost always opt for the original mono tracks on many of these older films, but the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on this release really is quite impressive. The film's great soundtrack sounds incredible with it - there is depth, clarity, and an entire new set of impressive dynamics that are missing from the English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English Dolby Digital 1.0 tracks. Balance is also handled surprisingly well. The dialog is crisp, clean, stable, and exceptionally easy to follow. Indeed, this fresh 5.1 mix is very well done, which is why I encourage you to experiment with it. For the record, I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hissings, to report in this review.

The King of Marvin Gardens

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"The monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from 35 mm magnetic 3-track masters."

There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English LPCM 1.0. For the record, Criterion have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

I don't have any major reservations about the English LPCM 1.0 track. Obviously, its dynamic amplitude is quite limited, but this should not surprise anyone. The dialog is clean, crisp, stable, and very easy to follow. (The film does not have a prominent music score).

Head

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the original 35mm magnetic 3-track masters and multitrack masters. The remixed surround soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit using a variety of original sound elements from 1968. Four of the songs - "Porpoise Song", "Circle Sky", "As We Go Along", and "Daddy's Song" - were transferred from the original 1-inch 8-track audio multitracks. "Can You Dig It?" and "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?" were sourced from 1968 stereo mixes originally created for the film's soundtrack album. A substantial amount of the incidental score for the film was recovered from the original 3-track session tapes, allowing for new stereo mixes. The remaining cues, dialog, and effects were culled from 1968 35mm DME elements."

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 1.0. For the record, Criterion have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

Even though the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track opens up things quite a bit, and dynamically many of the Monkees songs benefit a lot, I opted for the LPCM 1.0 track. The dialog is crisp, clean, stable, and exceptionally easy to follow. There is a decent range of dynamics and no problematic audio dropouts. I did not detect any distortions in the high-frequencies either.

The Last Picture Show

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"The monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the original 35mm magnetic 3-track masters."

There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English LPCM 1.0. For the record, Criterion have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

Once again, I don't have any major reservation about the audio treatment. The dialog is crisp, clean, stable, and exceptionally easy to follow. There are certain inherited limitations with the original tunes heard throughout the film, but the audio treatment is as good as it could possibly be. Finally, I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hissings to report in this review.

Five Easy Pieces

The following text is included with this Blu-ray release:

"The monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the original 35mm magnetic 3-track masters."

There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English LPCM 1.0. For the record, Criterion have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

The dialog is clean, crisp, stable, and very easy to follow. Predictably, the range of dynamics is not overly impressive, but the audio has very pleasing organic qualities - there is a certain crispness (and depth) that is not as prominent on the old R1 SDVD release of Five Easy Pieces. Lastly, I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, hissings, or audio dropouts to report in this review.

Drive, He Said/A Safe Place

The following texts are included with this Blu-ray release:

For Drive, He Said:

"The Monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the original 35mm magnetic 3-track masters and 35mm music and effects masters."

For A Safe Place:

"The monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the original 35 mm magnetic 3-track masters."

Both films have been given English LPCM 1.0 tracks, and there no technical issues with them to report in this review. The dialog is crisp, clean, stable, and exceptionally easy to follow. The range of dynamics is limited, but once again, the audio has wonderful organic qualities. I also did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, hissings, or audio dropouts.

America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Drive, He Said/A Safe Place

A Cautionary Tale... - a video interview, recorded in 2009, in which director Jack Nicholson, actor Bruce Dern, coproducer Harry Gittes, associate producer Fred Roos, and others discuss the production history of Drive, He Said. Jack Nicholson's comments are absolutely hilarious. In English, not subtitled. (11 min, 1080p).

Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for Drive, He Said. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

Henry Jaglom Finds "A Safe Place" - a short video interview, recorded in 2009, in which director Henry Jaglom discusses the message of his film, as well as the enormous influence certain European directors, such as John Schlesinger, Federico Fellini, and Jean-Luc Godard, had on him. Actress Karen Black also comments on the history of the film. In English, not subtitled. (7 min, 1080p).

Notes on the New York Film Festival - a video interview, recorded at the ninth New York Film Festival in 1971, in which director Peter Bogdanovich, Henry Jaglom, and writer Molly Haskell discuss The Last Picture Show and A Safe Place. In English, not subtitled. (29 min, 1080i).

Outtakes and Screen Tests - in English, not subtitled.

-- Outtakes (6 min, 1080i).
-- Screen Test 1 (3 min, 1080i).
-- Screen Test 2 (5 min, 1080i).
-- Screen Test 3 (6 min, 1080i).
-- Screen Test 4 (8 min, 1080i).

Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for A Safe Place. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

Commentary - an audio commentary with director Henry Jaglom recorded between 2009 and 2010. The commentary contains an enormous amount of factual information addressing the film's production history, its reception, etc.

Easy Rider

Born to be Wild - a wonderful documentary film by Nicholas Freand Jones, which was aired on BBC2 in December 1995. The film contains an abundance of raw footage and various interviews with Dennis Hopper, Karen Black, cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, producer Peter Fonda, Henry Jaglom, etc. In English, not subtitled. (30 min, 1080i).

"Easy Rider": Shaking the Cage - a documentary film directed by Charles Kisleyak in 1999, focusing on the enormous cultural importance of Easy Rider and its impact on American Cinema. With the participation of director Dennis Hopper, cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, Seymor Cassel, Peter Fonda, etc. In English, not subtitled. (65 min, 1080i).

Hopper and Fonda at Cannes - a segment from the French television from Pour le cinema, directed by Pierre Mignot, aired on May 22, 1969. In French, with optional English subtitles. (3 min, 1080i).

Steve Blauner - a new interview with Steve Blauner, who discusses the BBS and its legacy. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2010. In English, not subtitled. (19 min, 1080p).

Trailers - in English, not subtitled.

-- Trailer 1 (3 min, 1080p).
-- Trailer 2 (1 min, 1080p).

Commentaries - two commentaries, one with director Dennis Hopper, and another with actor Peter Fonda, production manager Paul Lewis, and director Dennis Hopper, which was recorded in 1995.

The King of Marvin Gardens

Selected-Scene Commentary - a video commentary with director Bob Rafelson discussing specific scenes from his film. The video commentary was recorded in Aspen, Colorado, in 2009. In English, not subtitled. (62 min, 1080p).

-- Stylistic concerns/Script discussions
-- Homage/Lighting
-- Scatman Crothers
-- Pace/Photographic paradises
-- Competitors
-- Art direction/Jack
-- Geographical dislocations
-- John Ryan/Creating Depth
-- Amateur actors
-- Julie Robinson/Accident
-- Critical reactions/Actors
-- Creating a character/Sound
-- Screamin' Jay Hawkins
-- The gun
-- A good excuse for a cocaine habit

Reflections of a Philosopher King - a video interview with director Bob Rafelson and actress Ellen Burstyn, who discuss the production history of The King of Marvin Gardens, its story, and characters. In English, not subtitled. (10 min, 1080p).

Afterthoughts - a short piece with director Bob Rafelson, cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, and actor Bruce Dern discussing the stylistic nature of The King of Marvin Gardens. In English, not subtitled. (11 min, 1080i).

Bob Rafelson - a detailed summation of director Bob Rafelson's life and career. In text format. (1080p).

Trailer - the original trailer for The King of Marvin Gardens. In English, not subtitled. (4 min, 1080p).

Five Easy Pieces

Soul Searching in "Five Easy Pieces" - in this video piece, recorded in 2009, director Bob Rafelson discusses various technical aspects from the production of Five Easy Pieces, as well its unique narrative. In English, not subtitled. (10 min, 1080p).

BBStory - in this documentary feature, made in 2009, director Bob Rafelson, Peter Bogdanovich, Jack Nicholson, Henry Janglom, Karen Black, and Ellen Burstyn, Fred Roos, Richard Schickel, amongst others, discuss the BBS legacy. In English, not subtitled. (47 min, 1080p).

Bob Rafelson at AFI - archival footage from a discussion, held at the American Film Institute on May 19, 1976. The discussion features director Bob Rafelson, who addresses the legacy of BBS. In English, not subtitled. (50 min, 1080i).

Teasers and Trailer - in English, not subtitled.

-- Teaser 1 (3 min, 1080p).
-- Teaser 2 (2 min, 1080p).
-- Trailer (4 min, 1080p).

Commentary - an audio commentary featuring director Bob Rafelson and interior designer Toby Rafelson.

Head

From the Monkees to Head - in this interview, conducted in Aspen, Colorado, in 2010, director Bob Rafelson discusses how Head came to exist, the socio-political environment in America at the time when the film was made, the role of the Monkees in the film, its unique narrative, etc. In English, not subtitled. (29 min, 1080p).

BBS: A Time for Change - in this video piece, filmed in 2010, critic David Thomson and historian Douglas Brinkley discuss the BBS and its legacy. In English, not subtitled. (28 min, 1080p).

Screen Tests - in English, not subtitled.

-- Michael Blessing (Nesmith) (4 min, 1080p).
-- Micky Braddock (Dolenz) (3 min, 1080p).
-- Davy Jones (3 min, 1080p).
-- Peter Tork (3 min, 1080p).
-- "She's A Groovy Kid" (5 min, 1080p).
-- "$13 Million" (4 min, 1080p).

The Monkees on the Hy Lit Show, 1968 - an archival interviews with the Monkees, aired in 1968, in which the band members discuss Head. In English, not subtitled. (6 min, 1080i).

Promotion - a gallery of trailers, TV spots, Radio spots, and ephemera.

Commentary - an audio commentary with ex-Monkees Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork, recorded in 2010. This is a very informative, and hilarious, commentary that contains a lot of factual information pertaining to the film's production history and unique look, structure, and message.

The Last Picture Show

"The Last Picture Show": A Look Back - a documentary film, directed by Laurent Bouzereau, containing interviews with director Peter Bogdanovich, actors Cybill Shephred, Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Ellen Burstyn, Cloris Leachman, Frank Marshall, and author Larry McMurtry. In English, not subtitled. (65 min, 1080i).

-- Time, Place, and language.
-- Confidence in his cast
-- McMurtry's own hometown
-- Controversies and difficulties
-- Emotional moments
-- Last look back

A Discussion with filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich - a Q&A session with director Peter Bogdanovich conducted in 2009, during he recalls how The Last Picture Show came to exist, some of the directors that had a major influence on him, his casting choices during the years, etc. In English, not subtitled. (13 min, 1080p).

Picture This - a wonderful documentary, directed by George Hickenlooper, in which the director and cast of The Last Picture Show reunite in Archer City for the filming of Texasville. The documentary contains interviews with actors Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Timothy Bottoms, director Peter Bogdanovich, and writer Larry McMurtry. In English, not subtitled. (42 min, 1080i).

Screen Tests - a collection of 16mm screen tests of various actors featured in The Last Picture Show. Music only. (3 min, 1080i).

Location footage - archival testing footage which director Peter Bogdanovich shot in Archer City before production of The Last Picture Show began. Without sound. (7 min, 1080i).

Truffaut on the New Hollywood - an excerpt from Vive le cinema, a French TV program, in which legendary director Francois Truffaut discusses America's underground directors and the end of the "happy endings" in American cinema. Aired on February 13, 1972. In French, with optional English subtitled. (5 min, 1080i).

Trailers - in English, not subtitled.

-- Original Theatrical Trailer (4 min, 1080p).
-- Rerelease trailer (2 min, 1080i).

Commentaries - two audio commentaries, one with director Peter Bogdanovich and actors Cybill Shepherd, Randy Quaid, Cloris Leachman, and Frank Marshall, recorded exclusively for Criterion in 1991; and a second commentary with director Peter Bogdanovich, recorded in 2009.

Booklet - a 112-page illustrated booklet containing Chuck Stephens' essay "Head-zapoppin'!"; Matt Zoeller Seitz's essay "Easy Rider: Wild at Heart"; Kent Jones' essay "Five Easy Pieces: The Solitude"; Graham Fuller's essay "The Last Picture Show: In With The Old"; Mark Le Fanu's essay "The King of Marvin Gardens: A Killing"; and J. Hoberman's essay "One Big Real Place: BBS From Head To Hearts".

America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It took me almost a week to go through everything that is included in America Lost and Found: The BBS Story. The supplemental features alone are a good enough reason to include this release amongst the best of 2010 - the various commentaries with the late Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich, Bob Rafelson; the various interviews with legendary cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, Bruce Dern, and Henry Jaglom; the archival footage; documentary films...simply fantastic. And the treatment each film has received - for which Sony Pictures deserve an enormous amount of credit - is outstanding. Bravo! VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.