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| Special Features: |
Full screen format.
Chapter selection. |
| Video Format: |
Full Frame (1.33:1)
[SS-SL]
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| Languages: |
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
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| Subtitles: |
None.
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| Captions: |
Yes
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| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
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I hate to slam a movie that has such good intentions, but "Hard Lessons" was hard to watch. This made for TV movie was originally entitled "The George McKenna Story." I'm sure that George McKenna's story is worth telling. I'm positive that his story was more dramatic and gut-wrenching in real life than in this sappy Hollywood translation. I just can't recommend this movie on any level.
George McKenna (Denzel Washington) is the new principle at Booker T. Washington High School in LA. He is taking over a school run by gangs. The teachers are apathetic. All of the good students have transferred across town to schools which will allow them to study without being shot. Mr. McKenna works very hard to win over the faculty, students and neighborhood. In the end he succeeds.
The fault with this movie lies at the feet of the director Eric Laneuville and writer Charles Eric Johnson. The movie uses every cliché in the book. It takes gang-riddled LA of the 80s and puts an "Andy Hardy" voice of the 30s to the characters. Denzel Washington is a very intelligent actor. I couldn't help but think, as I watched him spout the sanctimonious lines he was given, that he was embarrassed beyond all reason. While the script is bad enough, the direction is just as maudlin. Mr. Laneuville appears to have attended the Jack Webb school of filmmaking. His stationary camera and stolen style further stifles a movie that moves as slow as a three-toed tree sloth during mating season. I've suffered from insomnia for my entire life. I think I've just found a cure.
Horrible movie. Ok picture and sound. No extras.
Picture Quality: 6/10
The picture looks like an aged video copy. A few artifacts present. Check out the Title Credit with a freeze frame. That is a dead give-away that the movie was re-titled. The DVD looks like a made for TV movie that no one cared about. You shouldn't care either.
Sound Quality: 7/10
The sound isn't bad. I wish it were because the dialogue is so bad you won't want to hear it.
Menu: 5/10
Simple design. No thought went into it, but hey, no thought went into the movie either!
Extra Features: 0/10
Extras, we don't need no stinking extras! At least the price reflects the vanilla nature of this DVD.
The Final Word:
None of this criticism should be leveled at what George McKenna achieved in the hell-hole he turned around. Take the $14.95 you would have spent on this movie and donate it to the most needy school in your area. Realize that there are folks out there who care about those on the fringes and try to help. The money would be better spent.
Rusty White
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