Twice Upon a Time

One of the least-screened films ever produced by George Lucas, John Korty's dazzlingly original, cheeky, and funny cutout-paper-animated fantasy met with praise and bewilderment from critics in 1983 and swiftly folded at the box office. Co-directed by Charles Swenson, Twice Upon a Time's sophisticated fractured-fairy-tale vibe remains fairly far out, but it is much more attuned to a new media-savvy generation. Synonamess Botch is a silly villain whose principle henchman, a gorilla robot with a TV-set head, flashes images of Darth Vader and Indiana Jones. Botch sabotages the Cosmic Clock, stopping time and allowing him to engulf "Rushers of Din" (mundane humanity, photographed in high-contrast B&W) in nightmares. To the rescue come misfit heroes from Frivoli, the land where dreams originate, including mute Chaplin lookalike Mumford and the shape-changing Ralph the All-Purpose Animal. Featuring music by Michael McDonald and Bruce Hornsby, extras include an unrated family-friendly audio track (in addition to the slightly naughtier PG-rated theatrical release soundtrack), and an audio commentary by Korty and other crew members. Part of Warner Archive's manufacture-on-demand DVD-R line, this is highly recommended. (C. Cassady)