|
|
|
Search Movie Review
Archives
|
|
|
| |
| Dvdivas
was founded by John Gabbard in 2000. It's purpose has been and
remains to be to provide you, the entertainment community with
the latest dvds and movie reviews. It will continue to be your
link to the most popular dvd movies. |
|
|
The Osterman Weekend (2- Disc Version)
|
 |
Reviewed
by: |
Bob Leibold |
| Genre: |
Action |
| Video: |
1.85:1 Widescreen
Presentation Enhanced for 16 x 9 Televisions |
| Audio: |
Dolby Digital
EX, DTS-ES 6.1, Dolby Surround 2.0, Original Mono Mix |
| Languages |
English |
| Subtitles |
None |
| Length |
102 minutes
|
| Rating |
"R" Violence,
Some nudity |
| Release Date |
23 March
2004 |
| Studio |
Anchor Bay
|
| Commentary:
|
"Sam Peckinpah
Historians" Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons, David Weddle, and Nick
Redman |
| Documentaries:
|
Alpha to
Omega an all new 78 min documentary |
| Featurettes:
|
None |
| Filmography/Biography:
|
Talent Bios
for Main Cast members, director, and producers...I took the
time to read these blurbs...they are surprise, surprise interesting
and insightful. |
|
Interviews: |
"Alpha to
Omega" Documentary includes interviews with John Hurt, Craig
T. Nelson, Chris Sarandon, Cassie Yates, Rutger Hauer, Helen
Shaver, Meg Foster, Ed Abrams, film editor, Nick Redman Peckinpah
Historian, and the two producers. |
| Trailers/TV
Spots: |
Original movie release
trailer |
| Alternate/Deleted
Scenes: |
None |
| Music
Video: |
None |
| Other:
|
Photo gallery
of production stills and candid photographs on and off the set.
|
| Cast
and Crew: |
Burt Lancaster
as Maxwell Danforth head of a CIA Espionage Unit, John Hurt,
A CIA Operative, Rutger Hauer as John Tanner, as friends...
Craig T. Nelson, Dennis Hopper, Chris Sarandon, and as the wife
or lover... Cassie Yates and Helen Shaver |
| Written
By: |
From the
Book by Robert Ludlum Adaptation by Ian Masters, Screenplay
by Alan Sharp |
| Produced
By: |
Peter Davis
and William N. Panzer |
| Directed
By: |
Sam Peckinpah |
| Music:
|
Lalo Schifrin |
| The
Review: |
: I am easy...I
am a Ludlum fan...so I came into the movie knowing it would
be good....no disappointment there...and this DVD will not disappoint
you. Well cast and directed by a veteran in the twilight of
his career, who still had the chops to tell a good story. The
Osterman Weekend is the story of a man, John Tanner, duped by
his government. Mr.Tanner is convinced by Burt Lancaster, as
Maxwell Danforth, CIA head of Espionage Investigation into believing
his friends are enemies of America. He is shown bogus surveillance
clips of each of his friends compromising themselves. Being
a patriot, Tanner allows the government to plant camera and
microphones everywhere in his home to catch the bad guys. But
as John Hurt says in the movie..."things are rarely as they
seem..." This is a fun movie with enough twists to keep the
genre fan interested throughout. Even though Sam Peckinpah was
in his seventies, apparently a cantankerous seventies at that,
he still knew where to point a camera and when to overcrank
it ....giving us his great slow motion...ballets of violence.
One note of caution though, Meg Foster's eyes are as dangerous
as they have ever been. I do not know what it is about them
but the steel blue iris pupil thingy makes her look like she
is looking through you....good actress...spooky look. |
| Image
and Sound: |
The widescreen 1.85:1 presentation
has undergone some great restoration using "Anchor Bay's Entertainment's
Divimax high definition transfer process." Whatever magic
was performed on the movie print resulted in the vibrant colors
and rich contrasts creating the original theatrical atmosphere
tones on your home screen. Meg Foster's blue eyes will jump
off the screen. I especially love the lighting. Various actors
such as Cassie Yates are lit with vignette lighting...the
background is black and just the head is painted with light
creating a very striking and effective look. The film's picture
and sound plays like it is a recent release instead of twenty
plus years old. One interesting note though. This DVD includes
director Sam Peckinpah's "First Cut" A Never Before Seen Full
Length Screening version. For those not familiar with movie
jargon "screening version" means may have flaws. But you get
to see what Sam had in mind in his vision.
The Sound reproduction is full and crisp utilizing the
new DTS ES encoding process. The disc also contains Dolby
Surround 2.0, Dolby Digital EX, and the original mono mix.
|
| The
Extras: |
"Alpha to Omega" Documentary includes
interviews with John Hurt, Craig T. Nelson, Chris Sarandon,
Cassie Yates, Rutger Hauer, Helen Shaver, Meg Foster, Ed Abrams,
film editor, Nick Redman Peckinpah Historian, and the two
producers. These interviews, recently recorded, are reminiscences
of the principal actors and producers concerning the making
of the original movie. The Producers talk about the difficulties
in financing, producing the picture, how the cast was chosen
and their feelings now in thinking back to their days making
the film. Sam Peckinpah, though he proved to be difficult
at times, was shown to be a very important component in the
movie's creation, much more than just directing.
|
| Commentary:
|
The "Peckinpah
Apologists" give a comprehensive narrative of what the critics
and critiques have said about the director, Sam Peckinpah. After
a while, I began to enjoy listening to them and their interesting
anecdotes about the production shoot or historical background
to Sam and the energies, influences, and demons, which guided
his creative process. Watch the movie first though, and enjoy
the story.... then the commentaries "back story" becomes that
much more entertaining. |
| Final
Words: |
The Sam Peckinpah
opening is very different from the theatrical release version.
The DVD explains the evolution of the film's open, revealing
the interesting dynamics the film had during its creation. The
producers struggled to get the film made and then struggled
with the filmmaker. ...The Chinese said it best...."out of conflict
comes creativity..." I liked the way the cuts, not in the release
but in Sam's version, are explained using full screen graphics.
This is a good movie, but it takes a few moments to take off...exposition
is always hard to deliver, but once over with, the fun begins.
This is a very violent film...and everyone knows "bloody Sam"
and his work...but you never see any blood... anywhere....bad
guys get killed and so do the good guys and girls but again
no blood...Peckinpah showcasing his very best style "a ballet
of violence." If you enjoy a good spy film with intrigue and
twists, then this movie is for you. Well cast and pulled off
with aplomb. |
|
|