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Stars:
Drew Barrymore, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Sam Rockwell, and Rutger Hauer
Writer:
Charlie Kaufman
Based
On The Book By: Chuck Barris
Director:
George Clooney
Feature
length: 114 minutes
Extras:
Director and Cinematographer Audio Commentary, Deleted Scenes With Optional
Commentary, Multipart Featurette, Sam Rockwell Screen Tests, Gong Show Acts,
Real Chuck Barris Featurette, Still Gallery, and Sneak Peek Trailers
Languages:
English and French Language
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 18
Sound:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 2002/DVD Release: 2003
Theatrical
Distributor: Miramax Films
Home
Video Distributor: Miramax Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
George
Clooney stepped up to the Director’s chair last year with the big screen
adaptation of Chuck Barris’ “unauthorized” autobiography “Confessions Of
A Dangerous Mind.” The screenplay was written by Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation
& Being John Malkovich) and right away I thought who better to adapt this
book into a screenplay when one considers the mind bending, but thoroughly
original work he has produced with Director Spike Jonze. “Confessions Of A
Dangerous Mind” is like “Adaptation” in that we are given a subjective
look at a person in crisis with an appearance of reality and fantasy that is at
times difficult to separate only here it is more of a flashback to a defining
moment than an ongoing plight in pseudo real time. Was Chuck Barris a freelance
assassin for the CIA? We may never know for sure, but I will share my opinion on
it. It is said that Barris has a knack at catering to the lowest common
denominator by presenting shows that focused on the everyday person in an
extraordinary situation. I figure that when Barris sat down to write his
autobiography he was bored with the idea of telling a typical memoir and instead
jazzed it up to make it all the more entertaining and perhaps creative for him
to write and the best part is it doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not
because the idea of Barris being an undercover assassin is just too compelling
not to want to read or in this case see. While the film received two theatrical
releases in the U.S., I think the larger audience will come from this DVD, which
is feature filled to boot.
Presented
in an anamorphic widescreen (2.40:1) aspect ratio that preserves the theatrical
presentation as close as possible for home video users, the transfer looks quite
good with no defects to speak of whatsoever. The English Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround Soundtrack is both full and discrete and a French Language Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack as well as English Captions and Closed Captions
for the hearing impaired are encoded onto the DVD as options too. Director
George Clooney and Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel deliver a surprisingly
technical and screen specific audio commentary that if anything else shows
Clooney has a clear understanding and appreciation for the art of moviemaking
and may have the potential to have a completely separate career as a Director
should he decide to pursue that in addition to his acting career. Clooney and
Sigel also provide optional commentary for a reel of 11 deleted scenes (22:40)
that can also be viewed individually and are presented in a (2.40:1) aspect
ratio with equal picture quality to the film presentation on the DVD itself and
features English Stereo Sound. There is also a reel of recreations of five
“Gong Show” acts (4:42) shot for the film.
A
7-part featurette (23:37) with videotaped behind-the-scenes footage and
interviews is included and it can be watched in separate installments as well.
Some filmed interview clips support this with the real Chuck Barris and people
who knew him (6:13) A reel of screen tests with Sam Rockwell (7:06) and a still
gallery of behind-the-scenes production photos are also included.
Sneak
peek trailers with full 5.1 Surround audio for “Kill Bill” (1:50), the CD
soundtrack for “Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind” (: 31), “Eddie Griffin
-Dysfunctional Family” (: 34), and “A View From The Top” (1:30) wrap up
the extra features encoded on to this DVD.
The
main menu is animated while the subsequent DVD menus are standard interactive
still frames and all are easy to navigate. Decide for yourself what is true and
what isn’t by checking out “Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind,” which is
available at retailers on and offline now from Miramax Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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