Stars:
Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton,
Robert De Niro, Michael Bowen, Chris Tucker, and Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Jr.
Writer:
Quentin Tarantino
Based
On The Book “Rum Punch” By: Elmore Leonard
Director:
Quentin Tarantino
Feature
length: 154
minutes
Extras:
Subtitle Commentary, Quentin Tarantino Introduction, “Jackie Brown: How It
Went Down” Documentary, “A Look Back At Jackie Brown” Interview With
Quentin Tarantino, Deleted And Alternate Scenes, “Siskel & Ebert At The
Movies” Jackie Brown Review, Jackie Brown On MTV, Pam Grier Movie Trailers,
Robert Forster Movie Trailers, Pam Grier Movie Radio Spots, Jackie Brown
Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots, Still Galleries, Reviews And Articles,
Filmographies
DVD-ROM
Features: Enhanced Playback Track, Trivia Game, Screenplay Viewer
Languages:
English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Sound, and French Language Dolby Surround Sound 2.0
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions and Spanish Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Gatefold Within Glossy Cardboard Slipcase
Chapter
Stops: 25
Sound:
DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, and
Dolby Surround Sound 2.0
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1997/DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: Miramax Films
Home
Video Distributor: Miramax Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Pam
Grier is “Jackie Brown,” a street smart, tough, and calculating
forty-something year old African American beauty who looks ten years longer. She
works as a stewardess for a small airline barely earning enough to make ends
meet, but on the side she sneaks money in from Mexico for a small time
California based gunrunner named Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson.) Jackie Brown
finds herself between a rock and a hard place after a local police detective and
an ATF Agent (Michael Keaton) catch her. Even if law enforcement won’t put her
in jail, she could still face losing her low wage job, which is all she has, but
if she doesn’t play ball, sooner or later Ordell is going to eliminate her to
protect his monetary interests. What follows is a scam for Jackie Brown to get
out of having to go to jail and testify against Ordell, by eliminating him and
stealing the money for herself so she can start a new life free from all that
has tied her down.
Quentin
Tarantino’s third feature film received good reviews though mixed audience
reaction. After “Pulp Fiction” Tarantino was all over the place and
consequently the overexposure and audience expectations did not really come into
synch since “Jackie Brown” was much more of a character driven story that
was deliberately paced slower than the two previous films Tarantino had
directed. So those expecting the intense action of “Pulp Fiction” were a
disappointed and yet among an older crowd, the film worked better and displayed
Tarantino’s ability to create clever yet realistic dialogue and transcend
genres so that even when this film is an adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel,
it was also very much a Tarantino film complete with his stamp that gives his
films their own personal signature.
After
5 years, Miramax Home Entertainment has finally released “Jackie Brown” as a
2-disc collector’s edition day and date with a 2-disc collector’s edition of
“Pulp Fiction” sold
separately. With Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” tentatively set to be released
next year, these two releases coupled with Artisan Home Entertainment’s “Reservoir
Dogs: Ten Years: Special Edition DVD 2-Disc Set” and Warner Home Video’s
upcoming “True Romance: Special Edition 2-Disc Set” all serve as a way to
reacquaint as well as introduce DVD-Video viewers and the potential movie ticket
buyers that might be willing to see “Kill Bill” whenever it comes out to
filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and slowly bring him back into the spotlight. Well I
have to admit that “Jackie Brown” actually works better with repeated
viewings to catch the subtle nuances in the acting the brings the characters to
life. Packaged in a glossy gatefold within a glossy cardboard slipcase just like
Miramax’s “Pulp Fiction: Collector’s Edition 2-Disc Set” the set
includes a two sided poster containing a “Coffy” inspired one-sheet for
“Jackie Brown” on one side and two character based teaser images of Robert
Forster and Pam Grier on the other side. There is also an insert with
bibliographies for Tarantino, Grier, and Forster, a letter from filmmaker Peter
Bogdonovich, a listing of the 18 soundtrack selections and 25 scene selections
that can be accessed on disc one as well as disc contents, an essay by “LA
Times” Film Reviewer Kevin Thomas, a letter from Author Elmore Leonard and a
cast list. There is also a $5 dollar rebate insert for people who purchase the
CD soundtrack available from Maverick Recording Company.
Miramax
Home Entertainment presents “Jackie Brown” in a new digitally mastered
anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) aspect ratio. I was surprised because the box
cover states the image is presented in (2.35:1), which I thought was the
film’s theatrical release aspect ratio, but from playback on my system that I
use for most of my reviews it appeared to be (1.85:1) and not (2.35:1). I know I
have my player calibrated properly to my TV so I am not sure why it appears as
it does, but regardless I would say this is the most polished looking of all of
Tarantino’s films with little visible grain, good color saturation, and nice
contrast. There was not too much of a difference here for me between the English
DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Soundtrack and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Soundtrack. They both sound great and are well mixed. A French Language Dolby
Surround Soundtrack and English Captions and Closed Captions for the hearing
impaired as well as Spanish Language Subtitles are also encoded on to the first
disc as options.
Like
“Pulp Fiction” there is a subtitle commentary track with trivia, anecdotes,
and facts behind the stars, filmmakers, and more. Toward that latter half of the
film, the subtitle comments seem more spaced out and sometimes appear out of
synch with the feature with comments appearing sequences before the scene the
subtitle refers to actually appears. However I really like these subtitle
commentaries included here and on “Pulp Fiction” as well as other releases
on other DVD releases from other studios because they enhance the DVD-Viewing
experience in an interactive way that voiced over commentaries do not
necessarily match. There is an optional 51-second introduction by Quentin
Tarantino and soundtrack selections in addition to a home video trailer for
“Pulp Fiction: Collector’s Edition 2-Disc Set” and a soundtrack spot for
the “Jackie Brown” CD. PC users with a DVD-ROM drive also have access to a
“Stash The Cash” Trivia Game, an enhanced playback track, screenplay viewer,
filmographies, and reviews and articles.
Disc
two contains “The Perks” otherwise known as the rest of the extra features
included in this set. There a 39-minute behind-the-scenes and making-of
documentary with a mix of new and old interviews with some cast members, Author
Elmore Leonard, Producer Lawrence Bender, Tarantino, and more. The best extra
feature though is the new 55-minute videotaped interview with Tarantino where he
goes into great detail discussing the casting of the film, his love for certain
genre films, Elmore Leonard novels, critical and audience reactions, and more.
He actually manages to get through the entire interview as well without saying
four letter words in every other sentence. Compare this interview with the one
he did for “Reservoir Dogs” and I think you’ll understand what I mean. The
complete 5-minute videotaped “Chicks With Guns” short from the film is
included along with 6 deleted and alternate scenes presented in a (1.85:1)
aspect ratio and an optional introduction by Quentin Tarantino. These deleted
scenes are better than the ones seen on the other recent Tarantino DVD releases
that I have screened because they expand on the characters a bit more and at
times are funny. They can be viewed individually or as one 15-minute reel. The
“Siskel & Ebert” review is also included along with an MTV contest spot
related to the film and what were live interviews at the NYC MTV studios with
Quentin Tarantino, Bridget Fonda, and Pam Grier. 3 trailers and 8 TV spots that
can be viewed collectively or one at a time along with 12 Robert Forster film
trailers, 19 Pam Grier film trailers, including “Twilight People” and
“Scream Blacula Scream” and 7 Pam Grier Radio Spots, 9 still galleries and
filmographies for Tarantino, Grier, and Forster wrap up the extra features in
this 2-disc set. The interactive menus are fully animated with full motion scene
selections and animated transitions and are all easy to navigate.
“Jackie
Brown: Collector’s Edition 2-Disc Set” is available now on DVD-Video along
with “Pulp Fiction: Collector’s Edition 2-Disc Set” sold separately from
Miramax Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
Read The Review Of "Pulp Fiction: Collector's Edition 2-Disc Set"
Read The Review Of "Reservoir Dogs: Ten Years: Special Edition DVD 2-Disc Set"
Read The Review Of "True Romance: Unrated Director's Cut: Two-Disc Special Edition"