Stars:
Ian Hart, Kelly Macdonald, Brian Cox, Allen Armstrong, Tommy Flanagan, and Ian
Cuthbertson
Writer:
Peter Capaldi
Director:
Peter Capaldi
Feature
length: 97 minutes
Languages:
English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, English Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround Sound, and French Language Dolby Surround Sound 2.0
Subtitles:
English Captions and Spanish Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 18
Sound:
DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, and
Dolby Surround Sound
Year
of DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: Universal Pictures International
Home
Video Distributor: Universal Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Toni
(Ian Hart) is a Sinatra-style lounge singer, who finds himself lured by the
prospect of becoming a successful television-singing star through the
“influence” of a group of British underworld kingpins who like his voice.
The price is once he is taken in by the family, he can never leave alive, which
complicates his developing romance with a woman who thought highly of him before
he was ever offered the opportunity to be “made” famous.
Kelly
Macdonald is the woman who ultimately poses the question to Toni, which is more
important: fame or love? How badly does he want each? What will he choose? I was
pretty surprised by the film, which is extremely engaging. It is not a comedy
and yet I would say it is definitely lighter in tone than English Director
Superstar Guy Ritchie’s movies, which Americans are likely to think of when
they see this film. I think the story is more of a Faustian drama than a mob
flick. Brian Cox turns in another
stellar supporting role. I wish the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts of
Sciences would recognize his talent with a nomination and an award.
This
is a barebones Universal DVD release, which means there are no extra features
like a trailer included. The film is presented in an anamorphic widescreen
(1.85:1) aspect ratio. The picture quality is pretty grainy with the occasional
blemish or two from the source print. It is not terribly grainy, but it appears
that the source print used was definitely not the optimum. An English DTS
Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Soundtrack is included and it is great with a
very high fidelity and digital clarity. An English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Sound and a French Language Dolby Surround Soundtrack are encoded on to the dual
layered DVD along with English Captions for the hearing impaired and Spanish
Language Subtitles as options.
The
menus are standard interactive still frames that are easy to navigate.
“Strictly Sinatra” is a good film definitely worth a rental when it debuts
on DVD-Video on Tuesday, August 27, 2002 from Universal Home Entertainment.
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Rights Reserved.