Major Ben Marco
(Denzel Washington) recalls with perfect clarity the night that his
reconnaissance unit was ambushed in the desert during the Persian Gulf
War. The problem is, he dreams something altogether different. What
actually happened the night that he and his men were ambushed is a
mystery, only partially illuminated by his nightmares and strange
habits he’s acquired since returning from the war. Sergeant Raymond
Prentiss Shaw (Liev Schreiber), another of the men ambushed in the
unit, has since gained a congressional seat and may even be up for his
party’s vice presidential nomination. As Marco attempts to unravel
his jumbled memories, Shaw’s prestige grows ever greater, and the
shadowy megacorporation Manchurian Global looms over it all. Based on
the novel of the same name by Richard Condon. Co-starring Meryl
Streep, John Voight, and Kimberly Elise, among others.
CRITIQUE
Though it’s based
on a book, the more apt comparison has been to the 1962 version of
The Manchurian Candidate starring Frank Sinatra. The political
satire that skewered McCarthyism, as well as a fantastic performance
by Angela Lansbury and excellent dialog, made it a classic. Remaking
such a fine work must have been a daunting task for director Jonathan
Demme; too much like the original, and it’s a pale imitation, while
too much divergence would make it a different story altogether.
Demme’s other
problem is that he’s also working in a much different political
climate. Where the original film was satirical of the paranoia of the
time, we instead get into Marco’s head and see the damage that’s been
done. We feel his unease, his unfocused fear of some nightmarish
thing that hovers just below the surface of his conscious mind. The
extreme close-ups and the drawings used in the film highlight the
psychological edge to this version.
But differences
aside, much is familiar even four decades later. The cool brutality
of the brainwashing process, the semi-incestuous nature of Shaw’s
relationship to his mother, the fully-confident dominance she has over
her son, and the incredibly strong performances by all the actors
involved combine to make this more than just a remake. Even with
limited screen time, Simon McBurney is wonderfully evil as Dr. Atticus
Noyle, and we feel Corporal Al Melvin’s (Jeffrey Wright) presence long
after his introduction in the beginning of the film.
These characters
are more intimate and so is the overall feel, but the sense of danger
is always tempered by the fact that Manchurian Global is not real. If
that name is just a stand-in for the danger posed by massive
corporations and biotechnology, it’s too general to impart the same
sense of danger. Even with implants and mind control, the danger from
a Manchurian Global may be less from its technology and more from its
philosophy.
THE VIDEO
The Manchurian
Candidate
is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Sharpness is great, as
evidenced by the many close-ups, but some edge enhancement halos are
noticeable, though not overwhelming.
THE AUDIO
The Manchurian
Candidate
is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Rachel Portman’s
score is perfect for setting the tone without taking over any of the
scenes, and the dialog is clear.
EXTRAS
The Commentary
by director Jonathan Demme and screenplay co-writer Daniel Pyne
leaves hardly a moment of silence, though it’s not the most
interesting commentary in the world. Most interesting is probably
when they comment about the different versions the script went through
and how the film differed from Condon’s book.
The Enemy Within:
Inside the Manchurian Candidate (14:05)
goes over the background of the story and the acquisition of its
rights, originally by Frank Sinatra and later by Tina Sinatra (who
co-produced this latest version). More commentary from Demme and
Pyne, and some thoughts from Schreiber, Washington,
and Streep about various topics round this one out. The Cast of
the Manchurian Candidate (11:55) goes further into the actors
involved and into their characters, but at least doesn’t cover the
same ground as The Enemy Within.
There are five
deleted scenes, all of which would have added to the film, but had
to be cut due to time constraints. Optional commentary from Demme is
available on all of them. Two outtakes are also available
(with optional commentary), involving two interviews with Eleanor Shaw
that appear in the background of the film. Liev Schreiber’s screen
test (2:50) consists of an extended scene in conversation over a
meal with Streep’s character.
The Political
Pundits (9:58) extra features various performers and filmmakers talking
rather blandly about various general political topics. Demme’s
commentary is available on this too, making me wonder why we don’t
have optional commentary on the scene selection and setup menus,
because this is getting ridiculous.
Some previews
finish off the extras. They include Lemony Snicket’s A Series of
Unfortunate Events, Without A
Paddle, Sky
Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Team America: World
Police,
and The Stepford Wives.
FINAL THOUGHTS
After liking the
original film so much, I had high expectations for this newer version
of The Manchurian Candidate, and didn’t really think it would
be able to either stand on its own or do justice to its 42-year-old
predecessor. I was happily surprised. Though I must still say I
prefer the original, Jonathan Demme’s version takes just enough of a
new angle on the story to make it worth while, both in tone and in
substance.
