Andrew Beckett is a
successful attorney in Philadelphia until he is fired for reasons he
believes to be derived from the fact that he has AIDS. No lawyers will
take Andrew’s case except for a homophobic black lawyer, Joe Miller.
CRITIQUE
Philadelphia
is an excellent film that offers both an interesting look at the world
of the late eighties and early nineties when the fear of AIDS was at
its height while remaining relevant in a time when the President of
the United States of America is trying to pass a constitutional
amendment outlawing the marriage of homosexual couples.
Tom Hanks
deservingly won the Best Actor Academy Award for his role as Andrew
Beckett and is surrounded by a fantastic cast including Denzel
Washington as Joe Miller, Antonio Banderas as his lover Miguel, and
Mary Steenburgen as a trial lawyer. Jonathan Demme directs the film
through turbulent waters, avoiding the pitfalls of coming off too
mushy, while tackling taboo subjects such as AIDS, Homophobia, and a
sprinkling of race issues. The film is powerful without becoming
preachy, and served as an important social piece which will always
hold a special place in history.
Watching
Philadelphia offers a beautiful reminder of what many people have
always known, and that is that love is an emotion that cannot be bound
by race, or sex, nor should it be—something that Philadelphia
touches on quite nicely.
THE VIDEO
Philadelphia
is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The picture is clear and
contains no grain or other issues.
THE AUDIO
Philadelphia
is presented in English 5.0 Dolby Digital with French, Japanese, and
Spanish in Dolby Surround. The sound has been beautifully transferred.
THE EXTRAS
Disc 1:
Filmmaker’s Audio
Commentary with Director Jonathan Demme and Screenwriter Ron Nyswamer:
The commentary contains interesting insights into the Academy Award
Winning song, Streets of Philadelphia, the casting, actors who
have passed since shooting and other interesting stories from the
production of the film.
Disc 2:
People Like Us:
Making Philadelphia:
Basically, most of the cast and crew reunite years later to discuss
their role in Philadelphia.
The interviews are very informative and interesting. I feel that this
is the best and most informative feature on the disc, it gets into
casting, directing and shooting issues while discussing the film’s
social effect.
One Foot on a
Banana Peel, the Other Foot in the Grave: This is a documentary that Director Jonathan Demme
produced. It is unprofessionally shot, however it captures real heart
and spirit. The film follows patients who are receiving treatment for
AIDS, some of whom ended up receiving roles in Philadelphia.
Deleted Scenes:
There are some great scenes here, better than some scenes that make
the cut in other films. Some of the scenes seem like they deserve a
place in the film, while I could understand why others were cut.
Music Video
for the Academy Award-winning original song, Streets of
Philadelphia performed by Bruce Springsteen.
Courthouse Protest
Footage and Interviews:
This is more footage of protests from the scene in the film in which
Andrew Beckett and Joe Miller leave the courthouse faced by reporters
and a protest. The interviews are made up of actors acting out both
sides of the issue. Basically this is like more deleted scenes and is
not all that interesting.
Joe Miller’s
Macready & Shilts Legal Services TV Spot: This is the entire
commercial that is visible in part in different portions of the film.
I did not find this extra to be interesting or necessary.
Rounding out the
extras is an Original Theatrical Release Featurette, a number
of Previews, and Filmographies.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Philadelphia
is an excellent movie that gets the treatment with this Anniversary
Edition DVD. It offers extras that will fulfill viewers who are
watching the film again, and is a great opportunity for viewers to
watch the film for the first time and get in-depth information into
how this film touched a nation.
