Or is
it? So goes the slogan for Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 debut
film. The film opens with a hilarious deconstruction of "Like A
Virgin," a song we never hear, and unfolds into the brutal
deconstruction of a robbery we never see.
The
breakfast table banter that opens the film is brilliant. We
circle the table, bouncing from man to man. These guys could be
anybody. The camera never lingers, no one man is any more
important than another. Who are these guys? Who should we be
focusing on? They take turns talking, riffing on the most banal
subjects, old songs, a radio station, an old address book. Then
the fun ends. One of them, who we later come to know as Mr.
Orange, has been shot and is slowly bleeding to death in the
back of a car. The film unfolds from there, and we see a robbery
being put together that should be a cakewalk for these guys, but
instead turns into a blood soaked nightmare.
Reservoir
Dogs
has been so widely imitated that it is easy to forget how fresh
it was when it was released ten years ago. The dialogue is still
as snappy today as it was then; there is a natural quality to
it, a rhythm that it sometimes seems Hollywood has forgotten how
to write. Writing is Tarantino’s real gift, and this film has
enough memorable lines to fill a book. The real treat here is
the acting from this pitch perfect cast. Michael Madsen is the
stand out as the sadistic Mr. Blonde, but the whole cast clearly
loves the reign they are given with such great material. The
film is expertly paced and never lets up once it gets rolling.
You can
watch this film over and over and you will always catch
something new going on just beneath the surface, between the
lines, and that’s the best way to identify a great film. Reservoir
Dogs truly is an American gangster film classic.
10 out of 10
The
Video
The 2.35:1
widescreen version and the 4:3 full screen versions are both
presented here, but you should stick to the
widescreen. Tarantino has used it on all three of his films and
he really makes use of the space. The colors in this film are so
rich, and there is grittiness to them, and that all comes
through on this transfer. This is the way the film was meant to
be seen.
10 out of 10
The
Audio
DTS
Digital Surround Sound, 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio, and 2.0 Dolby
Digital Audio are all available on this disc, so it goes without
saying that the sound is superb. From the gunshots, squealing
tires and screams to the moments where all we hear are street
sounds, all of it remains as crisp as if we were in a
theater. The background radio and super sounds of the seventies
are as clear as if we were in the room with these guys. Listen
closely at the end to learn the fate of Mr. Pink.
10 out of 10
The
Extras
- Deleted
scenes (including two never-before-seen alternate angles in the
infamous “EAR” scene).
- All new
interviews with Quentin Tarantino, Lawrence Bender, Tim Roth,
Chris Penn, Michael Madsen, Eddie Bunker, Kirk Baltz and others!
- A
tribute to Lawrence Tierney.
-
Reservoir Dogs
director tribute: A focus on the filmmakers who influenced
Quentin Tarantino’s indie masterpiece.
- The
Class of ’92: a retrospective look at the indie films and
filmmakers at the ’92 Sundance Film Festival where Reservoir
Dogs was introduced.
- Small
dogs: action figure development documentary.
- Film
noir web: The writers and directors behind the legacy of this
classic genre.
- Select
scene audio commentary featuring the cast, the crew and the
critics.
- K-BILLY
interactive radio; push the buttons to listen to some super
sounds! Featuring surprise guests!
-
Reservoir Dogs
style guide.
- Securing
the shot: Location scouting with Billy Fox.
- Original
theatrical trailer.
- Poster
gallery.
- And
more!
The bonus
material here makes this the most complete version of
Reservoir Dogs we have seen to date. Everything you might
want to know about the making of this film is here. There are
some great interviews and anecdotes, and the scenes filmed at
the Sundance Institute (with Steve Buscemi and Quentin Tarantino
both taking on the role of Mr. White!) are priceless. We get to
see an early Joe Cabot reading Sylvia Plath, the history between
Eddie Bunker and Lawrence Tierney going back to the ‘50’s, and
some interesting looks back.
The only
complaint is with the way the discs were put together. Disc one
contains the widescreen version of the film and about half the
features, and the second disc has the full screen version and
the rest of the extras. It seems that it would have made more
sense to put the special features on one disc and the two
versions of the film on the other. There are also two booklets
to go with the DVD, but both leave much to be desired. One is
nothing more than a promotional insert, and the other contains
quotes from whichever character is on the cover.
But these
are minor complaints considering how comprehensive this set
actually is. In the end, the material never disappoints.
9 out of 10
Overall
At this
point, the film speaks for itself, so there is little else to
say other than that you owe it to yourself to pick up this
example of solid filmmaking in a great DVD package.
