Spanish Suicide
Oddly enough, I’ve recently begun to think about compiling a list of the Ten Best Films of 1998. At present, there are two recent DVD releases which are shoo-ins for two of those slots -- one of which I had the pleasure of seeing in a theater, the other which I stumbled upon only in its video form. Both share similar qualities in terms of clever plot, great performances, and unobtrusive direction.
Writer/Director David Mamet’s superbly intricate and moody The Spanish Prisoner (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $29.99) may not rank with his best plays or script-doctor assignments, but it’s smarter and more compelling than nearly everything I’ve actually gone out of my way to see in theaters this year. Featuring a solid ensemble cast with Campbell Scott, Steve Martin, Ben Gazzara, Rebecca Pidgeon, and Ricky Jay, the film focuses on the brilliant Joe Ross (Scott) whose creation of a top-secret formula makes him uneasy with both fellow workers and new acquaintances.
After meeting Jimmy Dell (Martin), a wealthy and savvy businessman, Ross begins to suspect that his company might not reward him as promised for all his hard work. Dell coaxes Ross into seeking other options, which leads to a myriad of plot twists and betrayals. Though you never quite trust anyone in the film, you’re still surprised to learn who’s on the level and who’s not. And Steve Martin’s standout dramatic debut deserves Oscar consideration for Best Supporting Actor.
As with all of Mamet’s work, the film is full of the rich, robust language we’ve come to know and love -- though oddly devoid of the usual foul language (perhaps to secure a PG rating). A bit theatrical at times, Mamet can still turn a clever phrase, and he saves some of the best lines for Ricky Jay’s stalwart lawyer character and real-life wife Rebecca Pidgeon, who plays the odd but alluring secretary with a crush on Ross.
Columbia presents the film in both the widescreen (1.85:1) and full-frame aspect ratios on each side of a single disc. In addition to the 110-minute feature, there’s also the theatrical trailer, alternate Spanish and French soundtracks, and English, Spanish and French subtitles. There’s unfortunately not much else in terms of extras on this disc. The audio is only Dolby Digital Surround, but doesn’t make much difference considering the film is so dialogue-heavy. The video transfer is outstanding -- from the opening sunny tropical island setting to the dark and muted interiors later on.
Like The Spanish Prisoner, television director Peter O’Fallon’s feature debut, Suicide Kings (Artisan Entertainment, $29.99), benefits from a terrific cast and a roller-coaster plot that never strains credibility. I knew of the film earlier this year, but it played at only one local theater and was gone in a week. For me, there were two reasons to seek this one out: Christopher Walken and Denis Leary. I knew it was a winner in the first few minutes when Walken and Leary have an exchange about footwear. Walken: “Nice boots.” Leary: “You like ‘em? You know what they are? Stingray.” Walken: “Fish boots?” Leary: “No, stingray.”
Another plus is the fact that both Walken and Leary are major players here. These underrated character actors are usually relegated to walk-on bit parts in other movies. In Suicide Kings, they are the movie. But that’s not to say they’re working alone ... the film benefits from another great ensemble cast which includes Henry Thomas, Sean Patrick Flanery, Jay Mohr, Johnny Galecki, Jeremy Sisto, and Laura San Giacomo.
Again, I’m hard-pressed to go into much plot detail because I don’t want to spoil anything. Walken plays a smooth-talking Mafia-type crime boss who gets kidnapped by a group of friends in an effort to save their buddy’s kidnapped sister. They devise a plan whereby Walken can be coerced to use his “connections” to put pressure on the amateur sister-snatchers. As with all such movies, plans like these always fall apart when put in motion, and things quickly go awry. The bulk of the film cross-cuts between the manipulative Walken as he preys on the fears of his young kidnappers and Walken’s henchman (Leary), who’s hot on his boss’ trail.
Artisan Entertainment presents Suicide Kings in an impressive Special Edition DVD which offers the 103-minute film on a single-sided, dual-layer disc in the letterboxed (1.85:1) aspect ratio which is enhanced for 16:9 televisions. The disc also includes an insightful running commentary track with director Peter O’Fallon, a 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack, interactive and animated menu screens, two alternate endings (with video introductions by the director), the original theatrical trailer, Spanish subtitles, English closed captioning, production notes, and cast and filmmaker information.
Two of the most impressive supplements here include a scene which employs the alternate-angle feature on DVD players to show you both the scene as filmed and a videotaped view from behind the camera (you can switch back and forth between the two using the “angle” command on your remote); and a post-production workshop which allows you to sample all the separate audio components of a scene: you can select to watch the scene with just dialogue, sound effects, two alternate scores, or the final mix. It’s clever supplements like this that not only make the best use of DVD technology, but also provide great insight into the filmmaking process.
Despite all these great bells and whistles, Suicide Kings stands on its own as a smart thriller and entertaining character study. And like Mamet’s The Spanish Prisoner, it proves that in a year filled with over-bloated bombs, size doesn’t matter ... but good writing and solid performances still do.
Digital Domain menu
