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The Movie:
Ever have a film where you sit in the theater and find yourself really disliking it, and then watch it later, and wonder what you were thinking? "The Ice Storm" for me, was one of those instances, a film that I honestly didn't find much interest in when I originally saw it, then gradually began to like it more during additional viewings.
The film takes place in a small Connecticut suburb, as the Winter begins to fall upon the land during Thanksgiving week. Revolving around the highly dysfunctional Hood family, parents Ben and Elena (Kevin Kline and Joan Allen) are having troubles as dad has an affair with the neighbor(Sygorney Weaver). Their kids are not too much better, with daughter Wendy getting into trouble and Paul(Tobey Maguire), the most normal of the bunch, coming home from prep school.
The film is gloomy and depressing, but almost all of the elements that make it up are quite well done. Performances from all of the leads (especially the always excellent Joan Allen) are wonderful. Lee does a fine job with the look of the movie, from the 70's clothes to the ice storm that ends the film. The screenplay from James Schamus(who also worked with Lee on "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") is also well-written, adapted from the novel.
It's an excellent film that I've grown to appreciate more and more since the initial viewing.
The DVD
VIDEO: Many have been waiting for "The Ice Storm" to arrive on DVD for years now, and they thankfully have done a very nice job, if not without some minor imperfections. The film is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and it is anamorphic. Sharpness and detail though, remain pleasing, with a smooth, crisp look. Some scenes look rather dark, but they were that way in the theaters, as well.
There was only one thing that caused some problems during my viewing of "The Ice Storm". Pixelation didn't appear and neither did shimmering. The only thing that got slightly irritating was the appearance of some minor print flaws - some minor speckles and marks, a slight scratch. No major wear, but occasionally noticable.
As it's not a particularly shiny happy movie, "The Ice Storm" gnereally keeps to a rather subdued color palette. Still, occasional scenes in the woods have a rather quiet beauty, with the Autumn colors showing nicely. Aside from a few minor problems, "The Ice Storm" looks very good and fans of the film (who have been waiting for this release for a few years now) should be pleased.
SOUND: "The Ice Storm" is presented in Dolby Digital 5.0. Like one might expect from the material, there is not a great deal of activity with the audio presentation. Almost everything comes from the front, and in this case, that's fine. Mychael Danna's beautiful, haunting score sounds particularly crisp and clear. Surround use is pretty limited, with some subtle use during some of the outdoor scenes for ambient sounds. Dialogue generally sounds clear and natural, with no flaws. The presentation delivers what's expected and a slight bit more.
MENUS:: Although menus are basic and non-animated, at least they do use film-themed images well as backgrounds. Danna's score in the background would have been a nice touch.
EXTRAS: Fans of the film who have been waiting for a few years now for the DVD will probably be dissapointed by the minimal amount of extras included for the film. All that's included is a trailer and interesting short promotional featurette, which includes interviews and some minor behind-the-scenes footage. Additional trailers are included for "Titus", "Paradise Road", "Smilla's Sense Of Snow", "Grand Canyon" and "Inventing The Abbotts"
Final Thoughts:
Positive: If not the special edition that many have been waiting for, Fox at least delivers a good general presentation of the film and the DVD is recommended.
Negative: A commentary from Schamus and Lee or the actors would have been interesting.
Film Grade
The Film *** 1/2
DVD Grades
Video 88/B = (352/400 possible points)
Audio: 87/B = (348/400 possible points)
Extras: 73/C- = (219/300 possible points)
Menus: 70/C- = (140/200 possible points)
Value: 83/B = (249/300 possible points)
TOTAL POINTS:1304/1600
DVD GRADE:B/81%
FILM GRADE: *** 1/2
DVD GRADE: B
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