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The Movie:
Director Sofia Coppola, daughter of famed director Francis Ford Coppola, made her directorial debut earlier this year with "The Virgin Suicides", a film that shows Sofia as a talent to watch. Adapted from Jeffrey Eugenides' novel, the film follows the tale of five sisters, and as the story begins, the first daughter, Cecilia, has attempted to kill herself. We are told, by the voice-over narration, that soon the remainder of the Lisbon sisters Cecilia (played by Hanna Hall), Lux (played by Kirsten Dunst), Therese (played by Leslie Hayman), Bonnie (played by Chelsea Swain - sister of "Lolita"'s Dominique) and Mary (played by A.J. Cook) will soon meet a dark end.
We then are taken through the tale of the time leading up. The girls are looked over by a pair of strict parents (Kathleen Turner and James Woods). The perspective on the tale is often from the outside looking in, as the boys in the neighborhood who are attracted to the beautiful sisters talk about what they think of the mysterious girls down the street. The lead boy, Trip Fontaine(Josh Hartnett of "Here On Earth") plans to romance the lead sister, Lux (Kirsten Dunst). Something happens between the two, and Mrs. Lisbon(Turner) locks the girls into the house, with tragic results.
The film has quite a lot going for it. The film, which takes place in the 70's, offers a great sense of period. Edward Lachman's cinematography is excellent, offering a hypnotic, dream-like look. Although the subject matter is certainly dark and depressing, Coppola is able to keep things from getting too overly grim. Performances are good all around, as well. Dunst has become more widely known for the goofy performances of "Bring It On", but in a more serious and subtle role, she shines. The other sisters, mostly newer actresses, are also engaging.
Over it all hangs a strange gloom; the movie is elegant and haunting, hypnotic and vivid, sometimes all at once. It's impressive how full the film feels with such a short running time, at 96 minutes. Certainly, Sofia Coppola is a director to watch; "The Virgin Suicides", in my opinion, is also one of the year's best.
The DVD
VIDEO: "The Virgin Suicides" is presented in a very enjoyable 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer. The cinematography by Edward Lachman( who worked most recently with Steven Soderberg on "Erin Brockovich" and "The Limey") gives the film a golden, dream-like feeling that looks very good on this presentation. Sharpness is a little bit varied throughout the movie; there is a bit of a soft look that seems intentional - never does this become too soft or hazy, though.
Aside from a little bit of grain on occasion, I didn't see any problems with this presentation. Shimmering and pixelation are not present, and the print used is in very good condition. The only flaws that I saw were slight and quick - a few tiny speckles, but no more. Colors are rich and vivid, looking strong throughout. There are some beautiful-looking compositions throughout the movie, and the DVD, which was done by Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope company(as was director Francis's recent "Conversation" and "Tucker" discs), looks excellent.
SOUND: The film is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, but is certainly not a very active presentation. This worked for me though. The film's atmosphere, in key scenes, is not broken by music or other additional noise; dialogue is the focus, and the silence around it is often haunting. Still, there are moments when the sound becomes slightly more active. The great score by the band Air often sounds excellent and enveloping. Surround use is occasional in some of the outdoor scenes, with slight ambient sounds. Mostly though, surrounds are silent. Dialogue is natural and clear, never sounding harsh or edgy. Certainly not an agressive sound presentation, but it almost seemed more effective to me that way.
MENUS:: The main menu is non-animated, but there are other touches, such as the subtle animated transition between the main and special features menu.
EXTRAS:
Making Of: "The Making Of The Virgin Suicides" is a 23 minute documentary that provides an enjoyable, informal-yet-informative look at the making of the film and the story. We hear in interviews from Sofia Coppola, the actors and novel writer Jeffrey Eugenides. There are a few too many clips from the movie at times, but when the documentary takes us into the production in the way of on-set footage that shows us the challenges and joys of the making the film, it's an entertaining watch. The interviews with most of the cast and crew also provide some informative moments. A very good documentary, worth watching.
Theatrical Trailer: The film's theatrical trailer, presented in 1.85:1 and Dolby 2.0
Photo Gallery: A photo gallery that moves on its own to the next images, with a total running time of a minute and 15 seconds.
Music Video: Air's "Playground Love".
Final Thoughts: The film is haunting and well-done, one of the year's best. Paramount's DVD provides good audio and video quality, with an enjoyable documentary as the main extra. Recommended.
Film Grade
The Film A
DVD Grades
Video 91/A = (364/400 possible points)
Audio: 89/B+ = (356/400 possible points)
Extras: 80/B- = (240/300 possible points)
Menus: 80/B- = (160/200 possible points)
Value: 82/B = (246/300 possible points)
TOTAL POINTS:1366/1600
DVD GRADE:B/85%
FILM GRADE: A
DVD GRADE: B
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