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The Osterman Weekend
(Anchor Bay Entertainment)
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| DVD Release Date:
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March 23, 2004
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| Length:
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102 mins.
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| Rated:
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R
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| Format:
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Widescreen (2.35:1)
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| Audio:
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English (DTS 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 6.1 EX)
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| Subtitles:
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Closed Captioned
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| Extras:
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Audio Commentary by Sam Peckinpah Historians Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons, David Weddle & Nick Redman, "Alpha to Omega" - All-New 78-Minute Documentary, "Sam's First Cut" - Never Before Seen Version of Film, Still Gallery
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The Osterman Weekend, Sam Peckinpah's movie adaptation of Robert Ludlum's best-selling novel of the same name, is now available on DVD.
For some, this movie may not be their first choice when they scan the shelves at the video store. It is not a new movie - it was originally released in 1983. It did not win any awards. It is not considered to be a "classic". It would be a mistake, however, to dismiss this movie.
The Osterman Weekend is the last movie that Sam Peckinpah directed before his death in 1984. During his lifetime, Peckinpah was referred to as, "one of the last great American directors". He was known for his thrillers and his action movies, as well as his ability to cast a movie. For this reason alone, this movie is worth watching.
This is an interesting movie. Early in the movie, principal character John Tanner (Rutger Hauer) is informed that his three best friends from college (Chris Sarandon, Dennis Hopper and Craig T. Nelson) are believed to be selling secrets to the KGB. An elaborate scheme is developed in which Tanner will attempt to persuade his friends to confess to their "extra-curricular" activities with the help of Lawrence Faccet (John Hurt), a CIA operative. In the process, Tanner uncovers a secret which will forever change his life and the lives of his friends.
For those who have read the book, there are some distinct differences. The important character of Leila Osterman has been eliminated. The Tanners have two children. In spite of this artistic license taken with the material, the movie's storyline, while at times a bit confusing and awkward, was gripping and built to a rather surprising and shocking twist at the conclusion. It conveys a powerful message about the all-encompassing influence of the media, which is a timeless theme even today. The action scenes and the suspense are enough to keep your interest throughout the movie.
Another reason to watch this movie is the fantastic ensemble cast, which includes Rutger Hauer, John Hurt, Dennis Hopper, Craig T. Nelson, Burt Lancaster and Helen Shaver. The performances by Hopper and Shaver were particularly outstanding.
This DVD has some interesting extras - in fact, many more extras than I have seen in other DVD releases from the same time period. The DVD package that I reviewed was the Sam Peckinpah commemorative 2-disc edition.
Audio commentary is provided by Sam Peckinpah "historians" Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons, David Weddle and Nick Redman. The second disc features Peckinpah's first cut of the film, a 78-minute documentary called, "From Alpha to Omega", which includes interviews with many of the people who were involved in the making of the original film (absent, with some note, is Dennis Hopper), a still gallery, a Peckinpah biography and the original theatrical trailer. They were interesting additions.
Overall, this DVD is a decent choice for an evening at home. It won't knock your socks off, but it will leave you thinking.
| The Movie: |
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6/10 |
| The Extras: |
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7/10 |
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