THE GRIFTERS

BUENA VISTA has taken a new shot at releasing “THE GRIFTERS.”  Jim(THE GETAWAY) Thompson’s crime-thriller was directed by Stephen Frears, and this reviewer believes its his best work so far. 

The cast, featuring John Cusack, Annette Benning, and Angelica Huston, is terrific!  And every young male will be blown away by how seductive Ms. Benning is here, especially in one particular scene wherein she’s bartering her body for rent.

Cusack plays a grifter, surviving day-to-day by scamming bartenders, cashiers, and anyone(literally within arms’ reach)for fifty bucks, here and there.  Proving the adage, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” his mom is also a criminal, fixing bets at the horse races for a mobster named Bobo.  After Cusack is seriously hurt, suffering retribution at the hands of one of his would-be victims, he lands in a hospital. There, his mom and Benning meet and one of them decides to use her cunning to pull a huge con that will affect all of them and lead to murder. 

Frears provides a unique view of the world which Thompson writes about.  All of his characters are troubled souls, but some are downright mean. There are no heroes here, just cons that are less vicious than others.  Angelica Huston, as Cusack’s mom, isn’t a “good” person, let alone a good mom, but we end up cheering for her when she’s confronted by someone far more vicious. 

When credits announce that Martin Scorsese produced this film, it’s easy to understand his involvement with this project. It’s terrific!  The film is tight from its opening sequence until the climax.  There’s also a really unique style to the imagery and editing. 

 BUENA VISTA HOME ENTERTAINMENT has released “THE GRIFTERS” as part of their MIRAMAX COLLECTOR’S SERIES. 

The original 1.85:1 aspect ratio is intact with 16:9 enhancement.  This transfer is better than the previously available version.  Colors are more vibrant here, richer in almost every scene.  The contrast is also excellent, offering great clarity, even in the darker scenes, of which there are many.  There is no artifacting anywhere. 

While the Dolby Digital 2.0 mix is fine, we wish that it had been remixed for Dolby Digital 5.1.  Surrounds are used for some ambient effects, but most of the time, they’re reserved for the films wonderful score.  The front soundstage has few directional effects, but dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion. 

Two documentaries are offered for this special edition.  The better of the two includes interviews with the film’s director and two of the stars.  Their comments demonstrate their enthusiasm for the film as well as some insight into it as well.

The 2^nd documentary is much shorter, and takes a quick look at Jim Thompson.  But, it’s nothing substantial, simply glossing over his troubled life.

The best supplement here is the commentary track.  Frears, Huston, and Cusack are all here, but even with Donald Westlake, it’s disappointing not to have Benning along for the ride.