Plot: What’s it about?
This is a look inside the lives of Big Edie Beale and her daughter Little Edie, relatives of Jackie O. and residents of Grey Gardens, a once lush estate. The large house has turned into a ramshackle dive over time however, with rotting wood, tons of holes, and no real attempts made to preserve or restore it. The grass grows high and the nearby wooded areas also look unkempt, save for some small work done near the house, as well as the potential garden, with the ladies would like to see put in soon. Like the house they live in, Big Edie and Little Edie also used to be beautiful and sought after, but by the same stroke, they too have lost some luster and broken down. Neither of the two leave their East Hampton home too often, although Little Edie (who is 53, but acts 12) claims she is ready to leave any second, which pains Big Edie a lot. These two women do little aside from talk about their pasts, bemoan their lost chances, and sing, boy do these two love to sing. But as they discuss their paths not taken, potential mistakes, and missed opportunities, do these two women really wish to leave this crumbling, filthy house, or is this truly their home?
This is one of the most unusual films I’ve ever seen and since it is a documentary, it is that much stranger. I had never seen Grey Gardens until now, but I heard good reviews and since I have enjoyed other Maysles (Salesman, Gimme Shelter) pictures, I jumped at the chance to spin this disc for myself. As with all good documentaries, Grey Gardens strikes a nerve with the viewer, but which nerve will depend on which viewer. I found this to be a humorous, but very sad picture, but some might not see the humor, which is understandable. I couldn’t help but laugh sometimes at the situations and comments, but in the grand scheme, it is rather sad, perhaps even depressing at times. It can be hard to believe sometimes also, as some of the issues here are so unusual, you almost think you’re watching a fictional film, as opposed to a documentary. The house is unfit for humans to live in, but these two women reside there with their countless cats, within this strange world that no one else can seem to penetrate. Even with the cameras present, we’re given only a partial look inside Grey Gardens, as only these two women were able to see the whole picture. I highly recommend this release to anyone interested and while it is a little slow at times, Grey Gardens is a superb film.
Video: How does it look?
Grey Gardens is presented in a full frame transfer, as intended. As you would expect, the image here is not pristine in condition, but it does look good and in the end, is a more than effective treatment. You’ll see some wear & tear on the print and some grain, but this is a documentary from the 1970s, so some of that is to be expected, I think. The colors look as good as possible, while contrast remains stark and stable as well. All in all, this is about as good as Grey Gardens can look, which is all we can ask for, I think.
Audio: How does it sound?
Just as the video was as good as could be in this case, such is the audio and while it has some wear signs, it never falters much. The nature of the film reveals that audio gloss is not the forefront of concerns, but I was never let down here, even for a second. The dialogue is clean and never hard to understand, even the off key belted songs sound crisp here. A little thin at times maybe, but when you consider the source materials, it simply doesn’t get much better than this. This disc also includes English subtitles, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
As was the case with Criterion’s releases for Gimme Shelter and Salesman, Grey Garden has been given some excellent supplements, ones that not only offer insight into the production, but also the people seen within the film. It stars with an audio commentary that features filmmakers Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Meyer, and Susan Froemke, all of whom seem to have a lot of comments to offer here. This sessions covers the inception of time, how it was executed, and of course, the impact it has had on those involved behind the scenes, as well as audiences. I always enjoy the sessions on Maysles pictures and true to form, this one is up to the usual standards. An interview with Little Edie is also included, which was conducted in 1976 for Interview magazine and of course, she is her usual self, so the piece is very worthwhile. You can check out some video interviews with well known fashion designers here too, who talk about how Grey Gardens influenced them, as well as many others in the fashion business. This disc also includes talent files, a television spot, an extensive selection of still photos, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
