Plot: What’s it about?
Michael Courtland (Cliff Robertson) has just celebrated the tenth anniversary of his marriage to his wife Elizabeth (Genevieve Bujold), but the happiness soon turns to depression. You see, some kidnappers soon storm Courtland’s home and take his wife & young daughter Amy (Wanda Blackman) hostage, which of course is tragic indeed. He wants to ensure their safe return, but in a terrible turn of events, a rescue attempt is staged and of course, it doesn’t go off as planned. The rescue mission is botched and in the process, his wife and daughter are never recovered, which of course, crushes Courtland. He was willing to hand over the ransom, but he took some bad advice and as a result, his family is now gone, without hope for a return. But he soon has a most strange encounter, when he runs into a woman who looks just like his wife, an exact match, to be sure. This is several years later and Courtland is on vacation in Florence, but sure enough, this woman is a dead ringer for his Elizabeth. But as fate would have it, this time won’t work out either and soon enough, the woman is gone and Courtland finds another ransom note…
A thriller written by Paul Schrader and directed by Brian DePalma? I’m sold and in truth, Obsession is a terrific movie and one filled with twists & turns, but never to the extent when they become novelties. Unlike most thrillers that revolve around this kind of storyline, Obsession never becomes too violent and if you ask me, that’s refreshing and quite welcome. I like blood and such when it is needed, but DePalma is able to function without it and in the end, it is not missed. The story is a great one and Schrader provides an excellent screenplay, one that is loaded with suspense and visual potential, which DePalma then delivers on, to be sure. I am always taken by the visual approach here, as the compositions and such are very good, but never distract from the story & performances, which is quite important here. The cast here is also up to the task, including such names as Genevieve Bujold, Cliff Robertson, and John Lithgow. In the end, Obsession is a superb thriller that delivers on all front and with a more than solid disc here, this is an easy recommendation.
As I am sure most of you know, director Brian DePalma was influenced by the masterful Alfred Hitchcock, which shows in Obsession and some of his other pictures. In Obsession, DePalma puts that influence to good use and creates a great suspense flick, but never takes too much from Hitchcock, so it all seems fresh, most of the time. A few small touches were taken in complete form, but on the whole, DePalma simply branches out from certain tendencies and makes them his own, quite impressive indeed. I am not that pleased with his more recent work, but DePalma is a terrific director and I hope he finds his stride again soon. Other films directed by DePalma include Sisters, Dressed to Kill, Mission to Mars, Carrie, Mission: Impossible, Scarface, and The Untouchables. The cast includes Cliff Robertson (Escape from L.A., Mach 2), Stanley J. Reyes (Mandingo, Murder at the Mardi Gras), John Lithgow (A Civil Action, Tv’s Third Rock from the Sun), and Genevieve Bujold (Dead Ringers, The House of Yes).
Video: How does it look?
Obsession is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I believe this treatment delivers the film as intended, though some flaws still manage to surface. There is a certain amount of intentional grain present and as such, don’t panic when you view this transfer. The grain adds to the movie’s visuals and is by no means too extreme, so no worries at all there. The film’s subdued color scheme is well presented, while flesh tones remain natural and contrast is always well balanced, no problems in the least. I did see some wear signs on the source print, but nothing too serious and as such, I won’t complain much.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 track is superb, very subtle and that adds a lot to the atmosphere of the picture. The surrounds are used often, but not in a powerful sense, more like a slow, deliberate approach. This works very well, I think, as the mood is enhanced and as a result, the suspense is even greater and that’s always welcome here. Bernard Hermann’s intense musical score is great and sounds terrific here, no detractions at all to report, which is good news, to be sure. No problems in terms of dialogue either, as vocals seem clean and crisp throughout, with no volume errors to discuss. This disc also includes the original mono option, a French mono track, a 2.0 surround option, and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The main attraction here is Obsession Revisited, an excellent documentary on the film’s production. This piece is a retrospective look back at Obsession, via interviews and various clips from within the flick. I found this to be most insightful and it is by no means a promotional fluff article, this is an in depth documentary that provides a wealth of information. Obsession Revisited runs about thirty-five minutes in duration and trust me, this not one to be missed. This disc also includes some talent files, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
