Plot: What’s it about?
Richard Nixon was once the President of the United States, but he would soon leave office under controversial circumstances and leave behind an inconsistent legacy. He would be most remembered for the Watergate scandal, in which five people were arrested after breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters, under cloak of darkness and on orders from high ranking officials within the White House. Nixon would be implicated and his life would soon begin to unravel, to the point he would leave politics in total. In Nixon, Oliver Stone examines the man behind this historical figure, through facts, memories, and theories on what happened behind the scenes. While not all of Stone’s theories can be proven or backed up, he does provide an in depth look at one of the more controversial men to lead the United States.
As a factual biopic, Nixon might be questionable, but director Oliver Stone admits to the inclusion of theories and such, so we’re not supposed to entertain this picture as a vision of real life events. Stone’s director’s cut of Nixon runs over three and a half hours in duration, but to be honest, it doesn’t feel like it. I do think some sections could be trimmed and not lose much, but even in this bloated version, the movie works quite well. The narration moves so often, it can be hard to keep up with who’s who and maintain a sense of placement, but that also works in favor of Nixon. The cast is superb, even in roles they might not be ideal for, such as Anthony Hopkins as Nixon. The trouble here is that Stone can’t seem to let his messages speak for themselves, he has to use an iron fist to hammer home his theories. A more subtle touch would have been more effective, not to mention given Stone’s ideas a less desperate feel. Nixon is by no means a masterpiece, but it is a solid movie that takes a deep look at a flawed, complex man. This is best suited as a rental, but Nixon still earns a recommendation.
Video: How does it look?
Nixon is presented in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is an Oliver Stone movie, so it should come as no surprise that this movie doesn’t have a coherent visual design. A number of scenes are in slick, crisp black & white, while others are in rough, worn black & white, then we have archival footage, and of course, polished color footage to cap it all off. In other words, this was never going to be the kind of movie to show off your home theater with, but this transfer does replicate the intended visuals. Some of this looks top notch, with impeccable depth and natural colors, while others scenes look bathed in grain and tattered. In short, an accurate, if not always pleasant to look at visual effort.
Audio: How does it sound?
This uncompressed PCM 5.1 option sounds good, but is never pushed much by this material. In truth, there is much use of the rear channels at all, but the front channels shoulder the burden well. The main focus is on dialogue and it sounds great, always clear and at the proper volume. John Williams’ score comes through well also, with more than solid presence. This is not the kind of track that you’ll remember, but it does what the material needs. This release also includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 option, as well as subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Oliver Stone contributes not one, but two audio commentary tracks, though there is enough silence on each to warrant a single, combined session. Stone splits his thoughts between Nixon’s real life and the production of this film, with each topic getting its own track. Stone has some good insights to share, but I doubt many people will spend three and a half hours over and over in order to get his perspective. Also back from previous incarnations are Stone’s interview with Charlie Rose, some deleted scenes, and the film’s theatrical trailer. New to this Election Year Edition is a thirty-five minute featurette titled Beyond Nixon, in which various political talking heads discuss Nixon, the man versus the movie’s version. A decent, worthwhile piece, but I do wish more new extras had been included on this release.
