Plot: What’s it about?
Bud Clay (Vincent Gallo) is a motorcycle racer, he spends countless hours on a track, driving in circles at high speeds. His latest race was in New Hampshire, but now he has to travel across the country for his next run, at a track in California. He has five days to make his trek across the nation, but his mind isn’t on the race, he is consumed with the thoughts of lost love. His true love Daisy is all he thinks about, especially the last time he saw her, as he might never see him again. As much as he wants to erase those memories, he wants more to have her back, as impossible as that might be. So he begins his journey and on the road, tries to replace Daisy with any woman he happens to meet. He spins the tale of his road trip and implores them to join him, so he isn’t often alone. But he ends up leaving them behind soon after they agree, as none of them can replace can his one true love. Can he somehow put the past behind him, or will he have to face his past one last time and do whatever must be done to preserve his future?
A single scene can often define a motion picture. In the case of The Brown Bunny, a single scene not only defined the motion picture, but potentially overshadowed the entire project. If an audience goes in just to see one controversial sequence, what comes before or after can be washed over. The Brown Bunny, as I am sure we all know, involves a scene of actual oral sex, performed by the billed stars. I guess I don’t shock easy or am just used to seeing graphic sexuality in cinema, as I didn’t think twice about the scene in question. I think the scene does make sense within the film’s framework, so the inclusion is not a problem. Now if you’re offended by seeing such an act performed, that’s understandable. But enough about that one scene. The rest of the film is nondescript, a basic and structured road movie. I wasn’t impressed, but I wasn’t disappointed. I wouldn’t call The Brown Bunny a movie that is a must see, but if you’re curious about the controversial scene, then rest assured there is more to the flick than a man’s cock.
Video: How does it look?
The Brown Bunny is presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen. This was not shot on high end stock, so the image isn’t as refined and pristine as you might expect. But this is part and parcel with the methods used, so for what it is, the transfer looks quite good. The print is grainy, much more than you would ever expect on a new release, but again, this is intentional. You’ll also see some print debris from time to time, but not enough to wash out the visuals. The colors don’t pop and contrast is on the soft side, but in this case, you can’t complain, because that is how it should be. If you’ve seen a lot of movies from the 70s, then you know about what to expect here, as that was the intended visual design.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a Superbit DVD and as such, Sony has conjured up Dolby Digital and DTS option, both offering 5.0 surround experiences. But this is not the kind of movie that needs this much audio attention. There is barely any audio to mention, even dialogue is sparse. There is minimal music, minimal background noise, and I said already, minimal dialogue. So don’t expect to much hear much at all from these soundtracks, let alone any kind of dynamic surround presence. The dialogue sounds like it did in theaters, a little too soft, but that holds true to the theatrical presentation, so no worries. This disc also includes subtitles in English and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes two of the film’s theatrical trailers.
