Plot: What’s it about?
As this film covers a wealth of storylines, which weave in and out of each other, I think a plot synopsis would be rather futile. So I am simply bypassing that section of the review to discuss the film itself. But rest assured, the storylines do work to fruition and involve very interesting characters, I just don’t have the space here to go in depth on them. This is a very unique film to say the least, as the screen is divided into four separate windows. In each window, you’ll see a certain character or location, which means you’ll see four storylines run at the same time. Now people come and go from the windows, sometimes moving from one to another, but I don’t think it becomes confusing in the least. You can see what happens when a character leaves the window, such as the remaining characters badmouthing him/her or perhaps even witness a character cheating on their lover. But no matter what happens, you will see it from all possible perspectives, you just have to keep your eyes and ears open at all times. The unusual nature and demands of this film might scare some folks off, but if you have an attention span and want to see an excellent movie, then give Timecode a chance. This disc offers two versions of the film, as well as other supplements, so a rental or purchase is more than justified.
This film was made in real time, with no edits and no second takes, which has to be a credit to this cast & crew. Director Mike Figgis and his small team of crew members used digital cameras to capture the film and instead of the normal fashion of production, the crew shot the film fifteen times. This allowed the cast to refine their performances over each day and since the dialogue was all improvised, that time was much needed, I am sure. Figgis assembled a terrific ensemble cast to work on Timecode, which includes Jeanne Tripplehorn (The Firm, Basic Instinct), Kyle McLachlan (Blue Velvet), Saffron Burrows (Deep Blue Sea), Holly Hunter (Home For The Holidays), Glenne Headly (Dick Tracy, Mr. Holland’s Opus), Salma Hayek (From Dusk ‘Til Dawn, Dogma), Aimee Graham (Brokedown Palace, Jackie Brown), Stellan Skarsgard (Das Boot, Insomnia), Steven Weber (Late Last Night), and many other talented performers. The actors all seem very natural and relaxed, which makes the film seem as though it were shot through a hidden camera at times. Figgis has always been one of my personal favorite directors and this film reminded of why that is. Other Figgis films include Leaving Las Vegas, Mr. Jones, One Night Stand, The Loss Of Sexual Innocence, Miss Julie, and Internal Affairs.
Video: How does it look?
Timecode is presented in a full frame transfer, which is the preferred aspect ratio for the film, as according to director Mike Figgis. The open matte allows the windows to be as open as possible, which I think is always a welcome touch. I am always in favor of widescreen when possible, but Timecode is an exception to that rule. The transfer looks terrific, but since this was shot on digital cameras, it lacks the realness of film. But that doesn’t hinder the film in the least, so I won’t knock the score here either. The colors seem bright, contrast is more than solid, and flesh tones look natural as well. A few small issues arise because of the use of digital cameras, but that is not the fault of this transfer. This is an excellent overall transfer that allows the unique visuals to shine through, kudos to Columbia/Tristar.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc sports a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, but due to the unorthodox style of this film, the audio is presented in a strange fashion. The windows each have their own audio source of course, but we don’t always hear them all at the same time. Sometimes one window is at full volume, while two others are at a lower volume and the last window is silent. Other times, two will be at full volume and the others will be silent. It all depends on the situation, but I will say that this mix seems to be dead on. I had no problems hearing the needed elements in the least, so no real complaints. There’s a lot of unique surround use also, so that adds a lot to the presentation as well. The disc also houses a 2.0 surround mix, which is nice if you lack a surround sound system.
Supplements: What are the extras?
In addition to the theatrical edition of Timecode (Version 15), this disc also houses the unrated edition of the film (Version 1), which is a new entire motion picture. As I mentioned above, Timecode was shot in real time, with fifteen editions in the end, each shot on a different day of production. The final theatrical version is Version 15, whereas this bonus edition is Version 1. This is a real treat to watch, as some subtle (and not so subtle) changes emerge that twist certain aspects of the film around. I loved the inclusion of this bonus edition, very cool indeed. You can listen to commentary from director Mike Figgis on both versions of the film, which is also a welcome and insightful touch. Figgis, as always, offers a lot of inside information on the production, as well as some humorous comments. The disc also houses an interactive featurette that covers Figgis’ video diary, special interactive sound option on Version 15, the film’s theatrical trailer, talent files, and some DVD ROM content.
