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Glengarry Glen Ross: Special Edition
This 1992 film adaptation of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play is revered by fans of the idiosyncratic writer's work who delight in hearing Mamet's odd, profane, rhythmic dialogue performed by the likes of Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, and Jack Lemmon. However, despite some stylish direction by James Foley, Glengarry Glen Ross is better as an example of Mamet's unique talents than it is as a satisfying dramatic film. The story, about a group of mostly hapless and devious real estate salesmen facing, with shaky ethics, an uncertain future, is actually pretty obvious and lightweight given the tough talk and heavy-handed sense of profundity infusing it. While all of Mamet's dialog is beautifully crafted, it also, here, sometimes veers awkwardly into esoteric nonsense. All of the performances are excellent, save for Lemmon's precious (and lavishly praised) turn as a desperate sad-sack. Artisan's two-disc Special Edition of Glengarry Glen Ross features the film in both an excellent anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and full-screen (1.33:1) transfers on separate discs. Disc One, with the widescreen version, features DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and Dolby 2.0 Surround audio tracks, includes a commentary track by Foley, as well as the featurette "Magic Time: A Tribute to Jack Lemmon." Disc Two, with the full-screen transfer, is accompanied by Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby 2.0 Surround audio tracks, and also features selected scene commentary from Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin, cinematographer Juan Ruiz Anchia and production designer Jane Musky; a Charlie Rose interview with Jack Lemmon; a clip from Kevin Spacey's appearance on Inside the Actor's Studio; and two short documentaries, "A.B.C. (Always Be Closing)" and "J. Roy: New and Used Furniture." Dual-DVD slimline keep-case.
—Gregory P. Dorr
