Blu-ray Review: Indecent Proposal (1993)

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Much like Adrian Lyne's previous films Fatal Attraction, Jacob's Ladder, 9 1/2 Weeks and Flashdance-- Indecent Proposal was one of those movies that provided endless conversational fodder for viewers.

And without a strong visual shocker like Michael Douglas and Glenn Close's nearly violent sex scene over the kitchen sink or the boiling of the bunny rabbit in Fatal Attraction to bring it all back into my mind--when I began the Blu-ray for Proposal, I realized that although I'd seen it before roughly fifteen or sixteen years earlier, the only thing I remembered about it was just how much audiences couldn't stop talking about the "indecent proposal" posed by billionaire John Gage (Robert Redford) in the film.

In a conversation that one initially assumes is hypothetical-- like one of those casual "what would you take on a desert island" or "if you had to sleep with person a or b who would it be," games people play, Gage turns serious. In doing so, he shifts his attention from shooting pool to his real joy of playing with people instead by offering the financially desperate yet desperately in love couple Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson's Diana and David Murphy a million dollar opportunity.

Of course, instead of betting them a corner pocket shot on the billiard table-- Gage decides to use money as the pool cue to fire a ball straight at the heart of their very relationship.

You see, after Diana caught Gage's eye in Las Vegas while stuffing chocolates in her knapsack in a couture boutique in the hotel lobby, Gage became instantly smitten. And although it's hard to blame his interest in Moore's natural loveliness when she slips the hanger of a gorgeous dress over her head to explore the difference from her blue collar attire in the mirror, Gage seems especially hooked because of the events that follow. For unlike the dress-- he wasn't able to manage to discover Diana's invisible price-tag with a tired form of gold card seduction.

Making a predictably cocky and grand gesture to try and buy her the dress (a la Pretty Woman or Shopgirl), Diana sees through the gesture immediately, confidently noting that yes-- although the dress is for sale-- the woman in the dress would never be.

Of course, Gage refuses to accept defeat and won't let a small thing like a wedding ring, vows, or basic human decency get in his way by adhering to his strict belief that-- since the world has never proven this cynical belief wrong before-- every single thing on this planet and especially its inhabitants are for sale.

Therefore, he lays his plans out casually over pool before getting into specifics, offering to give the Murphy couple-- who'd foolishly journeyed to Sin City in the hopes of turning David's five thousand dollar loan into the fifty thousand dollars they need to save their home and credit rating-- one million dollars if they agree to prostitute Mrs. Murphy out for one night of "just sex." Of course, Redford being smoldering Redford-- he never says sex or even prostitute but it's all implied when he aims his checkbook at the Murphys via the line, "a million dollars for one night with your wife."

The most revealing thing about the film so far and Redford's utter conviction in his performance is in the way the three participants in the conversation react. Obviously Diana is the one who quickly raises to anger, Harrelson's David is curiously stunned but intriguingly silent, and Redford continues to ask them to seriously consider it, despite his sexist posing of the question to David's use of "his wife" and Diana's assertion that David would tell him to go to hell.

Still, having been hit hard by the recession-- the two young lovers who've been together since high school spend a sleepless night tossing and turning as they try to psychologically guess what the other one is thinking-- neither one wanting to come right out and make the proposition as coolly as Gage had. At long last, ultimately Diana--perhaps in response to her husband's quiet reply to the offer-- tells him that she would go through with it to solve their financial mess.

Although some critics once again charged this film like some of Lyne's others with anti-feminism or ill treatment of female characters (and given the fetishistic Flashdance-- to just name one-- they have a point)-- with Demi Moore's brilliant bravery and restraint against playing Diana as a victim or a temptress, unexpectedly she becomes the only logical individual in the film.

I found it utterly fascinating that she had to be the one to put the men's true thoughts and wishes into action since they were too gutless to do it themselves. For we sense right from the start that Diana is much stronger than her husband and moreover far more intelligent and clear-headed than both men put together despite some early over-the-top scenes of temper tantrums in her marriage to David the slob.

Additionally and aside from sadly putting his needs ahead of hers by taking a real estate position to support him while he finished architectural school, taking out an enormous loan so that he can build his dream place, and in fact going along with him on the mindless scheme to win back the money in Vegas-- she knows right away instinctively and intuitively that David is afraid to ask her to agree to Gage's offer but it's what he is precisely hoping she'd do.

And Moore plays these levels beautifully-- balancing the disappointment in her spineless husband with her love for him-- in one of her earliest and strongest roles. Furthermore, her performance-- along with a surprisingly poignant portrayal by Woody Harrelson who must go through the entire spectrum of emotions opposite a woman who (as we saw in Ghost) can seemingly cry in two seconds flat, keeps us engrossed even when we disagree with the characters or the contrived plot-line.

Likewise although we may have a hard time accepting the melodramatic and only-in-the-movies proposal seriously-- nonetheless, the screenplay from Mystic Pizza's Amy Holden Jones (based on Jack Engelhard's novel) ensures you're able to empathize with every main character throughout even when inevitably we realize that despite the fact the Diana and David vow never to discuss in-depth the "solution" to their financial crisis, their money problems have been replaced with far more serious ones concerning their relationship with each other.

While Lyne imbues it with a classic Douglas Sirk-like '50s style romanticism-- there's no mistaking Indecent Proposal for anything but a contemporary tale and one that makes its Blu-ray release stir conversation once again given our current economic recession, despite a few clunks in logic and an over-reliance on cutesy "Did I Ever Tell You I Love You?" dialogue repetitions among the husband and wife who keep calling each other "D."

For, in its way, Indecent Proposal is a much more honest yet deeply unsettling and cynical re-imagining of Pretty Woman blended of course with its most obvious comparison via the Nicolas Cage and Sarah Jessica Parker comedy Honeymoon in Vegas.

Obviously, Pretty Woman is definitely the more entertaining and enjoyable romantic comedy since Proposal's flaws can't be hidden and it's not exactly the ideal set-up for a romance despite a few breathtakingly gorgeous shots like the cliched auction in the rain near-finale.

However, unlike Woman which I've always found far more anti-feminist than Lyne's films despite my appreciation for its humor, Proposal actually gets bonus points for a much needed reality check in the development of a budding romantic relationship between Diana and John.

For, since it never lets you forget that although Diana and John Gage may spark just like Richard Gere's "Prince Charming" and Julia Roberts' "Cinderella," it's smart and noble enough to know that in the real world any relationship that began with the exchange of money for sex is doomed from the start and you can't hide prostitution for what it is, no matter how much you try and distract the senses with shots of Rodeo Drive and a pop music soundtrack.



The Blu-ray transfer of the film is above average with only a few slightly grainy close-ups most notably in scenes with low lighting as in the aforementioned auction in the rain and final reunion of the lovers in the fog it appears to look as beautiful as it did back in its '93 theatrical release.

Yet in the same turn, my sole technical complaint for the presentation is the sound which seems to be a continual challenge for Paramount in finding a good balance between dialogue, music, and background noise as my remote climbed anywhere from forty to seventy in numerous sequences.

With the bonus of Adrian Lyne's quiet and contemplative commentary serving as the sole extra doesn't make the expense of the Blu-ray an enticing enough proposal for buyers-- for those who haven't seen it in years or at least back since it was a hot water cooler topic of discussion, it's well worth the rental as I was surprised to discover that it was much better than I remembered.

Blu-ray Review: Ghost (1990)

Get Your Pottery Wheel Ready

One of the most unexpected box office smashes of 1990, filmmaker Jerry Zucker's Ghost would go on to receive five Oscar nominations and two golden statues-- one for Whoopi Goldberg's Best Supporting Actress turn and the other for Bruce Jay Rubin's Best Original Screenplay. However, the film's most endearing legacy is how iconic it's become in nearly twenty years since its release with countless parodies of that famous, sensuous pottery scene, bringing The Righteous Brothers' unforgettable "Unchained Melody" back to radio airwaves, and becoming one of the most popular romantic films of the '90s.



Admittedly, I was a bit nervous to check the film out once again-- having seen it more than a decade ago on VHS and realizing that my memory of it may be stronger than the work itself, coupled with my fear that special effects movies traditionally weaken with time (E.T. for example).



Yet, amazingly, the film felt just as powerful; while Demi Moore's pixie hairstyle and tomboy wardrobe still makes me cringe especially considering how gorgeous the actress was and still is, it's a good fifteen to twenty minutes too long, and some of the slightly cheesy logical gaps weaken it as a whole, as a cinematic experience, Ghost hasn't aged a bit.



Recently released in a stunning Paramount Blu-ray transfer with amazingly crisp sound and tremendous picture quality, making the film look as though it were a new release (despite those Flintstones looking PCs used in the Wall Street scenes), it's well-worth the upgrade if-- much like this reviewer-- the last time you saw Ghost was on VHS and you haven't yet purchased a digital version.

While it's the pottery wheel and Righteous Brothers that have become the most singularly famous moment from the film, no doubt sending numerous women to take pottery courses at local community education centers, seeing it again for the second time, I realized that the producers missed a second yet equally important "product placement" or advertising opportunity as the film is the ultimate argument for the existence and purchase of waterproof mascara.



For, not only does the beautiful Moore tear up in virtually every scene (even crying on the film's haunting menu screen as the Blu-ray cues up) but no doubt, a tragically large majority of female audience members who spent most of the 126 minute running time fishing for their tissues left the theatre looking like raccoons.

To refresh your memory and for the five of you reading this review who haven't seen it, Ghost centers on a well-to-do New York couple who find their relationship shattered when Sam (Patrick Swayze) is shot during a failed robbery, leaving his sculptor girlfriend Molly (Demi Moore) reeling in heartbreak. Somehow stuck between the real world and the supernatural Heaven, Sam realizes he hasn't moved on, still walking down the streets, following his beloved whom he can't communicate with or comfort as she struggles to move on with her life, along with their mutual best friend (Tony Goldwyn).



When Sam discovers that his death wasn't an accident and that his girlfriend's life is in danger, he makes every attempt to warn Molly and stop the villains responsible, with the help of a local formely phony "storefront psychic" Oda Mae Brown (Goldberg), who amazingly-- having never had an actual ability previously, snowing her customers as a successful scam artist-- discovers she can hear Sam.



Although it begins in earnest as a straightforward romance, in the tradition of classic Paramount tearjerkers like A Place in the Sun, Roman Holiday, An Officer and a Gentleman, and Love Story, screenwriter Rubin keeps audiences on their toes by injecting the piece with surprising humor as well as a thrilling and intense mystery that manages to blend numerous genres so that it transcends the generic "chick flick" label.



In fact, I was honestly surprised by how engrossed I became-- although I still remembered a few of the film's twists and the way that the "demons" and angry subway fighting ghost terrified me as a young girl first seeing the film, Zucker's film still managed to genuinely engage and rivet throughout.



A movie that almost wasn't made-- at least in the form that it's been ultimately released-- as Rubin admits in "Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic" that he cried when discovering that Airplane and Naked Gun satirist Jerry Zucker was interested in directing. Additionally, the extra continues frankly with more admissions including Zucker himself said that "over my dead body would Road House Patrick Swayze" star, as well as Swayze sticking to his guns by nailing his audition and also going as far as to say that he refused to proceed in pre-production unless he could do a scene and audition with Whoopi Goldberg (who at the time he didn't know but had long-admired).

With countless A-list stars turning it down as essentially Swayze's role is one that "reacts" to the women as opposed to commands the film, Moore-- who at the time had mostly starred in smaller roles and wasn't deemed "box office" yet-- admitted that the "potential for failure was so high."



Perfecting Rubin's original "what if" premise which was inspired by the central conflict of Hamlet and the question of how one would react in the twentieth century if a ghost wanted vengeance for his death, Rubin and Zucker worked on nineteen drafts which led to its Oscar winning formula and in addition to the other special features which have been transferred over from the DVD including commentary by the writer and director, "Inside the Paranormal," "Alchemy of a Love Scene," a Photo Gallery, and high definition version of the film's original theatrical trailer, film buffs and Rom-Com fans will want to check out the AFI inspired ode to Paramount in "Cinema's Great Romances."

Taken from the American Film Institute's list of the "Greatest Passions," this nineteen minute extra interviews numerous scholars and authors about some of Hollywood's most loved romantic classics, including Ghost.



Released on December 30 from Paramount, Ghost is one of the more impressive discs I've seen so far as far as Blu-ray picture and sound goes with full widescreen 1080p High Defintion and English 5.1 Dolby True HD along with 5.1 Dolby Digitial Surround in French and Spanish (with corresponding subtitles available in the corresponding languages along with Portugese). Just remember that while the film should be available everywhere, pottery wheels, "Unchained Melody," tissues, and waterproof mascara are sold separately.

Flawless (2008)

Director:
Michael Radford

We open in a newsroom several years ago: Overlooking the fact that the only other woman on the floor was sitting at the reception desk, I fought that familiar battle between anxiety and adrenaline while being ushered across the floor of a major American newspaper (which shall go nameless) for what at that point, I perceived would be one of the most important interviews of my professional career. Feeling incredibly insecure but infinitely glad that I opted to wear a feminine yet conservative suit, I recalled my father’s advice to smile while always looking men directly in the eye as I shook the editor’s hand, again choosing not to dwell on the fact that-- as someone who still occasionally gets carded at R rated movies-- he was obviously disappointed by my youthful appearance that didn’t match my overflowing resume. Immediately relieved to see a second male with a far friendlier face enter the room, it dawned on me they’d be playing good editor, bad editor, however, I was incredibly unprepared when bad editor’s eyes methodically looked me up and down-- dwelling uncomfortably long on my legs—and his tone changed as he stared me dead in the eye, charging, “Do you even read the paper, honey?” While it was far more subtle than the words of a former (and shockingly) female boss who told me I’d been hired because as opposed to those who seem inherently “back office,” I looked like a “front desk girl,” I was still so taken aback by what I assumed must be a joke that my first instinct was to laugh before he confirmed his seriousness with an eye-roll and more condescension. Realizing with pity what it must be like for the poor receptionist who I made sure to nod at in solidarity later, I decided the interview was a waste and gave bad editor an equally leveled look, telling him honestly that I did read his paper occasionally but frankly, I preferred The New York Times. And although the good editor hid his smile well and seemed not only genuinely impressed by my moxie but amused enough to walk with me after the interview was over, needless to say, I wasn’t shocked when my phone didn’t ring with a lucrative offer from bad editor.

While admittedly... baby, we’ve come a long, long way from the rampant sexism of the 1950’s and 60’s, the glass ceiling as most recently referenced by Hillary Clinton hasn’t been shattered yet and if you ask most women honestly, chances are they all have at least one story to tell that’s similar to the anecdote I just shared. Therefore it only takes a few minutes of director Michael Radford’s Flawless for us to instinctively rally behind actress Demi Moore’s character Laura Quinn, an Oxford educated American woman who works as the only female manager at the London Diamond Corporation in 1960. With a nonexistent personal life and always the first to arrive and the last to leave the office of back-slapping, two faced, witless joke telling colleagues whom one can best sum up as sort of a British, wealthy, highly intelligent version of the popular colloquialism “good ol’ boys” when it comes time for promotions and vice presidencies, the brainy and richly deserving Laura has been passed over six times in the last three years. Shortly after her latest snub, Laura finds herself propositioned by an unlikely ally in the form of Mr. Hobbs (Michael Caine), a loyal night janitor who teases her with clichés such as “fortune favors the bold” before suggesting she sublimate the need for revenge and benefit financially at the same time by banding together to steal a thermos full of diamonds from the corporation. First casting the idea aside altogether, Laura has a change of heart when Hobbs learns her position within Lon Di is no longer secure and soon enough the two plot to pull off the heist which evolves with dangerous challenges as security cameras are installed inside the corporation and more secrets are revealed.

Intriguingly and atypical for the heist genre, the cool, unemotionally involving Flawless becomes downright irresistible following what should’ve been its climactic theft as an unexpected twist is introduced and Caine’s character morphs into one finally worthy of the great actor’s talents. Although director Radford’s Flawless isn’t in the same league as his critically acclaimed Oscar favorite Il Postino or the unforgettable 1984, and first time screenwriter Edward Anderson weaves in a few modern and politically topical plot revelations that make it seem a bit anachronistic and unbelievable, it’s wonderful to see the former A list leading lady Demi Moore in something that gives her much more room to shine than as exploited forty plus eye candy in Charlie’s Angels 2.

With the warning that it’s a rather methodical and creaky roller coaster, taking a good forty to fifty minutes of climbing uphill before it finally thrills us on the ride down, Flawless plays even better on the small screen and should make it all the more successful on DVD than it was theatrically, especially for those of us still dizzy from a long day in the unceasing theme park we call the concrete jungle.