Seven Days in May (DVD)

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For "Seven Days in May" I advise you to get your popcorn ready and do your business in the bathroom before the lights go out, because once underway you won't want to pause the film for a second. Incidentally, it is a measure of how far our politicians have come that in this film, made almost forty years ago, the nation's leader has qualms about using Scott's sexual indiscretions against him. Today, politicians wouldn't hesitate for a moment to use any means at their disposal to destroy an opponent.

Video:
The black-and-white picture, presented in a 1.77:1 enhanced widescreen aspect ratio, is unusually clear and clean for a movie that was not digitally restored. Warner obviously relied on a very good print for their transfer, one that contained few age spots or signs of fading.

Audio:
The Dolby Digital monaural sound comes up about as well as could be expected, but that isn't saying a lot. Fortunately, it doesn't have to do much beyond convey dialogue crisply.

Extras:
The disc's only noteworthy special feature is a full-length audio commentary by director Frankenheimer, who remembers a surprisingly good deal about the film's production and crew. There are also some brief historical notes and a cast list. English is the only spoken language, but subtitles are provided in English and French. Thirty scene selections and a theatrical trailer round out the disc.

Parting Thoughts:
"Seven Days in May" is everything a good, taut, riveting conspiracy movie should be. No matter how contrived it may seem in retrospect, during the watching of the film every scene rings true, every character behaves rationally, every detail seems right. With superb acting and a minimum of political posturing, the movie has served as a model for every film of its kind that has come after it. Unfortunately, not many other films have measured up to the prototype. The story was even remade for television in 1994 as "The Enemy Within," failing to match its predecessor's excitement or suspense. Go with the original and see what good filmmaking is all about.

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