“Weird Science” or “My Tutor” for the ascetic set.
Claire: "I have a lot of reading to do."
Martin: "Reading´s bad for your health."
Claire: "Only high cholesterol books. I read low fat."
Thewlis is always at his best when he´s in high dudgeon, and he´s in fine form here. He doesn´t spew wall-to-wall vitriol like in Mike Leigh´s "Naked," but he plays the angry, alienated artist to a tee. Once he falls in love with Claire, though, he loses his edge and with it most of the energy in his performance. Jacob is a beauty who is given little to do in the film besides look beautiful; she can get away with the "I read low fat" line because she´s a babe, but I don´t think Auster has the same excuse. Imperioli seems lost from the get go, and a late appearance by the director´s daughter Sophie Auster is painfully awkward.
Video
Like most New Yorker wide-screen releases, the film is presented in a 1.78:1 enhanced anamorphic image. The interlaced transfer is competent but unspectacular. The colors don´t exactly pop off the screen, but they´re OK. It´s nothing to complain about and nothing to get excited about. At least it´s not a PAL transfer with that sickly greenish hue.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo (2.0 and 5.1 options.) No subtitles are provided.
Extras
A rather substantial featurette on the "Making of" the film (43 min.) is included. Auster pontificates about his work while cast and screw chip in with comments of their own. I have to admit I wasn´t interested enough to do more than skim, but if you liked the film, this is more than just a throw-way feature.
Film Value
An archaic exercise in male wish fulfillment, "The Inner Life of Martin Frost" offers a strong performance by David Thewlis and not much else. This short film that outgrew its britches is short on ideas and way too long on running time.
Martin: "Reading´s bad for your health."
Claire: "Only high cholesterol books. I read low fat."
Thewlis is always at his best when he´s in high dudgeon, and he´s in fine form here. He doesn´t spew wall-to-wall vitriol like in Mike Leigh´s "Naked," but he plays the angry, alienated artist to a tee. Once he falls in love with Claire, though, he loses his edge and with it most of the energy in his performance. Jacob is a beauty who is given little to do in the film besides look beautiful; she can get away with the "I read low fat" line because she´s a babe, but I don´t think Auster has the same excuse. Imperioli seems lost from the get go, and a late appearance by the director´s daughter Sophie Auster is painfully awkward.
Video
Like most New Yorker wide-screen releases, the film is presented in a 1.78:1 enhanced anamorphic image. The interlaced transfer is competent but unspectacular. The colors don´t exactly pop off the screen, but they´re OK. It´s nothing to complain about and nothing to get excited about. At least it´s not a PAL transfer with that sickly greenish hue.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo (2.0 and 5.1 options.) No subtitles are provided.
Extras
A rather substantial featurette on the "Making of" the film (43 min.) is included. Auster pontificates about his work while cast and screw chip in with comments of their own. I have to admit I wasn´t interested enough to do more than skim, but if you liked the film, this is more than just a throw-way feature.
Film Value
An archaic exercise in male wish fulfillment, "The Inner Life of Martin Frost" offers a strong performance by David Thewlis and not much else. This short film that outgrew its britches is short on ideas and way too long on running time.
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[release]23476[/release]