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THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST: CRITERION COLLECTION
Movie: 7/10
Let me start by stating that I am a huge fan of Oscar Wilde's play. This is one of my favorite plays (among Streetcar Named Desire and others) that has found it's way to the medium of film. (There is also a new version from Miramax that I have yet to see.) Wilde's play is a satire on Victorian society, which is embodied by our two main characters, Algernon and Jack. In the opening scene, they discuss marriage and what it is to be in love. Algernon is a cynic while Jack believes he has fallen in love with someone. However, there is a minor problem. Bunburying. This is the act of making up another person in order to get out of social occasions. Jack has made up an alternate person by the name of Earnest and his lover, Gwendolyn, has stated that she can only love him if his name is Earnest. Meanwhile, Algernon begins to pester his friend and weaves his own tales, falling in love with Jack's young ward under the same alias of Earnest. Soon, everyone becomes intertwined and comedy ensues. I don't want to dive much further into the plot because it is hard to understand at times, but it is very funny.
I thought the film version brought forth by Criterion would sweep me off of my feet. However, early on it turned me off. It is not a bad movie, it is far from that. I think the problem lies within the viewer. I had the looks of Algernon and Jack set in my mind and to see the movie and find that the director saw the exact opposite, I had a hard time getting into things. Certain scenes also seem to lack the luster of Wilde's words. Maybe I'm being too judgmental, but I really love this play and while the movie isn't bad, it really didn't satisfy me. Streetcar did, but maybe that's because I saw Brando the whole time as Stanley. I don't know, maybe I just need to give the flick another round. Criterion at least deserves a great deal of praise for finding and preserving these films, while this isn't exactly my favorite edition, they are by far the best producers of DVDs around.
Video: 8/10
Really good for being an older flick. I was not disappointed with Criterion's treatment.
Audio: 8/10
Clear mono. As always, Criterion does good on transfers.
Extras: 2/10
Ouch... This is normally an area where Criterion excels as a DVD producer, looking at Children of Paradise, 8 1/2, Traffic (which I still want to review but my finances keep me from it), Chasing Amy, and Rushmore are all packed! This reminds me of The Last Wave, it's so sparse. It only includes a photo gallery with notes and a trailer! Well, I guess I can't let one bad apple ruin the bunch.
Overall: 6/10
Disappointing lack of extras, stellar transfers, and a decent flick. It's a judgment call. I hope their edition of Hearts and Minds is better. They go from putting out one of my favorite DVDs of the year, George Washington, to this. I hope they send me Traffic and Tenenbaums.
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