Following on the heels of The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally, director Rob Reiner decided to try his hands at a much different genre. As we all know, Hollywood adaptations of Stephen King novels have met with varying levels of success, but Misery marked the second time Reiner directed a story from the prolific horror writer (his first film adaptation was Stand by Me). Upon its theatrical release in 1990, the film was met with wide critical acclaim, which many attribute to Kathy Bates portrayal of a psychopathic country bumpkin (she won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress). I've seen Misery on at least five occasions over the years, and it continues to provide the same level of tension I experienced in my initial viewing.
Would you like a sledgehammer with your breakfast?
Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is a well-known author of romance novels centered on a character named Misery Chastaine. Having completed his latest novel at a country lodge in Silver Creek, Paul sets off through a snow covered pass to deliver the manuscript to his publisher. Along the way, he loses control of his car and crashes into a ditch along the side of the road. As he regains consciousness the next day, he looks down to find his legs severely fractured in the crash, and learns his savior is a middle-aged ex-nurse who runs a pig farm. Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) describes herself as Paul's number one fan, who relied on the stories of Misery Chastaine to make it through some tough stretches in her life and feels incredibly fortunate to have been given the opportunity to take care of Paul. Unfortunately, everything takes a turn for the worst when Paul's latest Misery novel is released to the local store and Annie finds out Paul killed off the star in the conclusion of the series. In a rage, she demands he make it right by completing a new novel that resurrects the heroine, locking him in her house until it's completed. Desperate for a way out, but physically unable to protect himself or escape, Paul attempts to weather Annie's psychotic outbursts and devise a plan to make it through the ordeal with his life.
If you're looking for edge-of-your-seat entertainment, Misery will fit the bill perfectly. The tone is absolutely unnerving as Bates lulls the audience to sleep with her happy-go-lucky side, only to catch us by surprise with her pulse-pounding outbursts of uncontrollable rage. Watching her spiral out of control as she scolds Paul about the use of profanity in his new novel give us our first taste of what's to come, but it's not until she learns of Misery's death that we get a true taste of just how demented the woman is. Watching a film of this nature makes us ponder what we would do in Paul's situation, which steadily turns from bad to worse as the film progresses. He knows his captor is demented from an early point in the film, but as Annie so eloquently states "If she dies, he dies". Paul must constantly remember he's not only a prisoner by Annie's choice, but also a prisoner by his own physical circumstances. It gives the film an almost claustrophobic effect that adds to the building tension.
One of the effective aspects of the plot in Misery, is the cat-and-mouse game that Paul and Annie play with one another in the second half of the film. I don't want to give away spoilers (in case there are readers that somehow missed the film up to this point), but Paul ends up becoming just as crafty as Annie through the final act. This is a culmination of his earlier attempts that either result in accidental failure or a tendency to always remain one step behind Annie. I won't divulge what happens, but every time the wine scene approaches, I cringe in anticipation of what's about to take place.
From an acting standpoint, Misery is a grand achievement across the board. As I mentioned before, Kathy Bates won Best Actress in 1990 for her portrayal of Annie Wilkes, and I can't imagine a more deserving recipient. Moving flawlessly between innocent sweetness and vicious rage, Bates owns your attention every time she steps into a scene, keeping us guessing with the ever-shifting personality of her character. Caan is equally impressive in the role of Paul, which requires him to remain in a bed or a wheelchair through the entire length of the film. His ability to convey vulnerability over a tough-guy facade is a testament to his acting abilities, and I hope we see more leading roles thrown his way in the coming years. Lastly, I have to briefly mention the late Richard Farnsworth as the local sheriff. Though his part in the film isn't as extensive or challenging as Bates or Caan, he's the perfect choice for a role that demands little more than a soft exterior and a good heart. One of the pivotal moments in the film (and most shocking) involves his character, but I don't think it would be nearly as important if we didn't gravitate toward Farnsworth's charming portrayal in the early stages of the story. If anything, Misery is worth watching simply for the performances from the talented cast.
Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 32Mbps), Misery looks outstanding for a film that's steadily approaching its 20th anniversary. Fine object detail offers a level of clarity that rivals many of the newest big budget releases. Look for the bristly fur on Annie's pig, or the facial hair on James Caan's face to get an idea of just how pristine the picture appears. I rarely expect the original source material to look this proficient on aging catalog titles, and it's rare to see one look this detailed without the incorporation of significant remastering (which I doubt MGM had the resources to use in this case). As you can imagine, I didn't detect the slightest presence of DNR, allowing film grain to appear on an occasional basis, but never approach levels I'd consider distracting. From a color standpoint, Misery has never looked this vibrant. Simply judging from the country setting and decorations in Annie's house, I assumed the film would continue to look as drab and muted as it did on prior releases, but this is honestly a revelation in comparison. Skin tones appear natural, the dingy brownish-yellow hue from the wallpaper in Paul's room looks slightly less depressing than I remember, and the pink tone from Paul's shirt absolutely pops in comparison with the DVD release. Lastly, black levels are incredibly deep, and contrast never waivers in displaying differentiation across the snow-covered landscape. The only disappointment in the entire film is a bit of haziness that creeps up in the final scene within the restaurant.
If you've been a fan of the film over the past two decades, this is the visual upgrade you've been waiting for.
The number of audio tracks included on this release is almost mind-boggling (and likely accounts for need to include a DVD with the Blu-ray to house the special features). Naturally, I chose the lossless English audio track presented in DTS HD-MA 5.1. The track may not offer a level of improvement that matches the transfer, but considering this is a dialogue-heavy affair, I was more than happy with the proficiency of the sound design. First and foremost, the clarity in every aspect of the track is excellent, but it's the small, seemingly insignificant effects that really stand out on the track. Whether it's the tick and ding of Paul's typewriter, or the creaking floorboards as Annie passes outside the door of Paul's room, I was taken aback by the subtleties of the audio mix and how well they were incorporated with the more pronounced elements (such as the dialogue or music). The volume balance of the mix is equally impressive, affording adequate weight to the music, dialogue and environmental sound effects. There's not much surround use (after all, this isn't Transformers), but when the action picks up, you'll notice effects dancing from speaker to speaker in perfect unison with the onscreen action. In the end, I can't identify any complaints I have with the audio experience, but I also wouldn't say it knocked my socks off.
Misery is one of several recent Blu-ray releases from MGM that contain a copy of the DVD release in addition to the Blu-ray. This appears to be a strategic move to provide special features without actually adding them to the Blu-ray disc itself. In general, I wouldn't consider this practice ideal (especially for anyone with an interest in director's commentaries) but it may partially account for the reasonable retail price of this Blu-ray release.
Having said that, I'm reviewing a single-disc rental copy of the Misery Blu-ray, so I'm not able to comment on the DVD special features included within the retail package (there's not a single special feature included on the Blu-ray disc).
Misery easily tops my list of most memorable thrillers and remains just as tense today as it was back in 1990. With sure-handed direction from one of the greatest directors in Hollywood, a cast brimming with legendary actors, and a story penned by the master of horror himself, the film should remain an iconic classic for years to come. From a technical standpoint, this edition offers viewers a dramatic upgrade over any prior release, making this an easy recommendation for any film-lover. Halloween's just around the corner, so grab a copy of Misery, avoid snow-covered roads, and be thankful you don't have a number one fan with a sledgehammer.
MGM Home Entertainment in conjunction with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has announced the technical specs and special features for the upcoming Blu-ray release of Stephen King's 'Misery', which is scheduled to hit store shelves on September 15th, day-and-date ...
In an early announcement to retailers, it has been revealed that MGM Home
Entertainment will release a set of highly-appreciated horror movies on
September 15: 'Child's Play', 'Misery', and 'The Hannibal Lecter Anthology', which
will include 'Manhunter', ...
