Requiem for a Dream Blu-ray offers solid video and great audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
Twin stories about different kinds of addiction: A young man (Jared Leto) who along with his
best friend (Marlon Wayans) and girlfriend is addicted to heroin, dreams of transcending his life
of hustling and owning a store in New York City, while his mother (Ellen Burstyn), depressed
and obsessed by television and diet pills envisions her chance to shine again on a game show.
Darren Aronofsky's masterpiece of terror proves more frightening than any film featuring a masked
killer or a creature from another world, but it's not about murders or scary monsters, except, of
course, those that man brings on himself and those that reside deep within his very essence.
Requiem for a Dream plays like a living nightmare, a never-ending descent into
self-imposed hellacious prisons with no bars, no guards, and no sentences, a place where addicts go
on
their own accord and live in agony in hopes of somehow, someway, finding answers in the pleasure
that becomes pain that becomes death -- emotionally at first and, eventually, physically -- in what
seems like the blink of an eye. Beginning innocently enough, that "one hit" to calm the nerves or
those pills that promise to instantly drop those pesky 20 pounds that just can't be gone soon
enough lead to maddening obsessions that can't be shaken, that tear down lives, that wear down
the body, and that shred the soul.
What's the pill-to-pound ratio, again?
Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto, Lord of War) and his
friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans, Little Man) have
pawned off Harry's mother's (Ellen Burstyn, The Fountain) best
friend, her television set, for $20 to get high. It's a recurring transaction, with them taking the
set from the frightened Mrs. Goldfarb who has resorted to chaining the set to the radiator in
hopes of breaking the cycle, but to no avail. After she re-purchases her set from the dealer for
the umpteenth time, she watches nothing but a repeating infomercial and
she one days receives a telephone call informing her that she's been selected to appear on
television. On what show, on which date, and at what time matters not; she's ecstatic with the
prospect and wishes to recapture her glory days by wearing a favorite red dress. Unfortunately,
the dress doesn't quite fit, and when she fails at a grapefruit-and-eggs diet, she turns to
prescription pills to magically melt the fat away. Meanwhile, Harry, Tyrone, and Harry's girlfriend
Marion (Jennifer Connelly, Dark City) make big
plans for their lives but can't escape the allure of hard narcotics. As they shoot more and more
dope into their veins and Mrs. Goldfarb pops more and more diet pills, this tragic quartet begin a
rapid descent into nothingness as their vices -- well-intentioned or otherwise -- get the best of
them and lead them to unimaginably horrific fates.
Even in its opening minutes where life still takes on a hint of normalcy, there's still conflict to be
found. Requiem for a Dream immediately pulls its audience in with a discomforting setup
that sees a mother terrified of her son, treating him like a criminal and locking herself away from
him, hinting that there may be more to their relationship than the constant back-and-forth
charade with the television set. Conflict plays as a central theme throughout the film, and not
necessarily conflict between characters. Obviously, there's plenty of that as lives spiral out of
control and relationships fall by the wayside in favor of satiating that craving for what it is that's
tearing them down in the first place. The primary conflict in the film comes from within each
character; they struggle to find answers but generally fail to look anywhere but further into the
abyss that
has them swiftly falling deeper into a cesspool of self-loathing; physical pain; mental anguish; and
sorrow for the past, lament of the present, and a hopeless outlook towards the future. It's
chilling stuff, the fall not from grace but from normalcy in the name of the simplest things, best
displayed by Sara's seemingly harmless desire to fit into an old dress. While she doesn't sell her
body for drugs, get caught up with the wrong people for that next high, or attempt to fool herself
into believing that she has control of her actions, her obsession nevertheless leads her down a
dark road that she unwittingly travels but cannot exit. Requiem for a Dream focuses on
drugs, and while it may be seen as an anti-drug movie, its true strength lies in its universal
message that speaks against any sort of unhealthy habit, lifestyle, or addiction that can in an
instant become something that can potentially devastate
a life.
Even the title -- Requiem for a Dream -- suggests the absence of hope, the death of a
future, the forsaking of a chance at redemption. Everything in the film comes with a price, that
price being the aforementioned hope, future, and redemption. With every pill, with every high,
with every submission to amoral activity in the name of the next hit, the characters take one
more step towards sealing an inevitable fate that isn't hard to see but is scoffed at, unchallenged,
or otherwise ignored even in the face of painfully obvious signs. Director Darren Aronofsky, best
known for 2008's The Wrestler,
creates a highly stylized world that visually captures the themes of despair, distrust, selfishness,
and suffering that populate the film. Deliberately slow and meandering in its depiction of life
without the high and hyperkinetic in its visions of the fleeting world of the rush of the latest hit,
Requiem for a Dream offers slick editing and an eye for the surreal that immensely aids
in capturing the ups and downs of an addict's life. Using rapid edits, extreme close-ups, shaky
handheld cameras, and other tools to assemble the parallel worlds, Aranofsky never leaves any
doubt as to either the effects of the addiction or the pace at which it leads its victims down a road
thy can't very well escape. Requiem for a Dream paints its characters as selfish and
hypocritical and often visually reinforces the divide between them, even when they speak
otherwise. A scene featuring Harry and Marion lying in bed one beside the other, touching and
speaking of how they love one another is displayed in a split screen, despite the characters
inches-wide physical separation. Recalling the troubling first scene between Harry and his
mother, it symbolizes a chasm, a rift, a
deception; soft words and a
tender touch mask the deeper love, that of the substance, the high, and the effort to obtain it.
They're but pawns in one another's lives, a hollow relationship that's held together by a mutual
desire not for one another but for that which will eventually tear them apart both emotionally
and physically.
Requiem for a Dream's finest asset comes in the superb acting that is to be found in
every frame. The film's quartet of primaries sparkle and play their parts with a disturbing reality
that captures the very essence of insanity. Of course, the film is highlighted by veteran actress
Ellen Burstyn, her effort here garnering an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Her uncanny
ability to play the part with a wide range of emotion -- afraid of her son, giddy at the prospect of
appearing on television, concerned over fitting into an old dress, distress at the prospect of a diet
that asks her to survive on grapefruit and eggs, and her slow decent into hell as she deliberately
overdoses on prescription diet pills in hopes of more quickly losing weight -- makes for a
fascinating study into the human psyche. Unlike some of the other
characters, she seems at least partially aware of her deteriorating situation. She lies to her son
about
her condition when it is revealed to him that she's on "uppers," and a panicked visit to her diet
doctor
-- a doctor that never once looks her in the eye -- sees her telling him of her failing health, but
her
observation is met with a nonchalant dismissal. Her character's story is the most tragic in the
film;
it begins with the best of intentions but falls terribly off course due in part to her own actions but
also due
to the inactions of her doctor and her friends' failure to intervene, her downfall not the easiest to
see coming but certainly the most devastating by film's end. Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly
turn in top-notch efforts, too, but Marlon Wayans just may be the surprise of the show, delivers a
deep and reflective effort as he recalls his more innocent days as a child and, perhaps more
so than Harry or Marion, his character seems to realize the trap he's in but cannot find an
effective means of escape. By extension, it seems appropriate that of all the characters, his
situation at film's end appears the most promising despite the harsh conditions and treatment he
faces.
Requiem for a Dream delivers a quality 1080p transfer framed inside a 1.85:1 window. The
image appears slightly overblown in several scenes, with an unnatural sense of brightness to it that
nevertheless
seems to reflect the intended look of the film suitably well. Detail appears as above average but not
absolutely striking; objects scattered about Mrs. Goldfarb's apartment, for instance, appear sharp
and
finely rendered both in the foreground in the more distant background areas as well. The most
impressive details stem from the many extreme close-up shots in the film. Aronofsky often zooms
in
tight on skin, eyes, and lips, and the fine details -- particularly in chapped, dehydrated lips as seen
later in the film -- offer startling clarity. Colors are finely rendered but don't pop off the screen,
appearing as slightly washed out from time to time but never looking too terribly dull. There's
minimal
visible grain but there's little in the way of distracting artifacts. This Blu-ray release of Requiem
for a Dream offers up a solid transfer but one that's not visually spectacular.
Requiem for a Dream arrives on Blu-ray with a powerful DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless
soundtrack. The music as heard over the opening credits plays through every one of the speakers
in the 7.1 configuration, a trend that holds through the course of the picture. The musical
presentation enjoys excellent clarity and precision across the entire dynamic range; Clint Mansell's
now-iconic score has never sounded better. The harsh strings that punctuate the madness and
depravity of the film are duplicated here wonderfully. There are plenty of unnerving sound effects
throughout, for instance those that accompany the drug preparation scenes or several
hallucinations, including one revolving around a refrigerator with a mind of its own as heard in
chapter 13. Bass isn't prevalent throughout, but when it arrives, it makes its presence felt. Other
assorted sound effects, many far more subtle, permeate the soundstage as well. Whether visions of
cupcakes and donuts flying around the soundstage or the gentle sounds of the Atlantic's rolling
waves, the track handles a broad range of effects superbly. Dialogue delivery never falters, and
even Keith David's booming voice is handled well. Requiem for a Dream relies heavily on its
soundtrack to compliment the tone of the film, and this DTS-HD MA 7.1 offering is up to the task.
Requiem for a Dream comes to Blu-ray with a healthy dosage of supplements. First up
are
two filmmaker commentaries, beginning with a track featuring Director Darren Aronofsky.
Recorded
almost nine years ago, the director speaks on the difficulty of making the film, recounting his
fascination with the book, stylistic choices that shaped the tone of the picture, the score, the
acting,
and much more. This is a fine track that makes for a solid compliment to the film. The second
track features Director of Photography Matthew Libatique. Obviously, this track isn't as balanced
as
the director offering, focusing primarily on the technical nitty-gritty behind the creation of the
film's
look and shooting style. It comes recommended to budding filmmakers and cinematographers.
The
Making of 'Requiem for a Dream' (480p, 35:23) is a solid behind-the-scenes piece that offers
raw footage from the set that covers a wide array of topics, including shooting techniques,
makeup application, and more, all complimented by commentary from the director recorded after
the fact. Memories, Dreams, & Addictions: Ellen Burstyn Interviews Hubert Selby, Jr.
(480p, 19:56) is a piece that features the Oscar-winning actress asking questions of the author
of the novel Requiem for a Dream. Also included is a collection of nine deleted scenes
with optional director commentary, the film's teaser (480p, 1:36) and theatrical (480p, 1:37)
trailers, and two TV spots (480p, 0:17 & 0:32).
It can be effectively argued that Requiem for a Dream works too well, is too effective, and
by extension, is nearly impossible to watch. Certainly there's no emotional appeal here; the film is a
downer in every sense of the word as it grates on the audience that cannot help but take the fall
with each character as their lives go from oddly fascinating to downright repulsive in what seems
like the blink of an eye or, in this case, the popping of a pill or the prick of a needle. Nevertheless,
Requiem for a Dream is required viewing for most any audience of an appropriate age and
maturity level that can take the film to heart and understand exactly what it's putting on display.
It's the cinematic equivalent of touching a hot stove; it's worth experiencing for
the life lesson and is something that will in some way stay with each and every viewer that dares
absorb what it has to offer. Not a movie for the timid but exactly the sort of film that needs to be
seen, Requiem for a Dream is the stuff of nightmares, but better to see it on-screen and in
a safe environment than to learn its lessons the hard way. Lionsgate's Blu-ray release of this
disturbing modern classic impresses. Featuring a sound 1080p transfer, a somewhat better lossless
soundtrack, and a solid array of bonus materials, Requiem for a Dream comes highly
recommended despite its limited replay value.
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