The Ice Storm - Criterion Collection

Buy This Item The Ice Storm - Criterion Collection by Criterion Collection  Available from Amazon  $29.99  on 8-29-2008     Suburban Connecticut, 1973. While Nixon s impeachment hearings blast from the TV, the wayward Hood and Carver families try to navigate a Thanksgiving break simmering with unspoken resentments, sexual experimentation, and cultural confusion. With crystalline clarity, characteristic subtlety, and even a dose of wicked humor, Academy Award winning director Ang Lee adapts Rick Moody s acclaimed novel of American malaise into a trenchant, tragic portrait of lost souls. Featuring a cast of tremendously talented adults (Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver) and kids (up-and-coming stars Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood), THE ICE STORM is one of the finest films of the nineties. Special Features * - New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Ang Lee and director of photography Frederick Elmes * - Audio commentary featuring Lee and producer-screenwriter James Schamus * - New documentary featuring interviews with actors Joan Allen, Kevin Kline, Christina Ricci, and Elijah Wood * - New video interview with novelist Rick Moody * - Deleted scenes * - Footage from an event honoring Lee and Schamus at New York's Museum of the Moving Image * - Production designs and sketches, with commentary by the designers * - Theatrical trailer * - PLUS: A new essay by film critic Bill Krohn Reader Reviews I was only 13 years old when 'The Ice Storm' made its very short run at my local theater in Amarillo, TX. I had to drag my father to go see it with me due to its "R" rating. After many uncomfortable moments sitting there with my father, the film wrapped up with its tragic finale. I was speechless to say the least. Now, 10 years later, I still am. 'The Ice Storm' is truely one of the most incredibly underappreciated films of the 90s. I think that had it been made today (especially now with Ang Lee being a more familiar name thanks in part to 'Brokeback Mountain'), the film would have made a lot more noise that it did back in '97. But for some reason, the people of 1997 just weren't ready for what 'The Ice Storm' had in store. If only it had waited two more years, it would have brilliantly accompained 'American Beauty'. The two are strangely very similar yet different. Both are excellent films though I feel 'The Ice Storm' is far more mature and composed. The film is about two families who interact with each other in many ways. The parents are cheating on each other. Their children are experimenting with each other via sex and drugs. Yet, before you say that it sounds pretty drab or even bleak, let me say that there's so much more. The writing and direction is so sharp and observant. The acting is flawless and fearless. It's not only one of the best films of the 90s. It's one of my favorite films of all time. Fans of family dynamics and infedelity will greatly enjoy. There's also enough social commentary to keep even the peskiest viewer interested. Bottom line: 'The Ice Storm' is a brilliant film that's not afraid to "go there". Its acceptance into the Criterion Collection is a wonderful aknowledgement of its importance. It truely does stand the test of time.

The Ice Storm - Criterion Collection Available from Amazon Price: $29.99 Updated on 8-29-2008.

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