After Hours
by Martin Scorsese
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Griffin Dunne, Linda Fiorentino, Rosanna Arquette, Tommy Chong, Verna BloomDirector: Martin Scorsese
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 97 minutes
Published: 2004-08-01
DVD Release Date: 2004-08-17
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Model: 19119
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:
- A Manhattan Yuppie's night out becomes a comic nightmare, courtesy of director Martin Scorsese. Griffin Dunne and Rosanna Arquette star in a "wild, funny and wonderful original" (Judith Crist) Year: 1985 Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Verna BloomRunning Time: 97 min. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: R Age: 085391919209 UPC:&nbs
Movie Reviews of After Hours
Movie Review: One of Martin Scorsese's BEST...
Summary: 5 Stars
Martin Scorsese has, over time, given us so much. From his earliest days to present. Not that all his films were/are great, as were/are those of any other film directors of his era or any other. The difference here is that in this film, Scorsese tackles comedy, which went and generally goes against his overall filmmaker grain. This is his other main humorous masterpiece film, along with his black comedy "King of Comedy," which as much or more than equals "After Hours," but is much less black and nightmarish than this. When it comes down to it, unlike King of Comedy (full of a subtle, more nervous humor), After Hours, while consistently providing numerous moments of laugh out loud craziness, is more of a nightmare comedy than a black one. Especially upon repeated viewings. Because hidden within this broad comedy are simply tons of individual scene oddities and unforgettable moments. In short, this is King of Comedy gone Twilight Zone, but that's all a part of its charm and overall success. While nothing seen approaches unreasonable "yeah, right" suspensions of disbelief, through Griffin Dunne's portrayal of "Paul," a NYC word processor circa 80's green screen computer monitors, and pretty much a normal guy, the audience is from the first moments on, easily able to identify with him. And that's the secret of this film's brilliance.
One night, bored with switching cable stations, he ventures out into the NYC night rather late, and on a "school night" (he has to work the next day), and while reading a worn novel in a late-night diner, is introduced to an attractive girl (Rosanna Arquette), Marcie. It is a chance and strange meeting, but romance-hungry Paul eventually jumps at the chance to meet up with Marcie later in the "after hours" and soon finds his decision the beginning of a true comic-nightmare series of events, all unforseen.
Traveling down to the Soho district in the middle of the night, full of nuts like Teri Garr, Linda Fiorentino, among many others, for an everyman like Paul, his rash initial decision begins a series of more and more bizarre events and circumstances, and scene upon scene of absolute genius in their overall execution, timing, and meaning. Throughout the film, virtually every scene and shot seems to belong and there is absolutely no filler of any kind here.
One of the most common nightmares of common folk consist of "obstacles." Whereas one is trying to complete something, or get somewhere, or just end the at-times seemingly hopeless task at hand, to just wake up from the nightmare, back in your home, in your bed, and wake up. Trouble is, for Paul, his strange journey extends throughout almost the entire length of the film, which makes this a true existential and metaphysical classic.
What's so great about this film is how it slowly goes from the absurd and nightmarish step by step, until by the end, Paul's everyday nightmare of his job is his wake up call, and the film comes full circle. Full of memorable scenes and superb directorial touches, and lots of laughs, even if some may be just too close to home and reality to lay within the fully comfortable, "After Hours" is a movie that if you get into it within the first 20-30 minutes, you will stick with it till the end because the whole premise is just so edge-of-seat compelling. It is also unique in the history of all great films in that nearly every shot and scene is just about perfect.
Scorsese throws in the kitchen sink here and proves his directorial genius at every twist and turn, utilizing various creative insider moments throughout. Throughout, there is also a wonderful feeling of being stuck in some temporal hell, where some moments drag on and some are over in an instant. Just like any such "dream."
This is a film to be viewed again and again, if for no other reason than to break down and understand the broader and quite deep implications of what is constantly entertaining and even enlightening, for very different reasons. Paul (Griffin Dunne) is the center of the film, and the viewer's center as well, as we see the comic, nightmarish, series of improbable but very believable in a way happenings, through his perspective. But that is more than enough, given the multitude of strange characters and situations he finds himself in, when all he really just wanted to do was "maybe get out of his apartment for awhile, maybe meet a nice girl, and how he eventually seemed to have to DIE FOR IT???!!!" One of many highlight moments of simply a great film.
There are so many such moments, they are impossible to go into but another of my faves is Paul, in the middle of a NYC Soho neighborhood dark night "after hours" street, falling to his knees in a prayer to God with the line, "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME, I'M JUST A WORD PROCESSOR!!!" Darkly, nervously, right on and laugh out loud funny. And look fast for Scorcese appearing ala-Hitchcock in the film as the guy shining the spotlights from above in the punk rock club scene, on Soho "Mohawk" night.
By all means, one of Scorsese's best, like his "King Of Comedy", not to be missed by any true black/nightmare comedy film fan from one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. If you like/love this, you'll love "King of Comedy" and vica versa.
Cheech and Chong's last major film as a team. Teri Garr and the rat trap surrounded bedroom. Surrender Dorothy! So many moments, so little time. A dark comic gem from beginning to end.
Summary of After Hours
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