The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (The Criterion Collection)
by Wes Anderson
List Price:
Our Price: $3.65
You Save: $6.30 (63%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.80 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Owen Wilson, Willem DafoeDirector: Wes Anderson
Brand: Miramax Home Entertainment
Writer: Wes Anderson
Producer: Barry Mendel
Producer: Dan Beers
Producer: Enzo Sisti
Producer: Rudd Simmons
Producer: Scott Rudin
Writer: Noah Baumbach
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language); German (Original Language); Icelandic (Original Language); Italian (Original Language); Portuguese (Original Language); Tagalog (Original Language)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 119 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-05-10
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Miramax Home Entertainment
Product features:
- Internationally famous oceanographer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) and his crew -- Team Zissou -- set sail on a expedition to hunt down the mysterious, elusive -- possibly nonexistent -- Jaguar Shark that killed Zissou's partner during the documentary filming of their latest adventure. They are joined on their voyage by a young airline co-pilot who may or may not be Zissou's son (Owen Wilson)
Movie Reviews of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (The Criterion Collection)
Movie Review: Come Explore A Very Funny Movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
Wes Anderson's whimsical, comedy, "The life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" is one of those films, that your either going to absolutely love or absolutely hate. There is no middle ground in the matter. To be truthful, I tried to stay away from this movie as long as possible, due to the inordinate amount of bad reviews I had seen. I finally rented it from the local video store only because my wife practically demanded to see it. (She claims it was because she was intriged by the theatrical trailer). I finally gave up, figuring I was about to waste my evening. Well, we started to watch this thing and before you know it, I found myself totally sucked into this strange, little movie. I don't know if it was Bill Murray's comic talents, the peculiar characters or the hilariously, ironic script, but after awhile my wife and I were just laughing our a_ _'s off! For those who don't know, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" is basically a take-off on the real life, undersea explorer, Jacques Cousteau and his educational documentries. When the film opens, Explorer, Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) has just previewed (to tepid response) his latest film, which features his best friend Estaban (Seymour Cassel) being eaten by a supposed, Jaguar Shark. Zissou is basically tired and washed up both professionally and in his personal life. He feels like life is passing him by and he's wondering, why it's taking so long. Zissou decides to secure financing and take one last shot at mounting an expedition to find the undersea beast, who ate his best friend and get revenge, by killing it! Along, with his inept crew, Zissou is joined by a young man named Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), who may or may not his illegitamate son and a pregnant, magazine writer named Jane (Cate Blanchett), who is writing a hatchet piece. Basically, anything, that could go wrong on this expedition, does go wrong. Every decision, that Zissou makes invariably leads to horrble consequences for everyone involved. It seems like no one in this film can remain unscathed either personally or professionally by the ineptitude, that is prevalent. When Zissou finally meets up with his beastly, undersea nemesis, the film takes a surreal almost beautiful turn. Director/Writer, Wes Anderson seems to be able to create his own unique and quirky world populated by whimsical characters, who are full of surprises. I doubt you would ever meet people like this in real life, yet they endlessly keep the viewer interested. Anderson's script is quite literate and a step above the usual, 'by-the-numbers', uninspired writing that usually comes out of Hollywood. The cast in this film is superb. Bill Murray as the exasperated explorer, gives his best comically slow burn, deadpan looks yet. Cate Blanchett and Owen Wilson, also give fine comic performances. Other actors in the ensemble that really shine include Angelica Houston as Zissou's wife, Jeff Goldblum as the explorer's more successful competition, Michael Gambon as the expedition's money man and Willem Dafoe as a hilariously, jealous & needy member of the film crew. Finally, I want to mention the film's wonderful soundtrack & score, which features both quirky electronic music as well as actor, Seu Jorge playing acoustic guitar and singing David Bowie songs in Portugeuse. It just totally goes with this movie. Some folk's get this film's off-kiltered humor, while others don't. I thought it was really funny and I hope you do to! Check it out!
Summary of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (The Criterion Collection)
Internationally famous ocenaographer steve zissou & his crew set sail on an expedition to hunt down the mysterious elusive - possibly nonexistent - jaguar shark that killed zissous partner during the documentary filming of their latest adventure. Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 05/16/2006 Starring: Bill Murray Cate BlanchettIn The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, director Wes Anderson takes his familiar stable of actors on a field trip to a fantasy aquarium, complete with stop-motion, candy-striped crabs and rainbow seahorses. And though Anderson does expand his horizons in terms of retro-special effects and a whimsical use of color, fans will otherwise find themselves in well-charted waters. As The Life Aquatic opens, Zissou (Bill Murray), a self-involved, Jacques Cousteau-like filmmaker, has just released a documentary depicting the death of his best friend Esteban, who was eaten by some sort of sea creature--possibly a jaguar shark. Zissou?s troubles also include his waning popularity with the public, and a nemesis (Jeff Goldblum) who hogs up all the grant money. Hope arrives in the form of Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), an amiable Kentuckian who may be Zissou?s son. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for fatherhood, Zissou welcomes Ned--and Ned in turn saves Zissou?s new documentary (in which he seeks revenge on the jaguar shark) in more ways than one.
One of Wes Anderson?s greatest achievements as a director to date has been launching the autumnal melancholy phase of Bill Murray?s career, starting with Rushmore in 1998, and Murray delivers a similarly comedic yet low-key performance here. Unfortunately, Zissou is one of the few characters in this ensemble to achieve multi-dimensionality. Even co-star Wilson doesn?t get to develop Ned much beyond Noble Southerner, and he ends up seeming more like a prop for illustrating Zissou?s emotional development rather than his own man. The Life Aquatic probably won?t be remembered as a great film, but it is still one that no Anderson (or Murray) fan can afford to miss.--Leah Weathersby
Similar DVD Movies
G.I. Watch Cap with Cuff - Red W16S42CDecky; Apparel
Best price: $0.49
The Squid and the Whale (Special Edition)Sony; Release date: 2006-03-21; Published: 2006-03-01; DVD
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops:
I Heart HuckabeesFox; Release date: 2005-02-22; Published: 2005-02-01; DVD
Best price: $3.95
Price in other shops:
Lost in TranslationUNI DIST CORP. (MCA); Release date: 2004-02-03; Published: 2004-02-01; DVD
Best price: $1.90
Price in other shops:
Bottle Rocket (The Criterion Collection)IMG; Release date: 2008-11-25; DVD
Best price: $25.91
Price in other shops:
Fantastic Mr. FoxFox; Release date: 2010-03-23; Published: 2010-03-01; DVD
Best price: $7.21
Price in other shops:
Bottle RocketWILSON/CAAN; Release date: 1998-12-22; Published: 1998-12-01; DVD
Best price: $4.84
Price in other shops:
The Royal Tenenbaums (The Criterion Collection)Buena Vista Home Video; Release date: 2002-07-09; DVD
Best price: $9.79
Price in other shops:
The Darjeeling LimitedTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2008-02-26; DVD
Best price: $4.86
Price in other shops:
RushmoreBuena Vista Home Video; Release date: 1999-06-29; DVD
Best price: $3.22
Price in other shops: