Under the Volcano - Criterion Collection
by John Huston
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Albert Finney, Anthony Andrews, Ignacio L?pez Tarso, Jacqueline Bisset, Katy JuradoDirector: John Huston
Brand: Image Entertainment
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 112 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-10-23
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Criterion Collection
Movie Reviews of Under the Volcano - Criterion Collection
Movie Review: Under the spell of Albert Finney...
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been a fan of Albert Finney for a long while now, and so I have been chomping at the bit to finally see this movie for which he receives so many raves. I finally got that chance (although it's been about two months or so now since I did see it) and I have to say that I was utterly blown away, not just by Finney but by this film entirely. Sure, this is `The Albert Finney Show' if we're being realistic here, but his performances is only one part (the biggest part, sure) of a well constructed and brutally honest portrait of human suffering. John Huston, one of the most successful directors of all time, crafts a beautifully tragic look at one man's illness and the dire effect it had on himself and those around him.
`Under the Volcano' will crawl under your skin.
Taking place in Cuernavaca, Mexico during 1938, `Under the Volcano' exposes a day in the life of British Consul Geoffrey Firmin. Reduced to a slobbering drunk, Firmin wastes away in the beautiful countryside, allowing life to practically waltz right past him. During the Mexican festival `Day of the Dead', Firmin's estranged wife, Yvonne returns to aid in nursing him back to health. Helping is Geoffrey's half brother Hugh. While they try, the task seems almost helpless as Geoffrey's condition worsens and his very life becomes threatened by the disease.
Albert Finney and John Huston work wonders with the material, using their talents to the full to create a masterpiece of modern film. As an actor, Finney chews up every bit of this man; creating a realistic portrait of self destruction. Every movement is perfectly accurate and every word is brilliantly conveyed. He is a fearless actor, as he's proven time and time again, and this is his crowning achievement. There is not another actor who I feel could have done what Finney does here. As a director, Huston works just as hard to create a perfect tone for Finney to dwell in. The Mexican backdrop is beyond perfect for this tale, and Huston uses it to his full advantage; creating symbolic focal shifts in order to exasperate Geoffrey's condition.
They are a perfect pair.
The supporting cast, namely Jacqueline Bisset and Anthony Andrews, are wonderful. While they are clearly supporting Finney's `one-man-show' they create their own separate entities (especially Bisset), making themselves notable and memorable. Bissett really understands how to emote the emotional frustrations of her character, and Andrews is as supportive as needed to create a believable sidekick.
The film is as devastating as they come, so be forewarned; this is not a happy picture. The acting, the script, the direction and the overall presentation is top-notch though, so if this is the type of film you go gaga over (I bath in the River Depression, I think I've mentioned that before) then this is a film you will not want to miss.
Summary of Under the Volcano - Criterion Collection
Under the Volcano follows the final day in the life of self-destructive British consul Geoffrey Firmin (Albert Finney, in an Oscar-nominated tour de force) on the eve of World War II. Withering from alcoholism, Firmin stumbles through a small Mexican village amidst the Day of the Dead fiesta, attempting to reconnect with his estranged wife (Jacqueline Bisset) but only further alienating himself. John Huston's ambitious tackling of Malcolm Lowry's towering "unadaptable" novel gave the incomparable Finney one of his grandest roles and was the legendary The Treasure of the Sierra Madre director's triumphant return to filmmaking in Mexico.The Criterion Collection release of Under The Volcano reaffirms director John Huston's affinity for tragedies starring outcasts and wayward souls (see also The Misfits and Night of the Iguana). Adapted from Malcolm Lowry's novel set in Cuernavaca, Mexico, 1938, on the eve of WW II, Under The Volcano recounts the tragic life of British Consul Geoffrey Firmin's (Albert Finney) final struggles with alcoholism during Day of the Dead, as his estranged wife, Yvonne (Jaqueline Bisset) returns from New York to patch up their marriage and to encourage his sobering up. From the opening scene, Firmin is relentlessly drunk, mumbling Shakespearean-like rants with a dark sense of humor about the horrors of war and the perils of love. Finney's stunning performance recalls the best of Richard Burton (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), who was originally offered the role. Fortunately for the viewer, Finney was cast, as his compellingly dour portrayal of Firmin is undeniably masterful. Set in bars, restaurants, and amongst the plaza's Dia de los Muertos festivities featuring devils and skeletons alongside garlands and balloons, Under The Volcano's visual splendor underscores the decadence of Finney's drinking habit. There is not a single shot missing a bottle of liquor, and as Finney's health deteriorates the weather in the film subtly mimics his psychological state. The film is as wondrous as it is devastating. Included as extras on this DVD are the Richard Burton-narrated "Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life of Malcolm Lowry," a captivating documentary about the author's life, and an hour-long documentary about the making of the film. --Trinie Dalton
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