Under the Volcano (The Criterion Collection)
by John Huston
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Albert Finney, Anthony Andrews, Ignacio López Tarso, Jacqueline Bisset, Katy JuradoDirector: John Huston
Brand: Image Entertainment
Producer: Arnold Gefsky
Producer: Héctor López
Producer: Michael Fitzgerald
Producer: Moritz Borman
Producer: Wieland Schulz-Keil
Writer: Guy Gallo
Writer: Malcolm Lowry
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, 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 (The 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 (The Criterion Collection)
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