Review of Reservoir Dogs: Special Edition (2 disc set)

Introduction

Up till now, I`ve only seen Reservoir Dogs once on a friend`s blurry bootleg VHS. It`s not through any conscious decision of my own, as the intention has always been there to buy the video, or the DVD or to watch it on television. I`ve just somehow missed it every time. Not any more though, as I sit here with the Reservoir Dogs Special Edition DVD fresh in my mind. It`s even better when the picture isn`t flickering or the sound dropping out.

Reservoir Dogs tells the tale of a jewellery heist gone wrong. It`s a story that has to be seen, rather than related and I`m wary of giving too much away. Told in flashback, we are introduced to the members of a gang who try to steal millions of dollars worth of diamonds, but the heist turns into a bloodbath, and the police are there waiting. It becomes evident that they have been sold out, and the tense situation threatens to turn violent as their suspicions turn to each other.

Video

The film is presented anamorphically in its original 2.35:1 ratio on a single layer disc. I haven`t seen the original release to compare, but the image is quite splendid. The picture is clear and the colours are strong and vibrant throughout. There is only the slightest hint of print damage, and indeed you`ll have to be looking for it to really notice it. Grain is minimal and I couldn`t spot any compression artefacts either.

Audio

The disc comes with DD 5.1 sound, and it`s pretty good. The dialogue is clear throughout (I can`t comment on any missing bits) but there are occasions when the surround track feels a little strident and forced. The ambience in the restaurant at the beginning is particularly harsh. The music is excellent, as it is in all Tarantino films, it`s specific pieces of pop music rather than specially orchestrated music, but so carefully chosen that they are perfectly suited to the scene. This film made Stuck In The Middle With You from Stealer`s Wheel an absolutely iconic piece of music.

Features

Like the Pulp Fiction two disc Special Edition, the Reservoir Dogs SE comes with a nicely packaged choice of extras. Both discs have an ingenious set of animated menus based on scenes from the film, and be prepared for a hint of profanity when you make a selection.

Disc 1 has the theatrical trailer and the commentary. Quentin Tarantino, Lawrence Bender and selected members of the cast and crew, including Tim Roth and Michael Madsen, supply the commentary. Unfortunately it`s one of those piecemeal cut and paste jobs, with bits taken from interviews here and there. Very little of it is scene specific, but what there is, is interesting to listen to. Also if you have ever heard Quentin Tarantino discourse, whether in an interview or otherwise, you should be prepared for what you are letting yourself in for, voluble isn`t the word.

Disc 2 contains the rest of the extras, more than enough to warrant its dual layered state.

The Original Interviews last 55 minutes, and there`s input from Chris Penn, Kirk Baltz, Michael Madsen, Lawrence Bender, Tim Roth and Quentin Tarantino. They are a bit cut and paste, but they are very detailed and certainly worth watching.

Film Noir Files lasts 19 minutes and have Mike Hodges, Robert Polito, John Boorman, Donald Westlake and Stephen Frears, all discussing the history of Film Noir from the 50`s onwards, especially with reference to Reservoir Dogs.

The deleted scenes last 13 minutes. There are two alternate takes of ear slicing, and it`s all too apparent why they weren`t in the final cut. The other three scenes are more character pieces, and while they are entertaining and certainly worthy additions to the Special Edition, it`s understandable why they aren`t in the final cut. The Bonny situation for one seems remarkably familiar.

Class of `92 is 29 minutes long, and tells the story of the alumni from 1992`s Sundance film festival. It`s a neat retrospective of the explosion of the independent cinema scene, and Alex Rockwell, Chris Munch, Kate Shae, Tom Kalin and Quentin Tarantino all talk about the movies they had in competition at Sundance.

This is immediately followed by Sundance Institute Filmmaker`s Lab. This lasts 12 minutes and shows alternate scenes of Reservoir Dogs. It`s a sort of rehearsal with different actors in familiar roles. I found it to be a brilliant addition to the film.

Securing the Shot is a 4-minute featurette looking at the location scouting in Reservoir Dogs.

Finally there are 50 minutes of Tributes and Dedications. This section starts with Quentin Tarantino explaining whom Reservoir Dogs is dedicated to, people he mentioned in the original script, but not in the films credits. This is followed by specific pieces on Lawrence Tierney, Eddie Bunker, Monte Hellman, Jack Hill, Pam Grier and Roger Corman.

On the whole this is a good set of varied extras that complement the film well. They are all presented in DD 2.0, and with the exception of the 4:3 Sundance Institute Filmmaker`s Lab, they are all presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Unfortunately the only subtitles are for the main feature.

Conclusion

Reservoir Dogs is Quentin Tarantino`s first film, and already he`s demonstrating the mastery of medium, the individuality and style that make his films the eagerly anticipated rarities that they are. It`s something that he incongruously has in common with Frank Carson; it`s the way he tells them. Like few other directors, he has the ability to take the skimpiest of subject matters, and through his own inimitable directing style, intelligent scripts and wholly rounded and believable characters, he can craft engrossing and outstanding films. In a remarkably self referential moment in Reservoir Dogs, the Commode Story practically gives away Tarantino`s modus operandi. The Commode Story may be mundane as hell, but the imagination and colour used in relating the tale can have an audience in the palm of your hand.

Reservoir Dogs` story is minimal, a heist goes wrong, and the members of the gang who escape have to deal with the consequences and recriminations. But Tarantino`s style is apparent from the off. We start with a pre-credits sequence in a café, with the criminals discussing anything but what they are about to do. The next thing we know, it`s all gone wrong and a few of the group who got away are meeting at the rendezvous trying to figure out what to do next. Tarantino`s trademarks of extraneous dialogue and subtext, as well as fractured narrative are put straight to use. We see the consummate professionals, and then we see the aftermath of failure and we are hooked. We have to know what happened, and despite the simple story, the way it unfolds is like the flowering of a rose. As the intricate petals unfold, each layer is just as compelling as before and the film becomes like one of those novels you just cannot put down. Once I started watching, I was loath to press the pause button.

Much of this is down to cast and characterisation. Tarantino`s films are perfectly cast, and Reservoir Dogs revolves around a brilliant performance from Harvey Keitel. Again, I don`t want to go too much into the characters, they are major reasons why you should watch this yourselves, but stunning performances from all concerned, including Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Chris Penn and Lawrence Tierney will stick in the mind, long after the end credits have stopped rolling. Of course Michael Madsen will always be known for `that` scene from Reservoir Dogs.

Ear slicing aside, Reservoir Dogs is certainly more violent than the subsequent Pulp Fiction, but once again it`s a more visceral and innate violence than anything explicit with blood and gore. It`s performance, pace and implication that makes Reservoir Dogs so tense and gritty. Reservoir Dogs is certainly an iconic film of the nineties, the film that made Tarantino a household name, but it lacks that sense of humour and sheer quote-ability of Pulp Fiction. On the other hand, the 94-minute running time means that the film is perfectly paced, extremely sharp and edited to perfection. Pulp Fiction does have a tendency to numb the bum. In the end though, comparisons are pointless as Reservoir Dogs is another must own movie, well worth shelling out for.