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Directed by: Martin Scorsese Starring: Griffin Dunne, Patricia Arquette After Hours is one of those brilliant films that completely failed to find its audience during its original theatrical release. It probably made back the meager amount of money that was used to produce it, but considering a talent like Martin Scorsese (who was awarded the Camera D’Or for it) was behind it, one would expect greater commercial success. So, like many other films, it had to wait until home video before it could be rediscovered by new eyes and ears. It has recently received a pretty generous DVD release by Warner Bros.* with an excellent transfer, interesting audio commentary, a short behind-the-scenes look and a collection of deleted scenes. After Hours certainly has all the makings of a cult film: a dark, biting sense of humor, and engaging and eclectic cast of characters, and an “everyman” type male lead who gets trapped in a nightmarish world of Kafkaesque proportions. The fact that it is so drastically different from anything else Scorsese has done probably turned off a few of his followers, but this is a real gem that demands to be seen by fans and non-fans alike. The plot is incredibly simple. A young man (Paul Hackett, played by Griffin Dunne) gets off from work and goes out for the night, hoping to meet a nice girl and have a good time. The first half of that does indeed happen, but once he meets her, he gets sucked into a surrealist prison from which he can’t seem to escape no matter how hard he tries. The film follows Paul as he desperately tries to return home before the night ends, running into all sorts of obstacles and characters who stand in his way. It’s really just one long sadistic joke stretched out over ninety minutes, but the talent involved makes it work so well. Griffen Dunne is sort of a born victim. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him in anything in which he hasn’t died or been on the receiving end of some serious punishment. In After Hours, he’s once again put through the grindstone, and his great sense of comedic timing and brilliant reactions give a real boost to the humor and energy of the film. He really caries this on his shoulders, and it’s a truly impressive feat. His character has some wild mood swings throughout the movie, but he manages to present himself as generally sympathetic and understandable, so any inconsistencies are somewhat lessened. I can’t imagine anyone else playing the role after seeing him in it, which I suppose is the highest praise you can give an actor. The supporting cast is great as well, and many of the actors give real life into their characters. Most of them have pretty shallow parts to play, usually revolving around one comedic bit or character quirk, but they each manage to find to perfect sense of delivery. Rosanna Arquette plays Marcy, the female lead, and manages to maintain her charm and allure despite all of her character’s bizarre behavior and strange history. The scene where she describes her wedding night with her Wizard of Oz obsessed husband is one of the best highlights of the film. Linda Fiorentino, Terri Gar and Catherine O’Hara all turn in interesting performances as well, and provide great foils to Dunne’s confounded Hackett. Scorsese is at the top of his game here, rushing the film along with all the momentum of a runaway train. The hectic pace turns the simple plot into a maze of nightmares and confusion, which helps the audience feel like they’re getting trapped alongside Hackett on his night of misadventures. Sweeping camera movements highlight the action, further drawing the viewer into the space of the film. Unlike most of his other films, Scorsese uses an original score for After Hours, provided by Howard Shore. It has a touch of artifice about it that mixes well with the visual style of the film. The use of mirrors throughout the film is very significant, drawing on the myth of the hero Orpheus, but with a derisive twist. After Hours is one of the great buried treasures of the nineteen eighties. It seems a little dated at times, but it’s still easy to get into and follow along. The humor may be too dark for some, but it has great appeal to fans of cult cinema and satirical comedy. Great performances, inspired directing and a unique screenplay all add up to produce an incredible film, and one of Scorsese’s most interesting outings yet. Highly Recommended. * Warner has really proven themselves on DVD this year with this film (and the rest of the Scorsese collection), the Hitchcock set and the Noir box. All are incredible packages and you would be a fool to pass them by. RATING: 5.0 PROS: hilarious, energetic, great cast CONS: maybe too dark for some, a little dated ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088680/
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Oct 20, 2004 05:00
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