This Special Edition Blu-ray release from Arrow Video will be available for purchase (www.arrowvideo.com – www.facebook.com/ArrowVideo/) on November 27th.
The late director Robert Altman was a remarkable figure in the film world, breaking from Hollywood convention and making several unique classics in the process. These include titles like MASH, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Nashville and The Player. In the process, he became known for movies featuring large casts and employing a naturalistic acting style that often relied on improvisation between the cast. His movies could occasionally meander a bit, but they were always fascinating.
So, it came as something of a surprise to this reviewer when Gosford Park was first announced. The concept of a stuffy get together and murder mystery at an upper class English estate seemed completely removed from his other works. However, after watching the film, it’s clear that anti-establishment themes are being toyed with and elements did tie in to his earlier works. Primarily, the film examines class structure in England and the inner workings of the isolated, wealthy families and their put upon servants. For this reviewer, Gosford Park stands as the last great film from Altman and more than worthy of its seven Academy Award nominations (it ultimately won one trophy for Best Original Screenplay). One can argue that this film is also partially responsible for revitalizing period domestic dramas in Britain.
Set in 1932, the central plot involves a shooting party set at a country estate. The movie splits its time between the rich family members and their posh lives and the inner workings of staff members and valets working behind the scenes. It quickly becomes clear that gossip runs rampant everywhere and literally everyone invited has a secret or something in their past to keep hidden. When the host and family patriarch Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) is found dead, some very private things come to light and it becomes clear that several guests may have had good reason to commit the crime.
While the murder is the main thrust of the story (and the resolution pays off nicely at the very end), the real emphasis is on the characters and their own lives. Early sections of the movie are seen through the eyes of young, newly employed maid (Kelly Macdonald) who serves the countess of Trentham (Maggie Smith). We are introduced to a strange, surreal world of antiquated manners through her eyes as she attempts to understand all of the ins and outs of being a maid. It’s a perfect mechanism to make the character easy to relate to and help indoctrinate viewers in this strange, antiquated world. Along the way, the movie makes numerous observations on societal roles, questioning the class system in the process.
The star-studded cast are phenomenal all around and shine. Despite the stuffy environment, their pointed comments are amusing to overhear and their sneakiness is consistently entertaining to watch. There are some very funny moments as new servants question traditions and why things are done in a particular way. And it’s a lot of twisted fun to see that many in this “wealthy” family are financially strapped and simply keeping up appearances. It’s also great to witness characters react with anger when information they perceive to be embarrassing is relayed. Some of them are quite nasty, making cruel and cutting comments about each other. In the end, both levels of the household suffer, albeit in completely different ways. Stephen Fry also makes an impression as an incompetent police officer assigned to investigate the killing.
The Blu-ray has been given a new 2K transfer. Admittedly, much of the film was shot in hazy soft focus to create a period look, so those expecting crystal clear imagery may not be impressed with the softness and colors on display. However, the movie appears here exactly as intended and the quality is drastically improved when compared with the DVD release.
This disc also comes with some remarkable extras. There are three commentary tracks. One is an archived track that includes director Altman as well as the production designer and producer, while the second features the screenwriter. They’re both very interesting and informative. The third track is a new one that includes critics Geoff Andrews and David Thompson. The pair visited the set of the production and share their memories of the shoot as well as elaborating on the various themes and ideas present in the movie. They address the director’s on-set working style and how he approached shooting this project. It seems that while many story points were indeed changed during on set, the screenwriter was present for the entire shoot to make sure that the new verbal additions sounded authentic and didn’t include any slang not commonly used.
There are also a couple of new interviews. One is with Jane Barclay, who was a producer on the feature. She shares fascinating stories of how she started in the business after accidentally meeting Werner Herzog in South America while he was shooting Fitzcarraldo. She also remembers the first industry screening of Gosford Park. Apparently, the attendees hated it and the showing was a disaster, making her wonder if they had a flop on their hands. They didn’t chance anything, and once it was released it was a huge critical and commercial success, vindicating her initial impression. Actress Natasha Wightman also shares her experiences working on the film and what a joy it was to work with director Altman.
And that’s not all. There’s a question and answer session with the cast and crew from the time of the film’s release that runs a full 30 minutes. Additionally, deleted scenes are included and come with optional director commentary (where he explains why they were deemed unnecessary), as well as an archived featurette on the production and theatrical trailer. If you like the movie, you’ll find this edition packed to the gills with bonuses.
While the movie itself didn’t end up winning a lot of Oscars, it did make a huge cultural imprint. After picking up his Academy Award, screenwriter Julian Fellowes was inspired to work on a spin-off of the movie. It slowly transformed as it was written and after some years became the worldwide phenomenon Downton Abbey (and even included cast member Maggie Smith in the later series). Gosford Park is an exceptional piece of filmmaking that actually helped revitalize and inspire some of British period dramas that are still popular today. This Blu-ray release is very impressive and comes highly recommended.