Cape Fear (1991) (1 Viewer)

[Tino]

I just finished watching Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake of Cape Fear and was very inpressed with this DVD.
The THX approved transfer is great, much better than my old LD.
Crystal clear with no noticeable defects.
The soundtrack I listened to was the DTS one and it was good, not great. Most of the sound eminated from the front speakers, with little surround activity, save for the climax where they are much more active.
Haven't watched the second disc of supplements, but am looking forward to that 80 minute documentary.
As for the film itself, it's one of my favorite Scorsese films, and probably his most mainstream effort. A very suspenseful film. The performances are great all around, especially Robert De Niro and Juliette Lewis in an Oscar nominated performance. I also enjoy the re-orchestration of Bernard Hermann's fantastic score by Elmer Berstein.
If you are a fan of this film, this DVD is for you.
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Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus.

 

[JasonK]

I checked this out on Monday and was very impressed with the transfer and the sound mix. I had the WS laserdisc, and this new THX-approved transfer looks terrific. The movie itself is terrific too, one of the few remakes that lives up to the original. I just wish Universal could have thrown on The Simpsons "Cape Feare" episode, that would have been a GREAT feature.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Glad to hear the positive feedback on this disc. I picked it up Tuesday at Circuit City for $16.99!
I really love this movie. I am a huge Scorsese fan, and I could never understand why so many Scorsese fans accused him of "selling out" with this movie. It has pretty much all the elements of a Scorsese movie.
I also think that the score is fantastic. Scorsese knew he could not get a better score than Bernard Hermanns original, and bringing in Berstein to re-orchestrate the original was definitely the right decision!
I will be watching this in about an hour!

 

[Matt Pasant]

I echo these setiments also. This disc is beautiful, just beautiful I thought. And Kudos to Universal, THIS IS AN ULTIMATE EDITION DAMNIT! DD, DTS, 16x9, a wonderful documentary, etc, etc.
If this is what Universal has to offer us in the future, then I praise them 100%.
-- Matt

 

[Doug Schiller]

I love the transfer. There is some obvious edge enhancements early but it gets better as the film goes on.
My only complaint, did anyone notice how quiet it was during the big finale? Maybe that is how Scorsese wanted it but I thought the rainstorm and destruction would have rocked the house.
Doug

 

[Tom-G]

I liked this film but have yet to pick it up. Thanks for the info, Tino. It won't be too much longer before it's a part of my collection.
Just a little bit of trivia regarding Cape Fear. Steven Spielberg was originally slated to direct this remake. At the same time, Martin Scorsese was working on a certain film about the holocaust but felt the film would be better served by Steven Spielberg because of his Jewish lineage. The two swapped projects and of course Schindler's List turned out to be possibly Spielberg's best film.
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[Joe D]

Ya, kinda wierd with Shindler's List and Cape Fear.
It would be really interesting to see a Scorsese version of Shindler's List.
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Joe Dahlen
"Take hold of the flame, you've got nothing to lose, but everything to gain."

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Spielberg was also supposed to be listed as an "Executive Producer" for Cape Fear but had his name removed after viewing the film.
Jeff

 

[Mark E J]

Here's a little more Cape Fear Trivia. All the music during the houseboat finale is NOT from the original CF score. It is instead from the Hitchcock film Torn Curtain. I used to have an old record of TC's score and the liner notes pointed out that Hitchcock hated Herman's score for that film and cut out several of the main cues. The CF houseboat and storm sequence music was adapted from these lost cues.

 

[Michael Reuben]

You're all going to love the documentary on the new CE. Elmer Bernstein talks about borrowing the music cues from Torn Curtain; Scorsese talks about how the project moved from Spielberg to him; and screenwriter Wesley Strick has some intriguing comments on how the script had to be retooled when Scorsese replaced Spielberg.
Jessica Lange and Nick Nolte are also very interesting. For example, it turns out that the scene where Max drives up and returns the dog's collar to Leigh wasn't in any version of the script until Lange urged that her character have an early one-on-one confrontation with Max. Strick was dubious at the time, but says that now he can't imagine the film without it. (Neither can I.)
Another great Laurent Bouzereau-produced documentary. He even interviewed Gregory Peck.
M.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Counsellor?!?! Counsellor?!?!
Time to replace my P&S LaserDisc perhaps?
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Philip Hamm
Pat's the best!™
AIM: PhilBiker
click on the little green house to see the evolution of my home theater!

 

[Michael Reuben]

P&S laserdisc??? Sacrilege! (Yeah, I know Scorsese supervised the panning and scanning, but it's still pretty severe.)
It would be well worth replacing even the widescreen LD (which I had), because the image is so much improved. Upgrading from the P&S is a no-brainer.
M.

 

[Gareth Flynn]

At last, another Scorsese SE to go alongside my Taxi Driver and Last Temptation discs. Only another dozen or so to go...

 

[Richard Kim]

I just wish Universal could have thrown on The Simpsons "Cape Feare" episode, that would have been a GREAT feature.

Considering that The Simpsons is owned by Fox, that might be a little hard to do.

 

[Jodee]

I remember I was in college when this film was released and I was taking a film class. We all had to pick one of two films that was currently out to do two in-depth scene analyses, where we dissected everything including camera angles, sound, pacing, lighting, etc.
I picked Cape Fear and I saw it at the theatre three times. The first time to watch the the film and decide which two scenes to use and the other two to get extensive notes, etc.
As a result of seeing this movie 3 times in 1991, I haven't seen it once since.
I'm looking forward to watching the DVD. It will be nice to enjoy this as a film again

 

[Rob Tomlin]

I picked Cape Fear and I saw it at the theatre three times. The first time to watch the the film and decide which two scenes to use and the other two to get extensive notes, etc.

So, which two scenes did you choose? I would think one of them would have to be when De Niro and Lewis are alone in the Theater. Amazing scene with some great acting from both Lewis and De Niro!

 

[Jefferson Morris]

I also picked up this disc earlier this week, and went straight for the LB docu--another excellent effort that by itself almost makes up for the lack of a commentary.
As a die-hard fan of this director, I find this film fascinating (as well as entertaining as hell). While Scorsese's characters are known for wrestling with their demons (sin, guilt, redemption, etc.), it's interesting in Cape Fear to watch how those inner demons are externalized and made corporeal in the form of Cady, with whom Sam Bowden must literally "wrestle."
I feel the melding of the thematic and the dramatic gets slightly awkward towards the end, but not enough to significantly mar the experience. As a thriller it simply works brilliantly.
I also love Scorsese's over-the-top approach--from the violence to the camerawork to the absurd number of fireworks in that one shot. Rather than taking the subdued, "classy" approach of a Silence of the Lambs (which I also love, don't get me wrong) he cuts loose and goes for it.

At last, another Scorsese SE to go alongside my Taxi Driver and Last Temptation discs. Only another dozen or so to go...

Amen. The various studios still have a lot of work to do, and I would suggest they get to it. A souped-up, non-flipper Goodfellas is long overdue from Warner.
Along these lines, does anyone know if the upcoming The Age of Innocence disc is an SE? I had heard one was in the works, but the only vague specs I've seen on the upcoming release are not-so-special.
--Jefferson Morris

 

[Gilbert Galindo]

Just got done watching mine. Decent picture, sound amd extras. I liked the doc, but I wish it had a chapter search because it was so long. I also wouldn't mind it having a Scorcse/Shoomaker commentary. DeNiro really was into that Max Cady character, heh.

 

[Doug Schiller]

Michael Reuben:

P&S laserdisc??? Sacrilege! (Yeah, I know Scorsese supervised the panning and scanning, but it's still pretty severe.)

Not to start another war of words but on a pure technical level...
I always heard (I'm almost positive that its true) that Cape Fear was Super 35.
Is the P&S really that bad or did Scorcese hard matte it like Oliver Stone did with "The Doors"?
I can't remember seeing a non widescreen version of Cape Fear (I owned the WS LD before the DVD).
Doug

 

[Jay W]

Great to hear. Looking forward to receiving this... one of my favourites.
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