Martin Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead is a largely unheralded entry in the great filmmaker’s filmography. But this is the Scorsese I most admire. It is a profoundly unusual character study, contained and constrained in scope, filled with stylistic flourishes and something to say. In some regards, it is unusual Scorsese filmmaking ground, but also perfectly natural content for this man to explore. The mood the film creates, nearly disassociated from reality as we exist in a single character’s experience of the world, is fascinating. Often sidelined as middle-of-the-road Scorsese, I find it a challenging film that sits among his upper-tier output, and this new 4K release is wholly fitting of that quality.
The Production: 4.5/5
“The street’s not like the ER. There’s no walls, no controls. To make up for that, they try to teach me how to act without thinking – like a soldier who can take apart and reassemble a gun blindfolded… I realized that my training was useful in less than ten percent of the calls and saving someone’s life was rarer than that. After a while, I grew to understand that my role was less about saving lives than about bearing witness. I was a grief mop. It was enough that I simply showed up.”
Paramedic Frank Pierce (Nicholas Cage) is haunted by the ghost of a girl he failed to save. He is burdened by guilt, running on fumes, unable to quit, and unsuccessful in getting fired; he feels like he is sinking into an emotional abyss. Each night, he’s troubled by the cavalier nature of death and illness that’s treated by a machine of EMTs and emergency rooms overwhelmed by volume, cold to the reality of death just so that they may keep their sanity to treat and save those that can be saved and let pass those that might have no chance. Pierce’s grip on reality is possible through a connection he makes with the daughter of a stroke victim he helped resuscitate, a person with whom he sees the possibility of salvation from his guilt – a possible way out. But it will be a wild and uncomfortable journey.
Directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader, based on Joe Connelly’s book, Bringing Out the Dead is dark yet mesmerizing. A slate of diversely interesting characters colliding and riding throughout New York’s troubled nightlife, which itself is a vibrant and sad character. This film has a compelling, dream-like, hypnotic feel as Cages’s Pierce, a troubled man, feverishly spirals into despondency and despair at the weight of his EMT profession.
Cage is absorbing in this role; the simmering brilliance of his quiet suffering, interrupted by familiar bursts of crazy, precisely captures Frank Pierce and his pain. Patricia Arquette is Mary, the lady whose father Frank saves at the film’s start and with whom Frank seeks a connection, salvation, and even absolution. She’s vulnerable. Married when the film was made, Cage and Arquette have a warm chemistry as their characters bump into each other without guidance or planning. Over several nights, Cage’s Pierce has a different partner, starting with the forthright Larry (John Goodman), then Marcus (Ving Rhames), and finally Tom (Tom Sizemore). Pierce finds an unsympathetic ear in each partner, oblivious to his struggles and strife as the night takes more and more from him. Goodman’s gruff, no-nonsense Larry is a delight, Rhames’ self-absorbed Marcus is humorous, and Sizemore’s unhinged Tom a dangerous element in the cocktail of nights ready to blow. The rest of the supporting cast is strong, with Marc Anthony’s deeply troubled Noel a standout.
On the one hand, Bringing Out the Dead is profoundly sad—the ends of lives in frivolous, routine ways or from violence—and on the other, profoundly hopeful, wisps of human connection from smiles and shared grief and joy. It’s a contained exploration of emotional overwhelming and the need to feel like a human among the dehumanizing reality of mental illness, drug addiction, and medical mayhem. Watching Nicolas Cage descend into Frank Pierce, struggling with the voice his mind gives to the dead as he grapples with guilt, is impressive. Scorsese directs with energy, bringing to life Schrader’s sublime screenplay. It is a shame and a surprise that this film failed to generate much box office and nothing from the awards circuit. It’s a terrific piece of filmmaking from the master and worth a second look for those who may have set it aside from Scorsese’s enviable filmography.
Video: 5/5
3D Rating: NA
Bringing Out the Dead is superb in 4K as part of the Paramount Presents line. Remastered from a new transfer of the original camera negative, it is a significant upgrade from the DVD release. Scorsese’s under-the-radar 1999 film is visually transcendent. Magnificent contrasts, deep and rich black levels, and striking but not obtrusive colors of white, red, and blue permeate the dream-like world created by Scorsese and his director of photography, Robert Richardson. This 4K release, with Dolby Vision (HDR 10 for those not equipped with Dolby Vision), benefits from the high-definition grading. There are minor imperfections here and there entirely from the source and possibly by artistic design, but there’s little doubt that this presentation is about as perfect as this film could look. Terrific.
Audio: 5/5
Bringing Out the Dead is an audio delight with a stellar Dolby Atmos track. Plenty of solid needle-drop moments capture, sometimes ironically, the spirit of what’s happening with the characters and chaos on screen, and the speakers positively come alive. The sounds of a maddeningly awake city through the dark and early hours of the morning rush and rumble and the sounds of bursting ER operating rooms and waiting rooms unsettle and unload with audio dazzle. A surrounding audio with the spread of speakers, overhead too, bringing out the film’s action with technical skill.
Special Features: 3/5
A short but interesting collection of new special features, plus a couple of legacy bonus features, totals more than an hour of content.
New Bonus Content:
- Filmmaker focus – Martin Scorsese on Bringing Out the Dead – Visionary filmmaker Martin Scorsese shares stories behind the production, touching on casting, shooting in New York City, and the music and art that inspired his approach.
- A rumination on salvation – Nicolas Cage on Bringing Out the Dead – Academy Award® winner* Nicolas Cage relates tales of wild nights in New York City, his cerebral approach to his character, and his time with Scorsese prior to shooting.
- Cemetery streets – Screenwriter Paul Schrader on Bringing Out the Dead – Legendary screenwriter Paul Schrader talks about adapting author Joe Connelly’s novel, how traveling with real paramedics informed his writing, and his creative partnership with Scorsese.
- City of Ghosts – Cinematographer Robert Richardson on Bringing Out the Dead – Frequent Scorsese collaborator and Academy Award® winning ** cinematographer Robert Richardson opens up about shooting Bringing Out the Dead and how the film personally resonated with him.
- On Set with Patricia Arquette – Actress Patricia Arquette reflects on working with Nicolas Cage, the creative openness of director Martin Scorsese, and how her own background allowed for a personal understanding of her character.
- On set with John Goodman – Actor John Goodman talks about the intensity of portraying a paramedic, working with Nicolas Cage, and the honor of appearing in a Martin Scorsese film.
- On set with Ving Rhames – Actor Ving Rhames shares how Martin Scorsese’s New York City differs from his personal experience and how his character relates to Nicolas Cage’s character.
- On set with Tom Sizemore – Actor Tom Sizemore celebrates the opportunity to appear in Bringing Out the Dead and reflects on how life is full of surprises.
- On set with Marc Anthony – Actor Marc Anthony shares how he turned witnessing real-life hardship on the streets of New York City into an unforgettable performance.
Legacy Bonus Content
- Exclusive cast and crew interviews
- Theatrical trailers
Also included:
- Blu-ray version of the film
- Digital Copy
Overall: 4.5/5
Martin Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead is a largely unheralded entry in the great filmmaker’s filmography. But this is the Scorsese I most admire. It is a profoundly unusual character study, contained and constrained in scope, filled with stylistic flourishes and something to say. In some regards, it is unusual Scorsese filmmaking ground, but also perfectly natural content for this man to explore. The mood the film creates, nearly disassociated from reality as we exist in a single character’s experience of the world, is fascinating. Often sidelined as middle-of-the-road Scorsese, I find it a challenging film that sits among his upper-tier output, and this new 4K release is wholly fitting of that quality.
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