Search - L.A. Confidential on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Not For Children, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1997 DVD Release: 04/21/1998 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 18 mins Studio: Warner Home Video Total Copies: 11 Genres: Mystery, Crime, Post-Noir (Modern Noir), Police Detective Film See Also: L.A. Confidential [Special Edition], L.A. Confidential [Blu-ray], L.A. Confidential

Based on the best-selling novel by James Ellroy and directed by Curtis Hanson, this award-winning crime drama explores both the dark side of the Los Angeles police force and Southern California's criminal underbelly in the early '50s, when Hollywood was still seen as America's capital of sophistication, glitter, and glamour. Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) is the head of the LAPD and is loyal to his officers and eager to turn a blind eye to violence or corruption within his department, as long as it's the "bad guys" who are getting hurt. Bud White (Russell Crowe) is a police detective whose violent and cynical nature is often at war with his basic sense of decency and justice. Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is a beat cop-turned-detective whose strict by-the-book philosophy and willingness to blow the whistle on other officers is balanced by a shrewd and opportunistic understanding of the internal politics of the department. And Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a flashy "Hollywood" detective who serves as technical advisor for the TV series Badge of Honor. He is also in cahoots with Sid Hudgeons (Danny DeVito), publisher of the scandal sheet Hush Hush, who throws kickbacks to Vincennes in exchange for being brought along when showbiz figures get busted. White, Exley, and Vincennes find themselves drawn into a tangled and sticky web of violence and betrayal following a multiple murder at a coffee shop that is believed to be part of an effort by Mickey Cohen (Paul Guilfoyle) to consolidate his hold on organized crime in L.A. This lead appears to be connected to the discovery of a bizarre pornography and call-girl ring operated by Pierce Patchett (David Strathairn), whose women are given plastic surgery so that they more closely resemble well-known movie stars. White's role in the investigation is complicated when he falls for Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger), one of Patchett's prostitutes, who is the spitting image of Veronica Lake. L.A. Confidential was nominated for nine Academy Awards and netted two, with Brian Helgeland honored for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Kim Basinger taking home a statuette as Best Supporting Actress. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Kevin Spacey - Jack Vincennes
Russell Crowe - Bud White
Guy Pearce - Ed Exley
James Cromwell - Dudley Smith
Kim Basinger - Lynn Bracken
David Strathairn - Pierce Patchett
Danny DeVito - Sid Hudgeons

Loaded with original supplements (if not that elusive director's commentary track), the DVD of =L.A. Confidential makes its mark as one of the better DVDs in the early development of the format, but leaves something to be desired in the age of the two-disc special edition. Warner DVD made a valiant attempt at a feature-loaded DVD and presented the film in anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen and Dolby Digital. Present are three documentaries (all which fall under the half-hour mark), trailers, TV spots, and a music-only track for Jerry Goldsmith's score. The first documentary, Off the Record, focuses primarily on the task of translating James Ellroy's novel to the screen, but also includes some rare screen tests. Second is a video version of the original photo pitch that Curtis Hanson gave the producers, conveying through pictures of L.A. in the '50s the movie he wanted to make. Lastly, there is a feature that allows the viewer to take a virtual tour -- narrated by the director -- of the Los Angeles of the film by selecting a location from a map menu. While not an authoritative edition of the film, the =L.A. Confidential DVD remains one of the best early special edition discs. ~ Oliver Thornton, All Movie Guide