Search - Suicide Kings [Special Edition] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Humor, Profanity Movie Release: 1997 DVD Release: 02/20/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 43 mins Studio: Live/Artisan Total Copies: 8 Genres: Crime, Thriller, Crime Thriller See Also: Suicide Kings

Television director Peter O'Fallon made his feature film debut with this independent film that pays obvious homage to the style of Quentin Tarantino, with plenty of violence and funny, talkative hit men. Suave gangster Charlie Barrett (Christopher Walken) meets four young men who have taken over his regular booth at a popular bistro. Charmed by the swaggering kids, he agrees to take a ride with them, but they give him a sedative and he awakens in a deserted mansion, taped to a chair with one of his fingers missing. One of his abductors, Avery (Henry Thomas), says that he has a sister who has been kidnapped and they need two million dollars to get her back, as well as a finger to exchange for her severed digit. Charlie phones his lawyer Marty (Cliff De Young), who calls a henchman, Lono (Denis Leary), who investigates the kidnappings and gives Charlie enough information to start playing each of his inexperienced abductors against the others. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

Christopher Walken - Charles Barrett
Denis Leary - Lono Vecchio
Henry Thomas - Avery Chasten
Sean Patrick Flanery - Max Minot
Jay Mohr - Brett Campbell
Johnny Galecki - Ira Reder

Artisan strikes again with this beautiful release of the lesser-known suspenseful black comedy Suicide Kings. With it's ridiculously low price in stark contrast with the high-quality transfer and abundance of extra features, it's unlikely that viewers will find a better DVD bargain.
Artisan really must be commended for the slam-bang job they did with this release. Sporting an attractive image (letterboxed at 1.85:1 and enhanced for widescreen TVs) with impressive flesh tones and no signs of artifacting, film grain, or debris, the presentation of the film also features an image that remains generally sharp save for the occasional soft-looking scene. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 with optional Spanish subtitles, the audio mix is full and reverberates well in recreating the interior vocal resonance that reinforces the claustrophobic feel essential to the film's effectiveness. Though there is little use for the surround speakers, they are used well when called for, disorienting viewers and placing them directly inside the action.
As good as the visual presentation is, the surprising extras are what solidify the disc's status as a steal for the price. Commentary from director Peter O'Fallon and producer Wayne Rice traces the film's origins from concept, through the exciting development (we can hear the excitement in O'Fallon's voice as he recalls the sudden epiphany of the perfect casting choice), and into working with the production designers and actors to create the perfect atmosphere of distrust and dissent. Alternate endings provide entertaining insight into some of the original ideas that didn't make it into the final cut, while cast and crew information, a theatrical trailer, and production notes round out this steal of a package. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide