Search - Liebestraum on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Profanity Movie Release: 1991 DVD Release: 07/24/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 45 mins Studio: MGM Total Copies: 3 Genres: Mystery, Post-Noir (Modern Noir), Romantic Mystery

Liebestraum is a moody, stylish suspense thriller written and directed by British director Mike Figgis. Nick (Kevin Anderson) is an architectural writer who goes home to be with his dying mother, Mrs. Anderssen (Kim Novak) from whom he was separated as a baby. There he meets an old friend and has an affair with the friend's wife, who was herself adopted after her mother went insane. Through a series of coincidences and a good deal of investigation Nick learns some terrible truths concerning everyone. The film, while beautiful to look at, and with a wonderful score composed by Figgis, is more interested in style and emotion rather than cogent explanations for the actions of the characters, however, taken for what it is, a mood piece, Liebestraum succeeds beautifully. Figgis has beautiful technique and is greatly aided by Juan Ruiz-Anchia's stark and evocative images. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

Kevin Anderson - Nick Kaminsky
Pam Gidley - Jane Kessler
Bill Pullman - Paul Kessler
Kim Novak - Mrs. Anderssen
Thomas Kopache - Dr. Parker

Mike Figgis' stylish, if convoluted, neo-noir isn't any less overbaked on DVD, but this MGM release makes it look and sound great. Juan Ruiz-Anchia's moody, highly stylized cinematography is well served by an excellent widescreen anamorphic transfer. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo transfer sounds rich and full, though the scenes involving building construction are a might too acoustically realistic when fed through a sound system. The DVD comes with a deleted scene that proves that Figgis was wise to remove it from the picture. While Liebestraum remains a real achievement of style over substance, many of its best features were tarnished on the video release. This DVD makes the movie stylish again. ~ Nick Dedina, All Movie Guide