Search - The Remains of the Day on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1993 DVD Release: 11/06/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Korean, Spanish, Thai SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 14 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 37 Genres: Drama, Period Film, Psychological Drama

Filmed with the usual meticulous attention to period and detail of films from Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, The Remains of the Day is based on a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. Anthony Hopkins plays Stevens, the "perfect" butler to a prosperous British household of the 1930s. He is so unswervingly devoted to serving his master, a well-meaning but callow British lord (James Fox), that he shuts himself off from all emotions and familial relationships. New housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson) tries to warm him up and awaken his humanity. But when duty calls, Stevens won't even attend his own dying father's last moments on earth. The butler also refuses to acknowledge the fact that his master is showing signs of pro-Nazi sentiments. Disillusioned by Hitler's duplicity, the master dies an embittered man, and only then does Stevens come to realize how his own silence has helped bring about this sad situation. Years later, regretting his lost opportunities in life, he tries once more to make contact with Miss Kenton, the only person who'd ever cared enough to seek out the human being inside the butler's cold veneer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Anthony Hopkins - Stevens
Emma Thompson - Miss Kenton
James Fox - Lord Darlington
Christopher Reeve - Lewis
Peter Vaughan - Mr. Stevens, Sr.
Hugh Grant - Cardinal

A "special edition" of the period piece The Remains of the Day should please fans of gripping dramas starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. This 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer by Columbia looks bright and beautiful, perfectly capturing the essence of the film. Although there is a slight amount of edge enhancement in the image, overall, this is a splendid looking transfer. The audio is presented in a newly remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Not surprisingly, this soundtrack is somewhat subdued due to the fact that The Remains of the Day is a mostly dialogue-driven film. All aspects of the effects, music, and dialogue are clear and free of any distortion. Also included on this disc is a Dolby Digital 2.0 mix, as well as French, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles. =The Remains of the Day: Special Edition includes some well-produced supplemental material for fans to sift through. A commentary track by Emma Thompson, producer Ishmael Merchant, and director James Ivory is both informative and chatty. All three participants seem to enjoy each other's company and have interesting stories to share with the listener. Three separate documentaries are included (an HBO special, a featurette titled "Blind Loyalty, Hollow Honor," and a newly created retrospective documentary), and, taken as a whole, all three of these are very informative. The "retrospective" is an especially engaging look back with actors Anthony Hopkins and Christopher Reeve. Six deleted scenes are included with optional commentary by the director, as well as some selected filmographies on the cast and crew, and a few thin production notes. =The Remains of the Day: Special Edition is a wonderful DVD for those interested in not only seeing the film, but also learning about its background. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide