Search - Subway [Widescreen] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language, Profanity Movie Release: 1985 DVD Release: 11/06/2001 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: 1 hrs 42 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Total Copies: 1 Genres: Thriller, Comedy Thriller, Urban Drama See Also: Subway

Coming in on the heels of his internationally acclaimed first film, Le Dernier Combat, 26-year-old director Luc Besson created this tongue-in-cheek look at filmmaking and at the denizens in the tunnels of the Paris Metro -- a new kind of underground movie. Fred (Christopher Lambert) has just stolen some major documents from a birthday celebration given by the Paris elite for one of their kind, Helena (Isabelle Adjani). He takes off into the Metro just as it is shut down for the remaining few hours of predawn darkness and once in the Metro encounters several characters in the tunnels. There is a bodybuilder who works out with subway parts, a purse-snatcher, and a flower seller of dubious ethics. Inspired by the moment, Fred decides to recruit a few of the ubiquitous musicians who perform (some of the best music around) on the Metro's byways, and he creates a rock band. Through all of these encounters and activities, the police and others -- including Helena -- are after Fred for their own reasons, none of which coincide. As Fred discovers, going underground can be risky. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Isabelle Adjani - Helena
Christopher Lambert - Fred
Jean-Pierre Bacri - Batman
Richard Bohringer - Florist
Michel Galabru - Inspector Gesberg
Jean-Hugues Anglade - Roller Skater
Jean Reno - Drummer

Luc Besson's flashy pop comic fantasy Subway has never settled well with fans or critics. When originally released in 1985, the film was generally panned as an empty exercise in style over substance, a wrong-headed attempt to capture some of the crackle of Diva, a film which had brought about the so-called cinema du look. Regardless of the critics, Besson's film is worth a peek for fans of the French director. And now with the release of this Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment DVD, you can finally watch Subway in its original language and in widescreen. For years an English dubbed, pan-and-scan videotape version was the only way to see it, making it virtually impossible for anyone to properly judge the film. This new print and soundtrack may not make the film radically better, but it sure does make it more pleasurable and easier to critique what exactly is wrong with it. The disc's 2.35:1 widescreen enhanced picture is very nice -- sharp, clear, and shows no obvious picture deterioration. Also included are both the original French language soundtrack and the above-mentioned English-dubbed abomination. Multiple bright yellow subtitle options are available, as well as bonus trailers for other Columbia TriStar Luc Besson releases and more. ~ Derek Hill, All Movie Guide