Search - Rambling Rose [Special Edition] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Nudity, Adult Situations, Strong Sexual Content, Not For Children, Profanity Movie Release: 1991 DVD Release: 03/16/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Studio: Geneon Members Wishing: 2 Genres: Comedy Drama, Coming-of-Age See Also: Rambling Rose

Rambling Rose is the most part a flashback, related by grown-up Southerner Buddy Hillyer (John Heard). The bulk of the film takes place in 1935, when rambunctious backwoods housekeeper Rose (Laura Dern) virtually invades the Hillyer household. Daddy Hillyer (Robert Duvall), a bed-rock Southern gentleman, welcomes the congenitally amoral but basically goodhearted Rose into his house, carefully fending off her ill-timed romantic advances. But Rose can't help feeling smitten with him; meanwhile, she has also drawn the attentions of 13-year-old Buddy (Lukas Haas). Based on the novel by screenwriter Calder Willingham, Rambling Rose was not the box-office breakthrough that many expected for director Martha Coolidge; though it fizzled financially, the film did manage to secure Oscar nominations for both Dern and her real-life mother Diane Ladd. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Laura Dern - Rose
Robert Duvall - Daddy Hillyer
Diane Ladd - Mother Hillyer
Lukas Haas - Willcox "Buddy" Hillyer
John Heard - Willcox Hillyer

Rambling Rose, from Pioneer Entertainment, receives a special edition on DVD, and deservedly so. The image, which is stated on the box as 1.85:1 but looks more like 1.66:1, is not anamorphic, which is unfortunate. While the image quality for the majority of the film is quite good, there are times, primarily at the beginning of the film, that some restoration work was needed. Still, the colors are beautifully reproduced on this disc, showing how proper lighting and production design can make even a lower budget film look rich and full of life. The sound, a two-channel surround track, is thoroughly adequate for a film such as this. Dialogue, which is centered up front, is clear and distortion-free. The use of the surrounds is nearly non-existent, but that is to be expected. The extras on this disc are a very pleasant surprise. First up is an audio commentary from director Martha Coolidge. She is very intellectual and analytical with her observations on making this film, but never becomes dry or boring. Credit must be given to her for keeping the pace and leaving next to no gaps. Also included, with optional director's commentary, are an alternate ending and three outtakes. A brief featurette looks at the making of the film. A very extensive text and photo-based discussion of many aspects of the film, from production design to storyboard comparisons of some key scenes, is quite informative. For a relatively little seen film, it's nice that such care was taken with the DVD. ~ Trent Fordham, All Movie Guide