Search - Apt Pupil on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Profanity, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1998 DVD Release: 04/13/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 52 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Drama, Horror, Psychological Drama, Psychological Thriller

Bryan Singer directed this Brandon Boyce adaptation of Stephen King's novella about teenager Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro), who discovers Nazi war criminal Kurt Dussander (Ian McKellen) living in his California hometown. Fascinated with Dussender's wartime atrocities, Bowden blackmails the former death-camp commandant by promising to keep his identity a secret in exchange for Holocaust horror tales, or, as Todd puts it, "everything they're afraid to show us in school." Dussander complies, and as the weeks pass, their tense confrontations become increasingly malevolent. This is the third film to derive from King's 1982 book of four novellas, Different Season. The others are Stand By Me (1986, from "-The Body") and The Shawshank Redemption (1994, from -Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, leaving only one remaining unfilmed tale in the book ("-The Breathing Method"). Signet felt King's "-Apt Pupil" to be so intense and horrifying that editors asked him to leave it out of the 1983 paperback. A 1987 attempt to film "-Apt Pupil" (with Rick Schroder and Nicol Williamson) ended when funding ran out. Shown at numerous 1998 film festivals (Venice, Toronto, Chicago, Sitges, Tokyo). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Ian McKellen - Kurt Dussander
Brad Renfro - Todd Bowden
Bruce Davison - Richard Bowden
Elias Koteas - Archie
Joe Morton - Dan Richler
David Schwimmer - Edward French
Kevin Pollak

Evil reigns in the Stephen King-based film Apt Pupil. The movie is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and features a very solid transfer from Columbia. Aside a small amount of edge enhancement in the image, this picture includes solid colors and dark black levels. The sound mix is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround in English and sports a vast array of directional effects and Surround sounds (especially when composer John Ottman's music score kicks in). Overall, the mix is free and clear of any excessive hiss or distortion. Also included on this disc are English subtitles. The only extra features available on this disc are a fluffy "Making Of" featurette with some behind-the-scenes footage and interviews by the cast, as well as a theatrical trailer for the film. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide