Search - Northfork on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Sexual Situations Movie Release: 2003 DVD Release: 12/30/2003 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 43 mins Studio: Paramount Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Americana, Period Film, Message Movie, Fairy Tales & Legends

What was once a brave frontier town has become a haven for enlightened oddballs in this unusual drama from director Michael Polish, written in collaboration with his twin brother, Mark Polish. Northfork is a small town in Montana which, in 1955, is soon to disappear in the name of progress; a massive hydroelectric dam is to be put in nearby, which will flood the entire village. A group of six men sent by the power company -- led by Walter O'Brien (James Woods) and his son Willis (Mark Polish) -- arrive in Northfork to evacuate the few remaining residents. If the men are successful, they'll each be given parcels of land on the banks of the new lake which will be where Northfork once stood. Most of the townspeople have already left, but a few remain, among them Father Harlan (Nick Nolte), a man of the cloth who is caring for Irwin (Duel Farnes), a strange, scarred boy apparently on his deathbed, and a handful of enchanted eccentrics who have taken over a local bar, including Flower Hercules (Daryl Hannah), Cup of Tea (Robin Sachs), Happy (Anthony Edwards), and Cod (Ben Foster). As Walter and Willis try to persuade the stubborn stragglers to move on, Walter must search for a new final resting place for his late wife, whose coffin is the last to be relocated after Northfork's cemetery is dug up. Northfork received its world premier at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

James Woods - Walter O'Brien
Nick Nolte - Father Harlan
Claire Forlani - Mrs. Hadfield
Duel Farnes - Irwin
Mark Polish - Willis O'Brien

Often an chore to watch, this no-budget third film from the Polish brothers is not likely to garner any more fans with the DVD. On the plus side, it's a nicely produced disc for a film that received little fanfare. The 2.35:1 picture (enhanced for widescreen televisions) isn't perfect, but still accurately represents the filmic quality. Purposely shot flat and colorless, blacks are dense, while the contrast and detail is, at times, startling. The 5.1 Dolby Digital track, while always presenting the dialogue clearly, is almost exclusively centered up front, with only the most simplistic use of the surrounds. With the film so dialogue-driven, little else would be expected. While not extensive, the supplements that are offered do add to the experience. Up first is a scene-specific commentary track from the hyphenate brothers, Mark Polish and Michael Polish, and both offer plenty of insight into what they were trying to accomplish. A real plus is a 36-minute documentary on the making of the film. The brothers, cast, and crew discuss nearly everything about this difficult film, from the non-existent budget to the concern over Nick Nolte showing up in time. Far shorter, but also somewhat interesting, is a Sundance Channel featurette where the brothers return to Montana, not only where the film was shot, but also where they were brought up, to screen this film for the residents. It's telling, though that no comments are included after the screening from a relatively large audience. While a photo gallery seems standard on the outside, the small number of pictures are actually very artistically shot and worth viewing. Finishing things are the trailer from this film and a few other Paramount titles. This is a challenging film -- maybe too much so -- and will not appeal to a wide audience, but for those that do appreciate this singular view, this disc will no doubt add to their admiration. ~ Trent Fordham, All Movie Guide