Search - 3 Women [Criterion Collection] on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Mild Violence, Brief Nudity, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1977 DVD Release: 04/20/2004 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Dual Layered,Restored/Remastered Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 4 mins Studio: Criterion Members Wishing: 17 Genres: Drama, Psychological Drama, Feminist Film

Robert Altman's Three Women takes a surreal, improvisational and rather eerie look at the lives of three women in a western desert town. The plot centers around the youngest of the women, Pinky (Sissy Spacek), an eccentric, withdrawn woman trying to begin a new life. She finds work as an attendant at a hot springs spa catering to the elderly and infirm. There she befriends her co-worker Millie (Shelley Duvall), an equally strange but more outgoing woman; the two bond, and are soon sharing an apartment. Pinky becomes increasingly dependent on Millie, eventually adopting aspects of her personality and appearance. This obsessive attachment is threatened when Pinky discovers Millie with a man -- Edgar (Robert Fortier), the macho, faux-cowboy husband of local artist Willie (Janice Rule), the last of the title's three women. Pinky's subsequent, desperate actions precipitate the film's enigmatic conclusion, involving an unexpected series of confrontations and role reversals amongst the three women. This story tends to take a backseat to the elliptical, spooky imagery, particularly the desert landscapes, and the quirky performances -- not surprising, given that the film was reportedly shot without a full screenplay and inspired by Altman's own dreams. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Shelley Duvall - Millie
Sissy Spacek - Pinky
Janice Rule - Willie
Robert Fortier - Edgar
Ruth Nelson - Mrs. Rose

Robert Altman's visually striking exploration of the intermingled personalities of two women finally gets its long-awaited debut on home video with this DVD edition from The Criterion Collection, and the superb results were certainly worth the wait. 3 Women has been given a letterboxed transfer to disc in the widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1, which has also has been enhanced for 16 x 9 playback on anamorphic monitors; Altman approved the transfer, which beautifully recreates the color palate and textures of Chuck Rosher's cinematography. The original single-channel audio mix has been preserved for this edition, mastered in Dolby Digital Mono. Bonus materials include a full-length commentary from Robert Altman about the film and his creative process, as well as an extensive gallery of production photos (including shots of the late artist Bodhi Wind creating the murals shown in the film). Criterion's DVD release of 3 Women is a loving presentation of an often-overlooked film, and deserves a place in the library of any fan of Robert Altman's work. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide