Search - The Bonfire of the Vanities

Brian De Palma's Hollywood sanitization of Tom Wolfe's scabrous satire stars Tom Hanks as Sherman McCoy, the "master of the universe," a shallow Wall Street investor who makes millions while enjoying the good life and the sexual favors of Maria Ruskin (Melanie Griffith), a Southern belle golddigger. Sherman and Maria are driving back to Maria's apartment from the airport when Maria takes a wrong turn on the expressway and the two find themselves in the South Bronx. She sees a black youth approaching Sherman's car and Maria, frightened, guns the engine, running over the teenager and killing him. The two drive away and decide not to report the accident to the police. Meanwhile, indigent alcoholic journalist Peter Fallow (Bruce Willis), anxious for a story to make good with his editor, comes upon the hit-and-run tale through local black community activist, Reverend Bacon (John Hancock). Bacon plans to use the hit-and-run case as a rallying point for the black community, while Fallow recognizes the press coverage inherent in prosecuting the callow Sherman. As Sherman is brought to his knees, the New York community fragments into different factions who use the case to suit their own cynical political purposes. Finally, Sherman is left without any allies to support him except for the sympathetic Judge White (Morgan Freeman) and the remorseful Fallow. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Tom Hanks - Sherman McCoy
Bruce Willis - Peter Fallow
Melanie Griffith - Maria Ruskin
Kim Cattrall - Judy McCoy
Saul Rubinek - Jed Kramer
Morgan Freeman - Judge Leonard White

Brian De Palma's infamous adaptation of Tom Wolfe's -The Bonfire of the Vanities comes to DVD with a pair of transfers. The widescreen anamorphic image preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and is preferable to the standard full-frame 1.33:1 transfer. English and French soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. Subtitles are accessible in both of these languages. There are no real special features on this release. This disc delivers the film, but little else. Considering the problems that plagued the production, one can hope for a more detailed DVD release of the film in the future. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

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1	Antony and Cleopatra
4	Freaked (PG-13)
23	The Program (R)
4	Fresh (R)
22	The Distinguished Gentleman (R)
1	The Third Generation (NR)
3	Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will (PG-13)
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24	Guess Who's Coming to Dinner [Widescreen/Fullscreen] (NR)
11	Do the Right Thing [Widescreen] (R)
18	Boyz 'N the Hood (R)
35	The Fisher King (R)
47	Wall Street (R)
2	Straight Out of Brooklyn (R)
2	Queens Logic (R)
6	New York Stories (PG)
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22	Moscow on the Hudson [Widescreen/Fullscreen] (R)
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1	Other People's Money (R)
3	Cornbread, Earl and Me (PG)
7	Cadence (PG-13)
2	The Brother From Another Planet (R)
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77	Scarface [Special Edition] (R)
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1	Home Movies (PG)
3	Phantom of the Paradise (PG)
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50	The Untouchables (R)
2	Hi, Mom! (R)
13	Raising Cain (R)
3	Al Pacino Collection: Author! Author! (PG)
10	Blow Out (R)
9	Dressed to Kill [Special Edition] (R)
2	Wise Guys (R)
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39	Casualties of War (R)
48	Working Girl (R)
8	Chaplin (PG-13)
26	Awakenings (PG-13)
24	National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 (PG-13)
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