Search - The Manchurian Candidate [Fullscreen] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Profanity Movie Release: 2004 DVD Release: 12/21/2004 Format: DVD - Pan and Scan - Closed Captioned Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 9 mins Studio: Paramount Total Copies: 58 Genres: Thriller, Political Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Paranoid Thriller See Also: The Manchurian Candidate [Widescreen], The Manchurian Candidate [HD DVD], The Manchurian Candidate [Blu-ray], Manchurian Candidate [Circuit City Exclusive] [Checkpoint], Manchurian Candidate [Circuit City Exclusive] [Checkpoint], The Manchurian Candidate [Widescreen] [Blu-ray]

Jonathan Demme directed this updated remake of John Frankenheimer's 1962 cult favorite The Manchurian Candidate, a pioneering examination of political conspiracy and psychological reconditioning. Major Bennett Marco (Denzel Washington) and Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber) are two soldiers who served in the same company during Operation Desert Storm, but their paths following their tours of duty have been very different. Shaw, the son of powerful congresswoman Eleanor Shaw (Meryl Streep), has used his reputation as a war hero to quickly scale the ladder of American politics, and with the help of his mother earns the Vice Presidential nomination. Marco, on the other hand, has been troubled with mental illness, and is convinced that something strange happened to him and his compatriots during the war. As Marco struggles to find the truth behind his nightmares and emotional torment, he unearths some disturbing facts about how his mind and body have been reworked by shadowy forces, as well as those of his fellow soldiers -- including Raymond Shaw. Featuring a stellar supporting cast (including Jon Voight, Miguel Ferrer, Ted Levine, and Dean Stockwell), The Manchurian Candidate credits George Axelrod's screenplay for the 1962 film as its source, as opposed to Richard Condon's 1959 novel from which Axelrod adapted his script. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Denzel Washington - Major Bennett Marco
Meryl Streep - Eleanor Prentiss Shaw
Liev Schreiber - Sgt. Raymond Shaw
Jon Voight - Senator Thomas Jordan

Jonathan Demme's commentary tracks are traditionally warm-hearted affairs in which the director discusses how much he enjoyed working on the films and fires off praise-filled anecdotes abut many of the people with whom he worked. His commentary on =The Manchurian Candidate is no exception. Recorded with screenwriter Daniel Pyne, the track also contains a good deal of information about how steps were taken to make sure this remake did not tread on the memory of the original. The film itself is presented in a standard full-frame transfer that fails to preserve the original theatrical aspect ratio. Supplemental materials also include deleted scenes, outtakes, and a pair of making-of featurettes. One of the best extras is the inclusion of Liev Schreiber's screen test. Demme admits that he was mostly unaware of the actor, but that Schreiber won the part from the screen test. Those interested in a widescreen version of the film should be aware that such a DVD is available with the same fine extras that grace this disc. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide