Search - The Insider on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1999 DVD Release: 04/11/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 38 mins Studio: Walt Disney Video Total Copies: 2 Genres: Drama, Psychological Drama, Docudrama

The Insider tells the true story of a man who decided to tell the world what the seven major tobacco companies knew (and concealed) about the dangers of their product. Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) was a scientist employed in research for a tobacco firm, Brown and Williamson. Not long after he was fired by Brown and Williamson, Wigand came into contact with Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino), a producer for 60 Minutes who worked closely with journalist Mike Wallace (played here by Christopher Plummer). Bergman arranged for Wigand to be interviewed by Wallace for a 60 Minutes expose on the cigarette industry, though Wigand was still bound by a confidentiality agreement not to discuss his employment with the company. Despite Wigand's willingness to talk, CBS pulled his interview from at the last minute after Brown and Williamson threatened a multi-billion dollar lawsuit. The staff of 60 Minutes and CBS News were soon embroiled in an internal struggle over the killing of the story, and Wigand found himself the subject of lawsuits and a smear campaign, without his full story reaching the public. The Insider was directed by Michael Mann and also features Diane Venora, Philip Baker Hall, Debi Mazar, Colm Feore, and Rip Torn. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Al Pacino - Lowell Bergman
Russell Crowe - Jeffrey Wigand
Christopher Plummer - Mike Wallace
Diane Venora - Liane Wigand
Philip Baker Hall - Don Hewitt

Like most of Michael Mann's films, =The Insider is an extremely stylish character study, and the excellent 2.35:1 widescreen presentation of the movie on this DVD allows it to make maximum emotional impact. It's hard to say which is better: the excellent, moody Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio or the colorful, beautiful way the visuals have translated to DVD. The music of Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke is quite magical up against the pretty visuals, whether the score is indulging in evocative, bombastic form or simply flowing in ambient layers. Supplemental features include a short, glossy production featurette, the widescreen theatrical trailer, and a feature called "Inside a Scene," which dissects one scene from the movie, allowing a viewer to look at pre-production, shooting, and finished material. A director's commentary with Mann would have been fascinating but is nowhere to be found. Still, the movie stands on its own merits. =The Insider is full of subtle power in this DVD edition. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide