Search - Angela's Ashes on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Adult Language, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1999 DVD Release: 07/18/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 25 mins Studio: Paramount Members Wishing: 11 Genres: Drama, Period Film, Family Drama, Coming-of-Age, Urban Drama

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir by Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes is an alternately funny and heartbreaking look at growing up in Ireland. Born in Brooklyn, NY, young Frank (Joe Breen) moves at an early age to Limerick, Ireland, with his parents Angela (Emily Watson) and Malachy (Robert Carlyle), who have been unable to support their family in America and are hoping for better prospects in their home country. But things hardly improve once they settle in Limerick; as McCourt puts it, "Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood. Worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood." Illness and death are commonplace in Limerick, and Malachy's drinking and inability to hold a job make matters worse. Angela's Ashes was directed by Alan Parker, who previously looked at Irish life in The Commitments (1991); Laura Jones wrote the screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Emily Watson - Angela McCourt
Robert Carlyle - Malachy McCourt
Joe Breen - Young Frank
Ciaran Owens - Middle Frank
Michael Legge - Older Frank

The image on this disc rivals anything out there. The colors are muted, making the contrast between light grays and blacks all the more striking. The disc is framed at its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and is anamorphic. The sound on this disc, an English 5.1 Dolby Digital track, is good, but nothing to get overly excited about. There is little use of the surround speakers, but the dialogue is clear and focused directly up front. There is some sound from the left and right speakers used for directional effect, but it is fairly limited. The front focused soundtrack is very powerful, especially when John Williams' score takes over. This disc also has a French surround track and English subtitles.
The disc has two audio commentary tracks. Frank McCourt's commentary is the less interesting of the two as he generally comments about his actual experiences, then goes quiet for lengthy periods. Director Alan Parker, on the other hand, is far more scene-specific and offers plenty of anecdotal information about the making of the film, the cast, and his own thoughts about McCourt's life. There is a half-hour documentary, loaded with interviews of the cast, director, and Frank McCourt. The short discusses the sets and the overall look of the film as well as what it took to find just the right cast, especially Frank McCourt as a young man. In addition to this documentary, there are nearly 15 minutes of additional interviews where the cast discusses working together, and what the book and film mean to each of them. There are a couple of trailers. This is a highly recommended DVD, not only for what the disc has to offer, but to learn about a man who really has a tale to tell. ~ Trent Fordham, All Movie Guide