DVD Review: The Red Violin - The Meridian Collection Edition

Sometimes, when it comes to films you haven’t seen in some time, it’s best to keep it that way. We all have movies we fondly remember, despite the fact that the first viewing may have been years ago, and there’s a sneaking suspicion that film might not be as good as our pleasant memories want to tell us it is.

But sometimes, you just can’t leave well enough alone.

Lionsgate has launched a new DVD series, The Meridian Collection, and like a poor man’s Criterion Collection, Lionsgate hopes to “present significant works of world cinema in elite quality editions of the highest technical standards that celebrate their creative impact.”

For the inaugural offerings, Lionsgate has released Diva, a French thriller from the ’80s and The Red Violin, a 1998 film I remembered fondly for its intertwining stories and all-around visual sumptuousness. Starring a cast of mostly unknowns in America other than the venerable Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by François Girard, it tells a tale of the journey of a mysterious and valuable violin through several centuries. It’s ambitious, and even won an Oscar for its score, but after this viewing many years later, I prefer my old perception of the film.

It becomes clear early on in the film that it has not aged well. Rather than achieving the timeless feel that the story certainly strives for, the period sets are unconvincing. As the film travels through various times and various places, it just hits the same note over and over, visually and thematically. I was surprised how rote much of this film felt.

But probably the biggest surprise was just how uninspired the filmmaking is. The direction of the film seemed to be given the same level of attention as a typical romantic comedy or similar Hollywood production. Most shots are simply functional, and nothing more. A film like this begs to be shot with more passion than that. Rather than allow the camera to aid in telling the story, it feels like it is simply present to capture the action. The editing seems haphazard and while calling it lazy is probably a bit harsh, it never approaches a level of anything resembling careful work.

Article Author: Dusty Somers

Dusty Somers hails from Seattle, and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in journalism.

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