DVD Review: The Red Violin - The Meridian Collection Edition - Page 2

The mise en scène is muddled and unfocused much of the time, and for a director as acclaimed as Girard is (or at least was) that seems unacceptable. It comes as little surprise to me that Girard has made only one film since The Red Violin. Apparently, he’s busy with theater work, which I hope suits him better than filmmaking. I haven’t seen any of his other films, but with The Red Violin, he mailed it in. I’m skeptical of this man’s passion for filmmaking. Perhaps he thought the film could ride on the strength of the story, and while the concept is a strong and ambitious one, the execution killed its chance of becoming an enduring classic.

Apparently, Lionsgate doesn’t see it that way, having released this new DVD version. By the time the film ended, I was too disappointed by my reevaluation of the film to care much about the special features, but for fans of the film, this is certainly the DVD to buy, as opposed to the bare-bones original release. It comes with a commentary track by Girard and co-writer Don McKellar and two featurettes about the Oscar-winning score and the history of violin auctions.

I really wanted to enjoy The Red Violin a second time around. I even expected to. Part of me wishes I had just let that original memory stand. Is it important to constantly update our opinions about certain films, or is it better to just leave the pleasant memories undisturbed? I’m not sure, but my current perception of The Red Violin pretty much guarantees I’ll be in no hurry to watch it again.

Article Author: Dusty Somers

Dusty Somers hails from Seattle, and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in journalism. He is a member of the Online Film Critics Society.

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