Smithereens

"Susan Seidelman's portrait of one would-be celebrity trying to break into New York's Downtown rock scene was one of the pioneering films of the independent film movement, and Blue Underground has given it a suitably strong presentation on DVD. Smithereens has been given a letterboxed transfer to disc in the widescreen aspect ratio of 1.66:1, which is also enhanced for anamorphic play on 16 x 9 monitors. The image is often grainy (thanks largely to its 16mm origins), but the transfer accurately reflects how the film looked in theaters when it was first released, and the colors are potent and well saturated. The film's original audio mix is included in Dolby Digital Mono, and two new multi-channel mixes also appear on this release, in Dolby Digital Surround and Dolby Digital 5.1. No subtitles or multiple language options have been included. This edition includes a bonus documentary on the making of the movie, featuring interviews with stars Susan Berman and Richard Hell, as well as a commentary track from director Seidelman, the film's original trailer, and a gallery of stills and promotional artwork. Blue Underground is to be congratulated for giving an important and underappreciated film the quality DVD presentation it deserves."