From acclaimed director Martin Scorsese (Casino, Taxi Driver) comes one of his most compelling and unforgettable movies. Nicolas Cage stars as Frank Pierce, a paramedic on the brink of madness from too many years of saving and losing lives. One fateful night, Frank meets Mary Burke (Patricia Arquette), the daughter of a man Frank tried to save. Together, Frank and Mary confront the ghosts of the past, and discover that redemption can be found among the living. Co-starring John Goodman, Ving Rhames, and Tom Sizemore. – synopsis via Paramount Pictures.
BRINGING OUT THE DEAD is directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader; based on the 1998 novel by Joe Connelly. Schrader is a writer and long-time friend of Scorsese’s and they have worked on several projects before this.
In 1995-1999 (good lord, I am old), some films were made with a dubious subject matter and aesthetically dark. BRINGING OUT THE DEAD is one strong example but it tends to get overlooked. There has been a stigma that New York City when the sun goes down is a nightmare and paramedics would traverse the streets nightly. From severe medical emergencies to ODs to violent crimes, city paramedics deal with a lot.
This is a stellar cast and each actor brings so much to the film. John Goodman, Ving Rhames, and Tom Sizemore are Frank’s rotating partners who approach the job very differently. While Frank is trying to figure out his place in the world and hates being haunted by an old call, his partners have their way of coping.
This is reminiscent of TAXI DRIVER. Now, before you get all riled up, simmer down, and let me explain. It has some elements that remind me of that film but they are, of course, in a different class. Frank is not Travis Bickle. The idea of the protagonist feeling like the city needs a reckoning because it is crumbling beneath his feet is a commonality. Frank wants to save people because he is tired of death practically looking over his shoulder whereas Bickle has very different plans.
Cast
Nicolas Cage as Frank Pierce
Patricia Arquette as Mary Burke
John Goodman as Larry
Ving Rhames as Marcus
Tom Sizemore as Tom Wolls
Marc Anthony as Noel
Cliff Curtis as Cy Coates
Nestor Serrano as Doctor Hazmat
Afemo Omilami as Griss
Mary Beth Hurt as Nurse Constance
Aida Turturro as Nurse Crupp
Phyllis Somerville as Mrs. Burke
Sonja Sohn as Kanita
Michael K. Williams as a Drug Dealer
Martin Scorsese as the voice of Male Dispatcher
Queen Latifah as the voice of Dispatcher Love
Judy Reyes as an ICU nurse
VIDEO QUALITY 5/5
The video is a 2160p HEVC presentation with Dolby Vision. The transfer is a mixed bag where the images are sharp overall and an applied blur to certain scenes. There is some very nice film grain that gives the footage depth. It is dark both tonally and visually for a uniquely dark viewing experience. The flashing bright lights or harsh spotlight-like lights on the characters feel less pleasant than the typical lighting in a film. The details on images are sharp over the HD digital version showing off stubble and imperfections. Some clothing and environments also benefit from the format’s resolution showing the conditions of the environment. The lighting in Frank’s case, the scenes lights up and show how terrible he looks, looking haunted and exhausted. The blacks are incredibly deep and inky. The Dolby Vision creates strong contrast lines that separate as well as texture. There are some bold colors but blue stands out the most. There are 2-3 daytime scenes and there is a softness that may not be seen in the nighttime scene. Skin tones have more of a cooler look and it makes the characters feel closer to death than life.
AUDIO QUALITY 5/5
The audio is a Dolby Atmos mix that defaults to a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mix depending on your setup. The entire soundtrack is great with the chosen tracks to accompany the visuals. The Atmos mix makes the music immersive and adds to the anxiety-fueled images. The overhead channels also make some of the effects bigger such as when Cy needs help from the fire department. Also, the city scenes have a wider ambient sound that creates a livelier sound environment. Clean highs and some moments of subtle LFEs make it on the track. These help with the effects and music as well. The dialogue is well-prioritized and also clear with no issues.
SUPPLEMENTS & PACKAGING 4/5
-Filmmaker Focus: This is with Martin Scorsese and he gives some information about the film as well as the inspiration to experiment with it.
-A Rumination on Salvation: This is Nicolas Cage getting into his time in NYC and getting into the mindset of his character.
-Cemetary Streets: Writer Paul Schrader describes his time preparing to write the script and how he made that happen. He also discusses working with Scorsese again.
-City of Ghosts: The cinematographer Robert Richardson discusses his part in the production.
-On Set Interviews: The cast including Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Tom Sizemore, Marc Antony plus a few others discuss the film.
-Exclusive Cast and Crew Interviews: an original interview compilation.
-Theatrical Trailers
Disc Details
2-Disc Set w/ 1 4k UHD and 1 Blu-ray
Running Time
121 mins
Edition Ratings
Rated R
Region Coding
Region Free
4k UHD
Video Resolution
2160p HEVC / H.265
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
HDR
Dolby Vision
HDR10
Audio Mixes
English Dolby Atmos
English Dolby TrueHD 7.1
English Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Subtitles
English
English SDH
THE FINAL WORD 4.5/5
BRINGING OUT THE DEAD is one of Scorsese’s overlooked or lesser-known projects like KUNDUN and SILENCE that I think is criminal. I believe that if you’re into a creator or actor’s work, explore the rest of the resume because you might find that unexpected gem. Trust me, Scorsese isn’t just crime and mob dramas but makes a wide genre of films.
This release makes sense to be a part of The Paramount Presents… Collection has added another film that needed some love before coming to the 4k format. The film hasn’t had a physical since DVD and HD digital. The video is dark and the Dolby Vision / HDR creates strong contrast with deep blacks. The audio update to Atmos is excellent and I have no issues with it. The extras are good and well worth watching, especially about Paul Schrader.
I’m a big Scorsese fan and, honestly, this doesn’t make it into my Scorsese Top 5 but it is one to be seen. The approach and acting is a big draw. I highly recommend this for fans of the film, Martin Scorsese, or Nicholas Cage. It is a solid release.
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