Disc Reviews
Misery 4K Review
Paul Sheldon (James Caan) has just finished his latest book and on his way down the snowy road from his writing getaway, gets into an awful accident. Thank goodness then that he is saved by nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who also happens to be his number one fan!
She takes him home (Red Flag and Alarm Bell number one!) and cares for him, claiming that the weather is why she can’t go get help or take him to a hospital. But pretty soon she is going back and forth to town to fetch supplies, and Paul soon finds out that his saviour may have other ideas in her head beyond just helping him heal. His first mistake is to let her read his finished manuscript. It’s the latest (and last) part of an ongoing series that Annie has been in love with since it started. But – she’s a little less than impressed when she gets to the end and has a few critical points to make about the story and its plot elements. In fact, she pretty much demands that he start over and rewrite the book, after she has made him burn the only copy of this one in existence. Sound barmy? A little loony? It’s just getting started.
James Caan put in a career-saving performance as Paul Sheldon, a man pretty much trapped in a bed for 80% of his screen time. Kathy Bates won Oscar gold for her turn as Annie Wilkes, and to date it is still a solid win. The material is based on the book by Stephen King – and well, we all know if you get his material right on screen then you are onto a cinematic classic. As a bone chiller – William Goldman did a wonderful job of the adaptation, and Rob Reiner expertly stretched his muscles into the horror field, coming off the back of The Princess Bride? Which he had also just worked on with Goldman.
The extras are all largely archival extras – but from releases that packed in just about all you need. Writer and Director commentaries – The writer gets the win on that one, as Goldman is one of the best talking about one of his best adaptations. Reiner is a little more sullen in his track, but still decent enough.
There are plenty of interviews as well to help pad it out – not much word from the actors, though, which is a shame. Personally, one of the new extras gave me a smirk: Misery’s Chord, which is a new interview with the composer. Misery Chord also happens to be the name of my YouTube channel. All the LOLS. Love it.
Steven Hurst
4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
• 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless stereo and 5.1 surround audio options
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Archival audio commentary with director Rob Reiner
• Archival audio commentary with screenwriter William Goldman
• Brand new audio commentary by film critics Teri Gamble & Julia Marchese, co-hosts of the Horror Movie Survival Guide podcast
• Misery’s Chord, a newly filmed interview with composer Marc Shaiman
• Archival interview with director Rob Reiner
• Archival interview with effects artist Greg Nicotero
• Misery Loves Company, an archival making of featurette
• Marc Shaiman’s Musical Misery Tour, an archival featurette
• Diagnosing Annie Wilkes, an archival featurette
• Profile of a Stalker, an archival featurette
• Advice for the Stalked, an archival featurette
• Celebrity Stalkers, an archival featurette
• Anti-Stalking Laws, an archival featurette
• Theatrical trailers
• Image galleries
• Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
• Collectors’ booklet containing new writing by film scholars Sean Abley, Kat Ellinger, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and David Moses
Misery 4K is released on 21st September