By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Arguably the director’s most controversial film is about to have its chrome and steel rendered in high definition.
Criterion has announced that it will bring David Cronenberg’s CRASH to Blu-ray for the first time December 1, along with a two-DVD edition. Scripted by Cronenberg from the novel by J.G. Ballard, the film is about a traffic accident that leads the people involved (played by James Spader and Holly Hunter) into a subculture of sadomasochists who fetishize car crashes and the damage they inflict on both human and auto bodies. Also starring Deborah Kara Unger, Rosanna Arquette and Elias Koteas, CRASH will be presented in a new 4K digital restoration supervised by director of photography Peter Suschitzky, in the original 1.66:1 aspect ration, with 5.1 Surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray, both approved by Cronenberg. Special features are:
- Audio commentary from 1997 featuring Cronenberg
- Press conference from the 1996 Cannes Film Festival featuring Cronenberg, Suschitzky, Ballard, producers Robert Lantos and Jeremy Thomas and actors Spader, Hunter, Unger, Arquette and Koteas
- Q&A from 1996 with Cronenberg and Ballard at the National Film Theatre in London
- Behind-the-scenes footage and press interviews from 1996
- Trailers
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by film critic Jessica Kiang
Retail prices are $39.95 for the Blu-ray and $29.95 for the double-DVD set.
