Bringing Out the Dead: 4K UHD Review
Celebrating its’ 25th anniversary is Martin Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead, which is based on Joe Connelly’s novel of the same name and adapted by screenwriter Paul Schrader. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Marc Anthony and Tom Sizemore. While Bringing Out the Dead featured massive talent in front and behind the camera, it was a box office bomb when released in 1999. It’s not surprising considering it is a very difficult film to categorize, which made it hard to sell to the general movie-going public. However, there are many who consider this one of Cage’s best performances and the actor has even said that Bringing Out the Dead is the best movie he ever made. This week Paramount releases the film on 4K UHD for the very first time as part of their “Paramount Presents” collection.
Set during the early 1990’s in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, paramedic Frank Pierce (Cage) has become extremely burned out from the high stress of the job. It doesn’t help that he also works the graveyard shift. Depression and insomnia have become an everyday issue for the EMT. Frank constantly hallucinates with visions of a teenager girl named Rose that he could not resuscitate. Frank keeps trying to get himself fired by showing up late, but his boss always promises to fire him the next day. It’s clear that they are shorthanded and really nobody wants Frank’s job.
Over the course of a few nights, Frank is paired with three EMTs. There is Larry (Goodman), probably the most normal of the lot. There is Tom (Sizemore), who likes to beat up people, rather than save them and there is Marcus (Rhames) who could care less about Frank’s mental state and could wind up pushing him over the edge. The only time Frank seems even a bit relaxed is when he spends some time with Mary Burke (Arquette) a former junkie, who happens to be the daughter of a heart attack victim that Frank rushed to the hospital. The two develop a quick friendship. The distraught young woman seems to need a friend as much as Frank.
Much of Brining Out the Dead feels like a waking nightmare. The New York location is usually a character itself with Scorsese’s work in such films as After Hours and Taxi Driver. Here, the city is a series of blurs and bright lights, given a dreamlike/nightmare feel. This makes sense, since we are essentially seeing the world through Frank’s eyes and he is seems to constantly be in a nightmare that he can’t wake up from when he is working. There is quite a bit to admire about the film and for a subject as extreme as this one, it’s interesting to see Cage for the most part not go over-the-top. He has a few of those moments, but this is a much more low-key performance. I was never a big fan of Bringing Out the Dead, but I do appreciate it more now than I did 25 years ago.
Surprisingly, Bringing Out the Dead had never received a Blu-ray release. The new 4K release does include a Blu-ray disk as well, so this is the first time the movie is available in 1080p and 2160p. We get a stunning new presentation with Dolby Vision and it really brings this haunting world to life. Robert Richardson’s cinematography is given new life and is leaps and bounds better than the old DVD released a quarter century ago. Because Scorsese’s film has such a unique look and feel, the ultra-high def presentation makes it look like you are seeing the film for the very first time. Especially for those who had not seen it during the original theatrical release. We also get a new Dolby Atoms track which beautifies the chaos. The sirens, the speeding ambulances, the craziness in the ICU on a busy night are all amplified by this new track. We also get new interviews with Scorsese, Cage, Schrader and Richardson, along with some legacy bonus content.
If you are a fan of Bringing Out the Dead, this release is definitely worth picking up.
Bonus Content:
- *NEW* FILMMAKER FOCUS – MARTIN SCORSESE ON BRINGING OUT THE DEAD – Visionary filmmaker Martin Scorsese shares stories behind the production, touching on casting, shooting in New York City, and the music and art that inspired his approach.
- *NEW* A RUMINATION ON SALVATION – NICOLAS CAGE ON BRINGING OUT THE DEAD – Academy Award® winner* Nicolas Cage relates tales of wild nights in New York City, his cerebral approach to his character, and his time with Scorsese prior to shooting.
- *NEW* CEMETERY STREETS – SCREENWRITER PAUL SCHRADER ON BRINGING OUT THE DEAD – Legendary screenwriter Paul Schrader talks about adapting author Joe Connelly’s novel, how traveling with real paramedics informed his writing, and his creative partnership with Scorsese.
- *NEW* CITY OF GHOSTS – CINEMATOGRAPHER ROBERT RICHARDSON ON BRINGING OUT THE DEAD – Frequent Scorsese collaborator and Academy Award® winning** cinematographer Robert Richardson opens up about shooting Bringing Out the Dead and how the film personally resonated with him.
- ON SET WITH PATRICIA ARQUETTE – Actress Patricia Arquette reflects on working with Nicolas Cage, the creative openness of director Martin Scorsese, and how her own background allowed for a personal understanding of her character.
- ON SET WITH JOHN GOODMAN – Actor John Goodman talks about the intensity of portraying a paramedic, working with Nicolas Cage, and the honor of appearing in a Martin Scorsese film.
- ON SET WITH VING RHAMES – Actor Ving Rhames shares how Martin Scorsese’s New York City differs from his personal experience and how his character relates to Nicolas Cage’s character.
- ON SET WITH TOM SIZEMORE – Actor Tom Sizemore celebrates the opportunity to appear in Bringing Out the Dead and reflects on how life is full of surprises.
- ON SET WITH MARC ANTHONY – Actor Marc Anthony shares how he turned witnessing real-life hardship on the streets of New York City into an unforgettable performance.
By: Marc Ferman