Bad Lieutenant – Special Edition (1992/Lionsgate DVD)
Picture:
B- Sound: C Extras: C- Film: C-
Prior to
the announcement of Werner Herzog's "re-envisioning" with
Nicholas Cage, Bad Lieutenant (1992)
was considered one of those little seen cult films. There is a reason most have not heard of or
seen this movie, but it is mostly due to Harvey Keitel's performance that this
film is even worth mentioning. Keitel
gives a great performance, although not his best. It was a brave choice to take on this role,
too bad it was not for a good film.
Playing a
bad cop always seems to have its perks when put on screen, but not here. This character is barely a cop. He is more of
a criminal junkie, out exploring the degenerative side of existence. It is hard to believe anyone would allow
someone like this to stay employed as an officer of the law. In one ridiculous scene, the Lieutenant
blatantly tries to steal a bag of drugs from a crime scene vehicle in plain
view of dozens of people and other detectives. When he drops the bag, obviously from out of
his pocket, no one questions him. It is
scenes like that, which take away the reality of the performance and of the
film.
The only
goal of the character is to get his next fix, but somehow he manages to be
looking into the rape of a nun. A nun
that acts so completely unlike a human being, just to try and show a complete
antithesis to the main character. Not
even the most forgiving of people would act like this woman does toward her
assailants. Somehow, Abel Ferrara seems
to ignore these blatant mistakes, and propels the movie into scene after scene
of unbelievability. The movie has no
mid-ground. It is in such extremes of bad and good that it takes everything out
of what could have been a good film.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 picture to the film is a step up fro the
original DVD release, but still does not have a clear picture. Although for the
film it should not have a clear picture. This transfer is suitable. The 5.1
Dolby sound could have been improved and definitely is sub par for today’s
standards.
Extras include Audio Commentary and a Documentary Featurette. Noticeably absent is anything to do with
Harvey Keitel.
- Nathan Rutkus
