Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson star in the highly entertaining reincarnation murder mystery Dead Again. New to 4K UHD from Kino Lorber.
The Film
A film like Dead Again could only have been made by a studio and a huge hit (which it was) in the 90s. The A-list pedigree is papabile … Produced by Sydney Pollack, written by Scott Frank, directed and starring Kenneth Branagh AND Emma Thompson. Add in a kicker of an unbilled cameo by Robin Williams. The film, which cannily melds a murder mystery with a new age reincarnation spin, is all in the ripe execution of Frank’s clever script and Branagh’s overwrought direction.
When a mute woman (Thompson) with amnesia shows up at a Catholic Orphanage, uncertain what to do with her, they call in private detective and former orphan Mike Church (Branagh) to help. At first, Church is put upon, but slowly he is drawn into the mystery of this woman whose frantic nightmares may be the key. With the help of a Medium (Derek Jacobi), the woman begins to slowly unravel the mystery of her life … but her past life, which seems to be tied to Church. Are they the reincarnated versions of Roman and Margaret Strauss, a couple in post-WW2 Los Angeles? Who would the police eventually find Roman guilty of Margaret’s brutal murder? Are they doomed to repeat this tragedy again…
Dead Again works because it’s an overheated piece of noir fiction. Frank’s script understands that, no matter the new age metaphysical aspects of the story, it needs to be grounded in the tropes of a murder mystery. At its heart, the film is no different than a Mike Hammer or Sam Spade story. Though Branagh’s Church is nowhere near as hardboiled or gruff as Hammer or Spade. Nor is Thompson the typical Femme Fatale. Even in the dual roles they play that alternate between something of a James M. Cain story in the past, they never really live up to the clichés or tropes of the genres. It’s a crafty piece of pulpy fiction that creates a smart mixtape of sorts.
Equally adept is Branagh’s direction, which makes the adroit choice of shifting timelines by using color for the present and black and white for the past. The result is narrative clarity and stylish counterpoints of the genre by cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti. There’s an understanding of both the LA of the past and present (well, of the 90s) that Branagh and Leonetti bring to the film, collaborating with production designer Tim Harvey and art director Sydney Z. Litwack. Same of Phyllis Dalton’s costuming, which there’s an air of wit that smartly links the past and present that one can see upon subsequent viewings.
The secret weapon of the film, though, is the cast headed by Thompson and Branagh. Their work here is sublime as the couple caught in time. Like Dalton’s costuming, the fun comes upon the second viewing and subtly that both bring to their performances after the fact. Beyond them, Branagh smartly casts a who’s who of truly great actors like Andy Garcia, Jacobi, Williams, Wayne Knight, and Campbell Scott. It’s Robin Williams who steals the show as a disgraced psychologist who may or may not help them. Everyone keeps the entire film grounded, making the reality of past lives intertwining with the present an almost plausible notion.
Though in the end, Branagh cannot help himself from going arched with a truly deranged De Palma-inspired slow-motion finale. One that will have any cineaste at least chuckle if not outright laugh – in the best way possible, of course. Yes, it may be a bit ridiculous, but Branagh and the film as a whole have earned the right to go to that place. It’s actually what elevates Dead Again to true delirious fun because it’s earned it.
The Transfer
The all-new Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative is an excellent example of the amazing work Kino Lorber is doing in the UHD realm. The image looks as good as the 35mm release prints on opening day. The transfer is sharp with beautiful, luminous blacks and contrast levels breathing life into the noir-inspired images from cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti. The Dolby Vision encoding is especially luminous when the film jumps to the black and white sections. The pop the HDR gives Dead Again mirrors other film noirs of the 1950s that have gotten similar treatment by labels.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
Audio commentary by Director and Star Kenneth Branagh
Audio commentary by Producer Lindsay Doran and Screenwriter Scott Frank
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
Audio commentary by Director and Star Kenneth Branagh
Audio commentary by Producer Lindsay Doran and Screenwriter Scott Frank
Theatrical Trailer
The first of two archival Audio commentary tracks is by Director and Star Kenneth Branagh. Branagh begins with how the opening title sequence was constructed, with its intent, along with the various cast and crew who worked with him on the project. Some of the other details include his first impressions of the script; this is the first film working with an American accent, and how he practiced before the film; how he was able to get Robin Williams; the casting of Wayne Knight; the last-minute casting of Derek Jacobi; his first longer cut and editing down to the run time; how everything was filmed in color and the decision to use black and whites in the past was done in post and why; the casting of Andy Garcia; the various tropes from the Noir and Gothic genres that were pulled in both visually and in the plot; a larger discussion of the script by Scott Frank; a larger discussion of how various shots throughout were accomplished; a larger discussion of the various locations and sets where they filmed in and around Los Angeles; and much more.
The second archival Audio commentary track is by Producer Lindsay Doran, Screenwriter Scott Frank, and Line Producer Charles Maguire. The trio opens with their recollections of the title sequence and being filmed multiple times. Some of the other details include the logic of the dream sequence that opens the film; the original idea that the film was intended to be cast with four actors for the four parts, not the two actors for the four parts; how they were able to get Robin Williams and Andy Garcia in non-lead roles; the various cast who were in both the past and the present in dual roles; a discussion of what role Executive Producer Sydney Pollack gave to the development; how the film was pitched, sold and written and the time it took and roles changed at Paramount during that time; a larger discussion of what had changed from the screenplay to the final film; a larger discussion of the development of the screenplay; the original ending from the screenplay; and much more.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for Dead Again (2:21); The Gingerbread Man (2:19); Internal Affairs(2:00); The Two Jakes (3:09); After Dark, My Sweet (2:17); Snake Eyes (2:23); The Underneath (2:07); Twilight (2:27); The Usual Suspects (2:28); The General’s Daughter (2:31);
The Final Thought
Kino Lorber continues to bring their wonderful curation of wonderfully restored picture and sound on 4K UHD discs. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson star in the highly entertaining reincarnation murder mystery Dead Again. New to 4K UHD from Kino Lorber.
The Film
A film like Dead Again could only have been made by a studio and a huge hit (which it was) in the 90s. The A-list pedigree is papabile … Produced by Sydney Pollack, written by Scott Frank, directed and starring Kenneth Branagh AND Emma Thompson. Add in a kicker of an unbilled cameo by Robin Williams. The film, which cannily melds a murder mystery with a new age reincarnation spin, is all in the ripe execution of Frank’s clever script and Branagh’s overwrought direction.
When a mute woman (Thompson) with amnesia shows up at a Catholic Orphanage, uncertain what to do with her, they call in private detective and former orphan Mike Church (Branagh) to help. At first, Church is put upon, but slowly he is drawn into the mystery of this woman whose frantic nightmares may be the key. With the help of a Medium (Derek Jacobi), the woman begins to slowly unravel the mystery of her life … but her past life, which seems to be tied to Church. Are they the reincarnated versions of Roman and Margaret Strauss, a couple in post-WW2 Los Angeles? Who would the police eventually find Roman guilty of Margaret’s brutal murder? Are they doomed to repeat this tragedy again…
Dead Again works because it’s an overheated piece of noir fiction. Frank’s script understands that, no matter the new age metaphysical aspects of the story, it needs to be grounded in the tropes of a murder mystery. At its heart, the film is no different than a Mike Hammer or Sam Spade story. Though Branagh’s Church is nowhere near as hardboiled or gruff as Hammer or Spade. Nor is Thompson the typical Femme Fatale. Even in the dual roles they play that alternate between something of a James M. Cain story in the past, they never really live up to the clichés or tropes of the genres. It’s a crafty piece of pulpy fiction that creates a smart mixtape of sorts.
Equally adept is Branagh’s direction, which makes the adroit choice of shifting timelines by using color for the present and black and white for the past. The result is narrative clarity and stylish counterpoints of the genre by cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti. There’s an understanding of both the LA of the past and present (well, of the 90s) that Branagh and Leonetti bring to the film, collaborating with production designer Tim Harvey and art director Sydney Z. Litwack. Same of Phyllis Dalton’s costuming, which there’s an air of wit that smartly links the past and present that one can see upon subsequent viewings.
The secret weapon of the film, though, is the cast headed by Thompson and Branagh. Their work here is sublime as the couple caught in time. Like Dalton’s costuming, the fun comes upon the second viewing and subtly that both bring to their performances after the fact. Beyond them, Branagh smartly casts a who’s who of truly great actors like Andy Garcia, Jacobi, Williams, Wayne Knight, and Campbell Scott. It’s Robin Williams who steals the show as a disgraced psychologist who may or may not help them. Everyone keeps the entire film grounded, making the reality of past lives intertwining with the present an almost plausible notion.
Though in the end, Branagh cannot help himself from going arched with a truly deranged De Palma-inspired slow-motion finale. One that will have any cineaste at least chuckle if not outright laugh – in the best way possible, of course. Yes, it may be a bit ridiculous, but Branagh and the film as a whole have earned the right to go to that place. It’s actually what elevates Dead Again to true delirious fun because it’s earned it.
The Transfer
The all-new Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative is an excellent example of the amazing work Kino Lorber is doing in the UHD realm. The image looks as good as the 35mm release prints on opening day. The transfer is sharp with beautiful, luminous blacks and contrast levels breathing life into the noir-inspired images from cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti. The Dolby Vision encoding is especially luminous when the film jumps to the black and white sections. The pop the HDR gives Dead Again mirrors other film noirs of the 1950s that have gotten similar treatment by labels.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
The first of two archival Audio commentary tracks is by Director and Star Kenneth Branagh. Branagh begins with how the opening title sequence was constructed, with its intent, along with the various cast and crew who worked with him on the project. Some of the other details include his first impressions of the script; this is the first film working with an American accent, and how he practiced before the film; how he was able to get Robin Williams; the casting of Wayne Knight; the last-minute casting of Derek Jacobi; his first longer cut and editing down to the run time; how everything was filmed in color and the decision to use black and whites in the past was done in post and why; the casting of Andy Garcia; the various tropes from the Noir and Gothic genres that were pulled in both visually and in the plot; a larger discussion of the script by Scott Frank; a larger discussion of how various shots throughout were accomplished; a larger discussion of the various locations and sets where they filmed in and around Los Angeles; and much more.
The second archival Audio commentary track is by Producer Lindsay Doran, Screenwriter Scott Frank, and Line Producer Charles Maguire. The trio opens with their recollections of the title sequence and being filmed multiple times. Some of the other details include the logic of the dream sequence that opens the film; the original idea that the film was intended to be cast with four actors for the four parts, not the two actors for the four parts; how they were able to get Robin Williams and Andy Garcia in non-lead roles; the various cast who were in both the past and the present in dual roles; a discussion of what role Executive Producer Sydney Pollack gave to the development; how the film was pitched, sold and written and the time it took and roles changed at Paramount during that time; a larger discussion of what had changed from the screenplay to the final film; a larger discussion of the development of the screenplay; the original ending from the screenplay; and much more.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for Dead Again (2:21); The Gingerbread Man (2:19); Internal Affairs(2:00); The Two Jakes (3:09); After Dark, My Sweet (2:17); Snake Eyes (2:23); The Underneath (2:07); Twilight (2:27); The Usual Suspects (2:28); The General’s Daughter (2:31);
The Final Thought
Kino Lorber continues to bring their wonderful curation of wonderfully restored picture and sound on 4K UHD discs. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD Edition of Dead Again is out now.
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