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18 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant Abel Ferrara Double-Set, 11 Jun 2003
Here, on DVD, are the two films that Abel Ferrera made back to back in 95/96- weirdly enough they are vaguely related. The first film, The Funeral, is an intrigueing take on the gangster film, far superior to diluted studio fluff like Road to Perdition (great camera work a great film does not make- see Jennifer8). Ferrara brings the Catholic torment of his previous work, notably the classic Bad Lieutenant, to this period piece detailing a 30s gangster family & their downward spiral to hell. The three brothers at the centre of the family (Christophers' Walken & Penn, Vincent Gallo) are the focus for this dark rumination on death and corruption- The Funeral is an electric rejuvination of the gangster genre, one that offers a stellar supporting cast (Annabella Sciora, Isabella Rosselini, Benicio Del Toro)- its denoument remains one of the most potent acts in 90s US cinema (and can it be related to The Addiction?) Either way, *****The Addiction was actually the first of these films to be shot (in 1995), though if we take it that the acts of The Funeral have left Walken & Sciorra doomed (& they are playing the same characters) then it is ideally watched after The Funeral. Here the focus is the wonderful Lili Taylor (I Shot Andy Warhol, 6 Feet Under) who plays a student bitten by a vampire- crossing paths with a sinister Chris Walken (who mentions William Burroughs, alongside the plethora of Nietzsche) and many Sopranos regulars (Sciora, Edie Falco, & the great Michael Imperioli). There are some great scenes here, even if the philosophy comes off as extremely pretentious (the images of the Holocaust were on a level with art that is meant to shock, but is merely posture)- Taylor's transformation makes a wonderful analogy with junkiedom (recalling classic vampire films like The Hunger, Near Dark & Martin) & the gathering of lecturers for a blood tide is a great scene (& one I can cheer heartily having been the victim of lecturer's marking schemes!). It doesn't quite come off, but is an interesting take on a genre that offers such diversity as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Cronos, Blade & The Hunger **** As a double-set this is great value, worth it alone for The Funeral- which I think is one of Ferrara's greatest films, alongside The Driller Killer, The King of New York & The Bad Lieutenant. Think of The Addiction as a bonus- the set taking in two overlooked highlights of 90s US cinema...Enjoy!
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