Magnolia
New Line Cinema (2000)
Drama
In Collection
#1158
7*
Seen It:  Yes
(6/13/2011)
794043502927
IMDB   8.0
188 mins USA/English
DVD  Region 1   R
Tom Cruise Frank T.J. Mackey
Pat Healy Sir Edmund William Godfrey/Young Pharmacy Kid
Julianne Moore Linda Partridge
Genevieve Zweig Mrs. Godfrey
Mark Flannagan Joseph Green
William H. Macy Quiz Kid Donnie Smith
Neil Flynn Stanley Berry
Philip Seymour Hoffman Phil Parma
Rod McLachlan Daniel Hill
Allan Graf Firefighter
Melora Walters Claudia Wilson Gator
Philip Baker Hall Jimmy Gator
Patton Oswalt Delmer Darion
Jeremy Blackman Stanley Spector
Raymond 'Big Guy' Gonzales Reno Security Guard
Director Paul Thomas Anderson
Producer Paul Thomas Anderson
Joanne Sellar
Writer Paul Thomas Anderson

A handful of people in the San Fernando Valley are having one hell of a day. TV mogul Earl Partridge (Jason Robards) is on his deathbed; his trophy wife (Julianne Moore) is popping pills with alarming frequency. Earl's nurse (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is trying desperately to get in touch with Earl's only son, sex guru Frank T.J. Mackey (Tom Cruise), who's about to have his carefully constructed past blown by a TV reporter (April Grace). Whiz kid Stanley (Jeremy Blackman) is being goaded by his selfish dad into breaking the record for the game show What Do Kids Know? Meanwhile, Stanley's predecessor, the grown-up quiz kid Donnie Smith (William H. Macy) has lost his job and is nursing a severe case of unrequited love. And the host of What Do Kids Know?, the affable Jimmy Gator (Philip Baker Hall), like Earl, is dying of cancer, and his attempt to reconcile with his cokehead daughter (Melora Walters) fails miserably. She, meanwhile, is running hot and cold with a cop (John C. Reilly) who would love to date her, if she can sit still for long enough. And over it all, a foreboding sky threatens to pour something more than just rain.

This third feature from Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights) is a maddening, magnificent piece of filmmaking, and it's an ensemble film to rank with the best of Robert Altman--every little piece of the film means something, and it's solidly there for a reason. Deftly juggling a breathtaking ensemble of actors, Anderson crafts a tale of neglectful parents, resentful children, and love-starved souls that's amazing in scope, both thematically and emotionally. Part of the charge of Magnolia is seeing exactly how may characters Anderson can juggle, and can he keep all those balls in air (indeed he can, even if it means throwing frogs into the mix). And it's been far too long since we've seen a filmmaker whose love of making movies is so purely joyful, and this electric energy is reflected in the actors, from Cruise's revelatory performance to Reilly's quietly powerful turn as the moral center of the story. While at three hours it's definitely not suited to everyone's taste, Magnolia is a compelling, heartbreaking, ultimately hopeful mediation on the accidents of chance that make up our lives. Featuring eight wonderful songs by Aimee Mann, including "Save Me." --Mark Englehart
Edition Details
Edition New Line Plantinum Series
Chapters 19
Release Date 8/29/2000
Packaging Custom Case
Screen Ratio 2.35:1
Subtitles English
Audio Tracks ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 [CC]
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Surround [CC]
Layers Single Side, Dual Layer
No. of Disks/Tapes 1
Personal Details
Purchase Date 11/16/2001
Owner Thomas Eisenmann
Store Best Buy
Purchase Price $19.99
Condition Excellent
Reviewed Widescreen Review
Bit Rate 448 KB
Anamophic Yes
Links IMDB

Features
Anamophic
Here’s the first thing I like about New Line’s Platinum Series two-disc Magnolia set: The cover’s really pretty. Here’s the second thing: the making-of documentary is terrific. Finally, “making-of” really means what it implies: a look at the making of a movie from its pre-planning stages on through even the premiere. Super! Titled Magnolia Diary and produced by Mark Rance, this approximately 73-minutes-long film covers events surrounding the film from October, 1998 through March, 2000. Our journey begins with writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson explaining his writing process for Magnolia—it involves a snake. We then move through production meetings, rehearsals, wranglings over falling frogs, and days and days of shooting. After the filming wraps, we’ll follow Anderson and friends through post-production and then on to premieres, parties and promotional tours...and a few too-personal-for-me moments. The disc that houses the documentary (all extras are included on this second disc, with, obviously, the movie on the first) also offers the teaser and theatrical trailers as well as TV spots and a “Save Me” music video by Aimee Mann. And finally, the third thing that I really like about this disc is the expanded scene of the Tom Cruise character Frank T.J. Mackey’s seminar and his “Seduce And Destroy” infomercial ($29.95 plus S&H; major credit cards accepted.) It’s just too funny. And don’t forget to check out the color bars.

Widescreen Review
Story Synopsis:
Set amid the streets of the San Fernando Valley, Magnolia follows one day in the seemingly unconnected lives of nine very different people. Primarily revolving around a kid’s game show, these individuals’ lives begin to intertwine in sometimes funny, and other times, rather painful ways. (Laurie Sevano)

DVD Picture:
Color styles, as well as lighting, were weighed very heavily by director P.T. Anderson and cinematographer Robert Elswit in the making of “Magnolia.” This anamorphically enhanced 2.40:1 DVD exhibits an excellent transfer, with images that are sharp and finely detailed and often exhibiting an excellent level of clarity. Colors are absolutely rich in every sense of the word, but somehow manage to avoid oversaturation. Even the pumped-up game show, with slightly soft backgrounds, is nicely presented. Contrast and shadow delineation are nicely presented. Though I must mention the occasional enhanced edges, this transfer is very good. Not so much as a shimmer in a window blind; the picture is very solid. (Suzanne Hodges)

Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack is dialogue and music-driven. The presentation overall delivers fine fidelity, but at reference level voices and peak-level sounds seem a little louder than necessary. In terms of spatial utilization, the music is very well recorded and spreads nicely into the surrounds with significant envelopment, while at the same time exhibiting a wide stereophonic image across the screen. The dynamic and spatially energetic presence of the music is the selling point of this soundtrack. Additionally, the music is engaging and effectively conveys the dramatic momentum. Otherwise, the audio tends to be screen-oriented with adequate depth and little surround envelopment, predominated by voices. The dialogue production is commendable with good spatial consistency and natural-sounding tones, though the somewhat high level in the mix makes the voices seem a little too far forward. The low-end is ample with minor .1 LFE engagement. For a dramatic film, this soundtrack effectively suits its storytelling purpose. (Perry Sun)

This Disc Contains The Following WSR-Rated Superb Qualities:
Superb Cinematography
Collector Edition