Network (Two-Disc Special Edition)
by Sidney Lumet
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DVD details
Actor: Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, William HoldenDirector: Sidney Lumet
Brand: Warner Brothers
Writer: Paddy Chayefsky
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, NTSC, Original recording remastered
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 121 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-02-28
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- Closed-captioned; Color; Dubbed; Anamorphic; Original recording remastered; NTSC
DVD Reviews of Network (Two-Disc Special Edition)
DVD Review: "I Love You! And That Painful, Decaying Love Is The Only Thing Between You And The Nothingness You Live The Rest Of The Day!!"
Summary: 5 Stars
"You're one of Howard's humanoids. .... You're madness, Diana. And everything you touch dies with you." -- William Holden (as "Max Schumacher").
1976's "Network", directed with the usual skill and greatness of Mr. Sidney Lumet, is just wonderful in all respects. This biting satire takes a vicious swipe at the medium of television, circa 1975-1976. From the very first scene, the tongue-in-cheek style of this great film never surrenders its grip on the viewer -- or is it really "satire" at all? That's what director Lumet, I would imagine, wants the audience watching this film to keep asking themselves over and over again.
There's just the right mix of straight-forward drama and outright satire placed into this 121-minute pure-gold motion picture. And the many over-the-top ravings and rantings from the collection of "UBS Network" bigwigs, although seemingly somewhat silly and too broad, are written and acted out in such a way by this excellent cast of actors that the viewer can easily begin to believe that perhaps Mr. Lumet wasn't directing a "satire" at all.*
* = Until we get to the final "boardroom" meeting, that is, when the casualness and callousness exhibited by everyone in the room (while discussing a certain lethal topic) definitely bring the "satire" in this production to center stage. And it's a scene that is deliciously UNDERplayed by the cast as well, which is a departure from the film's earlier high-energy diatribes. A fabulous ending to the movie....a movie which asks the question that's as pertinent today as it was in 1976 (probably more so) -- i.e., Just how far should the networks go to boost their TV ratings?
As far as I can detect, the only two characters in "Network" who were not written in a satirical and semi-humorous fashion are William Holden's "Max Schumacher" and his wife, played by Beatrice Straight. (Straight, somewhat incredibly, garned a "Best Supporting Actress" Academy Award for her role here, even though she's on screen for less than six total minutes, with almost all of that screen time taking place in one excellent and emotional "Get Out Of This House" scene late in the film.)
Holden, too, received attention from the "Academy" for his part in "Network", being nominated for the "Best Actor" Oscar for '76. He was beaten out, ironically, by fellow "Network" co-star Peter Finch, who was just outstanding as the borderline-insane "Howard Beale", a man who is, of course, mad as hell (in more ways than one) and just refuses to take it anymore, and a man who simply has run out of...er...well...um...you probably know what it was he's run out of; but I can't say it here. ;)
In fact, "Network" was a major force on Oscar Night, securing nominations in every one of the six main categories, including "Best Picture" (which it did not win; "Rocky" took that prize).
But "Network's" Faye Dunaway did win the "Best Actress" trophy. Other "Network" nominations included Lumet for "Best Director" (John Avildsen won for "Rocky" however) and Ned Beatty for "Best Supporting Actor" (Jason Robards won it).
Beatty, like Straight, had a very small role in "Network", but in the Academy's eyes was such a vital force during his few scenes, he picked up an Oscar nomination. Although, IMO, I think Robert Duvall deserved that nomination more than Mr. Beatty did. Not to knock Beatty here, but Duvall had a much larger part in the film, and played his role as the ruthless UBS exec "Frank Hackett" for all its worth.
Other "Oscar" notes -- "Network" became only the second film ever to win three separate "acting" awards. The first was 1951's "A Streetcar Named Desire". .... Peter Finch passed away of a heart attack (at age 60) on January 14th, 1977, prior to the Academy Awards ceremony. Hence, he became the first "Best Actor" winner to have his award issued posthumously.
Some interesting "Network" trivia -- Evidently, real-life TV newscasters Walter Cronkite and John Chancellor were each being considered at one point prior to production for the part of "Howard Beale" (around whom the whole film is actually based). This piece of info almost floored me, for I just cannot imagine Walter Cronkite playing the very meaty and ultra-important Beale part in this movie. Nor Mr. Chancellor for that matter. I can hardly believe the filmmakers would have even considered those anchormen as possible candidates to play Beale. In my opinion, casting one of those men would have been disastrous.
The film would have been absolutely terrible with Cronkite as Beale. I laugh aloud, in fact, when I think of such a goofy casting possibility. There's no way possible that Mr. Cronkite could have pulled off the fairly-complex character of Beale. (Ever see Walter as himself in the hilarious 1974 episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"? A great episode, yes. But Mr. Cronkite is certainly no Marlon Brando, or Peter Finch. ~smile~)
I wonder, though, how accurate that piece of info might be re. Cronkite (apart from the sheer silliness of considering him in the first place), because in the documentary on the second disc of this DVD set, Sidney Lumet is quoted as follows with respect to the casting: "Everybody {in the main cast} was a first choice". But if that quote by Lumet is true, it would also negate other trivia snippets that I've seen regarding the potential casting of Gene Hackman, Glenn Ford, Henry Fonda, and Jane Fonda in the various "Network" parts. Do you suppose, all these many years later, Mr. Lumet just forgot about all these other actors (and news anchors) who might have been, at one time or another, originally considered for parts in his movie? ~scratching head~
"Network", which premiered in movie theaters on November 27, 1976, celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2006, and Warner Home Video has done this film proud with this nicely-done "Two-Disc Special Edition" DVD set. A practically blemish-free Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) version of the movie is presented on Disc #1. There's a Director's Audio Commentary track too (with Sidney Lumet, who is always a pleasure to listen to). A trailer for the movie is also included on the first disc.
Disc 2 is packed with some nice bonus stuff -- the meatiest item being a very good 6-Part, 30th-Anniversary Documentary ("The Making Of Network"), which runs for a total of 85 minutes when all portions are played back-to-back.
There's also a 1977 appearance by "Network" screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky on the talk show "Dinah!", with Dinah Shore. And Paddy can sure talk, too...please take note of how many words Dinah is able to wedge into her 14-minute interview here with Mr. Chayefsky. It ain't very many. Good stuff here, though.
Another item on the second disc ("Private Screenings") is an entertaining bonus hosted by film historian Robert Osborne, consisting of a recent 54-minute "A Look Back At My Career" type of interview with director Sidney Lumet, tracing the many extraordinary films helmed by this veteran moviemaker.
The audio for the movie on Disc #1 is in English Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono (disregard the "Stereo" notation on the back of the DVD package; that's incorrect). A French Mono track is also on board. The English Mono track is a bit harsh in a few places, sounding a tad "scratchy" during the louder scenes which feature people applauding. But, overall, the audio sounds quite good.
"Network", like several other Lumet pictures, has no music score at all; the only music heard in the film is the fictional theme for "The Howard Beale Show". And, amazingly, I didn't even realize I was hearing no music at all in this flick until toward the very end of the picture. Like so many other really good movies, this one doesn't seem to require any musical accompaniment to keep the viewer connected to the story. Alfred Hitchcock, too, was good at directing films sans any music at all, which is somewhat remarkable when you come to think about it.
"Network" shines on many different levels -- the directing, the fine acting performances all around the table, the progressively-advancing tongue-in-cheek style, and the more-conventional drama featuring a May-December romance between Holden and Dunaway.
But, whatever the specific reasons, "Network" works, and is a piece of American cinema that deserves a place on any movie-collector's DVD shelf.
I'd recommend picking up Warner's "Controversial Classics Volume 2" DVD set. It has three top-notch "media"-based movies placed together in a cool 6-Disc set, which includes the 2-Disc Special Editions of "Network", "All The President's Men" (1976), and "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975). That DVD package is a fine bargain for fans of 1970s-era big-screen dramas.
Description of Network (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Newscaster Howard Beale has a message for those who package reports of cute puppies, movie premieres and fender benders as hard news: "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore." Sidney Lumet directs Paddy Chayefsky's satire (an Academy Award-winning* screenplay) about the things people do for love...and ratings. Three performers won Oscars.* Best Actress Faye Dunaway is the TV exec guarding ratings like a tigress protecting cubs. Best Actor Peter Finch is Beale, whose airwave rants become a phenomenon. And William Holden, Robert Duvall and Best Supporting Actress Beatrice Straight add to the fierce vitality.DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:by Director Sidney Lumet
Theatrical Trailer
Documentaries:The Making of Network (6-part Documentary): The World and Words of Paddy Chayefsky; The Cast, the Characters; The Experience; The Style; Mad as Hell! The Creation of a Movie Moment; A Classic; Network by Walter Cronkite
Featurette:Dinah! Episodes featuring Peter Finch (1976) and Paddy Chayefsky (1977)
Media madness reigns supreme in screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky's scathing satire about the uses and abuses of network television. But while Chayefsky's and director Sidney Lumet's take on television may seem quaint in the age of "reality TV" and Jerry Springer's talk-show fisticuffs, it's every bit as potent now as it was when the film was released in 1976. And because Chayefsky was one of the greatest of all dramatists, his Oscar-winning script about the ratings frenzy at the cost of cultural integrity is a showcase for powerhouse acting by Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight (who each won Oscars), and Oscar nominee William Holden in one of his finest roles. Finch plays a veteran network anchorman who's been fired because of low ratings. His character's response is to announce he'll kill himself on live television two weeks hence. What follows, along with skyrocketing ratings, is the anchorman's descent into insanity, during which he fervently rages against the medium that made him a celebrity. Dunaway plays the frigid, ratings-obsessed producer who pursues success with cold-blooded zeal; Holden is the married executive who tries to thaw her out during his own seething midlife crisis. Through it all, Chayefsky (via Finch) urges the viewer to repeat the now-famous mantra "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" to reclaim our humanity from the medium that threatens to steal it away. --Jeff Shannon
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