The Getaway
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DVD details
Actor: Alec Baldwin, David Morse, James Woods, Kim Basinger, Michael MadsenDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; Spanish (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 115 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1998-05-27
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Reviews of The Getaway
DVD Review: Good, but not as good as the original
Summary: 4 Stars
Boy. You have to be a sucker for pain or completely devoid of original ideas to want to re-make a Sam Peckinpah film. "The Getaway" was not one of his best films ("Wild Bunch", "Ride the High County", "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid") but it was clearly up there in his top 5, and a top 5 film from Peckinpah is still better than 99+% of any film ever made. If you have to re-make a Peckinpah film why not choose some of his failed attempts, like "Straw Dogs" or "Killer Elite" or "The Osterman Weekend". But why pick one of his best?
That's the central problem in evaluating this film. Scene by scene I can't help but compare it to the original, and the original was so good, the re-make has to suffer. Alex Baldwin, for example, is a very good actor and he does a very good job in this film, but he isn't Steve McQueen, is he? And James Woods is a great actor, but he hardly fills the shoes of Ben Johnson in this case. It's like that right up and down the line with only a few exceptions - Ali McGraw was the weak point in the original and Kim Bassinger does a much better job, and Michael Madsen does a better job than Al Lettieri, even though Lettieri was surprisingly good in the original.
Of course, the central comparison is between Peckinpah and Roger Donaldson. Roger Donaldson you ask. Who the heck is he? Donaldson is an Australian born New Zealander who is best known for directing the Mel Gibson/Anthony Hopkins version of "The Bounty" (1984). So apparently Donaldson IS a sucker for pain, trying to remake the classic Clark Gable/Charles Laughton "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935) and now taking on Peckinpah.
Donaldson is not without talent. His work on films like "Species" (1995), "No Way Out" (1987), and "The Bank Job" (2008) is very good, and some of his lesser films are not bad either - "Cadillac Man" (1990), "Thirteen Days" (2000). But...
I know a film should stand on its own and not have to be compared to the original, but it's virtually impossible to do that. Moreover, when it comes to a suspense thriller, the idea of making a re-make is pretty stupid. Can you really remake "Psycho"? Who thought "High Noon" could be improved upon?
Some films can be remade and the difference between the original and the remake is minimal. Both versions of "Cape Fear" (1962 vs. 1991) were compelling. Both most times the original is a clear favorite. Sometimes the producers think that if they take a special effects film and re-make it, the improvement in special effects will turn the remake into a better film. Good idea, but usually wrong. Here's some remade sci fi films where the special effects were turned up but the original story still remained the better one - "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951 vs. 2008), "King Kong" (1933 vs. 1976 vs. 2005), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956 vs. 1978).
Remaking a film is great when you add a twist to it. The "Seven Samurai" (1954) was great as was "The Magnificent Seven" (1960), because they remade it in a different setting/time/place. Ditto for "Yojimbo" (1961) which became "A Fistfull of Dollars" (1964). "Four Brothers" (2005) updated "The Sons of Katie Elder" (1965).
One of the key plot points in "The Getaway" is whether or not they get away. Once you've seen the original, you know. So the suspense is taken away, or at best, substantially reduced. Well, in a suspense drama, what more do you have than the suspense? Reduce that, and you damn well better have some terrific acting, some revolutionary photography, or something to fill the void.
"Getaway" was one of Peckinpah's most successful films, earning $35 million in 1972 dollars. The 1994 remake made $30 million. On a budget of $16 million that made it a successful film, but much less successful than the original.
OK. Viewers of the original will be disappointed! But what if you never saw the original - is this a good film. Yes it is. You could do a lot worse. But if you want to view only one version of this film, view the original.
Description of The Getaway
"This is going to be the last big score, I promise." Famous last words--uttered by crack thief Doc McCoy to his wife--that set forth a whirlpool of deception and violence in Roger Donaldson's 1994 remake of The Getaway. Bailed out of a Mexican jail by shady businessman Jack Benyon (James Woods) in order to hit an Arizona dog track for him, Doc (Alec Baldwin) and Carol (Kim Basinger) flee for south of the border when the robbery goes wrong, with the million-dollar loot in tow. Following close behind are Benyon's men and Doc's double-crossing partner Rudy (Michael Madsen).The updated version shares not only the original film's plot, but also the added twist of having husband and wife Baldwin and Basinger step into the roles of the first real-life couple to make the film, Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. This time, however, the woman's role has been given a tougher '90s edge, with Basinger pulling almost as many punches and firing as many shots as Baldwin, compared to McGraw, who followed McQueen around in wide-eyed, silent terror.
The Getaway maintains the same deliberate, neo-noir pace that made the first film taut, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere in the wide-open, desolate Southwestern landscapes. The scorching sun and heat only add to the strain, making it virtually impossible for anyone to find a dark corner or alleyway to hide in. The car chases and shoot-out finale are charged, though a secondary plot line, between Rudy and the woman he kidnaps and seduces (Jennifer Tilly), comes across as unnecessarily and incongruously brutal. --Natasha Senjanovic
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