Paramount Home Video presents

Black Snake Moan (2007)

"God seen fit to put you in my path and I aim to cure you of your wickedness."- Lazarus Redd (Samuel L. Jackson)

Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake
Other Stars: S. Epatha Merkerson, John Cothran, David Banner, Michael Raymond-James
Director: Craig Brewer

MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual content, language, some violence and drug use
Run Time: 01h:55m:26s
Release Date: 2007-06-26
Genre: drama

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B+	B	B	B+	B+

 

DVD Review

The DVD Review is by Mark Zimmer.

Craig Brewer's followup to Hustle & Flow shifts his emphasis from rap music to the blues, using the musical form as both a commentary on the plot and as part of the story itself. Mingling lust, disappointment, fear and pain, the blues are the perfect counterpoint to the more-than-slightly off-kilter proceedings of Black Snake Moan.

Rae Doole (Christina Ricci) is a nymphomaniac in rural Mississippi, unable to handle her National Guardsman boyfriend Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) leaving for a tour of duty in Iraq. He's barely gone before she is having sex with any comer, descending into an abyss of drugs and self-loathing. She winds up comatose and beaten near the home of Lazarus Redd (Samuel L. Jackson), a musician turned farmer who has just been abandoned by his wife. At first unsure what to do, Lazarus finally decides to take her in and, guided by his Bible, cure her of her wickedness...by chaining her to his radiator. But how long can he keep her a secret, especially after Ronnie comes back home unexpectedly?

Although Paramount marketed this picture as something like Mandingo 2007, it doesn't play that way at all. As weird as the central conceit may be, the relationship between Lazarus and Rae is strictly platonic. Sexuality is, however, pervasive, especially in the earlier portions of the movie as Rae attempts to deal with her obsessions, and she's barely clad through the vast majority of the movie. But despite the controversy of an older black man keeping a young white woman chained up in his house, there's a certain sweetness to Lazarus' religious mania. In lesser hands, it wouldn't work at all, but Jackson gives a convincing performance, visibly doubting himself even as he asserts how certain he is about what it is that he has to do. Ricci is great as always, giving Rae a vivid and spirited personification, and even Timberlake manages to create a sympathetic character, who can't deal with the expectations of his life.

The unfortunate part of the story is that it depends in numerous respects on ten-cent Dr. Phil pop psychology, emphasizing the need for connection through religion, family and relationships, metaphorically represented by Rae's chain. But the resolution to Rae's situation is far too pat for what's set up, and the dimestore explanation of childhood abuse for nymphomania is more than a little ridiculous. It's as if Brewer got so caught up in his audaciousness that he didn't bother to get his fable to make a lot of sense. Lazarus' preacher friend R.L. (John Cothran) doesn't seem particularly shocked that he has a young woman, obviously bloodied, chained up, nor does he seem terribly interested in what's likely to happen to either of them as a result. Even if going to the authorities weren't an option for racial reasons, he seems just far too blasé about the situation. There are also some failures of clarity; what looked to me like visions of Timberlake coming back to her to attack her are revealed in the extras as actually flashbacks to abuse, but they're so vague the message went right past me.

What goes a long ways toward rescuing the picture is the wonderful soundtrack, featuring plenty of great blues musicians such as Charlie Musselwhite. Jackson learned to play guitar for the role, turning in some credible licks (even if they are finger-synched). The music helps to keep the tone one of anguish, loss and pain, suffused with a determination to forge ahead. Even paying little attention to anything else, the music makes the picture worth a spin.

Rating for Style: B+
Rating for Substance: B

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	2.35:1 - Widescreen
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	yes

Image Transfer Review: The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer for the SD version suffers from the same sort of occasional soft edges noted on the HD release, but colors appear bright throughout, though at times a bit too hot. Detail via fleshtones, likewise, is fairly strong (check out the clarity of Ricci's bruises).

Solid.

Image Transfer Grade: B
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English, French	yes
Dolby Digital 5.1	English	yes

Audio Transfer Review: This standard def issue comes with Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 surround options, as opposed to the lone 5.1 DD+ on the HD version. Opt for the 5.1 here if you have the setup, because the musical elements are handled exceptionally well here, with one particular scene coming across with a great sense of immersion. Voice quality is clear and well-mixed, too. Very nice.

A French 2.0 dub is also included.

Audio Transfer Grade: B+ 

Disc Extras

Full Motion menu with music
Scene Access with 16 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English, Spanish with remote access
4 Other Trailer(s) featuring Year Of The Dog, Zodiac, Shooter, Hustle & Flow
5 Deleted Scenes
1 Documentaries
2 Featurette(s)
Feature/Episode commentaries by Craig Brewer
Packaging: Elite
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: dual

Extra Extras:

1. Photo Gallery

Extras Review: The only real difference between this version and the HD, in terms of extras, is that this release doesn't carry the theatrical trailer, but does have a block of four additional previews (including Zodiac).

The remainder of the Extras Review is by Mark Zimmer.

The HD DVD contains numerous extras, though only the deleted scenes and the trailer are presented in HD. Craig Brewer provides a commentary that tends to be focused on his friends in cameo roles and scenes shot at relatives' homes. He also gets some good nuggets in and he has plenty of advice for aspiring filmmakers. Conflicted: The Making of Black Snake Moan (27m:52s) features a goodly amount of behind-the-scenes footage and the usual interviews but without the usual fluffiness and ego stroking. Rooted in the Blues (12m:37s) gives emphasis to the soundtrack and the many musicians who contributed to its success. The Black Snake Moan (9m:02s) gives particular attention to the Blind Lemon Jefferson song that offers the picture its title, the meaning behind it (not what the Paramount publicity people would have you luridly believe), and the editing of the sequence. Five deleted scenes are provided with optional director commentary; though most of them are superfluous there is a very good one that offers a flashback to how Rae and Ronnie first met. It helps clarify their relationship and probably should have stayed in. A gallery includes 32 pictures, and the theatrical trailer, but the chaptering is a shade thin.

Extras Grade: B+
 

Final Comments

A weird concept given a striking realization, Black Snake Moan hits on a number of levels, careening along powered by its lead performances and a killer soundtrack. There are plenty of extras, and the transfer is decent.

Rich Rosell 2007-07-12