A History of Violence: David Cronenberg's Greatest Film Celebrates 20 Years with a 4K Upgrade (Criterion 4K/Blu-ray)

The Film:

Writer/director David Cronenberg is primarily known for his extensive work in the sub-genre of body horror films, which has included such memorable projects as "The Fly," "Videodrome," "Dead Ringers," and "The Brood." However, in 2005, he delivered what is quite possibly his least Cronenberg-like film, but in this critic's opinion, it's also the very best one he's made thus far in his career.

Working from a screenplay by Josh Olson that adapts the 1997 graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke, "A History of Violence" has him steering away from the usual grotesqueries of his earlier works and focusing on the everyday life of a man trying to provide for his family, that is, until questions about his past pop up and threaten to derail it. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Cronenberg's remarkable film, Criterion has inducted it into their prestigious collection and given it an incredible 4K upgrade, while throwing in several extras as well. Now, as usual, it's time to go back and revisit this classic to see why it stands out as one of the director's greatest works to date.

The film centers on Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen), a diner owner who lives in a small town with his wife Edie (Maria Bello), son Jack (Ashton Holmes), and daughter Sarah (Heidi Hayes). One night, two men try to rob his establishment, but he is able to kill them both with surprising skill. He is quickly hailed as a hero, and the story even makes national headlines, which brings him to the attention of Carl Fogerty (Ed Harris), a gangster out of Philadelphia, who believes that Tom is actually a former mobster by the name of Joey Cusack. Tom obviously denies it, but Carl remains persistent, even going so far as to stalk & threaten his family. Will Tom be able to reason with him, or is it possible that there's a hint of truth to his accusation?

"A History of Violence" is not a particularly complicated tale. It's a mystery wrapped in the story of a man trying to break away from his past by living an ordinary life with his family in a small town, the kind where most people seem to know each other. When Carl shows up to potentially shatter the reality that Tom has tried so hard to build, it's hardly a surprise that he does everything he can to protect it, while also vehemently trying to maintain the new identity he has established within it. There never seemed to be a definitive plan as to what he would do should his past come knocking, but then again, perhaps he never expected it to.

What unfolds is a riveting tale that not only sees Tom's life coming apart, but also has his family in grave danger as it does, which only leads to more complications as the situation takes its toll on his loved ones. We follow as he attempts to navigate the storm caused by Carl's arrival, but what can one do once the cat's out of the bag, as it were? As mentioned, it may not be a particularly complicated tale, but when simple narrative elements, like having a dark past that comes back to haunt and how that affects the new status quo, are used this effectively, even they can be used to compose an incredibly compelling tale that will have the audience completely glued to the screen for its brief 90 minutes.

Utilizing an excellent, Oscar-nominated adapted screenplay from Josh Olson and a brilliant ensemble that includes an Oscar-nominated turn from William Hurt (who's in the film for less than ten minutes), Cronenberg delivers an unforgettable experience that may be completely different from what he's most known for, but which stands as one of the best accomplishments of his career, one that is most definitely worth revisiting as it celebrates a remarkable 20 years, and many more times after.

Video/Audio:

This edition comes with the film on both 4K (2160p, UHD) and Blu-ray (1080p, HD) in 1.85:1 transfers of outstanding quality. The new 4K digital restoration, supervised by DP Peter Suschitzky and approved by director David Cronenberg, looks beautifully sharp & clear throughout the entire 96-minute duration. Likewise, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks are fantastic, giving you all of the dialogue and Howard Shore's score in excellent quality. Overall, Criterion has done a marvelous job in both departments for this new release of Cronenberg's classic.

Special Features:

Commentary with Director David Cronenberg

Acts of Violence (66 Minutes)

David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen (34 Minutes)

Josh Olson with Tom Bernardo (32 Minutes)

Too Commercial for Cannes (9 Minutes)

Scene 44 (3 Minutes) and The Unmaking of Scene 44 (7 Minutes)

On the Versions (1 Minute)

The film comes with an incredible selection of extras that includes a commentary with the director, as well as about two a half hours of excellent featurettes, the main highlights of which are a making-of documentary & interviews with Cronenberg, Mortensen, and Olson. Definitely plenty of great material here for any fan looking to delve deeper into the film.

Conclusion:

David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" may not be that complicated a tale, but with a marvelous, Oscar-nominated screenplay by Josh Olson and an incredible ensemble, it becomes a riveting experience that utilizes its story elements to deliver a compelling narrative of a man desperately trying to escape his past and hold on to the life he has worked so hard to create, ultimately making for not just one of the director's best films, but his finest accomplishment to date.

Score: 4.5/5

Available on Criterion 4K/Blu-ray starting tomorrow.

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