Black Snake Moan, Blu-ray (2007)

by | Jun 25, 2007 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews | 0 comments

Black Snake Moan, Blu-ray (2007)

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake
Directed by: Craig Brewer
Studio: Paramount 13004
Video: 16:9 color, 1080p HD
Audio: English or French DD 5.1, DD 2.0
Extras: Commentary by writer/director Craig Brewer, “Conflicted: The Making of Black Snake Moan,” The Black Snake Moan Blues, “Rooted in the Blues,” Deleted scenes in HD
Length: 115 minutes
Rating: ****

This quite amazing motion picture was written and directed by the director of the Oscar-winning Hustle and Flow. On the strength of these two entries, we might be looking at the beginning career of one of our great film directors. It’s a wild story about characters’ fears, anxieties and the healing powers of unconditional love – all taking place in a sort of fantasy Southern Gothic framework.  Brewer himself says in the extras that it is not meant to be taken literally and is really a fable. He himself marvels at the dangers of shooting a movie in the South about an old black man chaining up a half-dressed white girl to a radiator. Black Snake Moan clearly does skirt the borders of exploitation, but is a masterpiece at putting questionable taste to humanitarian purpose.

Samuel Jackson is perfect as Lazarus, a man who wife has just left him for his younger brother. He is religious and bible-centered and sees chaining up the Ricci character as the only way to control her self-destructive nymphomania, which has nearly killed her. Abused as a child by her stepfather, she is literally on the road to her own destruction. The blues plays an important part in the fable, representing sex, the devil, but also God and heaven. Jackson learned how to play the guitar and performs the blues tunes in the film. He even toured Mississippi with some other blues musicians. Justin Timberlake is completely convincing as the girl’s boyfriend who is just joining the National Guard.

The transfer looks fine, with dramatic blacks prominent in many of the scenes, and the characters’ facial studies revealing much in the hi-res closeups. The soundtrack on the blues performances really rocks in 5.1.

 – John Sunier

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