THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND *** (out of ****)
Anchor Bay Entertainment/1983/R/103 minutes
The Osterman Weekend claims to be a suspense thriller, but it's really a Kitchen Sink movie. The Kitchen Sink movie is the type in which every conceivable plot twist is thrown at you with the hopes that whatever sticks will make an interesting film. There are so many detours and double/triple crosses that I had a hard time keeping straight of what was happening on screen but it is so well acted and engrossing that I went along with it anyway.
TV talk show host Alan Tanner (Rutger Hauer, fresh from Blade Runner) is set to host an annual weekend reunion with his old college chums (Craig T. Nelson, Chris Sarandon and a high- as-a-kite Dennis Hopper) when he receives a call from the CIA. He soon learns that his buddies may in fact be Soviet agents giving away government secrets to the enemy. But soon doubt begins to set in- is it really true that his pals are traitors or is it the work of a wacko federal agent (John Hurt- marvelously creepy)?
The main reason most will watch The Osterman Weekend is because it is the final film of director Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch). This isn't one of the great Peckinpah works- it lacks the crisp precise editing and the well developed characters of his great films, but it is an interesting one. He delivers this convoluted mess of a plot with a breathless, quick pace and he tells enough of the story to keep us interested, even as we scratch our heads at what exactly did happen.
As for the confusing plot, it's based on an already twisty Robert Ludlum novel and between Peckinpah and screenwriters Ian Masters and Alan Sharp, they add on even more tangents and twists on top of what Ludlum already laid out. But I think it's to the movie's benefit- we should be as confused as the hero is and it gives the film the same engrossing quality that made the novel such a page turner. Some of the old Peckinpah themes surface- such as the betrayal of friends by friends and the effect of paranoia on a person- but it mainly sticks fairly close to Ludlum's book.
It does deliver the standard Peckinpah action climax quite nicely. Here is where the movie really comes alive. Just as we think we have a handle on what's happening, Peckinpah slyly has one more goodie up his sleeve. There are the typical 80s explosions, but Peckinpah makes it seem fresh and new by racking up the tension with exciting camerawork and editing (this is the one section where the editing feels crisp and precise- most of the time it's slack and static). The action is tense and invigorating without resorting to the blood spurting and bone crunching that had become popular by 1983.
The acting is the glue that holds all these pieces together. Rutger Hauer usually played villains, but he makes an effective hero- both likable and intriguing. John Hurt is excellent as one of those characters I like to call Tweeners, in which we can't tell whether he's the good guy or the baddie, even after the movie is over. The rest of the cast is divided between well known stars (Burt Lancaster, Dennis Hopper) up-and-comers (Craig T. Nelson) and actors whom only devoted film buffs would know by name (Meg Foster, Helen Shaver, Chris Sarandon). Peckinpah manages to get good work from all of them.
The Osterman Weekend was independently financed and produced, so storage of the original film elements was always a very iffy affair. Luckily, Anchor Bay located a 35mm source print and used that as the basis for their 1.85:1 anamorphic video transfer. It's not bad. It looks a bit too soft for my taste, with a lot of grain and flat looking color. Whether this was intentional on Peckinpah's part or due to the poor storage, I have no idea.
Sound is far superior. Anchor Bay gives us an astonishing four English sound mix options, all of them excellent. The original Dolby Digital 2.0 mono and stereo mixes are offered here, fully remixed and restored. They sound great but even better are the two new sound mixes offered. The Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround makes excellent use of the multi-channel sound, but be prepared to be blown away by the DTS 6.1 track. You'll feel as if you're right there in the heat of the fire and explosions.
Anchor Bay assembled a two disc Sam Peckinpah Commemorative Edition, on which you'll find:
Audio Commentary by Peckinpah historians Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons, David Weddle and Nick Redman
This is one breathless audio commentary. All four are Peckinpah experts and touch on every aspect of Peckinpah and the film. They rarely lapse into silence and you are left hungering for more. There are times when it comes off as a 103 minute duel with each trying to top the other, but for the most part, it's an informative, entertaining track. The nice thing about it is that even in the most technical discussions, they actually sit down and explain it in a way that even the most unsavvy listener can understand.
Alpha to Omega Documentary
This is an exhaustive 78 minute retrospective documentary, produced, directed and narrated by historian Redman for the DVD. Using stills, latter day interviews and footage from both versions of the film, Redman has pretty much put together the definitive account of the making of and release of The Osterman Weekend. Anchor Bay gives us a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, but chapter stops would have been a nice thing to consider.
Sam Peckinpah's First Cut
Peckinpah delivered a fine cut running 117 minutes for the sneak preview guaranteed by 20th Century Fox. However, a record number of walkouts caused producers Peter Davis and Bill Panzer to ask for changes. Peckinpah refused, so he was canned and the re-editing was done without him. Now here for the first time is Peckinpah's cut. Having seen both cuts back to back, I believe Davis and Panzer were in the right here. Peckinpah's cut is a muddle that doesn't really work for me. He adds an optical effect to the opening sex scene between Fassett (the John Hurt character) and his wife (which leads to her murder) to make it look like a distorted TV signal. Allegedly, it was to show that Fassett was twisted. Maybe so, but I prefer the more gradual approach of the theatrical cut in revealing it. The finale is presented in a more rapidly cut, flash forward style that proves to be far too confusing and muddled. There is also a scene in which Tanner isn't as devoted to his family as we believe- his mistress is murdered. It's an interesting dynamic, but it doesn't fit into how Tanner is portrayed in the rest of the film. There are also other small extensions and alternate takes that don't add up to much. This cut is interesting as a curio, but the theatrical cut is the superior one.
Sound and visuals are in rough shape as the source material was a full frame Betamax videotape.
Theatrical Trailer
See how the movie was mismarketed as another standard action flick.
The Osterman Weekend is good, not great Peckinpah but it's reasonably entertaining for an 80s action suspense yarn. Anchor Bay provides an excellent DVD of an OK flick, with stunning audio, interesting valuable extras and an attractive cover. It's one of their pricier editions, with a $24.95 retail price, but it's worth seeking out a bargain for.
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