Cold Mountain (Rental)

This killer book of 1998 was practically begging for a film version due to its epic sweep and microscopic research of Civil War America. Charles Frazier’s first novel, telling a dual story, is told in film with flashback and out of order chronology to impart a complete and complex story of the reality behind not only the Civil War, but all war.

Inman (Jude Law) is a simple fellow quite intoxicated by Ada (Nicole Kidman), the societal daughter of the new reverend (Donald Sutherland). Soon after he has worked up the courage to say two words to her, he is called to fight for the South in the Civil War. She, curiously attracted to him, pledges she will wait for him though both barely know each other.

Fast forward three years and Inman is fed up with the carnage and the all round horror of war. Ada has fallen on hard times on her little farm, being from high society she hasn't the skills required to even find food for herself and must rely on the charity of her nearby friend Sara (Kathy Baker). After a particularly disastrous series of events, Inman is wounded and ends up in hospital where he decides enough is enough and deserts, beginning a 300 mile journey back home across ravaged America.

"The Cherokee… what’d he call Cold Mountain?"

Ada, meanwhile, has been rescued by Ruby (Renée Zellweger in brilliant unrefined hillbilly mode) and they have forged a firm friendship as they reclaim the farm from seed. Inman continues his trek across country meeting various colourful characters and seeing the real America at war – that home of the brave tearing itself apart with greed and desperation. Each of them still pines for the other, yet they barely know each other and their numerous letters seem to disappear along the mail route.

The casting of this film is nothing short of excellent with a huge variety of brilliant stars turning up in almost cameo roles at times. Jude Law, usually associated with films that hold less than mass appeal, is incredible in his role of Inman here, carrying the character with a brooding affability and soft-spokenness that hides the horrors he has witnessed. Nicole Kidman portrays the crushed social flower cast down to earth in a manner almost indescribable. In looking for any trace of the Nicole we all know and love here in Australia, it’s tricky. She just isn’t there. She is borne of the South.

Cold Mountain is the town Inman struggles so hard to return to and the town controlled by the corruption of the Home Law in which Ada and Ruby fight for survival. The film is a metaphor for America itself and, as noted, not just a Civil War film, but an anti-war film for any age. The Civil War fighting is brief, filling perhaps the first ten minutes of this 148-minute epic, leaving the characters overcoming their individual obstacles as the major focus. This makes the film so great at what it is; numerous concurrent character explorations leading to the re-union of the two would-be lovers. Performances are brilliant, attention to detail is exemplary and the script is a beautiful mix of drama, romance, humour and poignancy. This film deserves its ten out of ten here and I can’t recommend it enough. Go now. Get it out and settle in for an epic demonstration of the art of storytelling at its best.

Being a Buena Vista release, the attention to the transfer is paramount and it shows in what deserves, again, a ten out of ten. Colours are perfectly saturated, shadow detail is great and blacks are true. There are no grain issues and flesh tones are natural. The full size cinema aspect ratio of 2.35:1 with 16:9 enhancement brings some of the truly epic widescreen shots to the screen perfectly and really puts us in the setting. The cinematography also deserves a mention, as there are some magnificent shots in this film of ordinary, everyday things transformed into cinema art. The film looks as good as the story is and the transfer isn’t found wanting.

Another perfect transfer here with a dynamic surround stage and variegated subwoofer support. The surrounds stay busy through most of the film, making good use during the numerous forest shots or pursuit scenes of Inman escaping the people chasing him for desertion. The battle scenes, though brief, make expansive use of the surround channels with the subwoofer going into overtime to keep up. The subwoofer speaks very subtly through a lot of the movie, but it supports perfectly and adds the subtle menace of the atmosphere.

The musical score by Gabriel Yared is one of the widest ranging scores I can remember, going through dramatic to eerie to mysterious, curious, joyful, humourous and haunting with any number of instruments. Set in hillbilly territory there is naturally plenty of banjo and fiddle work, and this again sets up the scene perfectly. There are also some subtle arrangements of traditional pieces by Sting, Jack White (of the White Stripes, who also plays a role in the film), Elvis Costello and T-Bone Burnett. Dynamite stuff.

Extras-wise we are granted 11 deleted and extended scenes which are the usual unfinished, unenhanced additions, yet well worth a look, of course - though they are mostly removed with good cause. By the same token though, this film is among those long films that couldn’t be hurt by lengthening, the tale is so good.

Cold Mountain, I must admit, delivered far more than I expected. Performances are simply perfect, with Renée Zellweger definitely having the most fun with her good-natured poorly educated hillbilly role, though Nicole and Jude put in flawless attempts themselves. I cannot recommend this film any more than to say, drop what you’re doing and get to your video store as soon as it opens and secure yourself a copy.

It’s just excellent.