Posted on: September 26, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

3 Women is one of those forgotten films that stands up perfectly today. This Robert Altman-directed and Shelley Duvall / Sissy Spacek –starred title showcases a bizarre friendship between the two leads that rapidly changes into something much more sinister. The dream-like feel to the film breask free to the narrative style employed in the vast majority of films; there seems to be a much heavier focus on the moods and behaviors of the cast rather than an overarching story that links them together.

3 Women has a number of distinct featurettes that will increase the value of this Blu-Ray considerably. The gallery that links together a number of promotional pictures and in-production shots showcases the business side of the film, while the original trailers present provide viewers with a semblance of what Robert Altman and eir bosses thought viewers in 1977 would like to see. The Criterion Blu-Ray of 3 Women is simply impressive, with a sharpness present to the video that is imperceptibly close to the original reels that made their way to movie theatres throughout the United States. Finally, there is a commentary with Altman eirself that looks to provide some additional context to the film. I believe that this commentary makes 3 Women into a completely different film; by understanding Altman’s choices throughout with input from Altman eirself, I felt myself a more active participant.

3 Women is a film that will get the publicity it deserves from Criterion’s Blu-Ray release; if you would like to purchase a rare bit of late-seventies cinema, go to your local well stocked video store or online retailer and see what sort of deal you can get – this is a solid flick.

Rating: 8.0/10

3 Women (Blu-Ray) / 2011 Criterion / 124 Minutes / http://www.criterion.com / http://www.criterion.com/films/712-3-women

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