Midnight Cowboy Collector’s Edition
Filed Under: Film, Reviews | Article Tags : DVD review
By: Erik Swift
April 2006
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In one of the documentaries on the bonus DVD in Sony-MGM’s “Midnight Cowboy” collector’s edition, cinematographer Adam Holender states he never paid any attention to ratings. Reminiscing about the only film to win the Best Picture Oscar with an X rating, he says, “It was a good screenplay with a wonderful human story. It didn’t occur to us that we were breaking social barriers and upsetting establishment values.” Dustin Hoffman admits, “No one had any expectation for the film.” John Schlesinger’s look at two most unlikely friends scored additional statues for Best Director and Adapted Screenplay for writer Waldo Salt, and the powerful “Midnight Cowboy” has stood the test of time. Its new release is a great package; three documentaries, a commentary from producer Jerome Hellman, a photo gallery and postcards comprise a celebration of a movie that simultaneously proves misery loves company and that books can never be judged by their covers.
Joe Buck (Jon Voight) loves women. A veritable stud, he’s had enough washing dishes in Lone Star State. Manhattan is calling, and he is certain a fellow like himself could be in high demand by society females. After crashing more than landing, he attempts to hone his hustling skills by turning to a pro – Enrico “Ratso” Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman). The streetwise cripple tries to show the starry-eyed Joe the ropes but just as the Texan starts getting into a New York groove, Rizzo’s deteriorating health forces them to leave the cold Northern winter for the Florida breeze and an unforgettable ending.
“Midnight Cowboy” gets its purity from Voight, escaping five years of mostly television work in this role of a lifetime. The actor makes Joe so genuine that he is absolutely believable asking a woman to direct him to the Statue Of Liberty. The memorable shot of him walking down a crowded city sidewalk, his head above the others, is symbolic of his role; Joe sticks out everywhere. Hoffman’s Rizzo is a direct opposite of Buck, a seedy outcast and average con artist, but at times they appear very similar. Joe sees himself as better than Rizzo, but this changes when the pair heads to the gravesite of Rizzo’s father. The sickly son can’t improve on the legacy of a father who worked himself to death, but Joe has no father to speak of…so he doesn’t. He can’t.
One of the core themes of “Midnight Cowboy” – that everything is better than here – is accentuated when Texas and Florida are bright and sunny while the cloudy New York City is dreary and drab, making the film’s outstanding restoration most visible within its locations. Ratso’s Lower East Side apartment actually looks even dirtier, and the glitz of Times Square and psychedelics of a swinging apartment party shine. The second DVD makes the journey of Hoffman and Voight (seen in his screen test!) to these roles is as interesting as the film’s route to the public. Hellman’s list of obstacles – lack of advertising, limited markets, public backlashes etc. – would wilt many producers with an X rating staring in their face. Production stills show everyone hard at work, driven to create and seriously preparing for the shoot. Schlesinger’s core strategy of image first, dialogue second shows he had a good grip on this method of filmmaking. Three of the eight actors he directed to Oscar nominations are in this movie: Hoffman, Voight and Sylvia Miles (in the shortest performance to ever garner a nod). Schlesinger collared New York’s finest for this film’s supporting roles, even going so far as so utilize Andy Warhol’s crew for the party scene. Who wouldn’t want to work for this guy? William Devane, Keifer Sutherland, Voight and Hoffman add kind words about the man who made them look incredible onscreen, but it’s certain that if Schlesinger shot these interviews, Voight would not be so warmly lit. The guy looks awful.
The only improvement this DVD package needs is a microphone before the lead actors for their commentary. Collaring two great talents to portray two great characters is more luck than skill – Hoffman and Voight’s random thoughts 37 years after its May 1969 release would have been welcome. “Midnight Cowboy” is the coarsest of that year’s crop of maverick films, but it’s also the most childlike of the studio trend-bucking “Easy Rider,” “Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid” and “The Wild Bunch.” A sugary start ends with bitter optimism, and the grimy but wholesome essence of “Midnight Cowboy” can swindle both casual and fervent moviegoers unless they dig into its hidden beauty.
Reviewer’s Opinion: BUY IT!!
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