DAMAGE (1992)
Imprint Collection #230
Label: Imprint Films
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 111 Minutes
Audio: English LPCM 2.O Stereo with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1)
Director: Louis Malle
Cast: Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson, Rupert Graves, Ian Bannen
Director Louis Malle's (Pretty Baby) Damage (1992) concerns a British physician turned politician Dr. Stephen Flemming (Jeremy Irons, Dead Ringers) who is married to upper crust wife Ingrid (Miranda Richardson, Sleepy Hollow), together they have a pair of kids, teenager Sally (Gemma Clarke) and Martyn Fleming (Rupert Graves, V for Vendetta). It's while attending a political soiree he unexpectedly meets his son's mysterious girlfriend, Anna (Juliette Binoche, The Unbearable Lightness of Being), who introduces herself. As soon as their eyes meet they lock onto one another, their mutual sexual attraction is instantaneously palpable, they're absolutely transfixed by each other. They part ways shortly after, but the hook is set, and the next day she phones him at his office, the exchange is brief and to the point; "It's Anna" , to which he replies "tell me where you are and I'll be there within an hour"; kicking off an intense erotic affair. it's not a stand alone encounter, they continue to meet in secret for rigorous sexual excursions that seem to be some sort of cathartic expression of deep-rooted personal issues buried within both. It is later revealed Binoche's character suffered a horrific trauma involving her brother when she was younger, that seems to be feeding her destructive tendencies, though Stephen's impetus is more ambiguous. Perhaps he's caught up in a powerful sexual whirlwind during a mid-life crisis, but there's certainly more to it than just that, they both love Martyn, but both seem unable to stop themselves. All the while they continue to try to make it work while attending family dinners, including Stephen's son announcing he's now engaged to Anna (uh-oh), both carrying on pretending that this is not a totally fucked-up situation. Stephen for his part is completely obsessed, his work and home life are starting to suffer, meanwhile he keeps telling himself that this can all work out just fine, but we know it's a slow-motion train wreck waiting to unfurl and tragedy is only just around the corner.
Eventually that tragedy manifests in a most horrific and unexpected way, the truth of the double-edged betrayal comes to light, and Stephen's family and professional life are upturned, more so than we could have imagined. It's a mesmerizing watch to track how they meet, the instant almost fated attraction, and the mutual obsession that takes hold. The cast is absolutely phenomenal, Irons was on a dark cinematic spree that included several of my favorites of his entire filmography including M. Butterfly, Kafka, and Cronenberg's Dead Ringers, and here as the politician willing to give up his career and family for this intense sexual obsession is one of his best, it's a deeply layered portrayal. Binoche's character is not the standard issue homewrecker so often portrayed in 90's thrillers, she's enigmatic and a bit cold, she doesn't come off as a calculating villainous, she's not nefarious, she's just as caught up in the obsession as Stephen, fueled by a deep-seated trauma that is revealed, partially my her mother Elizabeth (Leslie Caron, Chocolat) during the engagement part for Anna and Martyn of all places. She knows her daughter all too well, and though no one else at a dinner party seems to have noticed she takes note of the way Stephen purposely avoids eyesight with her daughter, and makes note of it to him later when they are alone. For his part Stephen does make a couple of attempts to do the right thing and suggests he leave his wife and that Anna should break the news to Martyn, though Anna make's a pretty convincing case in the moment for why they shouldn't, and he makes a half-willed attempt to walk away from the torrid affair, but both prove unable to resist the attraction despite the risk of damage to those they love.
Miranda Richardson is pretty terrific in what is largely a supporting role early on, however, once the tragedy unfolds and the sting of it sets in she gives a wrenching turn as Stephen's tortured wife, utterly destroyed and bitterly angered by his dual-betrayal and it's unintended consequences. Also be on the lookout for David Thewlis (TV's Fargo) as a late in the game detective and the always terrific Peter Stormare (Fargo the movie) as Anna's enigmatic friend Peter Wetzler. In typical Malle fashion the difficult morality within is explored but not judged, portrayed in a very matter-of-fact, it-is-what-it-is sort of way, the morality is not so much the issue, it's the nature of obsession that fuels this film, and it's quite a thrill to see it all unfold.
Audio/Video: Damage (1992) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Via Vision Entertainment's prestige sub-label Imprint Films, sourced from a nebulous "2K scan" in 1080p HD widescreen (1.85:1). Here in the US this has only been available on a dated 2011 Warner Archive DVD, the only previous HD releases that I am aware of are Korean and German imports from a few years ago. The cinematography by Peter Biziou (Pink Floyd – The Wall) looks pleasing in HD but is probably a dated master, even still colors and contrast are pleasing, fine detail and grain structures are not as finely resolved as a newer scan would offer but it is most certainly an improvement over the DVD edition in all the expected areas, though I thought it was a tad too bright in spits and color temperature ran cool. Audio comes by way of English LPCM 2.O stereo with optional English subtitles, the track is clean and well-balanced, dialogue is never difficult to discern and the by Zbigniew Preisner (The Double Life of Véronique) sounds great.
Extras come by way of a mix of new and old, with archival extras coming by way of several 23-min of Vintage Production Featurettes that include the The Making Of Damage, Director Louis Malle, Production, Jeremy Irons and Character, plus the 15-min One on One with Louis Malle featurette. New stuff comes by way of a 15-min Professor Hugo Frey on Damage, and the 31-min An Early Obsession - Interview with Editor John Bloom, and a 3-min Theatrical Trailer.
The single-disc release arrives in a high quality clear keepcase with a two-sided, non-reversible sleeve of artwork, with a sideloading Limited Edition Slipcover and a wrap, both featuring original movie poster artworks from the films initial release. The disc, and spine of the slipcover and wrap are numbered, this being Imprint Films Collection #230. This limited edition slipcase edition is strictly limited to 1500 units, so don't hesitate if this is one your looking to get at.
Special Features:
- 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a 2K scan
- Vintage Production Featurettes with Cast and Crew (22:48): The Making Of Damage (3:54), Director Louis Malle (5:03), Production (9:15), Jeremy Irons and Character (4:36)
- One on One with Louis Malle featurette (15:13)
- Professor Hugo Frey on Damage (15:13)
- An Early Obsession - Interview with Editor John Bloom (31:11)
- Theatrical Trailer (2:32)
- Limited Edition slipcase on the first 1500 copies with unique artwork
This release is available to purchase from Imprint Films director, or through DiabolikDVD.com for $29.99+ shipping.
Screenshots from the Imprint Films Blu-ray:
