Review: Milos Forman’s The People vs. Larry Flynt on Sony DVD

Surprisingly mundane, given the central figure, the film puts the "lesson" in "civics lesson."

The People vs. Larry FlyntMilos Forman’s The People vs. Larry Flynt is remembered less as an actual film and more for the hysterical controversies it caused (the film sank in Variety’s hypothetical “stix” like many an Oscar contender). That’s not so much a reflection on how heated the editorial battle lines were drawn between Jerry Falwell, Gloria Steinham, the filmmakers and the real-life Flynt, but rather a somewhat damning suggestion toward the lukewarm film itself. Flynt was lucky to be blessed with just about the coolest cast of the moment. Harrelson stepped into the role of the sleazemonger Flynt with a sense of matinee impishness, Edward Norton pulled another hat trick after Primal Fear, and Courtney Love’s balls-out interpretation of Althea was enough to net a New York Film Critics Circle award. Unfortunately, the film they do their best to bring to life ends up as conventional as the Capra films it’s obviously modeled after. Ed Wood’s screenwriters, known now for their quirky biopics (they would later pen Man on the Moon and Auto Focus), have a distinct knack for hammering real, messy human lives into an ultra-rigid dramatic arc. Here, the film end with the landmark Falwell v. Flynt Supreme Court decision in Flynt’s (and the First Amendment’s) favor. They do it so well to Larry Flynt that it’s hard to notice the ignored points of debate or contention whizzing by unexplored. In an effort to be fair to both sides, Flynt is depicted as something of an “aw, shucks”-ter while Falwell, ostensibly the film’s foe, is barely presented at all—he’s just a benign sack of eye-rolling incorruptibility. While it’s understandable that one’s natural impulse when walking through a minefield is to step lightly, Alexander and Karaszewski (unmistakably the auteurs behind the film, as Forman’s brand of smooth naturalism just about approaches nonchalance) unfortunately left the door open for a firestorm of criticism from the far left. They’ve since made a point of expressing their surprise that it was the left that attacked the film, rather than the extreme right. Why, one wonders? Though Flynt is, by the writers’ admission, “a love letter to the ACLU,” it is also an absolute reading of the Bill of Rights. “[Conservatives] get that,” reason the filmmakers on the DVD commentary track. Unfortunately, what the writers don’t consider is that leftists also “get that,” but have perhaps moved on to expect something more (like the feminist critique of Flynt’s white-trash brand of pornography) from them. Whitewashing the truth is a forgivable sin in the world of biopics, but to demean ideologies by remaining “balanced” is cowardly.

Image/Sound

Columbia has given their “special edition” of Flynt an attractive anamorphic transfer. It’s an almost flawless print (there are noticeable dirt flecks in the penultimate scene touring Flynt’s empty mansion) with rich colors, most of them red, white and blue. The Dolby Digital 5.1 is no more eventful than it has to be, but natural environments are presented with sonic precision. Also included are stereo tracks in French and Spanish.

Extras

This disc replaces the previous bare-bones edition of Flynt and, considering the film blew up in their faces less than a decade ago, Columbia has assembled an impressive gallery of extra features. First off, there are two commentary tracks. The more informative and thoughtful of the two comes from the screenwriters, who admittedly often simply reiterate the film’s obvious messages but sometimes refer to their more anarchic sides (they bemoan the infamous deleted scene in which Flynt is approached on his plane by the spirit of Lenny Bruce, which would’ve been the high point). The second commentary track features the three stars (Love is by far the most colloquial), but unfortunately the three seem to have been recorded separately, as there is no discernable dialogue between them. The most interesting commentary tracks make one feel as though they’re eavesdropping on a private conversation behind-the-scenes. This one doesn’t. Much more rewarding are the two thoughtfully assembled half-hour featurettes (one on Flynt himself, the other on the controversial issue of free speech), which fill in many of the gaps the film leaves open. There are two deleted scenes (with commentary) that don’t add up to a whole lot, filmographies, and three trailers (one of them for the upcoming Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle). A very special easter egg is included on the disc: Larry Flynt’s infomercial announcing his bid for the presidency, which is priceless and also more politically interesting than the film ever hoped to be.

Advertisement

Overall

Surprisingly mundane, given the central figure, The People vs. Larry Flynt puts the “lesson” in “civics lesson.”

Score: 
 Cast: Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, Edward Norton, Brett Harrelson, Donna Hanover, James Cromwell, Crispin Glover, James Carville  Director: Milos Forman  Screenwriter: Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski  Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment  Running Time: 129 min  Rating: R  Year: 1996  Release Date: May 6, 2003  Buy: Video, Soundtrack

Eric Henderson

Eric Henderson is the web content manager for WCCO-TV. His writing has also appeared in City Pages.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.