The Most Unappreciated Nicolas Cage Movie Finally Gets Its Due
While Nicolas Cage has appeared in dozens of films that have resonated well with audiences at theaters, there have been a handful of examples that have been box office disappointments. One of his most underappreciated films was the 1999 supernatural drama, Bringing Out the Dead, where Cage plays a New York City paramedic who is battling with career-induced depression. After 25 years of being largely ignored, the film is getting delivered to new audiences with a fully remastered 4K edition that packs in a multitude of extras.
Behind The Scenes Interviews
The 4K release will serve to do the forgotten Nicolas Cage film proper justice. The remastered version of Bringing Out the Dead will feature interviews with Cage, screenwriter Paul Schrader, and cinematographer Robert Richardson, as well as plenty of behind-the-scenes material that shows the cast and crew at work on this unsung masterpiece.
Upgraded Audio And Visuals
The enhanced audio does tremendous justice to Bringing Out the Dead‘s dialogue, giving Nicolas Cage and others a sound that has more balance and warmth than the theatrical version and previous releases on physical media. The film’s soundtrack is equally enhanced, both its cinematic score and music from its track listing sounding better than ever.
The remastered version was taken from the original celluloid and gives the finished product a bit of a grainy look akin to Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and other late 70s New York era films.
The new version of the Nicolas Cage film has recently become available from Paramount Home Video. The two-disc Blu-Ray set also has a code available upon purchase for buyers to view a digital copy.
One Of Scorsese’s Biggest Flops
Bringing Out the Dead had all the right things going for it when it was released to theaters in 1999: Martin Scorsese as director, a talented screenwriter in Schrader, and some of the best acting talents of the day which included Patricia Arquette, Tom Sizemore, Ving Rhames, and John Goodman alongside the Longlegs star.
But even with a star like Nicolas Cage receiving top billing, Bringing Out the Dead couldn’t muster enough attention from audiences to even begin to make a dent in the film’s production budget. The box office returns barely amounted to $16 million, set against the $32 million it cost to bring it to theaters. It remains one of director Martin Scorsese’s biggest flops, even though contemporary and modern critics generally give the movie high praises.
One Of The Best Movie Soundtracks Of The ’90s
Bringing Out the Dead is a deviation from the typical Nicolas Cage action films of that era but was par for the course when it came to all the necessary elements that Scorsese brought to films he stood at the helm of.
One of the iconic director’s signatures is putting together a riveting soundtrack. The individual songs masterfully capture the very essence of the character’s mood or the vibe of any particular moment. Scorsese carefully selected the best tracks for this production and gave audiences one of the best film soundtracks of the 1990s.
Available For Purchase Now
Nicolas Cage and company are beset against songs from Jane’s Addiction, UB40, 10,000 Maniacs, The Clash, R.E.M, Johnny Thunders, and composer Elmer Berstein, each contribution elevating the intensity of scenes throughout Bringing Out the Dead.
You can now purchase the Bringing Out the Dead 4K edition. In the meantime, check out the GenreVision podcast covering the film while you wait to crack open the set.
