I saw Bonnie and Clyde a long time ago and was not really crazy about it. I knew it had the status of "classic" surrounding it, but could not really see what all the fuss was about.

So, I rented this movie at the local mom and pop shop here and found myself totally absorbed in what was happening. It was a crazy movie, but compelling all the more. So I decided I wanted to own it and went for the boxed set version.

THE MOVIE: The film is relatively an easy idea, but executely quite well. The story does not offer morals or resolutions, but tells the story of two Texans who fall instantly in love with each other and are on a thrill ride from the start.

    Warren Beatty plays Clyde Barrow, while Faye Dunaway, a relatively unknown actress at the time, fills the shoes of Bonnie Parker. The chemistry that these two have is instant and evident from the first few minutes of the movie. Opening we see Bonnie lying about her room in a sweltering Texan heat naked, seemingly bored out of her mind. She hears someone outside and she looks down and sees Clyde looking to steal her moms car. She calls to him, "Boy!", and so here is where trouble in paradise begins.

    There is an immediate attraction between the two as they wander down the road discussing prison and stealing and the like. She is not convinced until he pulls a trick right there in town and together they speed off in a stolen car. And so, the life of crime is afoot.

    They eventually being a few extras in their crew to help with the bank jobs. There is pudgy-faced C. W. Moss (played by Michael J. Pollard, who is actually an amalgam of a few real life people), then there is Clydes brother Buck Barrow (Gene Hackman) and his wife Blance (Estelle Parsons, who later won an Academy Award for the role). Together they made the Borrow Brothers Gang.

    Bonnie and Clyde made the real sensation as they were lovers at war with the authorities. They might have seen themselves as types of Robin Hoods in a time more youthful in our country, however, they were still outlaws and for the most part cop killers which made them more sensationalized.

    The story moves at times at a comical pave, but eventually it pulls the strings on it and it turns darker and more serious as their crimes increase and their problems get more desperate. There is a point where they realize there is no normal life for them and any type of peace of mind is out of the question. It is at this point where the movie no longer is a glorification of robbing banks, but a realization of the criminal life style.  

    It should not be too much of a surprise ending if you never seen it, you should probably at least know from reading various bits about the lives of these two famous people. In addition, its quite possible you have seen the ending in various film montages and those sorts of shows. But I wont spoil it here as it really becomes the movie and revolutionizes how death is portrayed in film.

    The greatest surprise of the film was seeing a cameo with Gene Wilder before his comedic roles, although he was a bit of comic relief in this film. Its quite humorous seeing 6 people crammed in a car all having a civil conversation.

    Historically, the film pulls all the punches in terms of blood and killings. The film made in 1967, a year before the MPAA was formed, but there was still the ruling of not allowing a shot to be fired at someone and someone getting hit in the same frame. Director Arthur Penn disobeyed those terms when the banker who chased their car, jumped up on the back end and Clyde put the gun to his face and pulled the trigger. It was shocking and bloody at the same time and has since become of the most memorable scenes of violence in Hollywood cinema since.

    Warner had little faith in the film, and so allowed Beatty, who was producing as well, get a large share of the recipts. For his benefit as it became a phenomenon unto itself with people lining up around corners waiting to get in. Not just in the states, but in other countries as well who identified in the romantic life of Bonnie and Clyde.

 

THE PACKAGE: For a small and easily afforadable set, Warner Brothers does an awesome job. On some levels its lacking, but the price is perfect for what you get. Its a 2-disc set and each disc is put into an individual "book" like case that are quite smooth and pretty to hold. The design is classy and understated with titles on each bookcover "He was the leader"..."She was the poet."

    The first disc has the main movie which looks really nice and cleaned up. I can probably get away with saying "it looks the best it ever has", but I have no objective grounds for saying it, only to the degree that I know its been remastered. I am sure other reviews will give you a more in-depth review about the remastering of the film. With that said, it does look really nice. Only extras on this disc are the trailers which are always fun to watch.

    The second disc is where all the extras are. The first feature is a 60 minute History Channel Biography on the real Bonnie and Clyde. You find that, this film, is mythologized more than a retelling of actual history. But there is much that remains true to the real story. If the film captures you in that "I want to know more" feel, then the documentary fits perfectly after the film. Also included are 3 30-minute documentaries on the making of the film and reception. The great thing about these documentaries is that all of the people involved in the film are involved in this documentary. Warren, Fay, Gene, Michael, Estelle and Arthur as well as the screen writer Robert Benton. Included also is Morgan Fairchild, as her first onscreen appearance doing a body double for Faye Dunaway. So it is great to hear the entire cast participate and be involved in this re-release and to hear their stories in making a modern classic. Additionally are newly discovered wardrobe tests for Warren Beatty and additional scenes that did not make the film. 

     Also a hardcover book photo book from scenes of the film, off set photos, comparisons of the real Bonnie and Clyde among others. And then a reproduction booklet of the original 1967 pressbook which includes many of the ads that were placed in various newspapers and magazines around the country at the time.

    Additionally, there is a mail in rebate for a full size movie poster that is 3.95 for shipping (you need the proof of purchase and original receipt).

    All of this is housed in a sturdy box with an flip top lid. All the print on the box is glossy and designed extremely well with its black, silver and red color pallete.

IN SUM: Retail is $39.99, but most places are selling it at around $29.99. You might be able to get it cheaper than that if you are sleuthy enough. More than 30 bucks might be a bit too much for what you get. The set is nice, and it stands well, but there is not enough in it to make you want to spend more. The fact is, you can get the 2-disc set for $14.99 new. I point this out because as a disc set there is no difference in the content. You get the same bonus material in this set as you do in the regular set.  

    The difference is here you get a few extra books and an opportunity to get the 27x41 size poster (which i personally sent away for - size matters). So while you might feel its not worth paying for the extra material, you do get a great looking set, better packaging overall, and a great movie.

    After going through the extras, I did want more and was surprised to see that there was no audio commentary with the film. But after watching the documentaries I guessed that Warren Beatty would have done it, and seeing that he is the producer and actor of the film, he might have made many similar comments you already heard in the documentaries, so a redundancy more than likely would have happened. As a set, something more on the discs thats not avaiable on the 2-disc set would have made this a near perfect set.

CONCLUSION: This is not a limited edition of any sorts nor is it an exclusive or anything like that. Its a boxed set, but will more than likely have a limited shelf life while the regular set remains in print. On that note, I really enjoyed the movie, the special features because they were not fluff pieces, but all new material for the set. The inclusion of the History Channel doc was really impressive and set the tone of the film and set. The booklets are a nice feature. But the package is great looking in every way shape or form. Warner shines when they do it right.

PACKAGE DESIGN: A

PACKAGE QUALITY: A

PACKAGE CONTENTS: A

COLLECTIBILITY: B+

 

  Also available in Blu-ray and HD-DVD which is in a hardcover book format with the inclusion of the special features, and it looks to have some of the photos as well.