Requiem for a Dream (Director's Cut)

This movie is very bizarre very interesting take on all these different addictions and what can happen when you are addicted to certain substance whether it be diet pills sex or drugs it's just completely insane the way that this director put all of these different elements together very hard to watch it's a very good movie if you can follow it but if you can follow it and you can understand what's going on then you'll know that it's definitely worth watching it's a crazy ass way of looking at things but it's a great warning for anyone on addiction and what to look for and what to try to avoid I'd highly recommend it because of that fact you just got to pay really close attention to understand what's going on

Requiem for a Dream is a hard film to watch, there is no denying it. I first saw it at a matinee show on a bright sunny day in St. Louis. As I emerged from the Tivoli theatre into the daylight, it seemed impossible that the beauty of the day around me could possibly coexist in the same world as the bleak degradation that the characters in this movie descend into. Since I bought the DVD, I have been avoiding it for weeks, unsure if it was worth facing that descent. It was. Despite being a emotion bonecrusher, the quality of this film is undeniable. Darren Aronofsky has kept his touch for depicting the extremity of human emotion that he demonstrated in Pi. In Requiem, however he makes the characters so rich and engaging that the viewer is drawn along on their voyage of self destruction. This is a big improvement. One of the biggest flaws in Pi was that we have no reason to identify with the obsessive main character. In Requiem, each of the main characters is sympathetic and three-dimensional. It's this that makes the film so traumatizing. Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn) is a lonely widow living alone in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. She spends her days watching television, particularly the infomercial snake oil of Tappy Tibbons (Christopher McDonald), a guru who sells a three step program to rebuild your life. One day she receives a phone call telling her that she has been chosen to appear on television. Filled with excitement, she tries to make herself over for her appearance on TV, which rapidly becomes her one reason for living. When she finds she can no longer fit into her best red dress, she starts dieting like crazy, with little success. When an unethical doctor prescribes her heavy stimulants, however, the weight starts coming off, although the side effects put Sara on the edge of madness. Watching this sweet and lonely old lady fall into drug addiction and obsession is very hard. As madness starts to creep in, Sara spends her days hallucinating in front of the television and huddling in mortal fear of the refrigerator. Harry Goldfarb(Jared Leto) is Sara's son, a heroin addict who repeatedly steals his mother's television to finance his habit. He and his partner Tyrone Love (Marlon Wayans) are scrambling to climb the ladder of the drug underworld from addict to affluent dealer. While at first glance they look like a couple of scum bags, as we get to know them, they become more sympathetic. Harry is a considerate guy who wants the best for his mother and regrets the pain he causes her. Tyrone's thoughts continuously drift back to his own mother in idyllic flashbacks of his youth. Marion Silver (Jennifer Connely) is a young girl from a rich family who wants to design clothing for a living. She and Harry are in love, and together they scheme to turn Harry's drug profits into a chance for her to open a store to sell her own designs. Marion is also entangled in an unwholesome relationship with her sleazy former therapist. Despite this and her cocaine habit, the depths of which she seems unaware of, she seems like a decent person. The scenes of her and Harry together are sweet and endearing. They make us wish the best for this young couple. The fact that they share these moments in a fog of drug-induced euphoria seems almost irrelevant, thanks to Aronofsky's skilled staging, and fine performances by the Connely and Leto. As the film progresses, the hopes and dreams of the four characters are slowly strangled by their dependence on drugs. As despair encroaches on their future plans, they scramble to hold it all together. By the final sequence, the characters' degradation accelerates out of control like a runaway train. Aided immensely by the feverish compositions of the Kronos Quartet, this is one of the most disturbing sequences I've ever seen on film. Technically, this film is very well executed. Sara's nightmarish hallucinations leave the viewer shaken. The time lapse sequences convey a very believable sense of how out of control a speed addict must feel. Aronofsky uses strange perspectives to great effect. In particular, he seemingly hangs a camera from the character's neck at times, to catch every nuance of expression at their moment of greatest shame. I have to recommend this movie, but I warn you, it will not make you feel good. It will probably make you feel like humans are weak and foul things. Choose well when to watch, or risk ruining a light-hearted evening...

The first thing that needs to be said is that REQUIEM FOR A DREAM is honest and raw. Nothing is held back here. It is not a story told to lightly touch on the subject of addiction. Instead the entire film is living in the life of an addict with nothing held back. Being in recovery I see how true to life this film is. It starts right off with our main characters using. We have Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly all giving the performances of a lifetime. The characters are likable and shown in enough of a perspective that we can care for them but the downward spiral that will continue throughout the fim begins right at the start. Jared and Jennifer are boyfriend and girlfriend shooting up to escape, get a high or just relax. Ellen Burstyn is the mother who goes to the doctor to get pills to help loose weight. All starts innocent enough but the film quickly turns into the never ending descent into hell that is the life of an addict. It realistically shows how what one thinks is a chosen act for escape becomes a psychological and physical addiction for which the user will do anything. The hell they endure is self inflicted but they cannot stop due to the addiction. This movie is scarier than any thriller or stalker film for it is about real life. Many don't want to see or even imagine the life of a true drug addict and the ends to which our characters go to get their drug gets more and more horrific as the film goes on. The scariest part of it is that it is all a realistic portrayal of the life of an addict. There is no joy here. The film is a descent into hell and it ends with a wallop. For most one viewing will be enough for this film. It is a masterpiece but how often does one choose to go to hell. On the other side, this film truly is a masterpiece. Even though it is 10 years old it is the most honest, realistic depiction of drug addiction ever on film. The reason to view this film again is the amazing performances by the main three and the superb directing by Darren Aronofsky. The blu ray transfer is amazing. You would never guess that the film is 10 years old and the transfer makes all the colors crisper and video more vivid. The audio is amazing. Bottom line, the blu ray transfer holds strong to the integrity of the film. It is grainy where need be and the clarity to the rest brings the message and horror of this film that much stronger. I highly recommend this film. Be prepared and aware of what you will be viewing. This is a tough fim to watch - bottom line. But it is an amazing film and when a film so honestly and truthfully tackles such a difficult subject you must view it. And as I said, you will be so awe struck by the performances that you may want to view it again. The blu ray version is superb. The film is hardcore and an experience you will never forget. Highly recommend.

Addiction is in all of us

This movie is a great piece of art and is really disturbing. Its depiction of society and drugs, lifehardcore and where we find meaning is really a big part of what this masterful directer did in this film. Be prepared to be disturbed and I wouldn't reccomend for someone under the age of 21 unless you want to just scare them about drug use and have them seeing a shrink due to the trauma for the rest of there life. A lot of triggers in this movie regard drug use as well as mental health, if those types of triggers are an issue for you, I would avoid as its just a really hardcore movie. Quite the piece of art though, Bravo! I still remember the first time I watched this and that was like 20 years ago. Like I will never forget my reaction and others.

Requiem For a Dream is really a movie that boils down to being about the power of addiction, and the hold that varying addictions, drugs for most of the characters and TV and looking perfect for another, have over people. It stars Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans, and Christopher McDonald. While all of the actors turn in great performances, Burstyn, Leto, and Connelly really give the powerhouse performances, especially Connelly whose character basically does anything for her next fix. All of the characters really end up in a downward spiral that ends up ruining their lives by the end of the movie. It is very over the top, and very similar in style and tone to other films of Darren Aronofsky such as Black Swan, Mother, and The Fountain. For those who get the 4k Blu-Ray, the movie looks and sounds great in the UHD format. The restoration on the 20-year-old movie was done very well, and it looks as good as many of the newer releases. The extras are partly carried over from the original Blu-Ray and DVD release, and there are a few new extras (such as an interview with Ellen Burstyn) made for the 20th-anniversary release. The set includes both the UHD and "regular" Blu-Ray discs, but all the special features are included on the UHD disc. Overall, it is not a film that will appeal to everyone. That, however, is pretty par for the course with Aronofsky's films, especially the "weirder" ones. That said, if you are a fan of his films like Black Swan and The Fountain, then I do think this one is worth checking out.

Darren Aronofsky's film, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, is one of my favorite all time films. Not only is it visually stunning--making use of clever editing and fliming techniques like split-screens and special effects--the story is one that will stay with you for a long time. Although the movie will leave you breathless and coming away with that feeling of "damn, that was a good movie," it's not for the faint-of-heart. The movie is aptly named as the story follows a mother and her son, both on parallel tracks into drug addiction, and his best friend and girlfriend, and how their dreams disintegrate with the passing seasons. All four characters descend into the depths of hell, making choices they wouldn't otherwise make, just to score some dope. Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans, Jennifer Connelly, and the fantastic Ellen Burstyn give outstanding performances. Why this film didn't sweep the Academy Awards is beyond me. I wasn't going to buy it on Blu-Ray, because I already have the DVD version, but since it was on sale here on Amazon, I couldn't resist. I'm so glad I got the Blu-Ray edition. The transfer looks great and the scenes are even more horrific in 1080P. Unfortunately there aren't any extra features on the Blu-Ray other than the ones that came on the DVD Edition. In fact, the 05:35-minute Sundance Featurette "Anatomy Of A Scene," where Aronofsky describes the shooting techniques in the film, is missing. Not sure why it was left off. SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE: *** Commentary by Aronofsky and DP (Director of Photography) Matthew Libatique *** "The Making Of Requiem For A Dream" 35:23-minute documentary--showing footage of filming behind the scenes and Aronofsky comments on what is going on. Very informative and you get to see all the work that went into this film including the make-up prosthetics that Burstyn had to wear. *** "Memories, Dreams and Addictions" 19:56-minute interview-- Ellen Burstyn interviews Hubert Selby, Jr. who wrote the book Requiem for a Dream: A Novel . *** Deleted Scenes--many various deleted scenes with optional commentary. *** TV Spots & Trailers

We all know how great this movie is, but I didn't know how great it could be until I bought the Blu-ray version. While it is not demo worthy like The Tree of Life or Inception for example, it stays true to the directors intentions, which is a good thing. I did not expect and certainly did not want a super clean picture free of grain when it is not meant to be seen that way. The color palette is muted for the most part, it is a bit grainy, but details are sharp. One must consider the way the movie was intended to be seen. If you take that into consideration, the transfer is excellent. It is a huge improvement over the DVD version and certainly worthy of an upgrade. The music score is absolutely fantastic and haunting at times, making use of every available channel with its dts-HD MA 7.1 audio mix. It really brings this movie to life. It would be a shame to watch it without a proper surround setup capable of delivering HD audio (though that is true for almost any Blu-ray). It is not exactly a movie you pop into your disc player every month, but it does deserve multiple viewings if you can handle it. Aronofsky's films are always top notch, from PI and Requiem to more recent titles like The Wrestler and Black Swan, you know are in for something fresh; something made with the intention to make you think and feel rather than to merely entertain. Requiem's subject matter may turn people away which is certainly understandable. The film is gritty, raw, full of despair and downright depressing, but so is heroin and amphetamine addiction. After watching it you will, at the very least, have a greater understanding of what it is like to be addicted. And hopefully, you will realize just how broken and cruel the U.S. justice system is; focusing on imprisonment rather than rehabilitation. Granted, it is a bit extreme, but it gets it's message across in a very effective way. There will never be a movie quite like Requiem for a Dream.