Product Details

• Actors: Jeff Bridges, John Huston, Anthony Perkins
• Directors: William Richert
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
• DVD Release Date: March 18, 2003
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000844J2
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,331 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This exhilarating kaleidoscope of a movie, from a surreally layered novel by Richard Condon (The Manchurian Candidate), combines post-Watergate paranoia, gallows humor, political sci-fi, dazzling suspense set pieces, something we might call postmodern historical burlesque, and gonzo performances by a truly all-star cast. It's held together by Jeff Bridges as the surviving scion of a Kennedy-like dynasty who reluctantly sets out to solve his brother's assassination. John Huston's own dynastic credentials and rough-hewn aristocracy make him perfect casting as the family patriarch, a simultaneously genial and appalling American monster. Writer-director William Richert, a virtual unknown, somehow corraled an amazing ensemble, including an unbilled Liz Taylor, North by Northwest production designer Robert Boyle (who also contributes a delicious cameo), composer Maurice Jarre, and the great cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond. The widescreen camerawork and zesty primary-color palette demand DVD, which may finally do right by this quintessential '70s film that the '70s just weren't ready for. --Richard T. Jameson

DVD features
No matter if you see this film as a forgotten masterpiece or cinematic curio, one cannot debate the excellent print, finally shown in widescreen splendor. Anchor Bay has developed a keen program in working with maverick directors. Like their previous efforts with Werner Herzog and Richard Rush, they let William Richert have carte blanche in presenting his film on DVD. Luckily the director is a character, a gleeful showman whether commenting on the film, reminiscing about his high-wattage cast, or reminiscing with actor Jeff Bridges. A new 35-minute documentary pulls most of the pieces together on how the controversial film was created. We see tantalizing snapshots of deleted scenes and hear about "original" scenes, but there is no film, just the original screenplay on DVD-ROM. It would have been nice to hear from some of the film's biggest advocates to help explain the struggle the film had after the release. The effort to make the film is clearly and entertainingly explained--the crooked producers simply ran out of money. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Expect The Unexpected!...., March 2, 2004

By	L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (fountain valley, ca United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This review refers to the Anchor Bay(2 disc)DVD edition of "Winter Kills".....

Based on the novel by Richard Condon("Prizzi's Honor"), "Winter Kills" is a somewhat dark comical thriller that seems to parallel the Kennedy Assassination investigation.

The story opens 19 years after the death of President Tim Kegan.The "lone gunman" theory is about to come to an end! A dying man gives his confession to the half brother of the President, Nick Kegan(Jeff Bridges).He was the second gunman hired by some very notorious characters. There's evidence to prove it and Nick decides to go after it.Nick soon finds himself involved deep in a "conspiracy theory" that leads to more deaths and suspects leading to some very surprising twists and turns along the way. Nick doesn't know who he can trust and may now be a target himself.

It's a very enjoyable film for it's neverending unpredictable turns of events that keep you on the edge of your seat. One that is certainly worth pulling out and viewing every so often.Bridges is excellent in the role and the list of Hollywood greats that make appearances as the larger than life and somewhat zaney characters is worth the view alone(even though some may be considered as mere cameos).
John Huston steals the show as the all controlling "Pa Kegan". The list also includes Anthony Perkins, Eli Wallach, Sterling Hayden(as a crazy billionaire war freak),Toshiro Mifune, Ralph Meeker,Dorothy Malone, Belinda Bauer, Richard Boone(sorry... no "Pallidan" music),and Elizabeth Taylor, who only has one line, that is mouthed, but what a line it is! Maurice Jarre supplies the wonderful music and William Richert superbly directs.

This 1979 film looks fabulous on this DVD. A nice clear picture with good color in widescreen(2.35:1). The sound is good in DD2.0(Mono) with all the dialouge, music and background noises clear and distinguishable.There are 2 discs. Disc one contains the film and commentary by the director. Disc 2 has a ton of special features to peruse including, interviews on a feaurette called "Who Killed Winter Kills", a trailer, a still gallery and more(see tech info for complete list).It is also very nicely packaged with the case inside a slip-sleeve. I agree with the other reviewers that the price is a little high, but it's definatly worth the view. You may want to rent it, or put it on your wish list and watch for a reasonably priced used edition.

It's something out of the ordinary with a few chuckles and some great thrills..check it out....Laurie

single disc edition(check for best deal):Winter Kills

also recommended:
L.A. Confidential - Special Edition / The Usual Suspects (Special Edition) (2 Pack)
Luzhin Defence (Full Screen Version)
The Ice Storm
Someone Behind the Door(this one stars charles bronson and anthony perkins - may be a good rental)

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great movie, careless dvd, October 9, 2005

By	Verimilion Sands (Brisbane, Australia) - See all my reviews

I love this movie, it's one of my favourite American films because of its continuous odd and intoxicating humour - Anchor Bay's dvd transfer is technically good but the bad special effects are highlighted by the deluxe treatment and more importantly the enigmatic and poetic ending featuring the woman and waving child riding past Jeff Bridges on a bicycle (which happens throughout the film just before someone gets killed) is simply and amazingly not there - instead we get a tracking shot on a "futuristic" answering machine which is definitely lame in comparison. I think I'll be returning more frequently to the VHS.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars why did I have to stumble onto this movie?, February 23, 2006

By	K. D. Kelly "try strangulation" (sf, ca) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First, this film blew me away. And second, I would never have discovered this movie had I not chanced upon it at the library ... and I'm baffled more people don't mention it. Huston's megalomaniacal Mr. Burns cum Palmer Eldritch cum Citizen Kane is diabolically delicious and the kind of character that should show up in one of the Hollywood retrospectives they show when a host is caught up snorting lines backstage during the Oscars. In fact, "Winter Kills" teems with offbeat characterizations that might flutter off into self-absorbed zaniness if not for Jeff Bridges in a competent everyman role. Perkins performs the kind of inspired cameo that makes you shake your head he couldn't have broken free of the "Psycho" mold. Sterling Hayden, interestingly, plays a character that could very well be the same power-mad general he played in "Dr. Strangelove," retired now and protecting his land with tanks. And Liz Taylor is perfect in her split-second appearance as a sort of doughboy Heidi Fleiss, dolled up and glassy-eyed. Bridges, tempered amid the maelstrom and a smart, multilayered "whodunit" script keeps the film grounded. The biting parallels to JFK are even more poignant today, now that business interests have unseated our country's ideals completely.