Tweet
Released by: Olive Films
Released on: March 24th, 2015.
Director: Mick Jackson
Cast: Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Ned Beatty, M. Emmett Walsh, Frances McDormand
Year: 1989
Purchase From Amazon
The Movie:
In this intense drama, Gary Oldman plays Korean War vet Emmett Foley. A period piece set in the south in the 50's, the best way to describe Chattahoochee is as a character study. To put it simply, Foley has returned from America's forgotten war a complete mess. Suffering PTSD and depression, he just can't find a job. Hitting rock bottom, he decides on suicide by cop with the added benefit of raising some money for his long suffering wife Mae (Frances McDormand) through an insurance payout. When things don't go according to plan and Foley is captured instead of killed, he is sent off to the Chattahoochee state prison for the mentally ill. The place is an absolute snake pit and Foley - with inspiration from some likeminded reform desiring inmates - ends up becoming the unlikely point man for an institutional overhaul of the corrupt facility.
Sound familiar? If you are thinking ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST you are on the right track but oddly the film that CHATTAHOOCHEE most closely mirrors isn't the Jack Nicholson classic but the more obscure Robert Redford film BRUBAKER where the Golden One played a reform minded warden who went undercover in a corrupt prison. That said, CHATTAHOOCHEE is a strong film with its own identity but it suffers a bit from the predictability. There is also something fairly static about the film's central narrative drive. This is a movie, on the most basic level, about a prisoner's letter writing campaign. As Foley emerges from his mental fog at the start of his incarceration he starts doing two things: making friends inside (the most important being Dennis Hopper's Walker Benson character) and writing things down regarding the horrific living conditions. After he starts sending letters to the state's higher ups and various regulatory agencies, his caretakers figure out what's going on and begin a series of reprisals against him. With his letter writing privileges revoked, Foley gets crafty. Earlene (Pamela Reed), his sister and regular visitor, ends up using a bible with hidden notes in it to ferry information from Foley out of the facility.
CHATTAHOOCHEE doesn't have a dramatic prison break like MIDNIGHT EXPRESS or the intense energy of CUCKOOS NEST, but it's a fine film filled with strong performances including small roles for Emmet Walsh (BLOOD SIMPLE) and Ned Beatty of DELIVERANCE fame. Hopper and McDormand do nice work but this is the Gary Oldman show. 1990 saw Oldman at his creative acting peak and he captures Foley's initial desperation and mental illness with a beautifully nuanced portrayal. As the character grows in determination and conviction, Oldman smoothly transitions. We've all seen this one man changes the system narrative before but this film is engaging enough to hold the viewer's attention throughout. The dramatic climax may be a foregone conclusion but getting there is an interesting trip. Camerawork and cinematography are above average and the set design and location shooting are top notch. The prison is especially impressive. A completely believable hellhole this isn't a nice place to say the least and the whole vibe is quite nightmarish.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Olive Films have delivered a decent Blu ray. The 1.85.1 framed AVC encoded 1080p presentation has an organic appearance with good fine image detail and appropriate color. CHATTAHOOCHEE has a mostly desaturated and grimy "look" so anyone expecting color pop will be severely disappointed however. Despite some inherent source related softness, everything looks good and print damage is minimal. This Blu is in line with Olive's general history of basic but professional transfers that may lack in extensive restoration but avoid disastrous digital tampering.
The audio is a serviceable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track. Everything is clear and balanced. This isn't a Michael Bay action fest, so unless you are dealing with audible dropouts or rampant source damage, there isn't much to say about audio tracks like this. This track? It sounds fine.
There are no extras. This is a barebones Blu.
The Parting Shot:
As an involving drama anchored by a strong central performance, CHATTAHOOCHEE stands as a success. It isn't particularly original or unusual on a dramatic level, but it is an easy film to recommend - especially for Oldman fans and those with an interest in period films.
Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!
