Product Description

Wes Anderson first illustrated his lovingly detailed, slightly surreal cinematic vision in this witty and warm portrait of three young middle-class misfits. Fresh out of a mental hospital, gentle Anthony (Luke Wilson) finds himself once again embroiled in the machinations of his best friend, elaborate schemer Dignan (Owen Wilson). With the aid of getaway driver Bob (Robert Musgrave), they develop a needlessly complex, mildly successful plan to rob a small bookstore then go on the lam. Also featuring Lumi Cavazos as Inez, the South American housekeeper Anthony falls in love with, and James Caan as local thief extraordinaire Mr. Henry, Bottle Rocket is a charming, hilarious, affectionate look at the folly of dreamers. Shot against radiant southwestern backdrops, it s the film that put Anderson and the Wilson brothers on the map.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer supervised and approved by director Wes Anderson and director of photography Robert Yeoman
Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack
Commentary by director/co-writer Anderson and co-writer/star Owen Wilson
The Making of Bottle Rocket : an original documentary by filmmaker Barry Braverman featuring Anderson, James L. Brooks, James Caan, Temple Nash Jr., Kumar Pallana, Polly Platt, Mark Mothersbaugh, Robert Musgrave, Richard Sakai, David and Sandy Wasco, Andrew and Luke and Owen Wilson, and Robert Yeoman
The original thirteen-minute black-and-white Bottle Rocket short film from 1992
Eleven deleted scenes
Anamorphic screen test, storyboards, location photos, and behind-the-scenes photographs by Laura Wilson
Murita Cycles, a 1978 short film by Braverman
The Shafrazi Lectures, no. 1: Bottle Rocket
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by executive producer James L. Brooks, an appreciation by Martin Scorsese, and original artwork by Ian Dingman

Amazon.com

This quietly daffy comedy should have been an indie hit, but ended up ignored by audiences. Too bad; it's a wonderfully sustained caper movie about friends whose career choice is all wrong. Low-key Anthony (Luke Wilson) and high-strung Dignan (Owen C. Wilson--the two actors are brothers) are brought into a life of crime by Dignan's ambition to be a small-time thief. After a few amusingly laid-back trial burglaries, they (and a third buddy) find themselves over their heads when they hook up with an experienced crime boss (James Caan). Because this movie is so relentlessly deadpan, you really have to be dialed in to its brand of humor--but once there, Bottle Rocket shoots off plenty of sparks. Above all, Owen Wilson's portrayal of Dignan is a terrifically original comic creation; Dignan is so sincerely focused on his goals that he can't see how completely absurd his ideas are. Owen Wilson, who went on to supply similarly knuckle-headed performances in Armageddon and Permanent Midnight, wrote the screenplay with director Wes Anderson. --Robert Horton

Review

A hilarious, inventive, and goofy breath of fresh air. --The Washington Post

Set Contains:

The Criterion DVD of Bottle Rocket is not quite as thorough as Dignan's 75-year plan, but it should satisfy fans of Wes Anderson's first feature film. Anderson and cinematographer Robert Yeoman have supervised a bright and sparkly new transfer of the film, a marked improvement over previous video releases. A commentary track by Anderson and co-writer/star Owen Wilson provides a droll selection of anecdotes, both men retaining that strange air of innocence that makes the movie so beguiling. Eleven deleted scenes give almost a half-hour's worth of unseen footage; some of this is good stuff, but all of it was sensibly cut out (even an explanation of the name "Future Man," which is really much funnier if you don't know its meaning). The original 13-minute black-and-white Bottle Rocket short is here, the film that got producers James L. Brooks and Polly Platt involved (though it must be said that the feature is a vast improvement). A brief test scene in widescreen gives good evidence of why that format wouldn't have worked for this story, and the 30-minute 1978 documentary, Murita Cycles, made by Anderson friend Barry Braverman, looks at the filmmaker's father, a neighborhood eccentric. Supposedly the movie influenced the Bottle Rocket team, perhaps in its style of deadpan observation. Storyboards are here, plus set photos by the Wilson brothers' mother. Strangest inclusion: The Shafrazi Lectures, No. 1, a mystifying 10-minute appreciation by a notorious New York gallerist. --Robert Horton

• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.85:1
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 4.8 ounces
• Director ‏ : ‎ Wes Anderson
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Multiple Formats, AC-3, Dolby, NTSC, Color, Special Edition, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 31 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ November 25, 2008
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, James Caan
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Criterion Collection
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2