The Conversation
March 2001 Reviewed by: Doug Schneider Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

I’ve been so disappointed with movies of late that I’ve been turning my attention to films of yesteryear to see something fresh and exciting. The Conversation, released some 27 years ago, is a great film that really delivers.

The Conversation stars Gene Hackman as Harry Caul. He makes his living by spying on people and recording their conversations. He’s considered the best in the business, almost a legend, and has managed to place his microphone in places people feel are inconceivable. If two people talk, Harry can record it.

Because Harry can eavesdrop so easily on people without their knowledge, he lives in a state of paranoia, knowing someone could be doing the same to him. As a result, he lives alone and has trouble forming relationships with the people around him. By day, he is absorbed in his work, and by night, he usually sits at home alone playing his saxophone.

Harry rarely takes interest in what’s actually said by the people he’s recording -- it’s the chase and the challenge that seems to thrill people like him. Once the job is done, he just turns over his tapes to whoever is paying him. Although, Harry’s conscience begins to surface during his most recent job when he senses that the tapes’ buyers plan to use them for serious harm. Harry refuses to turn over the tapes until he can find out exactly what they are going to being used for, which lands him into trouble in this complex and riveting suspense/drama.

Francis Ford Coppola directs this film with the sense of style and authority that he is known for. This is the type of film that is hard to turn away from, even for a moment. And like almost all of Coppola’s films, atop the technical proficiency, The Conversation assembles a first-rate cast. As usual, Gene Hackman is rock solid with a simply outstanding performance. I consider him one of the top actors of our day. Harry’s considered "royalty" in his occupation, but Hackman skillfully portrays a troubled and frail man underneath the exterior. There’s also great fun in seeing Robert Duvall and Harrison Ford much younger looking than what we’re used to today.

In terms of the technical details, film to DVD transfer is very good. Coppola’s movies are always full of intricate detail and exquisite camera work. That’s all revealed nicely here. Complex lighting situations are cleanly resolved and the colors seem natural to what appeared in Coppola’s films in those days. This film won’t be used as a reference check for video quality, but a commendable job has been done in bringing this 27-year-old movie to life on DVD.

Although the sound quality is not up to the best of today’s films, what’s done here is exceptionally good. And because the film revolves around a man who records sound for a living, the sound effects play a key role in the plot. Most notable is the lonely and sometimes haunting score by David Shire. In Walter Murch’s accompanying commentary (he’s the film’s editor), Murch describes how important Coppola considers music to be in a film, and as a result, the music was written prior to filming. With the music in place, the director and actors listened to it before filming to get a feel for the tone of the scenes. When it all comes together, it is a masterful blend of visuals and sound.

If you’re like me, tired of the formulaic thrillers that are flooding the video shelves these days, The Conversation is a welcomed treat. Even though I had heard how great this film is, I never rented it on videotape. Now, this outstanding film has found a home on DVD, and I highly recommend it.

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