History of Violence

Theatrical Release Date: 2005 09 23 (USA - Limited) / 2005 09 30 (USA)

UPC: 883929037926

Studio: New Line Home Video

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Graphic Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Strong Sexual Content, Not For Children, Profanity, Drug Content]

Summary: David Cronenberg directed this screen adaptation of a graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke which explores how an act of heroism unexpectedly changes a man's life. Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) lives a quiet life in a small Indiana town, running the local diner with his wife, Edie (Maria Bello), and raising their two children. But the quiet is shattered one day when a pair of criminals on the run from the police walk into his diner just before closing time. After they attack one of the customers and seem ready to kill several of the people inside, Tom jumps to the fore, grabbing a gun from one of the criminals and killing the invaders. Tom is immediately hailed as a hero by his employees and the community at large, but Tom seems less than comfortable with his new notoriety. One day, a man with severe facial scars, Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris), sits down at the counter and begins addressing Tom as Joey, and begins asking him questions about the old days in Philadelphia. While Tom seems puzzled, Carl's actions suggest that the quiet man pouring coffee at the diner may have a dark and violent past he isn't eager to share with others -- as well as some old scores that haven't been settled. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Thriller

Awards: In Competition – Cannes Film Festival Best Picture (Runner-up) – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Director (Runner-up) – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Picture – National Board of Review Best Picture - Drama – null Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama – null Top Ten Film – Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Actress – London Film Critics Association Best Picture – London Film Critics Association Best Actor – London Film Critics Association Best Director – London Film Critics Association Top Ten Film of the Year – Phoenix Film Critics Association Best Picture – American Film Institute Best Picture – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Director – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Screenplay – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay – Writers Guild of America Best Supporting Actress – Kansas City Film Critics Association Best Picture – Toronto Film Critics Association Best Director – Toronto Film Critics Association Best Picture (Runner-up) – National Society of Film Critics Best Director – National Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor – National Society of Film Critics Best Picture – Online Film Critics Association Best Director – Online Film Critics Association Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Online Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Online Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay – Online Film Critics Association Best Editing – Online Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Adapted Screenplay – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – New York Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress – New York Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor – New York Film Critics Circle Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama – Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Picture - Drama – Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Supporting Actor – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Supporting Actor – Online Film Critics Association

Features: Commentary by director David Cronenberg
Acts of Violence minidocumentary gallery
3 featurettes: Violence's History: United States vs. International Version, Too Commercial For Cannes, the Unmaking of Scene 44
Deleted scene: scene 44
Theatrical trailer

History of Violence

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 02/10/2009

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 96 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English,Spanish

Jason Buchanan

David Cronenberg has always been a name closely associated with the horror genre, and even when his films don't overtly contain the elements generally associated with the critically maligned genre, they can be just as horrifying as any out-and-out fright flick. This bold but shockingly low-key thriller is without question one of the reigning body-horror master's most mainstream cinematic outings to date (no videotape-swallowing orifices or medieval-looking medical instruments here); however, the film's depiction of the vicious cyclical nature of violence is as horrific and challenging as anything in the veteran director's notoriously gruesome filmography. The effectiveness of violence in any film is directly tied to stylistic choices utilized to portray the violence onscreen, and few directors are more aware of this fact than Cronenberg. By contrasting the horrific and often graphic acts of violence committed by the characters in A History of Violence with quiet scenes at the family dinner table or tender moments between husband and wife, Cronenberg punctuates the destructive actions of his characters in a manner that is undeniably effective for those looking for something deeper than the average revenge tale -- showing a filmmaker still very much in command of his material. As the dire situation steadily elevates and the outwardly peaceful protagonist is forced to act out in the same manner as his tormentors, Cronenberg reveals the character's true nature while showing enough faith in his audience to let the situation unfold naturally. This narrative restraint shows a filmmaker whose dramatic strengths are growing with age rather than weakening (a sad problem that seems to plague many genre filmmakers of Cronenberg's generation). Even the lesser-drawn characters in A History of Violence seem to have an added dimension of motivation that ties into the theories of violence presented in the film, with the more prominent supporting players, including Ed Harris and William Hurt, turning in particularly effective performances. Though some viewers may find it difficult to connect with the archetypal characters in A History of Violence on an emotional level, the message regarding the inherently cyclical nature of violence is both effectively clear and viscerally presented, offering a testament to Cronenberg's continuing willingness to challenge his audience while simultaneously crafting a compelling mainstream thriller. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Cast and Crew: David Cronenberg  Director 
Howard Shore  Composer (Music Score) 
Justis Greene  Executive Producer 
Chris Bender  Producer 
J.C. Spink  Producer 
Josh Braun  Executive Producer 
Roger E. Kass  Executive Producer 
Josh Olson  Screenwriter 
Viggo Mortensen  Actor 
Maria Bello  Actor 
Ashton Holmes  Actor 
William Hurt  Actor 
Stephen McHattie  Actor 
Peter MacNeill  Actor 
Ed Harris  Actor 
Heidi Hayes  Actor 
Greg Bryk  Actor 

Country: Canada,UK