Exotica (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

Exotica, Atom Egoyan's mesmerizing international breakthrough film from the 1990s, stands as one of the defining independent films of the decade. This psychological thriller takes the conventions of the genre into bold new territory, unsettling, dreamlike, and empathetic. At the neon-drenched Toronto strip club that serves as the film's titular setting, a coterie of lost and damaged souls search for redemption as they work through the traumas of their mysteriously interconnected histories in an obsessive cycle of sex, pain, jealousy, and catharsis.

The film's central characters include a man haunted by grief (Bruce Greenwood), a young woman with whom he shares an enigmatic bond (Mia Kirshner), an obsessive emcee (Elias Koteas), and a smuggler of rare bird eggs (Don McKellar). Masterfully weaving together past and present, Egoyan constructs a spellbinding narrative puzzle, the full emotional impact of which doesn't hit until the last piece is in place.

This DIRECTOR-APPROVED TWO-DVD SPECIAL EDITION features a new, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Atom Egoyan and director of photography Paul Sarossy. The set also includes an audio commentary featuring Egoyan and composer Mychael Danna, as well as a new conversation between Egoyan and filmmaker and actor Sarah Polley.

Additional bonus features include the 1993 feature film Calendar, with a new introduction, and three short films by Egoyan: Peep Show (1981), En passant (1991) featuring Maury Chaykin and Arsinée Khanjian, and Artaud Double Bill (2007), commissioned for the sixtieth anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival.

The set is rounded out by audio from the film's 1994 Cannes Film Festival press conference, featuring Egoyan, Khanjian, actor Bruce Greenwood, and producer Camelia Frieberg, as well as English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. Additionally, the release includes an essay by author and filmmaker Jason Wood.

Overall, this comprehensive collection offers a deep dive into the making and legacy of Exotica, a film that has left an indelible mark on the landscape of independent cinema. Through its bold storytelling, haunting visuals, and exploration of the human condition, Exotica continues to captivate and challenge audiences decades after its initial release.

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