On the commentary for the DVD of his directorial debut, Oscar-winning cinematographer Janusz Kaminski underscores exactly why the film was so poorly received. Clearly most prominent in his and cinematographer Mauro Fiore’s (who joins him on the commentary) mind are the visuals, which are indeed the only noteworthy element of this turgid supernatural thriller. Kaminski at times indulges in some long-winded ruminations about theology and the existence of the Devil, but never does he go into specifics about the boring plot involving a young woman (Winona Ryder) trying to prevent Satan from taking over the body of a crime author (Ben Chaplin).
Kaminski and Fiore are also on hand for commentary on the assortment of deleted scenes and alternate takes included on the disc. These unused scenes are of varying interest, as are their comments; for one scene involving a bicycle accident, Kaminski forgets to say what the intended purpose of the scene was, let alone why it was cut. That said, there are some interesting statements made; Kaminski’s rants about the studios’ test screening system are amusing and truthful, and he and Fiore both being cinematographers, they offer detailed information on how they achieved the film’s strikingly grainy and contrast-heavy palette.
Standard supplements such as the theatrical trailer and cast/crew filmographies as well as superbly designed animated menus round out a well-put-together disc that’s far more interesting than the Lost Souls itself.
Specifications: 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen; English DTS; English 5.1 Surround; English Dolby Surround; English subtitles; English closed captioning.
