|
By PAUL BRENNER
Paternal love just flows
through the veins of Max (Paul Rogers) in Harold
Pinter's great play, "The Homecoming" -- now
available from Kino Video as part of its American
Film Theatre collection of fine (and not so fine)
play adaptations.
You know its true love because who else but a
loving Dad would tell his prodigal son, "You'll
drown in your own blood." The nasty Max presides
over a venal and carnivorous collection of two
sons -- a sleazy pimp (Ian Holm) and a dullard
boxer (Terence Rigby) -- along with a rancid and
finicky limo driver brother (Cyril Cusack). When
his supercilious son Lenny (Michael Jayston)
suddenly appears at Max's barren flat with his
strumpet wife (Vivien Merchant) in tow, the
fireworks really begin to explode. Director Peter
Hall (who directed the original Royal Shakespeare
Company production) successfully showcases all of
the bitter sarcasm of Pinter's dialogue,
highlighting the Pinter pauses with well chosen
reaction cuts, like cuts in a mean and evil Laurel
and Hardy short. Pinter's terse, repetitive, and
elliptical lines are given an unsparing delivery
by the excellent cast (many of whom were alumni of
the original stage production). Although filmed on
a low budget in 1973, the film still cuts like a
knife. At one point, Max remarks, "The Earth is
5000 years old at least. Who can afford to live in
the past?" In the case of the AFT version of "one
of the essential dramatic works of the last half
century" the past will always be worth living, as
long as DVDs like this one come along to permit a
rediscovery of a great play.
The DVD includes an interview with cinematographer
David Watkin, the theatrical trailer, an essay by
Michael Feingold, a stills gallery, and the usual
monotonous assortment of AFT extras.
|
