Long Day's Journey Into Night [Blu-ray]

This is a landmark brilliant film of perhaps Eugene O'Neill's great play. The directing by Sidney Lumet and the acting by Katharine Hepburn, Ralph Richardson, Jason Robards, and Dean Stockwell is nothing less than amazing. This has got to be one of the 3 all-time greatest performaces from the late Ms. Hepburn!

Simply one of the most amazing films of the 1960's.

This should have been issued on Criteron. We should have gotten a first-rate restoration job with either a good documentary/back story on the making of the film, or a commentary by the two survivors of the film, Dean Stockwell and Sidney Lumet.

Instead we get a nearly public-domain quality release.

I'm so happy to finally get this important film on DVD...but I'm utterly disappointed at the slap-dash quality one has come to expect from Artisan.

If you need constant action to be entertained, don't subject yourself to Long Day's Journey Into Night - if, however, you are interested in the depth of the human heart and the catharsis of a shattering tragedy, this film will stay with you forever.

Yet, when we ask ourselves why each of the characters has drowned themselves in alcohol, an interesting notion arises. All of them use Hepburn's character as an excuse to begin drinking again, brought on by their painful realization that she is still addicted to morphine. And yet, I don't get the sense that anyone really wants to give up his or her own habit. In fact, one gets the feeling that they almost hope Hepburn's character relapses so that they can continue to justify their own need. Every character gains the audience's sympathy in this film, only to be destroyed by the memories of another character on stage. While I agree with those who believe that this sort of film is overdone, alcohol loosening the inhibitions of those in the film so that an open and free dialogue can continue long into the night, I think that it is nevertheless a real and emotional genre.

Despite all of its wonderful qualities, _A Long Day's Journey Into Night_ is certainly true to its name-long. One gets the sense that it is being shot in real-time. While the dialogue is engaging and effective, I think that its length will turn off many viewers. Still, if you are willing to spend the time with it, I highly recommend this film.