I don't really care for movies, they make everything seem so close up

"The Accidental Tourist" DVD Review

I cannot recall if I'd seen The Accidental Tourist before. I'd certainly read Anne Tyler before (Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant for Year 12, and I was happy to see Tourist on this year's VCE list) and I'd certainly trawled the credits for the ILM visual effects before (they did the plane into the clouds shot at the start), but don't think I'd watched it from go to whoah. And I'm glad I hadn't. I may have bagged it for being too slow. Which it is. It is a measured pace. But it's completely in keeping with the film. The William Hurt character makes a slow, gradual change during the course of the movie and any faster would have betrayed that arc. Any slower, and I would have fallen asleep. My parents certainly did when they watched it, as they couldn't recall the scene that gave me the chills, namely when Hurt's character goes to the World Trade Centre in New York, and proceeds to have a panic attack up the top as he remembers his deceased son.

I also didn't recall (until watching the extras on the DVD) that this configuration of filmmakers were doing their second effort, their first being Body Heat. Yes, same lead actors (Hurt and Kathleen Turner) and same writer/director Lawrence Kasdan. Could they be any more different movies? Kasdan also with Hurt on The Big Chill before this and on I Love You To Death since.



I know it's superficial also, but one of my other favorite aspects of this movie, is the dog, Edward. Maybe a corgi crossed with something, he is one of the most beautifully expressive dogs I've seen in a movie. And is cute as a button too!
I can't comment on the novel to film translation, but Kasdan and Hurt have done a fine job of slowing filling the Macon character with life essence. Geena Davis does a fine job also, of being the person to give him that shutzpah. The final shots of Macon coming into view through the taxi window are heartbreaking.





The disc is nicely presented for a budget DVD, anamorphic widescreen plus a small but quality set of extras: introduction by Kasdan, brief commentary by Geena Davis, a vintage featurette (which includes a new interview with Kasdan) and a substantial number of interesting deleted scenes totally 40 minutes. Better to be thankful for what you have rather than complain about what you don't have I say. Recommended.