Product Description

Under the Volcano follows the final day in the life of self-destructive British consul Geoffrey Firmin (Albert Finney, in an Oscar-nominated tour de force) on the eve of World War II. Withering from alcoholism, Firmin stumbles through a small Mexican village amidst the Day of the Dead fiesta, attempting to reconnect with his estranged wife (Jacqueline Bisset) but only further alienating himself. John Huston's ambitious tackling of Malcolm Lowry's towering "unadaptable" novel gave the incomparable Finney one of his grandest roles and was the legendary The Treasure of the Sierra Madre director's triumphant return to filmmaking in Mexico.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46360 in DVD
• Brand: Image Entertainment
• Released on: 2007-10-23
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 112 minutes

Amazon.com
The Criterion Collection release of Under The Volcano reaffirms director John Huston's affinity for tragedies starring outcasts and wayward souls (see also The Misfits and Night of the Iguana). Adapted from Malcolm Lowry's novel set in Cuernavaca, Mexico, 1938, on the eve of WW II, Under The Volcano recounts the tragic life of British Consul Geoffrey Firmin's (Albert Finney) final struggles with alcoholism during Day of the Dead, as his estranged wife, Yvonne (Jaqueline Bisset) returns from New York to patch up their marriage and to encourage his sobering up. From the opening scene, Firmin is relentlessly drunk, mumbling Shakespearean-like rants with a dark sense of humor about the horrors of war and the perils of love. Finney's stunning performance recalls the best of Richard Burton (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), who was originally offered the role. Fortunately for the viewer, Finney was cast, as his compellingly dour portrayal of Firmin is undeniably masterful. Set in bars, restaurants, and amongst the plaza's Dia de los Muertos festivities featuring devils and skeletons alongside garlands and balloons, Under The Volcano's visual splendor underscores the decadence of Finney's drinking habit. There is not a single shot missing a bottle of liquor, and as Finney's health deteriorates the weather in the film subtly mimics his psychological state. The film is as wondrous as it is devastating. Included as extras on this DVD are the Richard Burton-narrated "Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life of Malcolm Lowry," a captivating documentary about the author's life, and an hour-long documentary about the making of the film. --Trinie Dalton

Customer Reviews

Finney is Tops
Albert Finney's performance in this film is masterful! I have never seen anyone, not even Nicolas Cage in LEAVING LAS VEGAS, capture the wild emotional swings and physical tics of a drunk better than Finney does in this film. John Huston uses the atmosphere of Cuernavaca(where I am currently living) very well too.Anyone interested in great film acting should see this movie. Bravo to all involved, especially Mr Finney. He gives a a truly fantastic, award-worthy performance!

Read the book first, then watch the documentary, then see the feature...
I saw this film a while back, and while I liked it, but it never really sent me, despite all the critical acclaim. Years later, I read the book, and the book is light years better than the film. I usually say the opposite, but Lowry's prose is amazing to behold, and this film is a rather straightforward rendering of the novel, which diminishes its power. I would have preferred a more hallucinatory quality to the film, similar to that of the novel. I commend John Huston for tackling such a daunting project. Albert Finney's performance is superb. The film isn't horrible, and it should be seen at least once. The feature, though, just doesn't have what the novel had, which is a shame.

One of the great things about this new Criterion edition is that it contains a rare, rare Canadian documentary called Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life of Malcolm Lowry. This documentary was briefly on VHS, then disappeared for a very long time. I bought it in a used VHS sale at my Blockbuster. I asked them why they were selling it, and they said "it had only been rented once in 2 years" (guess who was the sole renter). It was made at a time where documentaries were very rarely made (and getting them released was even more difficult). It is a remarkable film chronicling one of the most self destructive authors/artists you will ever likely encounter. Many of the images from the film were shot in Mexico during the Day of the Dead celebration, giving this film a strange, surreal vibe that is very effective. Lowry had spent time in Mexico during this celebration, and it had a major impact on his novel. Lowry was a major alcoholic, completely innudated by booze, beyond repair. His life was such a catastrophe in many ways, yet, he somehow wrote one of the greatest novels of the 20th century (which continues to be in print and talked about today). Under the Volcano is the only novel that Lowry really completed during his lifetime, but it's magnificent. This film really delves into Lowry's pysche, and you see the horror of being a man. It's a difficult and painful film, but the filmmakers never turn it into a cheap, sensationalistic film. It's narrated by Richard Burton, who had one of the greatest voices an actor ever possessed. Burton's narration lends a dignity to this film, and to Lowry's life. This is one of the greatest documentaries I've ever seen, and hopefully, it will become better known, thanks to its release on DVD. The documentary on Lowry is better than Huston's film.

Under the Table
John Huston was 78 when he made Malcolm Lowrey's novel of one man's descent into booze, death and bitterness (south of the border style)into a film.
It is well documented-- Author, Lowrey, tortured himself and then wrote a 400 page-- sad-sack account of a British diplomat drinking himself and his soul into oblivion (just before WWll).

Albert Finney gives one of the most devastating portrayals of an intellectual mind pickled in alcohol-- ever captured on-screen. And, the legendary director, John Huston, shoves our faces in it.
To be sure, it's beauty with a black-heart.
Don't miss it before you die.