The Darjeeling Limited

DVD Rating: **

Reviewed by: Anton Bitel

Read Anton Bitel's film review of The Darjeeling Limited
The Darjeeling Limited
""

Unlike the three Whitman brothers' journey in the title film, this disc comes pretty uncluttered and unencumbered. There is no commentary, no flashy electronic press-kit-style promotional film. Instead, leaving aside the film itself (with optional audio description track for the visually impaired, and optional subtitles for the hearing impaired), there is a 21-minute no-frills, behind-the-scenes featurette, and the 12-minute short film Hotel Chevalier.

The latter fleshes out the backstory of Jason Schwartzman's character Jack and the relationship with a damaged ex that he has been fleeing, and was sensibly screened in British cinemas as an integral prelude to The Darjeeling Limited. Apart from being an excellent introduction to the film, it is of additional interest for including Natalie Portman's first (and, she is on record as saying, last) nude scene. There are options to watch it either separately from or together with the main feature.

Copy picture

The featurette intercuts some very low-key behind-the-scenes footage with a walking tour of the train set by production designer Mark Friedberg. He points out many of the extraordinarily intricate hand-crafted details on the train that you barely notice while watching the film but that certainly contribute subliminally to its atmosphere; and he points out some of the tricks used to adapt the train's interior for a working film crew. Waris Ahluwalia is spotted fearlessly wrangling a live cobra, and Wes Anderson is seen directing scenes (but never addresses or even acknowledges the camera).

Reviewed on: 08 Apr 2008
Share this with others on...
The Darjeeling Limited packshot
Three brothers take a 'spiritual journey' across India by train.
Amazon link

Product Code: 3627801000

Region: 2

Ratio: 16:9 anamorphic widescreen

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Extras: Hotel Chevalier short film, behind-the-scenes featurette, Fox trailer reel


Search database: