So, I finally got my hands on that Arrow release of Southland Tales. Took me a while, but I managed to snag one. You know how it is with these cult films – they pop up, everyone talks about them for a bit, and then you gotta decide if it’s worth the shelf space. This movie, man, it’s a real divider. People either hail it as some kind of misunderstood genius or just call it a hot mess. I was curious to see if the Arrow treatment would, you know, make it click for me this time around.
First Impressions of the Arrow Edition
Straight out of the mailer, the Arrow package itself felt pretty solid. They usually do a decent job, and this one had that nice sturdy feel, the kind of thing you don’t get from just streaming something. The artwork was cool, definitely eye-catching. And of course, there was a little booklet inside – I always flip through those, see if there’s any interesting tidbit or essay. It’s part of the whole physical media experience, right? You’re not just buying a movie; you’re buying a thing.
Then I put the disc in. I was really hoping the transfer would be good. Arrow often does new scans, and with a film as visually dense and, frankly, sometimes chaotic as Southland Tales, a clean picture can make a difference. Or so I hoped. It definitely looked sharp, probably the best it’s ever looked, I’d wager.
But About the Movie Itself…
Okay, so here’s the thing. Even with the fancy new Arrow presentation, watching Southland Tales again was… an experience. And I mean that in every sense of the word. It’s still a sprawling, often baffling, piece of work. Richard Kelly really just threw everything he had into this one. Ideas, characters, plot threads – it’s like a Jackson Pollock painting, but with a narrative. Or several narratives, all tangled up.
It’s ambitious, no doubt about it. You gotta give the guy credit for swinging for the fences. But coherent? Mmm, not so much. Even with this supposedly definitive version, I found myself scratching my head plenty. It’s the kind of film where you feel like you should be getting something profound, but mostly you’re just trying to keep up. And let’s be honest, no amount of high-definition polish is going to untangle that plot entirely.
My Little Journey to This Disc
You might be wondering why I even bothered, especially if I knew it was such a wild ride. Well, it’s a bit of a story. I remember when Southland Tales first limped into theaters. I was stuck in this soul-crushing office job back then, the kind where you watch the clock from the moment you sit down. My evenings and weekends were precious, man, my only escape was usually movies or books.
There was this little independent video rental store I used to go to, one of the last of its kind. The owner, a quirky old fella named Mike, he knew I had a taste for the unusual. He kept pushing the DVD of Southland Tales on me. “It’s art, kid! They just don’t get it!” he’d say, waving the case around. I watched the trailer on a tiny, flickering TV he had in the corner and thought, “Nope, Mike, this looks like a car crash.” I never rented it.
Years went by. Mike’s store eventually closed down, like all the others. Streaming became the big thing. But then I started getting into collecting these special edition Blu-rays from labels like Arrow. They dig up these forgotten films, these cinematic oddballs, and give them this incredible treatment. And wouldn’t you know it, Southland Tales popped up in their catalog. It felt… fated, almost. Like I had to finally give it a proper shot, maybe for Mike, or maybe just because I’m older now and a little more patient with difficult films. Or maybe because my current job is just as stressful, and sometimes a dose of pure cinematic insanity is the only thing that cuts through the noise.
The Arrow Experience – Did It Help?
So, watching it this time, with the Arrow disc, it wasn’t just about the movie. It was about that whole journey. The special features were pretty decent, actually. Lots of interviews, some behind-the-scenes stuff. It didn’t magically make the film easy to understand – I don’t think anything could – but it did provide some context. You got a sense of the sheer, unadulterated ambition behind it all. It made me appreciate the attempt, even if the execution is still debatable.
The improved picture and sound definitely made it a more immersive kind of confusion, if that makes any sense. At least the chaos was well-presented chaos. And having the booklet, reading the essays, it all adds layers. You feel like you’re engaging with it on a different level than just hitting ‘play’ on a streaming app.
So, Was It Worth It?
At the end of the day, is the Arrow release of Southland Tales a must-buy? Look, if you’re a die-hard fan of the film, then absolutely. It’s probably the best version you’re gonna get. If you’re a collector of weird cinema, or someone like me who enjoys the archaeological dig of watching a notorious film with fresh eyes and all the trimmings, then yeah, I’d say go for it. It’s a lovingly crafted package for a deeply, deeply flawed, but endlessly fascinating, movie.
It won’t convert the haters. It won’t suddenly make everything crystal clear. But it’s a testament to the film’s strange, enduring cult status. And sometimes, wrestling with a film like this, especially when it’s presented so well, is its own kind of reward. It certainly gave me a lot to think about, and sometimes that’s all you can ask for from a movie night.
