Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2618 in DVD
• Released on: 1999-11-15
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Dubbed, Full Screen, PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Dutch
• Dubbed in: German
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 113 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Robin Williams and Annabella Sciorra star in this visually stunning metaphysical tale of life after death. Neurologist Chris and artist Annie had the perfect life until they lost their children in an auto accident; they're just starting to recover when Chris meets an untimely death himself. He's met by a messenger named Albert (Cuba Gooding Jr.) and taken to his own personal afterlife--a freshly drawn world reminiscent of Annie's own artwork, still dripping and wet with paint. Meanwhile a depressed Annie takes her own life, compelling Chris to traverse heaven and hell to save Annie from an eternity of despair.

The multitextured visuals seem to have been created from a lost fairy tale. Heaven recalls the landscape paintings of Thomas Cole and Renaissance architecture complete with floating cherubs, while hell is a massive shipwreck, an upside-down cathedral overgrown with thorns and a sea of groaning faces popping out of the ground (one of those faces is German director Werner Herzog). Williams is the perfect actor to play against the imaginative computer-generated imagery--he himself is a human special effect. But the lack of chemistry between Williams and Sciorra is painfully apparent, and the flashback plot structure flattens the story's impact despite its deeply felt examinations of the heart and the spirit. Still, there's no denying Eugenio Zanetti's triumphant production design and the Oscar-winning special effects, which create a fully formed universe that is at once beautiful, eerie, and a unique example of movie magic. --Shannon Gee

Special Features
2.35 Anamorphic Wide Screen
DVD 5
German
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English German
Dolby Digital 5.1
Interactive Menus
Original Theatrical Trailer
Cast And Crew Interviews
German

Synopsis
One man's visually compelling journey through heaven, hell, and other worlds. Chris Nielsen (Williams) dies but cannot rest until he finds and joins his deceased wife (Sciorra) in the afterlife with the help of a friendly spirit (Gooding Jr.). Academy Award winner, Best Visual Effects, nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration.

Customer Reviews

brill
ok so how many words can you get out of a thesaurus that coincides with spectacular? this film is truly magnificent, its just one of those films which you dont get sick of, i used to watch it almost daily and im of a young adolescent age, and yes iam straight, thats how powerful a film it is! trust in me ladies and gentleman its a tear quencher, i loved every minute of it and i still do! its good to watch when your really angry or upset because you can just get rid of all your anger and float away or you can cry along with robin, lets face it, this film is underrated and should be in my opinion in the top 100 emotional films of all time. if you like a good depressing film with a really nice ending this is the one for you!
if this were a meal you were about to eat id say some of my del boy french thrases, oh what the hell!
Bon appetite
x

Robin Williams.......at it again !!
Visually stunning - with Very Special effects.

Script is disappointing in places - thought I was seeing a movie that would spawn many similar at the time - though not to be - this movie stands out alone as a representation of the "Afterlife" like no other movie I have seen.

If you have ever questioned continued existence after 'death' I urge you to see this movie.

From a very human story of grief and love lost - it becomes a passionate epic of searching - pining - and eventually reuniting. Painful at times to share the characters experiences, but ultimately - if actually considered - the movie might even change your perspective.
I loved it.

The film is not like the book
This is a typical Robin Williams film, sentimental to the extreme which is fine if that's what you are expecting. If you are expecting a true rendition of Richard Matheson's book then forget it. The only similarity to the book is that Chris Nielsen, the main character, dies and discovers there is life after death. From thereon in the story differs wildly. The book focuses more on Chris's voyage of discovery in the afterlife and on his being drawn to his wife whose grieving is preventing him from fully letting go of his earthly life. The film sees the poor woman left grieving for not only Chris, but her two children who have been killed in a car crash.
All that aside, is this a good film? It depends on your expectations. The effects are excellent and the colour rendition of 'heaven' is truly amazing if somewhat Dali like in its surrealism. Heaven is portrayed a place from a renaissance painting. Hell is shown as a dark and despairing place, pretty much as you would expect but again filmed with flair and a brilliant eye for detail. Chris's 'guide' through the afterlife is played, with style, by Cuba Gooding Junior. Visually this film is a feast but the storyline will leave most viewers depressed and drained. It isn't a comfortable movie to watch. Unlike the book which, although very sad at times, portrays a more positive note, the movie leaves you with a feeling of desperation that so much tragedy could happen to one family.
It is probably worth viewing this film at least once as long as you are not depressed at the time...just keep tissues by your side. It isn't a movie you would want to watch time and time again.