Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18288 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-08-21
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish
• Dubbed in: Italian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 126 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Dark secrets, family torments and two murders swirl around the stoic, hardened figure of Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates), a housekeeper accused of murdering her employer of 22 years. Then there was that timely accident that took Dolores's husband (David Strathairn) during the solar eclipse of 1975. Yet with all the sombre suffering that follows Dolores like a miasma of pain, none of it compares with the heartache of a relationship she has with her grown daughter (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Although this flick is rife with horror, it is not of the supernatural kind, but rather of the torment only real people can impose on one another. The script is full of colourful language, and director Taylor Hackford successfully weaves several plot threads and psychological dilemmas throughout this engrossing tale without diminishing any of them. He not only culls intense performances from his cast, but he also brings to life the landscape around them. When Dolores Claiborne's best-kept secret is finally given up, it occurs under the surreal backdrop of a solar eclipse that is a truly sensational bit of cinematography. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Amazon.co.uk Review
Dark secrets, family torments and two murders swirl around the stoic, hardened figure of Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates in one of her most magnetic screen performances), a housekeeper accused of murdering her employer of 22 years. Then there was that timely accident that took Dolores's husband (David Strathairn) during the solar eclipse of 1975. Yet with all the sombre suffering that follows Dolores like a miasma of pain, none of it compares with the heartache of a relationship she has with her grown daughter (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Although Dolores Claiborne is rife with horror, it is not of the supernatural kind, but rather of the torment only real people can impose on one another. The script, adapted from Stephen King's novel, successfully weaves several plot threads and psychological dilemmas throughout this engrossing tale without diminishing any of them. Director Taylor Hackford not only culls intense performances from his cast, but also brings to life the haunting, autumnal landscape around them. When the film's best-kept secret is finally given up, it occurs under the surreal backdrop of a solar eclipse: a truly sensational piece of cinematography that crowns a movie replete with indelible images and intense emotions. --Rochelle O'Gorman

On the DVD: In Dolores Claiborne, the autumnal landscape of Nova Scotia is as much a principal character as any of the actors. As a result, the film is crucially dependent on the subtleties of the cinematographer's sense of time and place. The superb clarity of the widescreen DVD transfer only enhances the movie's steely cool atmosphere. Director Taylor Hackford gives a detailed and illuminating commentary--elucidating the cast's performance and explaining the careful photography of every scene. Though the commentary is the only extra feature, it adds more real value than most two disc sets can manage. --Mark Walker

The Washington Post
An engrossing, powerful psychological thriller.

Customer Reviews

Who is Dolores ?
Who is Dolores ? - a greedy monster and a murderer or an unhappy woman for whom an accident is sometimes a best friend? Kathy Bates received the Oscar for her portrayal of a psychotic nurse in another King's adaptation, "Misery" but I believe that Dolores Claiborne is her best role. She carries the film and I don't think that any other actress could fit the part as well as Bates did which brings the question - maybe King wrote the book with her in mind, who knows? Judy Parfitt is extremely well cast as Vera Donovan, an arrogant ice queen, who was capable of understanding and care for Dolores and her daughter and who knew too well about loneliness and despair. David Strathairn deserves high praise for his Joe St. George, Dolores's abusive husband and Selena's father from hell.

Spellbinding, classy, entertainment
A seriously underrated movie.

Direction is first class, photography is brilliant, particularly in the flashbacks where it helps create mood.

The cast is splendid. I agree with most other reviewers that Kathy Bates is on top form, but also look for a star turn from our own Judy Parfitt.

The whole thing has a quality that feels more British than Hollywood. Maybe that is because the setting in Maine is as close to us as it is to California.

I'm afraid to say much about the plot in case you have never seen it, but it is a clever and engaging story.

For the price of a drink, this has to be a must.

A perfect slice of Americana
Very few King adaptations stay completely true to the original novels however apart from the big names such as Carrie, Misery, Shawshank Redemption,The green mile and The Shining very few King adaptations gain any recognition/critical acclaim. A few years ago I saw Needful Things and I can't get over the mediocre reviews on this site the book is at the moment my favorite novel, but the film was very enjoyable. Dolores Claiborne however starts with a horrific and mysterious accident which keeps you both disturbed but determined to seek answers and that is how the film takes off and with the terrific job from the director and of course King legend Kathy Bates its bound to be an eye opener. Watch it now!