The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Blu-ray Disc)

Merely owning this film is enough for me, but to have it in Blu-ray high-definition only feels like the proper way to have it in my collection and the same can be said for the other four nominees for the Best Cinematography Oscar in 2008. This film is absolutely brilliant from its technical design to its masterful storytelling. The Assassination of Jesse James is a true bit of storytelling and if you don't realize it while you are watching you will once it is over and the titles hit the screen for the very first time. The use of a third party narrator gives you the feeling that you are sitting down around a fire and listening to the story for the first time no matter how many times you have seen the film and several of these scenes will stick with you long after the film ends.

So much as already been said about the performances given in this film by Casey Affleck and Brad Pitt. The complaint that the film's title is too long and downright annoying is a legitimate one, but it is done for a reason. As much as Pitt is the lead in this film as the iconic Jesse James, Affleck steals the show with a performance as the weasley Robert Ford that is one of the best you are going to see.

The film picks up in the middle of what is a much larger story, something you will learn on the disc's only special feature. You are thrust into the "later" years of James' life as the James band goes their separate ways and Jesse goes off on his own ventures. This film doesn't give you any answers as much as it simply lays the questions in front of you. Quizzical looks on screen will be duplicated with the furrow of your own brow as you do your best to decipher just what each character on screen is thinking. Pitt's cold stares and Affleck's fidgeting will often make you uncomfortable, but only to a point that you can feel the tension as if you are watching a slice of life and not a movie.

As I mentioned in the opening, in high-definition Blu-ray this film sparkles. Roger Deakins was not nominated for both Assassination of Jesse James and No Country for Old Men in the cinematography category because he is a hack. Deakins has been nominated for seven Oscars and I would dare say his cinematography work on the un-nominated Jarhead was some of the best of 2005 and should have been recognized. The combination of Deakins' camerawork and the direction by Andrew Dominik propels this film into a piece of art. Everything flows so well and with the combination of a haunting score by Warren Ellis and Nick Cave this film really has no flaws.

As far as the package goes, that is the only area this disc is lacking. Equipped with a lone 30 minute special feature looking at the life of Jesse James the disc is in need of some beef. There needs to be a commentary with the people we hear in the very well done featurette. There needs to be an actual making-of feature, I would venture to say a feature length documentary is in order. Truthfully I think Warner Bros. mishandled this film from the word go.

Assassination of Jesse James sat on the back burner for far too long and once WB finally released it they squandered overwhelmingly positive reviews by releasing the film in a paltry 301 theaters in which it amassed just shy of $4 million. What kind of treatment is that for a film that was nominated for two Oscar awards and has a 75% rating at Rotten Tomatoes?

Hopefully it will find success on DVD and a special edition will be released later on down the line or perhaps in 20 years Criterion will get their mitts on it and give fans of the film all they could ever ask for. For now, this is what you get and if you have a high-definition player I recommend holding out for the Blu-ray or HD DVD editions because it is well worth it.