Filmmaker Susan Siedelman’s debut film “Smithereens” is a unique film for its time and a film that documents life in New York in 1982 and so much more! A Criterion Collection DVD worth checking out!
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TITLE: Smithereens – The Criterion Collection #941
YEAR OF FILM: 1982
DURATION: 93 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Color, 1:66:1 Aspect Ratio, Monaural, with English subtitles
COMPANY: The Criterion Collection
RELEASED: August 21, 2018
Directed by Susan Seidelman
Story by Susan Seidelman, Ron Nyswaner
Screenplay by Ron Nyswaner, Peter Askin
Produced by Joanne Gross, Susan Siedelman
Music by Glenn Mercer, Bill Million
Cinematography by Chirine El Khadem
Edited by Susan Siedelman
Production Design by Franz Harland
Costume Design by Alison Lances
Starring:
Susan Berman as Wren
Brad Rijn as Paul
Richard Hell as Eric
Nada Despotovich as Cecile
Roger Jett as Billy – Eric’s Roommate
Kitty Summerall as Eric’s Wife
Susan Seidelman established her distinctive vision of 1980s New York with this debut feature, the lo-fi original for her vibrant portraits of women reinventing themselves. After escaping New Jersey, the quintessentially punk Wren (Susan Berman)—a sparkplug in fishnets who lives dangerously downtown moves to the city with the mission of becoming famous. When not pasting up flyers for herself or hanging at the Peppermint Lounge, she’s getting involved with Paul (Brad Rijn), the nicest guy to ever live in a van next to the highway, and Eric (Richard Hell), an aloof rocker. Shot on 16 mm film that captures the grit and glam of the setting, with an alternately moody and frenetic soundtrack by the Feelies and others, Smithereens—the first independent American film to compete for the Palme d’Or is an unfaded snapshot of a bygone era.
Filmmaker/writer/producer Susan Siedelman may be known for directing “Desperately Seeking Susan” starring Madonna and Meryl Streep’s first comedic film “She-Devil” but her first film “Smithereens” is known as Siedelman’s debut film.
The debut film for screenwriter Ron Nyswaner (Oscar-nominated for “Philadelphia) and was the first American independent film to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival and is considered the precursor to “Desperately Seeking Susan” about female identity and self-reinvention. Themes which Siedelman has been interested even back in film school
The film would also star actress Susan Berman (“Making Mr. Right”, “Curtain Call”), Richard Hell (the innovator of punk music and fashion) and Brad Rijn (“Perfect Strangers”, “Special Effects”, “A Return to Salem’s Lot”) and the film would also be one of the first appearances on a film for actor Chris Noth (“Sex and the City”, “Law & Order”).
And “Smithereens” was released on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
“Smithereens” revolves around Wren (portrayed by Susan Berman), a narcissistic woman from New Jersey who wants to be in a band and join the punk subculture. She quickly learns that people are going to Los Angeles and now she wants to go to Los Angeles, anyway she can.
Even if it means getting closer to guys for the sake of furthering her ambition of working in the punk music industry.
The problem is, as Wren is used to using people, she’s burning her bridges and the people she comes across with, also want to use her.
She’s behind on rent and is kicked out, but she seems to have found refuge with nice guy Paul (portrayed by Brad Rijn), a young guy from Montana who is New York City in the middle of a road trip before he heads out to New England.
Paul is very interested in Wren, but she just wants to use him for convenience (as she has no place to stay) and she’s clear to him that she’s not interested in him and more interested in the fact that she can stay in his dilapidated van.
But each time Paul feels he can take her out on a date and have fun, Wren immediately goes after Eric (portrayed by Richard Hell), the former member of the 70’s punk group Smithereens (Note: No relation to the ’80s band, The Smithereens).
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Smithereens” is presented in color (1:66:1 Aspect Ratio). According to the Criterion Collection, the new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director film scanner from the 16 mm A/B camera negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices and warps were manually removed using MTI film’s DAS, white Digital Vision’s was used for jitter, flicker, small dirt, grain and noise management.
For the most part, the film does show its age but considering how it looked before on video, the transfer is much better in terms of colors and definitely would look much better on HD ala Blu-ray than DVD. But for those looking to purchase the DVD, the film does look good. No softness, grain is evident, which is good. But with that being said, it’s shot in 16 mm, so some may feel the grain may be a bit excessive.
As for audio, the original monaural soundtrack was remastered from the 35 mm magnetic track. Clicks, thumps, hiss, hum and crackle were manually removed using Pro Tools HD and iZotope RX.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Smithereens” comes with the following special features:
- Susan Seidelman and Susan Berman – (41:20) A 2018 interview with both the filmmaker and actress.
- Audio Commentary – Featuring director Susan Seidelman recorded back in 2004.
- And You Act Like One Too – A short film when Susan Sidelman was a film student at New York University in 1976. Includes an introduction by Seidelman.
- Yours Truly, Andrea G. Stern – A sequel to her first student film. The short was made when she was a film student at New York University in 1979. Includes an introduction by Seidelman.
EXTRAS:
Featuring a five-page fold out with the essay “Breakfast at the Peppermint Lounge” by Rebecca Bengal.
I personally enjoyed Susan Seidelman’s “Smithereens”. For one, as a punk rock music fan growing up, it was cool to see that side of counterculture in the film.
In addition, the film is also a document of New York in the early 1980’s. New York in the ’70s and ’80s was not the nicest or cleanest place and how the city looked back then, it’s all captured in the film.
Shot with a very low budget, no permits and pretty much trying to stay within her tight budget, the fact that this film was released with the challenges faced by Seidelman and crew is impressive. It was guerilla filmmaking at its finest in 1980 New York.
Last but not least, it was the first American independent film to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival. If anything, the film did well, it gave Susan Siedelman her biggest film right after, which was directing mega pop star Madonna in her acting debut in “Desperately Seeking Susan” a few years later.
As for the film, you have a story about a woman named Wren who doesn’t have much social skills and she wants to do all that she can to be involved in the music industry, may it be to be in a band (despite not having musical talent) or managing one (Which she hasn’t done before). She is more or less a person who walks at her own pace, doing what she wants to do and no one telling her what to do.
She’s broke, she steals, she takes advantage of people, it’s the kind of person that she is.
She sees her opportunity to pursue punk rock music’s move to Los Angeles through former Smithereens punk band member, Eric.
Meanwhile, a cool, nice guy named Paul likes her, but for Wren, she sees him as a friend. A friend that she can take advantage of to live in his junky van because she couldn’t pay rent and was evicted.
For Paul, it bugs him that when they go out on dates, she leaves with Eric or spends time with him, leaving Paul alone and he’s starting to get sick and tired of being taken advantage.
Will Wren’s dream come true of traveling with a band/bandmember going to happen? Is she going to get the money to move out to Los Angeles?
Featuring a gritty story and cool music, one can see the film as karma of what goes around comes around with the character.
Also, included on the Criterion DVD is Susan Siedelman’s first two student films at New York University. The first about a marriage on the rocks and a woman picking up a guying needing a ride. The second is a sequel focusing on the woman’s daughter who can’t stand her mother’s new boyfriend.
Also, included is a 2018 interview with both Siedelman and actress Susan Berman. And an audio commentary featuring Susan Siedelman is also included.
Overall, “Smithereens” is film that I enjoyed for its free spirit, guerilla filmmaking. The premise is good, especially as old New York plays a big part in the film.
But if anything, it’s a good film about one’s dream of being part of the punk scene which has gravitated towards California and how far she would go in order to achieve that dream, even if she has to use people in the process.
Filmmaker Susan Siedelman’s debut film “Smithereens” is a unique film for its time and a film that documents life in New York in 1982 and so much more!
A Criterion Collection DVD worth checking out!