151 Traffic

[Martha]

Traffic



Traffic examines the question of drugs as politics, business, and lifestyle. With an innovative, color-coded cinematic treatment distinguishing his interwoven stories, Steven Soderbergh embroils viewers in the lives of a newly appointed drug czar and his family, a West Coast kingpin’s wife, a key informant, and police officers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. The film, delivering a complex and nuanced take on this issue of such great international importance without sacrificing any energy or suspense, is a contemporary classic, and the winner of four Oscars, for best director, best screenplay, best editing, and best supporting actor for Benicio del Toro

Disc Features

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION:

- Restored digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Steven Soderbergh and supervising sound editor and rerecording mixer Larry Blake (with 5.1 and 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks on the Blu-ray editions)
- Three audio commentaries, featuring Soderbergh and writer Stephen Gaghan; producers Laura Bickford, Edward Zwick, and Marshall Herskovitz and consultants Tim Golden and Craig Chretien; and composer Cliff Martinez
- Twenty-five deleted scenes, with optional commentary by Soderbergh and Gaghan
- Three sets of demonstrations: one on film processing and the look of the Mexico sequences; one on film editing, with commentary by editor Stephen Mirrione; and one on dialogue editing
- Additional unused footage of various scenes, from multiple angles
- Theatrical trailers and television spots
- Gallery of trading cards depicting the U.S. Customs canine squad used to detect narcotics and illegal substances
- PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Manohla Dargis


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[benm]

just re-watched this thing and i never get bored with this film. it may not be ground-breaking cinema but soderbergh actually manages to provide a nuanced look at the war on drugs, that was actually popular with the audience.

does anyone know if it was only due to space that a full directors cut wasn't included. the deleted scenes amount to almost 30 minutes and hearing the director and writer discussing the importance of the scenes makes me wish (and they too) that the film had been even longer.

criterion could have done something like they do on other DVDs where you can include deleted scenes by pressing a button when a certain symbol appears on the screen?

[Oedipax]

I think seamless branching was a great idea for DVD but its execution has been pretty sloppy - DVDs that use it have had lots of problems with different players treating them differently, freezing up, playing the wrong thing, etc. It's less work most of the time to just put both cuts on a couple discs, if that's the case. With Traffic though I would guess Soderbergh wanted the scenes to stand apart from the film, otherwise I'm sure Criterion would be interested in having an exclusive "director's cut" a la Brazil.

[benm]

yeah i forgot about brazil. traffic would have been much better that way. all throughout the commentary on the deleted scenes they're both bemoaning the cutting of those scenes and how it was mostly because they were worried about how long the movie was and that people might not want to sit through it. and i didn't know that there were so many problems with seamless branching. i've rarely used it but when i did i had no problems.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

just re-watched this thing and i never get bored with this film. it may not be ground-breaking cinema but soderbergh actually manages to provide a nuanced look at the war on drugs, that was actually popular with the audience.

Yeah, this is definitely one of favourite Soderbergh films and I was so happy to see Criterion give it their deluxe treatment. I really enjoyed his commentary with Stephen Gaghan which was excellent, a nice mix of informative factoids and entertaining anecdotes.

I particularly find the film's style to be very engaging -- how Soderbergh keeps the three stories separate and distinctive with their own respective color palettes.

[ben d banana]

Soderbergh has pointed out in at least one of his commentaries that he cuts and cuts and cuts to the point of being asked to leave more in, as opposed to directors who have to be begged/forced to edit.

[zedz]

Soderbergh has pointed out in at least one of his commentaries that he cuts and cuts and cuts to the point of being asked to leave more in, as opposed to directors who have to be begged/forced to edit.

Further to this, I didn't detect any major craving in Soderbergh's commentary for an extended "director's cut" of the film, and got the strong impression that he stands by the released version and was happy with his choices. Most directors have some lingering fondness for their deleted scenes (or they presumably wouldn't have shot them in the first place), but there's a big difference between a "maybe we could have left this in" comment and open dissatisfaction with the issued cut.

But then, I'm generally opposed to the proliferation of "director's cuts" as a DVD marketing gimmick. Second thoughts shouldn't always be followed through (especially when they're premeditated, marketing-fuelled 'second thoughts').

[benm]

no he explicitly says that he regrets making some cuts and that a lot of the cuts were due to wanting the movie to be well-received (or at least not bombing).

[ben d banana]

Hmm, I don't recall that but I'll take your word for it as you've clearly watched it more recently than I. It does go against his usual method however.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

In Biskind's recent "Down And Dirty Pictures" on the rise of Miramax we read that the first cut of Traffic - nearly four hours long - was considered very confusing - and the theatrical cut (though equally confusing)

How so? I didn't have any problems following what was going on.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

In Biskind's recent "Down And Dirty Pictures" on the rise of Miramax we read that the first cut of Traffic - nearly four hours long - was considered very confusing - and the theatrical cut (though equally confusing)

How so? I didn't have any problems following what was going on.

How so? I didn't have any problems following what was going on.

Can you really say what Benicio's character is up to ? Does the narrative make this clear ?

I believe so. Benicio's character is a cop who is tracking down drug dealers and realizes that is superiors are in cahoots with a rival drug gang. At first, he is a pawn in their game and helps them get rid of their rivals and then he turns the tables on them by ratting them out to the US authorities.

[dvdane]

I believe so. Benicio's character is a cop who is tracking down drug dealers and realizes that is superiors are in cahoots with a rival drug gang. At first, he is a pawn in their game and helps them get rid of their rivals and then he turns the tables on them by ratting them out to the US authorities.

It depends on what one defines as "clear". The ultimate intentions of Javier are never discussed or suggested. It is very clear, that he will become turn sides. Almost from the very beginning, Javier is portraited as an honest man, as he helps the tourists without asking or recieving money. He is portrayed as a dedicated police officer, who will do almost anything to bring down justice, and his incorruptibility is noted upon several times by reaction-cuts. As soon as we thrugh Javier learn, that his partner is dirty and that Salazar is the dirt, the turn should be obvious to everyone, as Fletch pointed out.

But his intentions towards Manolo's wife, towards his own family and towards building the baseball field, are never noted upon. They are left unsaid, to demonstrate the pointlessness of his work.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

But his intentions towards Manolo's wife, towards his own family and towards building the baseball field, are never noted upon. They are left unsaid, to demonstrate the pointlessness of his work.

And that's what I like about his character. There is enough unanswered stuff (i.e. what some of his motivations are for doing certain things) that is left up to our imagination and not all spelled out. And the way the film ends, with Javier enjoying a baseball game is a nice, poetic way to end the film and you can view it as a optimistic ending in the sense that he made a small bit of difference in that he got the baseball field made for his community, or pessimistic in that he will probably be killed because he's pissed off some very powerful people in his country who either know he burned them or they will find out.

[swingo]

A lot of the mexican drug dealers, are raised on a poor socioeconomic level, a lot of them are also, very religious and faithful to the guadalupe virgin.

Most of them, when they reach certain level of power and money, retribute it on helping their own people, they offer well paid jobs on the little towns they were from, they put churches, they give money to the church, and that's why a lot of people (mostly fellow citizens of the same city) protect them.

the conduct of Javier is somehow the same, helping his own city, reckoning the poverty of the city itself and somehow, cleaning his conscience.

Axel.

[ben d banana]

From the Syriana thread:

All the problems it illustrated and revealed in the war on drugs were quite undercooked.

Hmm... how, if you don't mind saying? It's not as though the war on drugs is based upon the most sophisticated of principles. I've heard a similar complaint before, in particular regarding the white daughter hooking up with the black drug dealer to show just how far she had fallen. For me it's much more about the ambiguities of character and Soderbergh's mastery of style.

[Dr. Mabuse]

Conflicting reporting. Criterion website says it's still available. However this story says otherwise.

But Image soon will release some potential mainstream breakthrough product. Criterion's 2002 spin on Academy Award-winner Traffic, which is currently out of print, is expected to be re-released in 2006.

I have e-mail JM so I guess we'll know sooner rather than later.

[mmiesner]

Traffic
SRP: $39.95
Prebook date: 1/31/06
Street date: 3/7/06

i would wager all money it is Jacque Tati's 'Traffic'. if i'm wrong i'll buy you a donut.

[kappoka]

I saw Fists in the Pocket only once in my life many years ago and I still remember it vividly and this makes my 2006 disc of the year so far...

I wish it was Tati's Traffic.
Here is the official word

Traffic - Steven Soderbergh examines the effect of drugs as politics, business, and lifestyle, interweaving the stories of a newly appointed drug czar and his family, a West Coast kingpin's wife, a key informant, and cops on both sides of the U.S./Mexican border. Instantly recognized as a classic, Traffic appeared on more than 200 critics' ten-best lists, and earned five Academy Award nominations.

Cat: CC1622D
Title: Traffic
UPC: 7-15515-01722-0
SRP: $39.95
Prebook date: 1/31/06
Street date: 3/7/06

[FilmFanSea]

I would've been disappointed if they had released Tati's Trafic before we get the retored and remastered Playtime, which I've been anticipating for two years now. But a re-release of Soderbergh's Traffic??? Makes absolutely no sense to me. What could they possibly add or change from the current loaded 2-disc release that would make anyone want to spend another $40?

[Gigi M.]

That's obviously a mistake. Why would they announced Soderbergh's Traffic again? It's Tati's Traffic. Wait and see.

Great month by the way. Looking forward to that Malle set and Mr. Arkadin.

By the way can you please post a link of the press release. Thanks

This is release info on Soderbergh's Traffic

Catalog Number:
CC1581D
ISBN:
1-55940-928-2
UPC:
6-96306-0389-2-4
SRP: $39.95

[Buttery Jeb]

I believe the Soderburg "Traffic" SE was on moratorium, an after effect of USA Films (who originally licensed the film to Criterion) ceasing to exist after becoming Focus. This is just an announcement that a new printing is being done, so stores can order accordingly (probably just in time for when "Syriana" to hit stores).

Looks like "Fists in the Pocket" is an early winner of the 2006 "Annual Criterion Release of a Classic Film By a Random Italian Director," (see: "Divorce Italian Style," "Salvatore Guilano" and the two Olmi films). I've never had the chance to see this but I've wanted to, so this announcement is a hum-dinger of a surprise.

"Mr. Arkadin" = No-brainer. I'm less interested in the Malle titles though.

-BJ

[Dr. Mabuse]

The Traffic rumor was reported back in October.

But Image soon will release some potential mainstream breakthrough product. Criterion's 2002 spin on Academy Award-winner Traffic, which is currently out of print, is expected to be re-released in 2006.

[FilmFanSea]

Thanks for that explanation, BJ (and the confirmation, Dr. Mabuse)---makes a lot more sense now.

[ellipsis7]

It must be a a simple re-release... What more could be added to the previous package...

MR ARKADIN is great...

[kappoka]

Buttery jeb may be onto something. I contacted someone at Criterion (please don't ask who) ----it is certainly not Mulvaney, who by the way does not exist---he is imaginary like Keyser Soze--- and they gave a scary answer. They said Traffic was being re-released (it is not out of print) through Image Entertainment--the company that now distributes all Criterion titles--If this is the case, then what sinister plans does Image have in the future? Are they going to continue recycling old releases and cut back on new product OR is Criterion going to release more titles on a month to month basis which would include recycled stuff? Jugding by March releases, it's not good. We did not need another edition of Traffic did we?