Nixon (1995) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A biographical story of former U.S. president Richard Milhous Nixon, from his days as a young boy to his eventual presidency which ended in shame. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 22 titles created 19 Sep 2013 a list of 35 titles created 03 Feb 2014 a list of 32 images created 17 Nov 2015 a list of 22 titles created 05 Dec 2015 a list of 36 titles created 7 months ago Search for " Nixon " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 13 nominations.

See more awards » Photos A chronicle of the life and presidency of George W. Bush . Director: Oliver Stone A New Orleans DA discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story. Director: Oliver Stone The biography of Ron Kovic. Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, he becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country he fought for. Director: Oliver Stone An American photojournalist gets caught in a political struggle at El Salvador in 1980. Director: Oliver Stone The final movie in Oliver Stone's Vietnam trilogy follows the true story of a Vietnamese village girl who survives a life of suffering and hardship during and after the Vietnam war. As a ... See full summary » Director: Oliver Stone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X The story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison , from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971.

Director: Oliver Stone A rude, contemptuous talk show host becomes overwhelmed by the hatred that surrounds his program just before it goes national. Director: Oliver Stone A young and impatient stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless and greedy corporate raider who takes the youth under his wing. Director: Oliver Stone A man heading to Vegas to pay off his gambling debt before the Russian mafia kills him, is forced to stop in an Arizona town where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Director: Oliver Stone Two Port Authority police officers become trapped under the rubble of the World Trade Center. Director: Oliver Stone A behind-the-scenes look at the life-and-death struggles of modern-day gladiators and those who lead them. Director: Oliver Stone About a 1839 mutiny aboard a slave ship that is traveling towards the northeastern coast of America. Much of the story involves a court-room drama about the free man who led the revolt. Director: Steven Spielberg Edit Storyline Director Oliver Stone's exploration of former president Richard Nixon's strict Quaker upbringing, his nascent political strivings in law school, and his strangely self-effacing courtship of his wife, Pat.

The contradictions in his character are revealed early, in the vicious campaign against Helen Gahagan Douglas and the oddly masochistic Checkers speech. His defeat at the hands of the hated and envied John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election, followed by the loss of the 1962 California gubernatorial race, seem to signal the end of his career. Yet, although wholly lacking in charisma, Nixon remains a brilliant political operator, seizing the opportunity provided by the backlash against the antiwar movement to take the presidency in 1968. It is only when safely in office, running far ahead in the polls for the 1972 presidential election, that his growing paranoia comes to full flower, triggering the Watergate scandal. Written by alfiehitchie Triumphant in Victory, Bitter in Defeat. He Changed the World, But Lost a Nation. See more » Genres: Rated R for language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 5 January 1996 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Gli intrighi del potere - Nixon See more » Filming Locations: Did You Know?

Trivia A major scene that was unable to be filmed was of Nixon and his family watching Patton (1970), Nixon's favorite movie, and one he watched repeatedly. The scene would've highlighted Patton's speech at the beginning of the film in which he says "Americans have never lost and will never lose a war, because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans" which would have had resonance with Nixon's line "I will not be the first President to lose a war." But George C. Scott did not relinquish his image rights for Patton, and the scene could not be filmed. See more » Goofs Flipped shot: when Nixon enters the Beverly Hilton ballroom, the campaign signs are backwards. See more » Quotes Written by Cedric King Palmer [Played during the training film at the beginning] (Oxford, OH) – See all my reviews I'm not normally a fan of Oliver Stone (in fact, I've NEVER liked an Oliver Stone picture before)but this one just blew me away. The reason I usually don't like him is that, though he is a great technical director and visual stylist, his scripts are heavy-handed and one-sided to the point of absurdity. But not here.

In fact, the script is perhaps the most impressive element in this whole movie, not only for how ambiguous and even-handed it is in dealing with Nixon as a character, but also for the brilliant way it moves around in time. It starts with Nixon, feeling embattled in the White House in 1973 as the Watergate hearings are upon him, and uses the device of him listening to his secret tapes to jump back and forth to previous eras, flawlessly moving between past and present to give an impressionistic, kaleidoscopic overview of the man's life, instead of following the staid and ho-hum linear approach most movie biographies take (most recent example: "Man on the Moon", the bio on Andy Kaufman which was a snoozer in spite of a great performance by Jim Carrey mainly because of the dry boring, "This happened. . .And then this happened" approach).

Another reason to see this film is the brilliant, absolutely overwhelming lead performance by Anthony Hopkins; his Nixon may not look or sound exactly like the 37th president (but come on, except maybe for Ed Sullivan, who does?) but he embodies his qualities - strengths as well as weaknesses - to such an enormous degree that he simply BECOMES Nixon, at least for the three hours the movie is on screen. I have to say, though, I was not nearly as impressed as every one else (critics and general audiences alike) seems to be about Joan Allen as Pat Nixon. It's nothing against her performance, she did fine, it's just that as written, the part is rather weak. In fact, I was much more bothered about the liberties the filmmakers took in fleshing out her character than in all the political events; it's like, whenever they wanted to have someone blast Nixon or act as his conscience, they'd trot out Ol' Pat, giving her some of the most embarrasingly "speechified" moments in all of the movies - almost none of their scenes together ringed true as husband as wife; it was more like Nixon sitting across from the Filmmakers' Conscience.

In fact, she's angry at him so often in the film you have to wonder, what exactly does she love about the man? The film never answers (or attempts to answer) this question. But this one minor quibble is not enough to make me downgrade this film. It is an absolutely stunning achievement by any stretch of the imagination, and it contains some interesting thematic and technical echoes of both Citizen Kane (cavernous high ceiling scenes, a "March of Time"-type newsreel on Nixon, a dinner scene between Dick and Pat at a long, impersonal table) as well as The Godfather (the burnished, half-dark half-light cinematography, several "chamber of power" scenes in tight, dark and claustrophobic rooms)that I found, in context, to be totally appropriate. It paints both Nixon and the times he (and the country) lived through on a grand and mythic scale that was truly awesome and, once again, entirely appropriate. Yes, it's a film that is at times big, loud and bombastic (because so, after all, was Nixon himself) but, just as often quiet, contemplative and told at an achingly *human* level.

The contrast between these two states is what gives the film a good deal of its overall power and, as I've said, I never would have believed that Stone would have been capable of doing the smaller, quieter scenes so well. This is a good film to have on tape or DVD, for two reasons. It's so long, and so dense with facts, characters and events, that you're not likely to want to watch it all the way straight through (the first time I saw it was in the theater and though I was held spellbound, I began wishing for an intermission at about the two-hour mark, not so much to stretch my legs but to give my brain a chance to process all I'd seen and heard so far). Also, and more importantly, the videotape includes after the credits two scenes cut out of the final film for time purposes. In both cases, I believe, a severe mistake was made - these are both, I believe, ESSENTIAL sequences; not just nice to have as an additional bargain, but scenes which Stone should have fought tooth and nail to keep in (even cutting out some others if he had to - my vote would have been to excise a few of those Pat Nixon scenes instead).

Once scene involves Nixon's visit to the CIA and another a discussion between Nixon and J. Edgar Hoover in the Oval Office. The first scene is a masterpiece of writing and acting (with Sam Waterston as CIA Director Richard Helms, otherwise in no other scene of the movie) and the other is, I think, key in understanding Nixon's motivation to begin taping his White House conversations in the first place (also - an issue which is touched on no other place in the movie). I feel that these two scenes should be edited back into their appropriate places in the movie; seeing them separated from the rest of the film is better than not seeing them at all, but they really belong as part of the entire story. 60 of 67 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Nixon (1995) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A biographical story of former U.S.

president Richard Milhous Nixon, from his days as a young boy to his eventual presidency which ended in shame. Director: a list of 30 titles created 16 Jun 2012 a list of 25 titles created 18 Dec 2013 a list of 30 titles created 28 Dec 2015 a list of 28 titles created 10 months ago a list of 37 titles created 4 months ago Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 13 nominations. See more awards » Photos A chronicle of the life and presidency of George W. Bush . Director: Oliver Stone A New Orleans DA discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story. Director: Oliver Stone The biography of Ron Kovic. Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, he becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country he fought for. Director: Oliver Stone An American photojournalist gets caught in a political struggle at El Salvador in 1980.

Director: Oliver Stone The final movie in Oliver Stone's Vietnam trilogy follows the true story of a Vietnamese village girl who survives a life of suffering and hardship during and after the Vietnam war. As a ... See full summary » Director: Oliver Stone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X The story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison , from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971. Director: Oliver Stone A rude, contemptuous talk show host becomes overwhelmed by the hatred that surrounds his program just before it goes national. Director: Oliver Stone A young and impatient stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless and greedy corporate raider who takes the youth under his wing. Director: Oliver Stone A man heading to Vegas to pay off his gambling debt before the Russian mafia kills him, is forced to stop in an Arizona town where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong.

Director: Oliver Stone Two Port Authority police officers become trapped under the rubble of the World Trade Center. Director: Oliver Stone A behind-the-scenes look at the life-and-death struggles of modern-day gladiators and those who lead them. Director: Oliver Stone About a 1839 mutiny aboard a slave ship that is traveling towards the northeastern coast of America. Much of the story involves a court-room drama about the free man who led the revolt. Director: Steven Spielberg Edit Storyline Director Oliver Stone's exploration of former president Richard Nixon's strict Quaker upbringing, his nascent political strivings in law school, and his strangely self-effacing courtship of his wife, Pat. The contradictions in his character are revealed early, in the vicious campaign against Helen Gahagan Douglas and the oddly masochistic Checkers speech. His defeat at the hands of the hated and envied John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election, followed by the loss of the 1962 California gubernatorial race, seem to signal the end of his career.

Yet, although wholly lacking in charisma, Nixon remains a brilliant political operator, seizing the opportunity provided by the backlash against the antiwar movement to take the presidency in 1968. It is only when safely in office, running far ahead in the polls for the 1972 presidential election, that his growing paranoia comes to full flower, triggering the Watergate scandal. Written by alfiehitchie "The President can bomb anybody he likes..." See more » Genres: Rated R for language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 5 January 1996 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Did You Know? Trivia One of three Oliver Stone directed films [to date, November 2016] about an American President which has a title referencing the name of the American president who is the subject of the movie. The first was JFK (1991), JFK being an acronym nick-name for assassinated American President John F. Kennedy ; the second was Nixon (1995), which is the surname or last name of American President Richard Nixon ; and the third was W. (2008), a letter nick-name referencing American President George W. Bush .

See more » Goofs At about one hour 40 minutes in, when Nixon and his associates are discussing what to do about Daniel Ellsberg's leak of the Pentagon Papers and Nixon says to Kissinger "...this Ellsberg, wasn't he a student of yours at Harvard?" a long-haired crew member can be seen attempting to duck out of the right-hand side of the next shot. See more » Quotes A fair look at a prolific administration 28 May 2006 | by babapepsi12 (Chicago, IL) – See all my reviews This one has always been one of my all-time favorites. As a political science major, I was fascinated the first time I saw it, and have seen it several times since. You almost have to to assimilate everything. But as a political science junkie and a history nerd, I always found this film to be very entertaining and fun to watch, especially if you're a historian who's also read other books on the Nixon administration, All the President's Men, etc. This film gives a very raw look into the world of the Presidency and politics. I think Hopkins did a wonderful job as Nixon, as well as the rest of the cast (namely Bob Hoskins as J.

Edgar Hoover and Ed Harris as E. Howard Hunt). From a historian's perspective, I think it did a fair job of looking at what Nixon's career was like, the disappointments he experienced, the struggles he made, the mistakes he committed, and the situation he found himself in once he finally became President. The film's a bit long (especially the redone version = 3.5 hours), but I think it's worth it. And I'm fully aware of Oliver Stone's background. I've always had a mixed reaction with Mr. Stone. Two of my favorite films ever are Nixon and Alexander (and I'm even a Greek Republican), yet the only film I've ever walked out on was JFK. JFK was just too much; the only assassination theory Stone didn't throw in it was the UFO theory. But as far as Nixon goes, I commend Stone for giving a fair portrayal of him, knowing what a notorious liberal he is. And once again, this is coming from a moderate Republican. Extremists will hate this film. Ultra-conservatives will look as this film with skepticism and claim it's BS while radical liberals will claim it's "too sympathetic" toward Nixon.

But for anyone with open eyes who isn't narrow-minded one way or the other, or for anyone interested in what the world of politics is like, I highly recommend this film. Like I said, it's always been one of my all-time favorites. 23 of 32 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Nixon | Disney Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia [Source] Nixon is a 1995 American biographical film directed by Oliver Stone for Cinergi Pictures that tells the story of the political and personal life of former US President Richard Nixon, played by Anthony Hopkins . The film portrays Nixon as a complex and, in many respects, an admirable person, though deeply flawed. It begins with a disclaimer that the film is "an attempt to understand the truth [...] based on numerous public sources and on an incomplete historical record." The cast includes Joan Allen , Annabeth Gish , Powers Boothe , J. T. Walsh, E. G. Marshall, James Woods , Paul Sorvino , Larry Hagman, and David Hyde Pierce , plus cameos by Ed Harris , Joanna Going, and political figures such as former President Bill Clinton in TV footage from the Nixon funeral service.

This was Stone's second of three films about the American presidency, made four years after JFK about the assassination of John F. Kennedy and followed thirteen years later by W., the story of George W. Bush. Contents [ show ] Plot The film is non-linear, framed by scenes of Nixon listening to his secret recordings towards the end of his presidency as the Watergate crisis intensifies. As such, it covers all aspects of his life as a composite of actual events, usually in the form of memories triggered by the recordings or newsreel-style summaries. It depicts his childhood in Whittier, California, as well as his growth as a young man, football fan and player, and suitor to his eventual wife, Pat. It explores most of the important events of his presidency, including his downfall due to abuse of executive power in the White House. The film implies that Nixon and Pat abused alcohol and prescription medication. His health problems, including his bout of phlebitis and pneumonia during the Watergate crisis, are also shown in the film, and his various medicants are sometimes attributed to these health issues. It also hints at some kind of responsibility, real or imagined, that he felt towards the John F.

Kennedy assassination through references to "the Bay of Pigs", the implication being that the mechanisms set into place for the invasion by him during his term as Dwight D. Eisenhower's vice president spiraled out of control to culminate in the assassination and, eventually, Watergate. The film ends with Nixon's resignation and famous departure from the White House lawn on the helicopter, Army One. Real life footage of his funeral in Yorba Linda, California, plays out over the extended end credits, and all living ex-presidents at the time, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and then-president Bill Clinton, are shown in attendance. Cast Rick Young as Mao Tes-Tung Robert Beltran as Frank Sturgis Sam Waterston as Richard Helms (scenes present only in director's cut) Larry Hagman as "Jack Jones" Unlike some other characters in the film who represent actual people, Jack Jones, a billionaire investment banker and real estate tycoon, is a composite character, who is emblematic of "big business" in general. The character may be a reference to Nixon's meetings with Clint Murchison, Sr., although he also illuminates his relationships with Howard Hughes, H. L.

Hunt and other entrepreneurs. Production Origins Eric Hamburg, former speechwriter and staff member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, got the idea of a film about Nixon after having dinner with Oliver Stone. Originally, Oliver Stone had been developing two projects — the musical Evita and a movie about Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. When they both did not get made, Stone turned his attention to a biopic about Nixon. The former President's death on April 22, 1994, was also a key factor in Stone's decision to make a Nixon film. He pitched the film to Warner Bros., but, according to the director, they saw it, "as a bunch of unattractive older white men sitting around in suits, with a lot of dialogue and not enough action". In 1993, Hamburg mentioned the idea of a Nixon film to writer Stephen J. Rivele with the concept being that they would incorporate all of the politician's misdeeds, both known and speculative. Rivele liked the idea and had previously thought about writing a play exploring the same themes.

Hamburg encouraged Rivele to write a film instead and with his screenwriting partner, Christopher Wilkinson, they wrote a treatment on November 1993. They conceived of a concept referred to as "the Beast", which Wilkinson describes as "a headless monster that lurches through postwar history," a metaphor for a system of dark forces that resulted in the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. the Vietnam War, and helped Nixon's rise to power and his fall from it as well. Stone said in an interview that Nixon realizes that "the Beast" "is more powerful than he is. We can't get into it that much, but we hint at it so many times —the military-industrial complex, the forces of money". In another interview, the director elaborates, Pre-production Stone immersed himself in research with the help of Hamburg. With Hamburg and actors Hopkins and James Woods, Stone flew to Washington, D.C. and interviewed the surviving members of Nixon's inner circle: lawyer Leonard Garment and Attorney General Elliot Richardson. He also interviewed Robert McNamara, a former Secretary of Defense under the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.

The director also hired Alexander Butterfield, a key figure in the Watergate scandal who handled the flow of paper to the President, as a consultant to make sure that the Oval Office was realistically depicted, former deputy White House counsel John Sears, and John Dean, who made sure that every aspect of the script was accurate and wrote a few uncredited scenes for the film. Butterfield also appears in a few scenes as a White House staffer. To research their roles, Powers Boothe, David Hyde Pierce and Paul Sorvino talked to their real-life counterparts, but J.T. Walsh decided not to contact John Ehrlichman because he had threatened to sue after reading an early version of the script and was not happy with how he was portrayed. Hopkins watched a lot of documentary footage on Nixon. At night, he would go to sleep with the Nixon footage playing, letting it seep into his subconscious. Hopkins said, "It's taking in all this information and if you're relaxed enough, it begins to take you over." Stone originally had a three-picture deal with New Regency Films which included JFK, Heaven and Earth, and Natural Born Killers.

After the success of Killers, Arnon Milchan, head of New Regency, signed Stone for three more motion pictures. Stone could make any film up to a budget of $42.5 million. When Stone told Milchan that he wanted to make Nixon, Milchan, who was not keen on the idea, told the director that he would only give him $35 million, thinking that this would cause Stone to abandon the project. Stone took the project to Hungarian financier Andrew Vajna who had co-financing deal with Disney . Vajna's company, Cinergi Films, were willing to finance the $38 million film. This angered Milchan who claimed that it was his film because of his three-picture deal with Stone and he threatened to sue. He withdrew after Stone paid him an undisclosed amount. Stone was finalizing the film's budget a week before shooting was to begin. He made a deal with Cinergi and Disney 's Hollywood Pictures in order to supply the $43 million budget. To cut costs, Stone leased the White House sets from Rob Reiner's film, The American President.

Principal photography The film began shooting on May 1, 1995 but there was a week of pre-shooting at the end of April to film scenes that would be used as part of a mock documentary about Nixon's career. Early on during principal photography, Hopkins was intimidated by the amount of dialogue he had to learn, that was being added and changed all the time as he recalled, "There were moments when I wanted to get out, when I wanted to just do a nice Knots Landing or something". Sorvino told him that his accent was all wrong. Sorvino claims that he told Hopkins that he thought "there was room for improvement" and that he would be willing to help him. Woods says that Sorvino told Hopkins that he was "doing the whole thing wrong" and that he was an "expert" who could help him. Woods recalls that Sorvino took Hopkins to lunch and then he quit that afternoon. Hopkins told Stone that he wanted to quit the production but the director managed to convince him to stay. According to the actors, this was all good-natured joking. Woods said, "I'd always tell him how great he was in Psycho.

I'd call him Lady Perkins all the time instead of Sir Anthony Hopkins". In spring of 1994, Time magazine reported that an early draft of the screenplay linked Nixon to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The facts contained in the script were based on research from various sources, including documents, transcripts and hours of footage from the Nixon White House. Dean said about the film's accuracy: "In the larger picture, it reflected accurately what happened". Stone addressed the criticism of fictional material in the film, saying, "The material we invented was not done haphazardly or whimsically, it was based on research and interpretation". John Taylor, head of the Nixon Presidential Library, leaked a copy of the script to Richard Helms, former Director of the CIA, who threatened to sue the production. In response, Stone cut out all scenes with Helms from the theatrical print and claimed that he did for "artistic reasons" only to reinstate this footage on the home video release. During the post-production phase, Stone had his editors in three different rooms with the scenes from the film revolving from one room to another, "depending on how successful they were". If one editor wasn't successful with a scene then it went to another.

Stone said that it was "the most intense post- I've ever done, even more intense than JFK" because they were screening the film three times a week, making changes in 48–72 hours, rescreening the film and then making another 48 hours of changes. Reaction In its opening weekend, the film grossed a total of $2.2 million in 514 theaters. As of December 19, 2006, it had grossed a total of $13.6 million in the United States and Canada, well below its $44 million budget. Two days before the film was released in theaters, the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, California issued a statement on behalf of his family, calling parts of the film "reprehensible" and that it was designed to "defame and degrade President and Mrs. Nixon's memories in the mind of the American public" This statement was based on a published copy of the script. The statement also criticized Stone's depiction of Nixon's private life, that of his childhood, and his part in planning the assassination of Fidel Castro.

Stone responded that his "purpose in making the film, it was neither malicious nor defamatory", and was an attempt to gain "a fuller understanding of the life and career of Nixon — the good and the bad, the triumphs and the tragedies, and the legacy he left his nation and the world". Walt Disney 's daughter, Diane Disney Miller, wrote a letter to his daughters saying that Stone had "committed a grave disservice to your family, to the Presidency, and to American history". Stone does not see his film as the definitive statement on Nixon but as "a basis to start reading, to start investigating on your own". Some critics took Stone to task for portraying Nixon as an alcoholic, though Stone says that was based on information from books by Stephen Ambrose, Fawn Brodie, and Tom Wicker. Film critic Roger Ebert praised the film for how it took "on the resonance of classic tragedy. Tragedy requires the fall of a hero, and one of the achievements of it is to show that greatness was within his reach". Ebert also placed it on his list of the top ten films of the year.

Janet Maslin from The New York Times praised Hopkins' performance and "his character's embattled outlook and stiff, hunched body language with amazing skill". However, Mick LaSalle in the San Francisco Chronicle, felt that "the problem here isn't accuracy. It's absurdity. Hopkins' exaggerated portrayal of Nixon is the linchpin of a film that in its conception and presentation consistently veers into camp". Richard Corliss, in his review for Time, also had a problem with Hopkins' portrayal: "Hopkins, though, is a failure. He finds neither the timbre of Nixon's plummy baritone, with its wonderfully false attempts at intimacy, nor the stature of a career climber who, with raw hands, scaled the mountain and was still not high or big enough". It was nominated for four Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Joan Allen), Best Music, Original Dramatic Score and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. Entertainment Weekly ranked Nixon #40 on their "50 Best Biopics Ever" list and one of the 25 "Powerful Political Thrillers".

DVD A director's cut was released on DVD with 28 minutes of previously deleted scenes restored. Much of the added time consists of two scenes: one in which Nixon meets with Central Intelligence Agency director Richard Helms (played by Sam Waterston) and another on Tricia Nixon's wedding day, where J. Edgar Hoover persuades Nixon to install the taping system in the Oval Office. The film was re-released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on August 19, 2008 with the first anamorphic widescreen version of the film in America. External links Nixon: Election Year Edition (1995) Nixon: Election Year Edition (1995) Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (August 18, 2008) When Oliver Stone indicated that he planned to make a biopic about Richard Nixon, most folks assumed it would be little more than a vicious hatchet job on the much maligned former president. After all, Stone�s liberal tendencies had long been evident, and it seemed extremely unlikely that he�d show anything other than contempt for �Tricky Dick�. However, the truth was quite different.

While 1995�s Nixon won�t be mistaken for a hagiography of the man, it seemed much more fair and even-handed than anyone had the right to expect. Ultimately, Stone created what actually came across as a somewhat sentimental and caring portrait of a very flawed public official. As a biopic, Nixon seemed very differently constructed than The Doors , Stone�s disappointing look at the rock band. The latter followed a fairly standard path; Stone attempted to spice up the usual �rise and fall� music story with some mystical elements and other approaches but I thought the result failed due to the ultimately conventional nature of the tale; Stone�s creative approach simply rendered the results incoherent. Although Nixon uses a much less linear storytelling technique, it actually appears a great deal more clear and intelligible. The movie starts in the Watergate era and bops from period to period before it ultimately concludes at the end of Nixon�s presidency. If I were to describe the historical transitions, they probably wouldn�t sound very logical, but Stone weaves together the tale in such a way that the jumps make sense and flow naturally. The shifts work effectively to create a stronger picture of the man as a whole. And what about the Nixon that Stone portrays?

Although his image has softened somewhat in recent years - especially since his death in 1994 - Nixon remains viewed as something of a monster. Frankly, I never understood this point of view. No, I wasn�t a Nixon fan - not by any stretch of the imagination - but at times it seemed as though many people considered Nixon to be a terror of Hitlerian proportions. For all his flaws, Nixon wasn�t evil, and the man depicted in this film definitely shows that to be the case. If anything, Stone seems to view Nixon as a tragic figure. He gives the president credit where credit�s due as he details the good and the bad of his life. Okay, there�s more bad than good, but I felt the portrait seemed fair. However, I�m not sure how accurate Stone�s psychological impressions of Nixon are. Essentially we�re shown a lonely, insulated man who spends his life wishing to be loved. You get the feeling he�d have been the greatest president of all-time if only someone gave him a hug. Stone also shows Nixon as being absolutely obsessed with the Kennedys, largely for the same psychological reasons; he just wants to be loved, and the manner in which JFK was embraced grates on Dick.

I don�t have a tremendous grasp of the intricacies of Nixon�s life, so I can�t comment on the veracity of Stone�s emotional interpretation. However, I will at least give him credit for trying to provide something that didn�t just dryly reiterate facts and biographical details. Stone seems to have based his ideas on various records, so I doubt he�s totally off base. In any case, those dimensions add spark and depth to the proceedings. In addition to Stone�s creative storytelling and visceral filmwork, Nixon succeeds because of an excellent cast. However, I remain unimpressed with Anthony Hopkins� portrayal of the man himself. Many seem to feel that Hopkins truly nailed the essence of Nixon, but I don�t see it that way. I recognize that an actor doesn�t have to do a picture-perfect imitation of a person to be acceptable in the role, but Hopkins looks and sounds so little like Nixon that I simply had a great deal of difficulty getting past the differences. In The Doors, Val Kilmer replicated Jim Morrison so accurately that I thought the two looked virtually identical until I saw material of Morrison shown during the DVD�s documentary; upon closer examination, the differences were much clearer.

No such comparisons were necessary during Nixon, as I never felt as though I was watching the ex-president. Hopkins� dissimilarities to Nixon made his performance distracting to me for much of the film. He pulled off Nixon�s post-Watergate disintegration much more successfully than the earlier scenes, I�ll admit, and as a performance, Hopkins does a very solid job. I simply was never able to suspend my disbelief. The same was not true for some of the other actors, a few of whom seemed as miscast as Hopkins. Most prominent in that regard was Paul Sorvino as Henry Kissinger. Conjure a mental image of Kissinger, and then dial up a picture of Sorvino - not too similar, are they? However, Sorvino replicates Kissinger so closely that it�s scary. Via makeup, he looks a tremendous amount like Kissinger, and he absolutely nails the voice and demeanor. It�s an excellent performance that went far. Also terrific was Joan Allen as Nixon�s wife Pat. Of the main actors, she probably looked the most like the person she played, and this resemblance definitely helped her work. However, Allen was able to inhabit the role to a degree beyond mere impersonation.

Actually, I think her performance was especially remarkable because of her limited screen time. Hopkins had the entire film to make us believe him, though I don�t think he ever did this. Allen, on the other hand, had to communicate a wide variety of attitudes and demeanors across a span of years without the same amount of screen �transition time�; in a few short minutes, Allen was able to make us see the ways that her husband�s life wore on her. It�s a terrific performance that helped make the film work. The remaining supporting cast was also very strong, though the other actors had an advantage over Hopkins, Allen and Sorvino; though many of the portrayed personages are very famous, they lacked the higher public profiles of the Nixons and Kissinger. I have a vague idea of how folks like John Dean looked and sounded, but not to anywhere near the degree of my acquaintance with these others. In any case, the all-star cast - which includes actors like James Woods as Bob Haldeman, David Hyde Pierce as Dean, and Ed Harris as Howard Hunt - performed admirably. Two casting footnotes: First, note the presence of Dan Hedaya as Trini Cardoza.

Hedaya - best known as Carla�s sleazy husband Nick on Cheers - would play Nixon himself in 1999�s comedy Dick. Also, in the �Walt must be spinning in his grave� category we found Brian Bedford as Clyde Tolson, allegedly gay consort of J. Edgar Hoover (played by Bob Hoskins). Bedford starred as the dashing lead character in Disney�s 1973 animated version of Robin Hood . In Oliver Stone�s Nixon, we find a surprisingly compassionate and open-minded portrait of the 20th century�s most infamous president. Whether or not the movie will cause many to rethink their ideas about the man is unknown to me, but for all the flaws on display, I think the film succeeds in that it created an interest in me to discover more facts for myself. Even if much of Nixon is bunk - always a strong possibility in an Oliver Stone flick - it deserves credit for its nicely complicated look at a famous figure. Note that this DVD includes the �Extended Director�s Cut� of Nixon. This features an additional 31 minutes of footage that has been placed back into the film.

As a whole, the added scenes are interesting, and I didn�t feel they made the movie drag in any way. (By the way, the DVD�s case states that the flick presents �28 minutes� of added footage, but since the DC lasts 212 minutes while the theatrical cut ran 191 minutes, that math doesn�t make sense to me. Personally, I wish they�d reinserted 18 and a half minutes of shots.) The DVD Grades: Picture B-/ Audio B/ Bonus A- Nixon appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.40:1 on this single-sided, double-layered DVD; the image has been enhanced for 16X9 televisions. A few concerns marred the presentation, but it usually looked pretty good. Probably the biggest distraction came from some moderate edge enhancement. Throughout the movie, I occasionally noticed those haloes, and they created distractions. They also affected sharpness and made some shots less concise than they should have been. However, delineation usually worked fine, as most of the movie was acceptably concise. No issues with jagged edges or shimmering occurred. Print flaws also showed no significant concerns.

The film displayed a little grit and a few speckles but nothing worse than that. Actually, you will encounter some instances of more serious grain, specks, and whatnot, but I won�t refer to these as defects because they were intentional. As was also the case with other Stone films like JFK and Natural Born Killers , the director used a variety of film stocks in Nixon, and many of them featured intentional defects to suit the �feel� of the scene. I couldn�t call these �flaws� because they were done on purpose. Colors usually seemed good. Stone opted for a brownish palette much of the time, so I didn�t notice a lot of dynamic tones. However, the hues were acceptably full given the stylistic decisions; they didn�t excel, but they appeared fine. Black levels seemed deep and dark, with acceptable contrast, and shadow detail looked clear and appropriately opaque; at no time did I discern any excessive thickness to the low light sequences. I thought that the problems with edge enhancement knocked down my grade to a �B-�, but this was usually a positive transfer. For the most part, the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack of Nixon offered a satisfying experience.

Not surprisingly, the soundfield emphasized the forward channels. In those speakers, I heard well-differentiated audio that seemed natural and evenly spaced between the speakers. There wasn�t a tremendous amount of localized sound since the music dominated the track, but the atmosphere appeared appropriate and the sounds came from the logical positions. The surrounds kicked in with reinforcement for the score and general ambiance. A few unique elements popped up for flashes of war and other haunting bits from Nixon�s past. Again, Nixon didn�t require a killer surround track, and the mix here fit the film. Audio quality appeared solid. Dialogue usually sounded distinct and natural with no issues related to intelligibility. However, some lines came across as slightly edgy at times. Effects seemed clean and realistic and offered no signs of distortion. The score came across as wonderfully full and rich, and the music also offered excellent low end. Throughout the movie, bass response seemed tight and deep, and these elements added to the overall impact of this very good soundtrack. How did the picture and quality of this �Election Year Edition� of Nixon compare to those of the 2002 DVD ?

Even though this release omitted the old version�s DTS soundtrack, both offered similar audio, but the new 16X9 enhanced transfer worked much than the prior non-anamorphic image. That one was a bit of a mess much of the time, whereas this one seemed tighter and more consistent. The new transfer�s biggest improvement came from the integration of the �Director�s Cut� scenes. On the 2002 DVD, those looked terrible. The disc never specifically told us when they appeared, but it didn�t need to do so; the VHS-quality of those shots made their presence clear. At no point during the 2008 DVD was I aware of the shift from the theatrical shots to those of the DC. They blended well and demonstrated smooth integration. I wish the 2008 transfer didn�t suffer from so much edge enhancement, but it remained a significant step up in visual quality when compared to its prededessor. As for extras, the 2008 �Election Year Edition� replicated almost everything from the 2002 package along with one new component that you�ll find on DVD Two. For DVD One, we locate two separate audio commentaries from director Oliver Stone.

I was surprised to see two different tracks and I initially thought that one must be new (as of 2002) while the other was created for an old laserdisc release. However, a screening indicates that both are modern efforts. I can�t specify actual recording dates, but Stone mentions the death of Madeline Kahn in the first track, which means it had to take place after December 1999. In the second commentary, Stone notes that he was able to revisit the film for the Director�s Cut and he states he got to do so �five years later�. As such, we can tell that both tracks took place around 2000, though I have no idea why Stone sat down to talk about Nixon twice in such a short time-frame. In any case, the first commentary acts as easily the more compelling. Stone aptly covers a variety of topics such as some historical liberties, various aspects of Nixon�s life and career, and the different technical challenges presented by the subject. The latter area is interesting because Stone wanted events to be real but also knew that he had to provide exposition that would make them not exactly true to life.

For example, during an added scene between Nixon and CIA director Richard Helms, the two have to make lots of statements that would have been unnecessary but need to be mentioned to keep the crowd �in the know�. The track occasionally suffers from some moderately long gaps, but since the film runs more than three and a half hours, that�s not a big complaint. Empty spaces become much more of a concern during the second commentary because it offers more of the blank spots, and these run longer in time. At times Stone chimes in with some compelling comments - especially when he talks about the alterations he made for the director�s cut, something he doesn�t discuss in the other track � but he goes mum for extended periods. This commentary needs an index to make it an easier listen; Stone gives us some good information, but the infrequency of his statements makes it frustrating. By the way, Stone makes some comments that I find fairly dumbfounding. Stone briefly touches on the fact that Nixon apparently watched Patton repeatedly at one point and that it seemed to affect his war policy. Stone calls Patton �jingoistic�, which makes me wonder if he ever actually watched the movie.

Granted, Patton is a movie that I think functions as something of a cinematic Rorschach; whether hawk or dove, the viewer sees what the viewer wants to see. I�m just surprised that Stone would see it as a pro-war, blindly supportive flick. On DVD Two, we start with a collection of Deleted Scenes. Here we get 11 different segments, and Stone introduces each one. Altogether, the collection runs 58 minutes, 18 seconds. The section also begins with a lengthy (8:15) overview from Stone and it finishes with his closing thoughts. Those two pieces are very valuable, as Stone actually discusses the production itself in more detail than during the audio commentaries. His statements are compelling and stimulating. I also liked all of his introductions to the individual deleted scenes. Unfortunately, the snippets themselves are less compelling. This isn�t because the shots are dull or worthless. No, many of them are quite good, really. My complaint stems from redundancy. Of the 11 scenes, only four of them don�t already appear in the �Director�s Cut�.

Of those four, two are completely new segments: �Bull Ring� and �Jones Ranch Barbecue�, both of which involve the Larry Hagman character. The other two - �Air Force One� and �Rockefeller Party� - provide extended versions of existing scenes. Granted, I don�t mind the duplication of the other seven clips too much because we get to hear more from Stone about them. Nonetheless, some may be irritated at having to wade through repeated material. Happily, the DVD includes chapter stops for each scene, so you can easily jump from one Stone introduction to the next; you aren�t stuck watching material you�ve already seen, so you can just check out Stone�s comments and then move to the next part. Next up is a compelling piece called Charlie Rose Interviews Oliver Stone. Unlike the snippet found on the Natural Born Killers DVD, we get the entire 55-minute, 10-second episode of Rose�s program from 1995. Some of the information duplicates the details Stone offered in the audio commentaries, but most of the discussion touches on new areas.

Rose provides insightful questions and keeps the conversation moving briskly, and he�s not afraid to touch on areas of controversy as he brings up many of the criticisms leveled by Stone�s detractors. It�s a quality interview that went by quickly. For the sole component unique to the 2008 �Election Year Edition�, we get a documentary called Beyond Nixon. Created by Stone�s son Sean, this 35-minute and 16-second program offers comments from University of Texas Professor of Constitutional Law Sanford Levinson, American University Professor of American History Peter J. Kuznick, White House Counsel (1970-1973) John Dean, author/syndicated columnist Robert Novak, author Dr. Michael Maccoby, author/playwright Gore Vidal, Nixon speechwriter (1967-1969) Richard J. Whalen, White House Special Counsel (1972-1974) Leonard Garment, Congresswoman (1973-1981) Elizabeth Holtzman, Institute for Policy Studies co-founder Marcus Raskin, historian/playwright.activist/author Howard Zinn, and author Jim Hougan.

�Beyond� creates a picture of the facts and situations behind those in the movie. It expands on those topics and even offers some criticism of the flick�s portrayal, such as when Novak opines that he felt �it was a dreadful movie� due to its historical liberties. �Beyond� doesn�t provide a full biography of Nixon, but it includes some interesting insights. In addition to the film�s trailer, we get some Sneak Peeks. This domain provides ads for Dirty Sexy Money Season One, Lost Season Four, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Tim Burton�s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Blindness, Blu-Ray Disc and Miramax Films. Does the �Election Year Edition� drop anything from the 2002 DVD? Yeah: we lose a five-minute promotional featurette. Since it was a tedious bore, I don�t miss it. In Nixon, Oliver Stone showed that he could still surprise me. I expected a vicious attack on the ex-president but instead found a fairly even-handed and moving look at the private man. As with every Stone film, Nixon possesses many flaws, but it remains one of his most consistent and compelling efforts. The DVD presents a generally solid picture and sound as well a slew of extras.

Although some can be frustrating at times, we learn a fair amount from them, and these supplements added to my enjoyment and understanding of the film. All in all, Nixon is a winner. If you don�t own the prior DVD release of Nixon, this 2008 �Election Year Edition� is the way to go, primarily because it boasts superior picture quality. For fans who already possess the earlier version, I still this the �EEE� merits a look. The flick really does look quite a bit better, and a new documentary adds some value. Viewer Film Ratings: 4.0769 Stars Number of Votes: 13 Nixon: Special Edition - Oliver Stone Collection Box Set (1995) Nixon: Special Edition - Oliver Stone Collection Box Set (1995) Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (August 18, 2008) When Oliver Stone indicated that he planned to make a biopic about Richard Nixon, most folks assumed it would be little more than a vicious hatchet job on the much maligned former president. After all, Stone�s liberal tendencies had long been evident, and it seemed extremely unlikely that he�d show anything other than contempt for �Tricky Dick�.

However, the truth was quite different. While 1995�s Nixon won�t be mistaken for a hagiography of the man, it seemed much more fair and even-handed than anyone had the right to expect. Ultimately, Stone created what actually came across as a somewhat sentimental and caring portrait of a very flawed public official. As a biopic, Nixon seemed very differently constructed than The Doors , Stone�s disappointing look at the rock band. The latter followed a fairly standard path; Stone attempted to spice up the usual �rise and fall� music story with some mystical elements and other approaches but I thought the result failed due to the ultimately conventional nature of the tale; Stone�s creative approach simply rendered the results incoherent. Although Nixon uses a much less linear storytelling technique, it actually appears a great deal more clear and intelligible. The movie starts in the Watergate era and bops from period to period before it ultimately concludes at the end of Nixon�s presidency. If I were to describe the historical transitions, they probably wouldn�t sound very logical, but Stone weaves together the tale in such a way that the jumps make sense and flow naturally. The shifts work effectively to create a stronger picture of the man as a whole.

And what about the Nixon that Stone portrays? Although his image has softened somewhat in recent years - especially since his death in 1994 - Nixon remains viewed as something of a monster. Frankly, I never understood this point of view. No, I wasn�t a Nixon fan - not by any stretch of the imagination - but at times it seemed as though many people considered Nixon to be a terror of Hitlerian proportions. For all his flaws, Nixon wasn�t evil, and the man depicted in this film definitely shows that to be the case. If anything, Stone seems to view Nixon as a tragic figure. He gives the president credit where credit�s due as he details the good and the bad of his life. Okay, there�s more bad than good, but I felt the portrait seemed fair. However, I�m not sure how accurate Stone�s psychological impressions of Nixon are. Essentially we�re shown a lonely, insulated man who spends his life wishing to be loved. You get the feeling he�d have been the greatest president of all-time if only someone gave him a hug.

Stone also shows Nixon as being absolutely obsessed with the Kennedys, largely for the same psychological reasons; he just wants to be loved, and the manner in which JFK was embraced grates on Dick. I don�t have a tremendous grasp of the intricacies of Nixon�s life, so I can�t comment on the veracity of Stone�s emotional interpretation. However, I will at least give him credit for trying to provide something that didn�t just dryly reiterate facts and biographical details. Stone seems to have based his ideas on various records, so I doubt he�s totally off base. In any case, those dimensions add spark and depth to the proceedings. In addition to Stone�s creative storytelling and visceral filmwork, Nixon succeeds because of an excellent cast. However, I remain unimpressed with Anthony Hopkins� portrayal of the man himself. Many seem to feel that Hopkins truly nailed the essence of Nixon, but I don�t see it that way. I recognize that an actor doesn�t have to do a picture-perfect imitation of a person to be acceptable in the role, but Hopkins looks and sounds so little like Nixon that I simply had a great deal of difficulty getting past the differences.

In The Doors, Val Kilmer replicated Jim Morrison so accurately that I thought the two looked virtually identical until I saw material of Morrison shown during the DVD�s documentary; upon closer examination, the differences were much clearer. No such comparisons were necessary during Nixon, as I never felt as though I was watching the ex-president. Hopkins� dissimilarities to Nixon made his performance distracting to me for much of the film. He pulled off Nixon�s post-Watergate disintegration much more successfully than the earlier scenes, I�ll admit, and as a performance, Hopkins does a very solid job. I simply was never able to suspend my disbelief. The same was not true for some of the other actors, a few of whom seemed as miscast as Hopkins. Most prominent in that regard was Paul Sorvino as Henry Kissinger. Conjure a mental image of Kissinger, and then dial up a picture of Sorvino - not too similar, are they? However, Sorvino replicates Kissinger so closely that it�s scary. Via makeup, he looks a tremendous amount like Kissinger, and he absolutely nails the voice and demeanor. It�s an excellent performance that went far. Also terrific was Joan Allen as Nixon�s wife Pat.

Of the main actors, she probably looked the most like the person she played, and this resemblance definitely helped her work. However, Allen was able to inhabit the role to a degree beyond mere impersonation. Actually, I think her performance was especially remarkable because of her limited screen time. Hopkins had the entire film to make us believe him, though I don�t think he ever did this. Allen, on the other hand, had to communicate a wide variety of attitudes and demeanors across a span of years without the same amount of screen �transition time�; in a few short minutes, Allen was able to make us see the ways that her husband�s life wore on her. It�s a terrific performance that helped make the film work. The remaining supporting cast was also very strong, though the other actors had an advantage over Hopkins, Allen and Sorvino; though many of the portrayed personages are very famous, they lacked the higher public profiles of the Nixons and Kissinger. I have a vague idea of how folks like John Dean looked and sounded, but not to anywhere near the degree of my acquaintance with these others.

In any case, the all-star cast - which includes actors like James Woods as Bob Haldeman, David Hyde Pierce as Dean, and Ed Harris as Howard Hunt - performed admirably. Two casting footnotes: First, note the presence of Dan Hedaya as Trini Cardoza. Hedaya - best known as Carla�s sleazy husband Nick on Cheers - would play Nixon himself in 1999�s comedy Dick. Also, in the �Walt must be spinning in his grave� category we found Brian Bedford as Clyde Tolson, allegedly gay consort of J. Edgar Hoover (played by Bob Hoskins). Bedford starred as the dashing lead character in Disney�s 1973 animated version of Robin Hood . In Oliver Stone�s Nixon, we find a surprisingly compassionate and open-minded portrait of the 20th century�s most infamous president. Whether or not the movie will cause many to rethink their ideas about the man is unknown to me, but for all the flaws on display, I think the film succeeds in that it created an interest in me to discover more facts for myself.

Even if much of Nixon is bunk - always a strong possibility in an Oliver Stone flick - it deserves credit for its nicely complicated look at a famous figure. Note that this DVD includes the �Extended Director�s Cut� of Nixon. This features an additional 31 minutes of footage that has been placed back into the film. As a whole, the added scenes are interesting, and I didn�t feel they made the movie drag in any way. (By the way, the DVD�s case states that the flick presents �28 minutes� of added footage, but since the DC lasts 212 minutes while the theatrical cut ran 191 minutes, that math doesn�t make sense to me. Personally, I wish they�d reinserted 18 and a half minutes of shots.) The DVD Grades: Picture C-/ Audio B/ Bonus B+ Nixon appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.40:1 on this single-sided, double-layered DVD; the image has not been enhanced for 16X9 televisions. This was an inconsistent and generally bland presentation. Sharpness generally appeared decent, though moderate softness affected wider shots.

Edge haloes tended to be a bit heavy at times, and I occasionally saw a �stair-stepping� effect in edges that made them look artificially harsh. The issue occurred infrequently, but it did distract me at times; it seemed most obvious during the scenes shot in black and white. Otherwise, moir� effects appeared largely absent; I witnessed a modest shimmer on two or three occasions but nothing more than that. Print flaws also showed no significant concerns. The film displayed a little grit and a few speckles but nothing worse than that. Actually, you will encounter some instances of more serious grain, grit, etc., but I won�t refer to these as defects because they were intentional. As was also the case with other Stone films like JFK and Natural Born Killers , he used a variety of film stocks in Nixon, and many of them were intentionally flawed to suit the �feel� of the scene. I can�t call these �flaws� because they were done on purpose. Colors usually seemed decent but not much better. Though the movie occasionally utilized various kinds of stylized hues, most of the film stuck with natural tones, though they didn�t look particularly natural; they tended to be a bit brown and flat.

Black levels seemed deep and dark, with acceptable contrast, and shadow detail looked clear and appropriately opaque; at no time did I discern any excessive thickness to the low light sequences. The comments above applied to about 85 percent of the movie - so what about that other 15 percent? Well, that was a rough estimate of the amount of Nixon devoted to footage reinstated for the �director�s cut�. Some DVDs helpfully indicate which scenes are new to the expanded version, but Nixon does not; nowhere in the package or on the DVD itself will you be notified which segments were added. However, you really don�t need such specifications because you�ll see them for yourself; the difference in quality between the original footage and the reinserted shots is startling. As a whole, the director�s cut scenes look pretty bad. They appeared quite fuzzy and lacked significant depth or detail. They also appeared bland and without much color; part of this may be due to the design of the scenes themselves, but I thought these segments were excessively drab. I don�t know the source of these portions of Nixon, but they look VHS in origin to me.

Enough of the movie looked decent to make this a �C-� transfer, but it wasn�t any better than that. Audio quality seemed more consistent, though the added sequences caused some issues that I�ll address later in the review. For the most part, however, the Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 soundtracks of Nixon offered a satisfying experience. Not surprisingly, the soundfield strongly emphasized the forward channels. In those speakers, I heard well-differentiated audio that seemed natural and evenly spaced between the speakers. There wasn�t a tremendous amount of localized sound since the music dominated the track, but the atmosphere appeared appropriate and the sounds came from the logical positions. The surrounds kicked in with reinforcement for the score and general ambiance. Again, Nixon didn�t require a killer surround track, and the mix here aptly fit the film. Audio quality appeared solid. Dialogue usually sounded distinct and natural with no issues related to intelligibility. However, some lines came across as slightly edgy at times. Effects seemed clean and realistic and offered no signs of distortion. The score came across as wonderfully full and rich, and the music also offered excellent low end.

Throughout the movie, bass response seemed tight and deep, and these elements added to the overall impact of this very good soundtrack. As I noted, the sound appeared somewhat less terrific during the scenes reinserted for this director�s cut, but the differences were much less severe than those observed in the visual domain. For the most part, the added segments displayed a fairly monophonic bias, though I did detect some stereo spread at times. Most of the extended snippets were rather quiet, however, so the soundfield became less of a factor. Quality seemed slightly less strong than during the remainder of the film, but the two sounded acceptably similar. If you listen carefully, you can detect some differences between the audio heard in the original scenes and those added to this version, but the sound presented none of the significant problems observed in those video elements. In this two-DVD special edition, we find a slew of extras, most of which reside on the second disc. However, that doesn�t mean we don�t get hours of material on DVD one, because it contains two separate audio commentaries from director Oliver Stone. I was surprised to see two different tracks and I initially thought that one must be new while the other was created for an old laserdisc release.

However, a screening indicates that both are recent efforts. I can�t specify actual recording dates, but Stone mentions the death of Madeline Kahn in the first track, which means it had to take place after December 1999. In the second commentary, Stone mentions that he was able to revisit the film for the director�s cut and he states he got to do so �five years later�. As such, we can tell that both tracks are recent, though I have no idea why Stone sat down to talk about Nixon twice in such a short time-frame. In any case, the first commentary is easily the more compelling. Stone aptly covers a variety of topics such as some historical liberties, various aspects of Nixon�s life and career, and the different technical challenges presented by the subject. The latter area was most interesting because Stone wanted events to be real but also knew that he had to provide exposition that would make them not exactly true to life. For example, during an added scene between Nixon and CIA director Richard Helms, the two have to make lots of statements that would have been unnecessary but need to be mentioned to keep the crowd �in the know�.

The track occasionally suffers from some moderately long gaps, but since the film runs more than three and a half hours, that�s not a big problem. Empty spaces are much more of a concern during the second commentary because it offers more blank spots, and these run longer in time. At times Stone chimes in with some compelling comments - especially when he talked about the alterations he made for the director�s cut, something he didn�t discuss in the other track � but he goes mum for extended periods. This commentary needs an index to make it an easier listen; Stone offers some good information, but the infrequency of his statements makes it frustrating. By the way, Stone makes some comments that I found fairly dumbfounding. Stone briefly touches on the fact that Nixon apparently watched Patton repeatedly at one point and that it seemed to affect his war policy. Stone calls Patton �jingoistic�, which makes me wonder if he ever actually watched the movie. Granted, Patton is a movie that I think functions as something of a cinematic Rorschach; whether hawk or dove, the viewer sees what the viewer wants to see. I�m just surprised that Stone would see it as a pro-war, blindly supportive flick. On the second DVD, we discover additional supplements.

The prime feature here seems to be a collection of Deleted Scenes. Here we get 11 different segments, each of which is introduced by Stone. (The DVD menu refers to �audio commentary� by Stone for all of these snippets, but this simply means the introductions.) The section also begins with a lengthy (8:15) overview from Stone and it finishes with some closing thoughts. Those two pieces were very valuable, as Stone actually discussed the production itself in more detail than during the audio commentaries. His statements are compelling and stimulating. I also liked all of his introductions to the individual deleted scenes. Unfortunately, the snippets themselves are less valuable. This isn�t because the shots are dull or worthless. No, many of them are quite good, really. My complaint stems from redundancy. Of the 11 scenes, only four of them don�t already appear in the �director�s cut�. Of those four, two are completely new segments: �Bull Ring� and �Jones Ranch Barbecue�, both of which involve the Larry Hagman character. The other two - �Air Force One� and �Rockefeller Party� - are extended versions of existing scenes.

Granted, I don�t mind the duplication of the other seven clips too much because we get to hear more from Stone about them. Nonetheless, some may be irritated at having to wade through repeated material. Aren�t you glad I�m here to tell you which clips to skip? Happily, the DVD includes chapter stops for each scene, so you can easily jump from one Stone introduction to the next; you aren�t stuck watching material you�ve already seen, so you can just check out Stone�s comments and then move to the next part. Next up is a compelling piece called Charlie Rose Interviews Oliver Stone. Unlike the snippet found on the Natural Born Killers DVD, we get the entire 55-minute episode of Rose�s program from 1995 when Nixon hit the screens. Some of the information duplicates the details Stone offered in the audio commentaries, but most of the discussion touches on new areas. Rose provides insightful questions and keeps the conversation moving briskly, and he�s not afraid to touch on areas of controversy as he brings up many of the criticisms leveled by Stone�s detractors. It�s a very compelling interview that went by quickly. Much less stimulating was the DVD�s Featurette.

This five-minute glorler (glorified trailer) largely combines film clips with a few shots from the set and interview snippets from principals like Stone, Hopkins, Allen, and Woods. It�s not a terrible piece, but it�s clearly promotional in nature and it offers little of value. In addition, the film�s actual theatrical trailer appears. In Nixon, Oliver Stone showed that he could still surprise me. I expected a vicious attack on the ex-president but instead found a fairly even-handed and moving look at the private man. As with every Stone film, Nixon possesses many flaws, but it remains one of his most consistent and compelling efforts. The DVD presents flawed picture, while the sound is more consistent and strong. This Special Edition packs in a slew of extras; although some can be frustrating at times, these supplements added to my enjoyment and understanding of the film. Despite the problems with the transfer, Nixon is a winner.

Question: In which 1995 'Oscar' nominated film did Anthony Hopkins play the part of a US President. Other parts were played by Ed Harris, E.G. Marshall, and David Hyde Pierce?
Answer: 'NIXON'