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The Imprint Films After Dark Neo-Noir Cinema Collection Two – Part II: Internal Affairs

Feature Presentations: Episode 58

Welcome to this column dedicated to my appreciation of physical media supplements called: Feature Presentations. The goal of this column is not to say whether a film is good or bad and worth picking up or not—I would like to highlight the discs that go the extra mile and provide film fans with enough tasty tidbits to satisfy even the hungriest of cinephiles. With all that out of the way, today’s article will focus on Internal Affairs from the After Dark Neo-Noir Cinema Collection Two box set from Imprint Films. My review of Internal Affairs is the first part of my multi-part review of this box set.

Van Stretch in foreground, you see his leg and hand. In the background is Penny who looks scared.

As a disclaimer of transparency for this episode of Feature Presentations, my review of Internal Affairs comes from a review copy that Imprint Films provided for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

During my lifetime, many films have eluded me for one reason or another. Whether other movies took precedence or others didn’t appeal to my cinematic senses at the time, there’s plenty from Hollywood that I need to sit down and watch. There are a few flicks that I look back at and shake my head at the reason for not checking them out. One of those is the subject of today’s article: Internal Affairs.

I’ve seen Internal Affairs in the video stores or scrolling through television, but nothing about the film spoke to me. Possibly it’s the generic title or the fact that I’m not a big fan of Richard Gere—it just never appealed to the point of seeking it out. After watching the release, courtesy of the After Dark Collection Two box set, I’m ashamed I let such a well-made movie escape me for so long.

Andy Garcia plays Raymond Avilla, the newest addition to the Los Angeles Internal Affairs Division. Partnered up with Amy Wallace, played by Laurie Metcalf, Avilla looks to take down corruption within the LAPD. While investigating an officer allegedly using drugs, Avilla and Wallace uncover a complex web of deception and immorality led by Officer Dennis Peck, played by Richard Gere.

I’m intentionally keeping plot details as generic as possible for those who haven’t seen Internal Affairs. The film avoids most cop/thriller clichés and makes the plot more emotional than standard action scenes. It’s a well-crafted crime film with many neo-noir elements, making Internal Affairs an obvious choice for inclusion into this box set.

Getting into the supplemental material, Imprint Films stacked Internal Affairs with plenty to digest. Kicking things off is an interview with director/co-composer Mike Figgis, “The Clever and the Corrupt.” Starting with discussing how he and Andy Garcia came together, Figgis continues by discussing his appreciation of Henry Bean’s screenplay. Figgis recounts how Kurt Russell almost came aboard in the Richard Gere role, Andy Garcia’s affinity for method acting, his usage of a headbutt during one scene, and the chilly reception to the film’s original ending. There’s plenty of information addressed—it makes me wish Figgis recorded an audio commentary. I wholeheartedly enjoyed listening to the director discuss the film and can’t recommend “The Clever and the Corrupt,” from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures, highly enough.

Avilla with sunglasses on looks at Peck, also wearing sunglasses.

“His Most Dangerous Weapon” is an audio-only interview with screenwriter Henry Bean from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures. Bean’s comments play out over clips and stills from Internal Affairs as he discusses how the script came about, his writing processes, and character and plot motivations. While not as enjoyable as listening to Mike Figgis’ discussion, Bean offers plenty of insight into the film from a viewpoint only the screenwriter can give.

Co-composer Anthony Marinelli sits down to chat with the Ballyhoo Motion Picture feature “One Bad Cop.” As someone not very attuned to the intricacies of music, I appreciated “One Bad Cop” the most of all the disc’s extras. One of the finest aspects of Internal Affairs lies within the movie’s music, and I’m glad Imprint Films and Ballyhoo Motion Pictures created a feature to explore this aspect of the film. Marinelli talks about making his way through the Hollywood ranks, working with a director who’s also the film’s composer, and detailing how he helped compose such an unusual score. For someone easily confused with the subtle nuances in music, Marinelli does a welcoming job explaining the how and why of conducting a film’s soundtrack.

Imprint Films also includes a newly-recorded audio commentary with film critics Alain Silver and James Ursini. Both commentators work well to bounce factoids and analysis off each other to keep the track moving throughout. Silver and Ursini discuss the history of noir and neo-noir, break down director Mike Figgis’s directing choices, and offers details from the film’s production. I appreciated the commentary leaning more towards historical and scholarly information than a play-by-play-type commentary. Silver and Ursini do a commendable job at balancing behind-the-scenes with in-depth analysis and provide a commentary track that fans of Internal Affairs, or neo-noir, will enjoy.

Imprint Films also includes a handful of deleted and alternate scenes. Among the removed material are an alternate opening for Avilla, additional sex and violence, and the complete removal of a subordinate of Avilla, played by character actor John Getz.

The disc also includes the film’s original ending. Without giving much away, the more personal conclusion we ended up with works better than this slightly more epic finale.

Lastly, Imprint Films closes out the disc with the film’s theatrical trailer.

Peck and Kathy sit across from each other in a restaurant.

And there you have it! Internal Affairs is a heck of a film, and I’m glad Imprint Films considered it for Collection Two. Not just content with releasing an excellent movie, Imprint Films and Ballyhoo Motion Pictures came together to put together a physical media package worthy of such an entertaining movie. Internal Affairs stepped to the plate and knocked it out of the park. Featuring a solid release in Blue Steel and an excellent edition of Internal Affairs, this box looks to meet the lofty expectations set by Collection One. Will it surpass such a release? We’ll know soon enough.

Written by Robert Chipman

Robert is a lifelong cinephile and has had an admiration with film for as long as he can remember. When he's not checking out the most recent theatrical release, viewing a movie on one of a 1,000,000,000 streaming services or picking up the latest physical media disc, he's trying and failing to make it in Hollywood as a screenwriter. He also has a weird fascination with Stephen Dorff. Make of that what you will. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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