If you were there in 98 for the first run of WILD THINGS, that was the cinema run before the VHS and DVD run that is. You would have gone along and may have, like me, watched and wiped it from your brain. Its the sort of film, that came out with a bunch of other films. All similar and all oddly targeting societal issues. I vaguely remember as well, later that it had a robust following among teenage boys and this spilled over into ultra hype. Mostly this was due to its leads, Denise Richards and Neve Campbell, getting steamy in a swimming pool. The splashing water and frothy foam, made many a young mans day. Maybe even many women as well…This coupling, is actually formed of a menacing threesome. All setting up for a big score.
Student counsellor and local couch jockey Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) is the focus of female attention within the cliques of Florida’s Blue Bay. They have money and he doesn’t. His fortunes however are about to change. One of the wealthiest students at his high school, Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards), accuses him of rape. Another girl backs her up Suzie Toller (Neve Campbell). This seems to validate her more as the two dislike each other and she is from the wrong side of the tracks. However, a court room outburst scuppers all of this and Kelly rich mother has to settle. The three plan to split the money but Detective Duquette (Kevin Bacon) smells something fishy and starts in on finding out what it is.
Director John McNaughton, famed for his HENRY: POASK, had by this time, made more TV then film work to fall back on. He worked regularly on HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS, the best cop show of the era and still had the skills to deliver features. Not a terrible place to be, but one that obviously meant a style that leant itself to TV rather than cinema. The commentary between McNaughton and producer Steven A. Jones, is interesting in that it brushes over this but doesn’t head down the rabbit hole of WILD THINGS as the Michael Mann visual aesthetic and pacing. Something that has caught up others in the film world. Though I would recommend the older commentary, which doesn’t also get bogged down in this, because it has anyone and everyone in the mix. Outside of this, the two version of the film is the high point, if you can call it that. The problem with the film and this whole situation is simple, we get a film that is episodic, overly ridden with exposition and in the end, a fatally flawed concept. The plot is peppered with absurdity and the noirish delicacy that are dropped in are done so, in unbalanced measures. Presented in new 4K, they make it look stunning and this joint restorations of its original theatrical version and extended ‘Unrated Edition’, are very good indeed. But the film is a stinker and should be avoided.
LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY CONTENTS
• New 4K restorations of both the Original Theatrical Version and the Unrated Edition from the original camera negatives by Sony Pictures Entertainment
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original uncompressed stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Exclusive new audio commentary by director John McNaughton and producer Steven A. Jones
• Commentary by director John McNaughton, cinematographer Jeffrey Kimball, producers Steven A. Jones and Rodney Liber, editor Elena Maganini and score composer George S. Clinton
• Exclusive new interview with John McNaughton
• Exclusive new interview with Denise Richards
• Making of documentary
• An Understanding Lawyer outtakes
• Trailer
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Anne Billson and Sean Hogan
• Double-sided fold-out poster
• Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley
