Steve Buscemi plays every third indie film director from the 1990s.
“Living in Oblivion” is one of those arthouse films from the time when I discovered what arthouse meant. While I never got the chance to check it out at the Vogue (local reference). I did pick it up on VHS and watched it repeatedly on IFC. As I would grow into appreciating the collaborative nature of film, many of the jokes would start to make sense. For a neophyte viewer, the narrative is so insular that it threatens to derail the film. Well, outside of Dinklage’s memorable rant.
You know what makes me feel old? I remember seeing the film (Johnny Suede) that inspired this one at a dollar house theater years before ever seeing Living in Oblivion. While that early Brad Pitt starring vehicle was a giant waste of time, it at least bothered to invite new viewers into its world. I get that a film about the process should be made to include those that get it. But, what about those on the outside? Even 20 years later, I still can’t get over that aspect of the film.
The Blu-Ray comes with brand-new interviews, commentary, Q&A and a deleted scene as the special features. The A/V Quality is quite impressive for a quite indie film. The 1080p transfer shines at the moments that need it. The DTS-HD master audio mono track seems thin since I remember this being at least a Dolby 2.0 master on DVD. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to the curious.
RELEASE DATE: 11/17/2015