“The Pope of Greenwich Village” and “Desperate Hours” is a stunning Mickey Rourke double feature. “Desperate Hours” felt like an Old Hollywood throwback with modern violence. But, “The Pope of Greenwich Village” is the film that has matured alongside me. So many character actors, such intimate crime. It’s the kind of movie that I love to watch now.
I don’t expect younger readers to get the same kick that I did. But, appreciation of certain films comes with age. One thing I did notice is that it helps to make “Pope of Greenwich Village” a double feature with “On the Waterfront”. Playing around with that sense of desperation among cretins with mob ties creates a sense of painful urgency. Plus, it’s one of the few movies in which I can stand Daryl Hannah. On the other hand, “Desperate Hours” is one of the first R rated movies that I ever saw.
The Blu-Ray comes with trailer, TV spots and a featurette as the special features. The A/V Quality is strong for two older movies. The 1080p transfers make the DVDs and old home video offerings look like crap. The DTS-HD master audio tracks represent the correct audio dynamic for their eras. Still, I don’t get why “Pope of Greenwich Village” was only in mono. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to fans.
Release Date: 6/2/15