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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Salesrank: 47566
Released: May 22, 2001 |
| Our Price: $2.42 |
| Used Price: $1.25 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
In the middle of its storm-riddled summer, Miami must face a new monster: a psychopath whose one objective is to gain fame through murder. Kurt Russell, Richard Jordan and Mariel Hemingway give performances as blistering as the Florida heat in this never dull parable of American ambition (New York) that combines an intriguing premise and provocative subject matter [into] a suspenseful thriller (Boxoffice) with 'real chills (Newsweek)! An article on the killingof a teenage girl has brought burnt-out Miami Herald Reporter Malcolm Anderson (Russell) a powerful new fan...the killer himself. Encouraged by the police to maintain this anonymous relationship, Malcolm receives exclusives on two more killings. But as Malcolm's own celebrity grows, the killer's jealousy prompts him to up the stakesby abducting the reporter's fiancÃ(c)e (Hemingway) as his own testament to the price of fame!
Description of The Mean Season:
Kurt Russell and Mariel Hemingway star in this well-above-average thriller. Mean Season offers plenty of suspense as well as an interesting take on the role of the press in sustaining the very violence it covers. Russell plays Malcolm Anderson, a burned-out journalist who never got the big career-making story he always wanted. Just as he's about to give up and move to the idyllic countryside, the big story comes to him--in the form of a serial killer with a fixation for Anderson himself. As Anderson's fame grows, he starts getting hounded by his brethren, the press. Add this to the assorted problems that go along with having a serial killer a little too interested in one's personal life, and you've got major trouble. Director Phillip Borsos does a nice job of conveying information through quick visuals, and even sets up some moments of eerie beauty, such as the shot of a victim's apartment, covered in a snowfall of pillow feathers. More importantly, Borsos knows he's making a thriller and makes sure to have fun doing it: there are plenty of loooooong shadows and a few good jolts along the way. As Anderson's girlfriend, Mariel Hemingway is essentially asked to play bait, but manages to flesh out what could easily have been a cardboard character. --Ali Davis
The Mean Season Reviews:
A Neat Thriller 
2008-06-26 - the story of an opportunistic reporter and a vicious serial killer. Kurt Russell in fine form as the reporter and the late Richard Jordan as the killer. Look for a brief scene with B-movie legend William Smith. The finale in the swamps is pretty good -- kinda reminiscent of Cape Fear.
Meany Season 
2007-09-21 - This is a decent crime thriller, but it was hurt with so-so camera work, elevator music, and mediocre romance. Mariel Hemingway is a fair enough actress but she doesn't light up the screen with Russell in this movie. Good acting by Kurt Russell, Richard Jordan, and Andy Garcia carry the movie. With a little better quality camera work, some appropriate music, and someone like Kathleen Turner (Body Heat), in place of Hemingway, this would have sizzled instead of slow cooked. Kurt plays a burned out newspaper reporter in Miami. He is thinking of moving to Denver with his wife. When a killer calls him he becomes the center of attention for the whole country, but when the killer becomes jealous all he cares about is in danger. Jordan does an excellent job of being creepy with every minute of his screen time. A year later "Manhunter" was what this movie could have been. I recommend this for a rental before buying.
Another neglected film with a solid Kurt Russell performance 
2006-06-09 - I will state for the record that I am a big fan of Kurt Russell and it was his name on the marquee that first made me take notice of this film. After having seen it a number of times-- first in the mid 1980's after if was released to negative reviews and poor box office receipts--most recently again last week-- I think that THE MEAN SEASON is an under-appreciated, tightly crafted suspense thriller that, in spite of what other reviews have stated, does NOT pander to cliché's--this film is old enough to have helped establish those very same tropes that have since become clichés; remember, this was made before Manhunter, Silence of the Lambs, 15 Minutes, etc etc...and was one of the first films to deal with the whole notion of fame/celebrity/serial killers and the lack of ethics displayed by journalists, who must rank somewhere below pimps and pickpockets in terms of moral turpitude. The film benefits from excellent performances from Kurt Russell and Richard Jordan. As the two leads they carry the film; and Richard Masur,as Russells editor, sells every line of his characters dialogue with complete conviction. Also of Note: Andy Garcia makes a very strong impression in what i think was one of his first roles in a film and he is perfectly paired with Richard Bradford, who reminds me so much of my 1st step-father ( an ex Marine Corps drill instructor turned cop)that i have absolutely no trouble believing him in the role of a burned out, bitter homicide detective. Mariel Hemingway has always seemed miscast no matter what the role-- i think she is a very poor actress.She nearly destroys the fine work Richard Jordan does as the killer; he has a scene with her near the end where he threatens her with a knife and she is so thuddingly awful and unconvincing it almost makes me want to scream--every single time I watch this movie! The direction by Philip Borsos is very tight; his framing and cutting remind one of Hitchcock or Brian Depalma ( each of the killings is filmed with a minimum of blood displayed-- but to maximum stylistic effect) and all in all the plot hurtles forward at just the right level of intensity. I will admit that there are 2 examples of egregious pop-up false scares in The Mean Season-- which were apparently studio-mandated. ( no surprise, really) and I guess I should deduct points for that and Lalo Shifrin's sometimes bombastic score--but I am not going to; because after 22 years of mostly pale imitators, The Mean Season is looking better and better with age.
Okay Thriller Gets an Okay DVD Release
2003-08-09 - A mediocre thriller that comes off better than it should due to the efforts of a fine cast. Kurt Russell plays a Miami newspaper reporter who becomes involved in the story he's covering when a vicious serial killer engages him in a game of cat-and-mouse. The script has plot holes big enough to rival the Grand Canyon, and raises a lot of questions concerning media responsibility that ultimately go answered; but Russell's intense performance tends to gloss over the flaws in the screenplay. Mariel Hemingway offers capable support as Russell's love interest and the story's moral barometer; Richard Jordan makes the most of his short time on-screen as the demented killer; and Andy Garcia is fine as police detective working the case.
The DVD is one of MGM's "MovieTime" releases, a series of "B" films that tend to be given the bare bones treatment on DVD. As a rule, "MovieTime" discs offer the movie and the Original Theatrical Trailer only - there are no extras like commentaries, cast bios, stills galleries or other fancy frills; the DVD packaging includes no printed material beyond what you see on the outside of the case. However, the film-to-video masters are usually pretty good, and that's true of this edition of "The Mean Season". The DVD offers a sharp and vibrant widescreen transfer that's far superior to the fuzzy and faded pan-and-scan version that appeared on the earlier LaserDisc release. Overall, an adequate presentation of an adequate suspense thriller.
Good thriller that doesn't deliver wanted answers
2002-07-12 - The Mean Season is a really good thriller, well designed, but unsatisfying in its final scenes.
Kurt Russell delivers another really great performance as Malcolm Anderson, a burned out reporter for the Miami Herald. He begrudgingly gets assigned a murder case that ends up turning into a serial murder case. Mariel Hemingway portrays his girlfriend. Her role in the film is largely unnecessary until the last third of the film. Hemingway isn't a bad actress, but I must confess I've never seen any alure to her - she looks like a 14 year old boy, not a woman.
The film maintains excellent attention to detail and superb suspense throughout. My complaint with the film is simple: A murder mystery/thriller should answer questions it poses. Mean Season does not.
Why is the killer doing what he is doing? What is his motive? We are provided what seem to be the reasons for the murders, but are later told that the scenario was a red herring provided by the killer. So were his reasons the real ones or part of the whole red herring ploy? We aren't told. In reality many criminals don't actually have legitimate motives - but in films of this nature, it is a requirement.
I can't say that I didn't enjoy this film - because I did. It just left me a bit angry at not answering some basic questions.
