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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 1877
Released: July 1, 1998 |
| Our Price: $3.67 |
| Used Price: $1.99 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Academy award-winning director clint eastwood helms this story based on john berendt's best-selling book examining contemporary events and unique characters in picturesque savannah, georgia, following a shocking murder. alternately suspenseful, satirical
Description of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil:
Readers of John Berendt's bestselling novel were bound to be at least somewhat disappointed by this big-screen adaptation, but despite mixed reaction from critics and audiences, there's still plenty to admire about director Clint Eastwood's take on the material. Readers will surely miss the rich atmosphere and societal detail that Berendt brought to his "Savannah story," and the movie can only scratch the surface of Georgian history, tradition, and wealthy decadence underlying Berendt's fact-based murder mystery. Still, Eastwood maintains an assured focus on the wonderful eccentrics of Savannah, most notably a gay Savannah antiques dealer (superbly played by Kevin Spacey), who may or may not have killed his friend and alleged lover (Jude Law). John Cusack plays the Town & Country journalist who arrives in Savannah to find much more than he bargained for--including the city's legendary drag queen Lady Chablis (playing "herself")--and John Lee Hancock's smoothly adapted screenplay succeeds in bringing Berendt's characters vividly to life with plenty of flavorful dialogue. In similar fashion to Warner's acclaimed DVD of L.A. Confidential, this classy DVD includes a behind-the-scenes documentary titled The Real People in the Garden and an interactive map tour of Savannah and its most celebrated (or notorious) citizens. The original theatrical trailer is also included. --Jeff Shannon
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Reviews:
The eternal thirst of ambition 
2009-10-24 - Savannah, Georgia. This will be the beautiful stage in which a tense drama will take place, when a very wealthy man appears like the principal responsible for the death of his nephew.
The opulence, the double moral and the multiple arms the power has to deal with, are superbly told and ravishingly photographed in this formidable thriller of Clint Eastwood.
Kevin Spacey is particularly effective as the ruthless millionaire, John Cussack is perfect like the irreverent photographer and we have to remark the excellent edition, the superb illumination and the splendid artistic direction that reminded to one of the unsaid influences of Mr. Eastwood: Luchino Visconti.
Not bad, but the book is much better! 
2009-09-07 - This is a very good movie, but the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" is so much better. Based on a true story, the film is set in Savannah, Georgia, as a murder mystery unravels and plays out among the city's colorful residents. This film boasts a wonderful cast, especially the Lady Chablis, who portrays herself. However, I just thought that so many of the details from the book were lost in the movie version, especially the characteristics of Savannah's various personalities. Clint Eastwood directed this film, which is surprising because it truly is one of his worst, which is saying a lot because the film is decent. However, Clint probably shouldn't have wasted so much time on his talentless daughter, Allison Eastwood, who didn't do much in the way of acting besides this film...and it's easy to see why! My advice is to read the incredible book first, and then follow up with the film if you so desire.
Supernatural in the Air
2009-08-19 - It is a tragic story of a cute bi-hustler and his rich antiques dealer maturer patron as seen by a journalist-writer visiting the Savannah, Virginia, of the fiftieth last century.
Embedded from a notion of a more recent time of past-sexual revolution of seventieth, a general landscape of a tale looks not so racist and homophobic viewer prepared could suggest but ironic and satiric if not simply cynical at the time.
Actors playing are superb, and typical victory of good over evil ends the picture explicitly.
Kevin Spacy's best performance
2009-08-03 - I vacationed in Savannah this past June. All the guides talk about is the book and this movie. With all the history in that part of the country, I think they are missing the mark. I had seen this movie when it was first released. I recently bought it, hoping to see more of Savannah. I ws disappointed in that respect, but it held my interest. Spacy was perfect in the role of the wealthy guy who lived in that beautiful house. Mercer House. True Crime is always facinating. Joy Wood
Classic Flick!
2009-07-16 - This movie is a "must-see" after having vacationed in Savannah with my family. We took the tour, saw the sights, and heard the tales from those Savannahians who were there. This movie is based upon actual events. It is well adapted from "THE Book" and quite a tale, told well!
