This standout from The Weinstein Company is among the best single-disc releases of the year thus far, featuring not only the much more fleshed-out Unrated Cut of the film, but supplemental materials that aren't just there to fill space like so many other DVDs.
I really detest the SEXY UNRATED UNCUT marketing design on the cover and spine, but that's the only qualm I have with the whole thing. I thought the theatrical poster would've made a great cover, and having SEXY UNRATED UNCUT on the spine makes it look like it's glorified softcore porn to a guest who sees it on my shelf.
The Feature
My interview & writeup on the movie's history to the present can be found here.
George Hickenlooper's new cut of the film has additions and re-edits littered throughout (all noted painstakingly in the commentary track). The extra detail strokes lent to Edie and (moreso) Andy make this a definitively better version of the film. More scenes of Bridget and Andy together lets you see him interpersonally communicating with someone other than Edie, and that (among other additions) makes all the difference in painting him as a more empathetic character, squashing critical nitpicks of how "detatched" and "cold" he came off in the Theatrical Cut. Yes, he's both of those things at certain points, but that how it should be. This version just frames it all better.
Sienna Miller should never be underestimated, and since I first saw her in Alfie, I knew there was a lot more behind the pretty young woman on screen: a thoughtful, reactive talent who only needs good material to play with. You never see a blank "I'm an actor in a movie" stare, she's always present and thinking actively as the character. When other actresses of her generation are nominated for Academy Awards, it's a shame and a crime she wasn't up for one this past year, or the film been held for contention in the coming year. I think she could have won if people had seen this movie and not been barraged by tabloid trashing.
It's trite to say someone "disappeared into" a role, so I'll say Guy Pearce just plain is Andy Warhol for every second he's on-screen. There's no Willy Wonka caricature of the artist, just who he was as a vulnerable human being. He must be one of the hardest working people in the business to make it all look so effortless and fluid. He imbues Andy with a sensitivity and authenticity that I have yet to see applied to the character on-screen, and doubt I'll see again anytime soon.
Hickenlooper's supporting cast, including Jimmy Fallon and Hayden Christiansen, break from typing forced on them by the studios and what they're known for. No one sticks out like a sore thumb (quite the contrary), and the atmosphere they engender feels just right. Jump over to the interview for more on them.
Supplemental Materials
All the extras are worth watching, even the trailer, which you probably didn't see in theatres or on TV in the first place.
Feature Commentary w/ George Hickenlooper
George covers a lot of ground, pointing out new scenes, new edits, talking through the timeline of events the picture went through from beginning to end, and relating stories like the day Sienna auditioned (good cold reading is an auditioning actor's best weapon). He gives due credit to Harvey Weinstein for making the finished picture possible. He acknowledges a fair amount of give and take, saying this is as close to a director's cut as he could get, but makes it clear there was no Harvey Scissorhands of old present.
Deleted Scene with or without Director's Commentary
This one scene between Andy and Edie is a great example of many scenes improvised in-character based on documented conversations, recorded phone calls and the like. A great example of a deleted scene that gives an added perspective to the final film.
Featurette: The Real Edie
A succinct set of interviews with people seen in the closing credits talking more in-depth about Edie and who she was, including Factory veterans, George Plympton, and Edie's brother.
Featurette: Making Factory Girl
This making-of fills in some of the few gaps in George's feature commentary with contributions from the cast. Much more worthy of viewing than the EPK garbage on most discs.
Guy Pearce's Video Diary
This was my favorite part of the supplementals. Guy Pearce carried a camcorder around throughout filming, from the initial shooting through the reshoots in late 2006. You see Sienna cutting up before takes and Jimmy Fallon and others engaging in the kind of camaraderie behind the scenes that indicates why the film turned out well in the end: everyone had fun and liked working with each other. Everyone made scale, they weren't doing it for the money.
You can hear the concern in his voice when the camera fades up on the start of additional shooting. Insightful for those interested in the process behind making movies and enjoyable for anyone who has worked as a part of an artistic ensemble.
Sienna Miller Audition Tape
George relates in the commentary that Sienna saw her audition sides for the first time the moment she walked in the door. This is the audition tape she made after rushing in due to a flight delay without a shred of the amount of preparation she expected to have. Watch this after listening to the comment track and it'll be yet more interesting.
Buy it