| | | Al Capone. He ruled Chicago with absolute power. No one could touch him. No one could stop him. Until Eliot Ness and a small force of men swore they'd bring him down.
Features: DVD, Special Edition, Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 1.85:1, Dolby Digital (5.1), Dolby Surround Sound, Featurettes, Production Stories, Theatrical Trailer
The critics and public agree, Brian De Palma's The Untouchables is a must-see masterpiece--a glorious, fierce, larger-than-life depiction of the mob warlord who ruled Prohibition-era Chicago...and the law enforcer who vowed to bring him down. This classic confrontation between good and evil stars Kevin Costner as federal agent Eliot Ness, Robert De Niro as gangland kingpin Al Capone and Sean Connery as Malone, the cop who teaches Ness how to beat the mob: shoot fast and shoot first.
"The hottest mob movie since The Godfather." Newsweek
Editor's Note
Kevin Costner is idealistic federal agent Eliot Ness, whose assignment to clean up Prohibition-era Chicago leads to violence and manly questions about upholding the law. Initially powerless to stop the flow of booze into the city (the police force is corrupt and everyone in town seems to be on the mob's payroll), Ness finds guidance from an older streetwise cop (Sean Connery, who won an Academy Award for this role) who convinces him he'll need to break some rules if he wants to bring down head mobster Al Capone (Robert De Niro). Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith play Ness's other recruits, who together must stand tall against a city full of assassins. Director Brian De Palma (MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE) packs the film with violence and creative camera movements while David Mamet's intelligent script capably dodges cliché at every turn. There's a real sense of what's at stake for these characters on a personal level, which contrasts nicely with the futility inherent in enforcing Prohibition in the first place. The film is based on the autobiographical book by Ness (cowritten with Oscar Fraley) and the 1959-63 TV series; Ennio Morricone (THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY) composed the uninhibitedly bombastic score.
Plot Summary
Booze is illegal and people are dying for it. Federal Treasury agent Eliot Ness is determined to bring down Chicago gangster Al Capone and his bootlegging empire. Ness assembles his team and the bullets fly--but it doesn't stop the Untouchables from taking a swig from a bullet-riddled whiskey cask now and then. Academy Award Nominations: 3, including Best Art Direction. Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor--Sean Connery.
| Features | Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Stereo Surround; French Stereo Surround | | Enhanced For 16X9 TV | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Widescreen Version | | Widescreen Presentation | | The Classic | | Original Featurette: "The Men" | | Theatrical Trailer | | The Script, The Cast | | Production Stories | | Reinventing the Genre |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Paramount |
| Release Date: 5/23/2006 |
| Running Time: 119 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1987 | | Catalog ID: 05042 | | UPC: 00097360504248 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English, French Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Oscar (1988) |  | Sean Connery, Winner, Best Supporting Actor | |
Golden Globe (1988) | | Sean Connery, Winner, Best Supporting Actor | | | Ennio Morricone, Nominee, Best Music, Original Score |
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| | Professional Reviews | New York Times
"...Packed with surprises, not the least being that it's a smashing work....THE UNTOUCHABLES is an original..." 06/03/1987 p.C17New York Times
Included in the New York Times "10 Best Films of 1987" 12/27/1987 p.II,23 Variety
"...A beautifully crafted portrait of Prohibition-era Chicago....Propelled by scripter David Mamet's rich dialog, Connery delivers one of his finest performances ever. It is filled with nuance, humor and abundant self-confidence..." 06/03/1987 Los Angeles Times
"...THE UNTOUCHABLES has a great look; two big action set-pieces and a pair of performances by old-pro smoothies..." 06/03/1987 p.C1 Uncut
"[W]itty, intricate and surprisingly moving....Brian De Palma brings his dazzling visual skill to set pieces..." 08/01/2001 p.141 Entertainment Weekly
"De Palma's fingerprints are still all over this stylishly violent, David Mamet-scripted urban Western. The Prohibition sets are epic, the actors are outfitted in Armani, and the action is just as riveting 17 years later." 10/08/2004 p.98 Ultimate DVD
5 stars out of 5 -- "A masterpiece from Brian De Palma....A strikingly polished presentation..." 08/01/2007 p.85 Empire
4 stars out of 5 -- "There's much to enjoy....David Mamet's hard-boiled script, De Palma's assured direction, Morricone's score, De Niro's Capone." 12/01/2008 p.200 Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide 9 of 10
High-energy entertainment that packs a wallop... Fluidly (and often flamboyantly) filmed, with power
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