Regular Price $14.98

Starring: Viggo Mortensen,  Maria Bello,  Ed Harris,  William Hurt,  Ashton Holmes, 
Directed By: David Cronenberg, 
Rated: R (Restricted)
Release Date: 2005-09-30
Studio: New Line Home Video
Format: Closed-captioned,  Color,  DVD-Video,  Widescreen,  NTSC, 

Editorial Reviews and DVD Information about A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series)

Product Description
A quiet man's family life threatens to fall apart when an act of self-defense thrusts him into the spotlight.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Release Date: 14-MAR-2006
Media Type: DVD

Amazon.com
On the surface, David Cronenberg may seem an unlikely candidate to direct A History of Violence, but dig deeper and you'll see that he's the right man for the job. As an intellectual seeker of meaning and an avowed believer in Darwinian survival of the fittest, Cronenberg knows that the story of mild-mannered small-town diner proprietor Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is in fact a multilayered examination of inbred human behavior, beginning when Tom's skillful killing of two would-be robbers draws unwanted attention to his idyllic family life in rural Indiana. He's got a loving wife (Maria Bello) and young daughter (Heidi Hayes) who are about to learn things about Tom they hadn't suspected, and a teenage son (Ashton Holmes) who has inherited his father's most prominent survival trait, manifesting itself in ways he never expected. By the time Tom has come into contact with a scarred villain (Ed Harris) and connections that lead him to a half-crazy kingpin (William Hurt, in a spectacular cameo), Cronenberg has plumbed the dark depths of human nature so skillfully that A History of Violence stands well above the graphic novel that inspired it (indeed, Cronenberg was unaware of the source material behind Josh Olson's chilling adaptation). With hard-hitting violence that's as sudden as it is graphically authentic, this is A History of Violence that's worthy of serious study and widespread acclaim. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVD
On a single disc and with little fanfare, this DVD makes an excellent case for the best extras of the year. Dive into the one-hour-long documentary and learn more about moviemaking than on many a double-disc. The secret lies in director David Cronenberg's (and his usual crew) folksy casualness in showing off the craft, be it makeup (green screens were used), directing (Cronenberg doesn't storyboard), or art direction (the diner set). It also is very funny to hear about "fish Fridays" and how Maria Bello's Uncle Pete became an influence. Even the infamous sex-on-the-staircase scene is diagnosed with candor as stars Viggo Mortensen and Bello act as if there is no backstage camera. There's only one deleted scene, but it's uncommonly deconstructed on why it was filmed and why it was cut (it's a very Cronenbergian dream sequence). A short bit on Cannes is also a delight. So much is here that Cronenberg's smart commentary track is nearly superfluous. Isn't that a nice surprise? --Doug Thomas

More to Explore

The Graphic Novel	Other Graphic Novels that Inspired Movies	David Cronenberg Essentials
Why We Love Maria Bello	The work of Viggo Mortensen	The work of William Hurt

Stills from A History of Violence

Viggo Mortensoe as Tom Stall	Ashton Holmes as Jack Stall and Kyle Schmid as Bobby Jordan
William Hurt as Richie Cusack	Ed Harris as Carl Fogarty and Viggo Mortensen as Tom Stall
Maria Bello as Edie Stall	Director David Cronenberg

Customer Reviews for A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series)

An excellent work - great story with excellent acting

One of those gems that didn't seem to get all the hype and publicity of the big films - this one is just one of those great finds - good story, acting, production.

Lots of suspense, all very believable. Any movie buff will enjoy. A thumbs up, check IMDB for the plot synopsis.A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series)

What a movie!!!
Anybody who seriously believes the all-important "wow" factor has gone missing from certain movies lately can now finally end their drawn-out disputes. "A History of Violence," put mildly, blew me clear out of my chair! David Cronenberg has totally redefined the action genre and shaped it into something all his own.

He casts Viggo Mortensen as Tom Stall, a quiet family man and small-town diner owner who quickly becomes a reluctant hero after decisively silencing two would-be thieves. This story soon draws the heated attention of mobster Carl Fogarty who, along with his loyal followers, seems to feel that Tom may somehow be linked to their organization's shady past. As these men begin to methodically encircle Tom's frightened family, tensions rise and personal suspicions skyrocket. Is Tom Stall really the loving, dedicated husband and father he so adamantly professes? Or has his forgotten and abandoned prior life come back to haunt him in ways he could never possibly imagine?

Discovering the answers to those two questions are what ultimately makes experiencing this barn-burner of a motion picture so much unapologetic fun! I cannot truthfully remember the last time a movie like this generated so much adrenaline-fueled excitement. The principal performers, between Mortensen, the wonderful Ed Harris, and William Hurt, are all standouts. But the pacing is absolutely phenomenal. This is a movie that very literally flies off the screen. Cronenberg throws so much at you throughout the entire film's 96-minute running time, and yet you're still left hungering for more. The violence is straight-ahead and in-your-face. It more than earns its coveted "R" rating.

As far as the DVD, itself....you couldn't ask for a better package. The "Acts of Violence" documentary, along with three other featurettes, does an exceptional job at breaking down the deeply-layered particulars of the film. And you even get to hear Cronenberg, himself, interject his own thoughts as they relate to the film's storied production.

This is an overall great movie and one you're not likely to forget anytime soon. I know I certainly won't!
A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series)

One star too many
Truly one of the worst films I've ever seen. The people who have posted the same really make sense on this one. Shockingly bad acting, dreadful dialogue, so cliche-ridden there isn't any point in watching it past the first 20 or 30 minutes - you know everything that is going to happen. And those first 20 or 30 minutes set the pace: they crawl by, as we are introduced to the family and their fellow smalltown Mayberry inhabitants, every one of them straight from Central Casting and the prop room. The same sheriff we've all seen a zillion times saying the same lines. The same town, same stoic Reluctant Hero that is the head of America's Stupidest Family unwittingly pursued by the bad guys in black cars - standard fare, all the way down the line. Totally implausible dialogue spoken between family members in nearly every scene. A soundtrack generic as they come, and sound editing that defies any sense of natural dynamics. BTW there is no "twist" in the plot. If you call it a plot. The lack thereof, however, does not dissuade this director from filling the "storyline" with as many non sequiturs as possible. There is no profound message here that hasn't been recycled in hundreds of made-for-TV movies, usually better. I'm quite surprised, as I enjoyed Eastern Promises pretty well.A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series)

The past catches up with you
A young MOB killer tries to have a new clean, normal life
and 20 years later when two small time robber / killers try to
hurt his diner employees, he reverts to boyhood 'skills'.
That gets him press and the MOB comes looking for him.
They find him and his teen age son
who doesn't fall short of the tree.
His brother is an east coast boss who tries to kill him when he tries to make peace there,too. Sort of a Shakespeare tragedy of all MOB dead on stage...
Any ending here can't be classically happy.A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series)

Home town hero
While somewhat predictable, it's a great movie. I loved it. It keeps you going. I'm glad I have this movie in my collection. My only complaint is the movie was not long enough. I think they should have given us a little more background on Tom,i.e., how he came to be in the
Witness Protection Program. Well directed and put together. I recommend this movie to people who like action.A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series)

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