In 1988, legendary film critic Roger Ebert wrote one of my favorite Ebert reviews for a film. In the review, which was for this feature film debut from writer/director Mike Figgis, Ebert accepted the challenge from a reader to write about the visual experience of a film Indeed, he rose to the challenge in a pretty epic way in describing my own experience in watching this Melanie Griffith/Tommy Lee Jones starring film that has been given a re-release from U.K. based distributor Arrow Films. 

The film is photographed by an early in his career Roger Deakins, who is now pretty close to universally acknowledged as one of the very best in the biz. Stormy Monday is a romantic thriller, but it's a romantic thriller in a full-on sensual kind of way. Figgis would eventually give us Leaving Las Vegas and this film looks and feels like a cousin to that film. The plot of the film is remarkably simple - Brendan (Sean Bean) is looking for a job, Finney (Sting) is a club owner who has folks out to get him, while Tommy Lee Jones is a corrupt businessman. Melanie Griffith steals every scene she's in, but so does the jazz music that soaks itself into the fabric of every scene as has often been the case with Figgis films. 

I get why some don't necessarily appreciate this film, but those who do seem to want to watch it over and over again. You can count me as one of the true fans of the film and everything it looks like and sounds like and even kinda feels like. As is always the case it seems, Arrow has done the film right with this hi-def blu-ray and the Standard Definition DVD presentation. You won't be disappointed, but I'd say that's nearly always true with a Figgis film. It's especially true here. 

EXTRAS INCLUDE:

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations 
• Original stereo audio (uncompressed on the Blu-ray Disc) 
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Audio commentary with Mike Figgis, moderated by critic Damon Wise 
• New video appreciation by critic Neil Young, and a “then and now” tour of the film’s Newcastle locations 
• Theatrical trailer 
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacey