The Bridges Of Madison County DVD Review

The Bridges of Madison County is the 1995 film based on the best selling novel by the same name, written by Robert James Waller. Clint Eastwood directs and stars across from Academy Award winner Meryl Streep, who earned an Academy Award nomination for best actress in a leading role for the film.

Set in 1965, The Bridges of Madison County follows a lonely Italian Iowa housewife named Francesca (Meryl Streep, Deer Hunter, The Devil Wears Prada). While her husband and children are away at the Illinois State Fair, Francesca meets and falls in love with a photographer, Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood, The Good The Bad and the Ugly, For A Few Dollars More). He has come to Madison County to do a National Geographic photographic essay on the covered bridges in the area. The pair share a four day romance which serves as an eye opening experience for Francesca who falls madly in love with this new stranger. The experience reminds her of what love should feel like as well as an impassioned romance.

However, despite their highly romantic tryst, when it comes time for Robert to leave, when his photo essay is complete, Francesca does not choose to continue their relationship. She chooses, instead, to stay with her husband, Richard, citing that staying with Robert would be like caging a wild animal and she could not allow herself to be the downfall of such an amazing person as Robert. She also decides to stay in an attempt to quell the whispers and snickers that Richard and her children would have to endure their entire lives if she were to leave. So, despite an obvious romantic and interpersonal relationship that she has not experienced with her husband, Francesca forsakes love to protect her children.

The Bridges of Madison County, the deluxe edition that is being released onto DVD features this magnificent film presented in widescreen. This is quite a remarkable feat considering the film was originally on screen 13 years ago. The shift for home viewers to go from the 4:3 full frame aspect ratio that they were accustomed to due to years of television watching and studio remastering as well as the dreaded pan and scan releases, as been a long and arduous journey. The fact that the studios would reframe the films, forgetting about the art and efforts that the director and cinematographer put into the films, to placate the lowest common audience member is tragic. However, it would seem that finally the home viewer is understanding that importance of widescreen viewing, and finally films as notable as The Bridges of Madison County can be viewed in their full cinematic glory.

The Bridges of Madison County Deluxe Edition DVD release includes the film, presented in widescreen for the very first time on DVD, preserving the aspect ratio of the original theatrical release. The DVD also features a Dolby Digital 5.1 stereo surround soundtrack. The DVD includes several special features including a commentary with Editor Joel Cox and Director of Photography Jack N. Green. The DVD also boasts a making of featurette, “An Old Fashioned Love Story: Making The Bridges of Madison County.” Lastly the DVD release includes the Doe Eyes music video and the theatrical trailer of The Bridges of Madison County.