Review of Bigger Than Life (1956) by Noah B — 23 Jan 2011

This is one of those times when I wonder how a great classic film could go so long without any dvd release and I'm extremely thankful for the Criterion Collection correcting this oversight. Nicholas Ray made some great films and, though Johnny Guitar is probably my favorite by the director, Bigger than Life may be his best.

Its absence from the AFI 100 list reminds me once again how flawed that list is. This is an important landmark film about the middle class American nightmare, prescription drug addiction & fear of escalating medical bills.

His family and colleagues are unprepared for the personality change that comes as a side effect with his increase of his dosage. This underseen gem is deserving of a much bigger audience and is the type of film that the lazy AFI should be using their platform to promote.

As much as I enjoy the over-the-top Rebel Without a Cause, this suburban family melodrama is a better film. The excellent Criterion dvd (or Blu-ray) extras include three 20-30 min. interviews that explore the messages and themes of the film, picking up on some things that I had overlooked during my first viewing.