At First Sight/Kill Me Again [2 Discs] DVD

At First Sight
New York architect Amy Benic (Mira Sorvino) meets blind masseur Virgil Adamson (Val Kilmer) and falls in love. As she learns his lifelong blindness may be curable through experimental surgery, she convinces him to undergo the operation. Virgil then learns vision may not quite be what he expected. At First Sight is directed by Irwin Winkler and also stars Bruce Davison, Nathan Lane, and Kelly McGillis. At First Sight is a romance adapted by writer Steve Levitt based upon the story To See and Not See from noted writer Dr. Oliver Sacks' collection, An Anthropologist on Mars. Dr. Sacks' work is also the basis for the Penny Marshall film Awakenings, starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams and the opera The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat by Michael Morris with music by Michael Nyman. In his original story, Dr. Sacks tells of receiving a call in October 1991 from a retired minister in the Midwest. His daughter was about to marry a fifty-year old man, Virgil, who had been blind since early childhood. He had thick cataracts and been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a disease which slowly eats away the retinas. As he could still make the distinction between light and dark, it was found he was misdiagnosed and simple cataract extraction could possibly restore his sight. While surgery was a success, Virgil, like his cinematic counterpart, found he would have to learn to use his vision much like an infant would, even though he was adept at relating to the world through touch. In his A New Theory of Vision, written in 1709, George Berkeley concluded there was no necessary connection between a tactile world and a sight world; a connection between them could be established only on the basis of experience. This same story was also adapted into the play Molly Sweeney by Brian Friel. ~ Ron Wells, All Movie Guide

Kill Me Again
In his film debut, novice director John Dahl (who would later make The Last Seduction), weaves a quirky tale of love, murder and deception. Jack Andrews (Val Kilmer), a seedy private detective is hired by Fay Forrester (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer), to help her fake her own death in a clever scheme to escape from her mob pursuers, whom she double-crossed stealing money she had been sent to pick up, and are now intent on killing her. There then ensues a series of complicated plot-twists, double-crosses and surprises as Fay and Jack race each other to escape the mobsters, who have found them, and to get the money before the other does. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

Cast Val Kilmer as Virgil Adamson Mira Sorvino as Amy Benic Kelly McGillis as Jennie Adamson Steven Weber as Duncan Allanbrook Bruce Davison as Dr. Charles Aaron Nathan Lane as Phil Webster Ken Howard as Virgil's Father Val Kilmer as Jack Andrews Joanne Whalley as Fay Forrester Michael Madsen as Vince Miller Jonathan Gries as Alan Swayze Pat Mulligan as Sammy Nick Dimitri as Marty Michael Greene as Lt. Hendrix Bibi Besch as Jack's Secretary Michael Sharrett as Tim, the Motel Clerk

Crew Scott Cameron - Associate Producer Carol Lewis - Associate Producer Carol Lewis - Casting Jeff Smolek - Choreography Steve Golin - Co-producer David Warfield - Co-producer Sigurjon Sighvatsson - Co-producer Terry Dresbach - Costume Designer John Dahl - Director Jonathan P. Shaw - Editor Eric L. Beason - Editor Frank E. Jimenez - Editor Nigel Sinclair - Executive Producer Michael Kuhn - Executive Producer William Olvis - Composer (Music Score) Michelle Minch - Production Designer Jacques Steyn - Cinematographer Wally Rose - Stunts Danny Costa - Stunts David Warfield - Screenwriter John Dahl - Screenwriter Scott Cameron - Associate Producer Carol Lewis - Associate Producer Carol Lewis - Casting Jeff Smolek - Choreography Steve Golin - Co-producer David Warfield - Co-producer Sigurjon Sighvatsson - Co-producer Terry Dresbach - Costume Designer John Dahl - Director Jonathan P. Shaw - Editor Eric L. Beason - Editor Frank E. Jimenez - Editor Nigel Sinclair - Executive Producer Michael Kuhn - Executive Producer William Olvis - Composer (Music Score) Michelle Minch - Production Designer Jacques Steyn - Cinematographer Wally Rose - Stunts Danny Costa - Stunts David Warfield - Screenwriter John Dahl - Screenwriter

At First Sight
(not reviewed)
 

Kill Me Again
Kill Me Again -- aptly titled in reference to some amusing and complex plot devices -- is at times somewhat clumsy and unbelievable, but is saved by its unexpected and surprising conclusion and by the performance of Val Kilmer. Kilmer can be wooden at times, but is mostly charming and believable as Jack. Joanne Whalley-Kilmer is excellent in her role of the seductive, deceptive lady on the run. Kill Me Again, while derivative in some respects, gives an interesting twist to familiar material and is both an amusing send-up of the entire genre and a genuinely engrossing crime thriller. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish Sound Processing: DD1: Dolby Digital Mono DD2: Dolby Digital Stereo DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: cc At First Sight: 4-page "Behind-the-scenes" booklet Theatrical trailer Kill Me Again: Original theatrical trailer DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: DVD Discs Included: 2 DVD Sides: 3 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 224 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- At First Sight: Pan and Scan 1. Logos/Main Title [3:12] 2. Tension to Tears [5:01] 3. Amy Sees the Light [2:35] 4. A "Sleeping" Eye Dog [2:11] 5. A Kiss to Build a Dream On [:49] 6. Canceled Apologies [1:27] 7. "What's Out There?" [3:37] 8. Rhythm of the Rain [2:52] 9. Heavenly Memories [3:32] 10. Scorched Date [:52] 11. Second-Chance Guy [2:31] 12. A Search for Insight [2:03] 13. Cold/Hot Kisses [4:31] 14. No Changes, Please! [2:35] 15. "Some Great News" [2:23] 16. There Are No Miracles [1:47] 17. Stomping Like Bigfoot [2:08] 18. A Restless Night [:53] 19. They Can't Take That Away From Me [1:41] 20. Cataract Interaction [1:03] 21. Cool Kid [:23] 22. Obstacles/Art/Plans [2:53] 23. Surgery & Bad Coffee [1:30] 24. "Can" This Be Sight? [5:29] 25. "So This Is You!" [3:31] 26. Covering Up Holes [1:16] 27. A Beautiful Surprise [3:30] 28. No Manual for Limbo [3:51] 29. Mixed Media [3:44] 30. Sculptured Talk [1:43] 31. Reconstructing Dad [1:18] 32. Crashing a Party [7:54] 33. Happy-Hour Therapy [3:34] 34. Easy Come Easy Go [3:15] 35. Park Perspectives [3:50] 36. Flirting With Colors [2:54] 37. The Light Grows Dim [3:35] 38. A Father Fails [2:16] 39. A Seeing Celebration [1:40] 40. A Cloudy Hockey Game [4:54] 41. Broken Dreams [3:08] 42. Reaching Back Home [4:13] 43. Seeing the Horizon [5:38] 44. Love Is Where You Are/End Credits [4:41] Side #2 -- At First Sight: Widescreen 1. Logos/Main Title [3:12] 2. Tension to Tears [5:01] 3. Amy Sees the Light [2:35] 4. A "Sleeping" Eye Dog [2:11] 5. A Kiss to Build a Dream On [:49] 6. Canceled Apologies [1:27] 7. "What's Out There?" [3:37] 8. Rhythm of the Rain [2:52] 9. Heavenly Memories [3:32] 10. Scorched Date [:52] 11. Second-Chance Guy [2:31] 12. A Search for Insight [2:03] 13. Cold/Hot Kisses [4:31] 14. No Changes, Please! [2:35] 15. "Some Great News" [2:23] 16. There Are No Miracles [1:47] 17. Stomping Like Bigfoot [2:08] 18. A Restless Night [:53] 19. They Can't Take That Away From Me [1:41] 20. Cataract Interaction [1:03] 21. Cool Kid [:23] 22. Obstacles/Art/Plans [2:53] 23. Surgery & Bad Coffee [1:30] 24. "Can" This Be Sight? [5:29] 25. "So This Is You!" [3:31] 26. Covering Up Holes [1:16] 27. A Beautiful Surprise [3:30] 28. No Manual for Limbo [3:51] 29. Mixed Media [3:44] 30. Sculptured Talk [1:43] 31. Reconstructing Dad [1:18] 32. Crashing a Party [7:54] 33. Happy-Hour Therapy [3:34] 34. Easy Come Easy Go [3:15] 35. Park Perspectives [3:50] 36. Flirting With Colors [2:54] 37. The Light Grows Dim [3:35] 38. A Father Fails [2:16] 39. A Seeing Celebration [1:40] 40. A Cloudy Hockey Game [4:54] 41. Broken Dreams [3:08] 42. Reaching Back Home [4:13] 43. Seeing the Horizon [5:38] 44. Love Is Where You Are/End Credits [4:41] Side #3 -- Kill Me Again 1. Logos/Title/Credits [2:42] 2. Drive-By Robbery [1:35] 3. Split Decision [5:05] 4. Shattered Life [7:33] 5. "Kill Me!" [4:14] 6. Pieces of the Plan [2:50] 7. Real Blood/Fake Death [7:37] 8. Dropping Off the Body [4:09] 9. Drowning Bad Memories [1:34] 10. "I Remember Her" [1:52] 11. The Third Degree [3:04] 12. "Going Somewhere?" [3:28] 13. "Cops Got it Wrong!" [3:02] 14. "Gotta Run!" [5:02] 15. Recovered Cash [3:17] 16. Cops & Robber [2:18] 17. Safe & Sexy [5:28] 18. "Kill Me Again!" [3:24] 19. Goodbye to a Friend [6:45] 20. Buried Treasure [3:55] 21. Bluffed & Murdered [5:42] 22. Double-Crosser [3:18] 23. "Last Chance" [2:50] 24. End Credits [3:32]