Smithereens [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Director: Susan Seidelman Susan Seidelman

Overview

Written, produced, directed, and edited by Susan Seidelman in true student film fashion, Smithereens is the story of Wren (Susan Berman), an independent spirit from New Jersey trying to self-promote herself into the New York punk scene. She meets Paul (Brad Rijn), who ran away from Montana and lives out of his van in a parking lot. Paul seems to offer genuine friendship, however, Wren is only interested in forming meaningless relationships in hopes of bolstering her nonexistent career. She has no musical talents or industry skills, yet she aggressively pursues a pathetic spot for herself in places like the Peppermint Lounge. She drops Paul for Eric (Richard Hell, who also performs on the musical score), who has a record deal, and they work out a plan to escape to California, which requires Wren to pose as a prostitute in order to scam money from a prospective john. Things don't work out, and Wren finds herself hitting one wall after another, eventually getting kicked out of her apartment. With no place to go, Wren seeks out everyone she knows in the city, only to find herself left alone.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/21/2018
UPC:	0715515219112
Original Release:	1982
Rating:	R
Source:	Criterion Collection
Region Code:	A
Language:	English
Time:	1:32:00
Sales rank:	4,117

Special Features

New 2K digital restoration, approved by Director Susan Seidelman, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack; Audio Commentary from 2004 featuring Seidelman; New interviews wiht Seidelman and actor Susan Berman; And You Act Like One Too (1978) and Yours Truly, Andrea G. Stern (1979) and Yours Truly, Andrea G. Stern (1979), two early shorts by Seidelman, with new introductions by the Director; Plus: An essay by critic Rebecca Bengal

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Susan Berman	Wren
Brad Rinn	Paul
Richard Hell	Eric
Nada Despotovich	Cecile
Roger Jett	Billy
Kitty Summerall	Blonde
Robynne White	Landlady
D.J. O'Neill	Ed
Joel Rooks	Xerox Boss
Pamela Speed	Terry
Tom Cherwin	Mike
Edie Schecter	Christine
Katherine Riley	Hooker No. 1
Amos Poe	Hustler in Bar
Ade McSpade	Rasta
Paul Dunlap	Bouncer
Sara Sassin	Tough Woman in Cafe
Chel Chenier	Cecile's Roommate
Diana Hayes	Nightclub Singer
Marilyn Rall	Woman at Bar
Cookie Mueller	Horror Movie Sequence
Edward E. French	Horror Movie Sequence
Chris Noth	Actor
Brad Rijn	Paul
Joel Brooks	Xerox Boss
Richard Hill	Actor
Bill Milliion	Composer
Glenn Mercer	Composer

Technical Credits

Susan Seidelman

Ron Nyswaner

Peter Askin

Susan Seidelman	Director,Producer,Screenwriter
Ron Nyswaner	Screenwriter
Peter Askin	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Susan Seidelman's independent debut Smithereens marks the filmmaker at her unconventional best. Like a crudely executed retelling of Truffaut's The 400 Blows, the story is a self-analyzing character study of Wren (Susan Berman), a struggling would-be star trying to make a name for herself in New York. With minimal skills and no support structure, Wren lives by her own witty, lighthearted efforts to validate her existence. She spouts off cynical lines that could be in any early-'80s dialogue, but her underlying hopelessness is uniquely presented. In failure after failure, Wren continues to persist in brightly colored fishnets and sneakers, only to meet with an enigmatic freeze-frame ending. The images are too dark and the sound is pretty bad, however, the lack of technical polish doesn't detract from the emotional impact. The New York punk soundtrack, featuring Richard Hell, is especially effective in capturing Wren's bleak desperation combined with her frantic survival. Seidelman creates in Wren a tragic hero, who is both funny and sad in her attempts at self-promotion. After the release of Smithereens, Seidelman would move away from personal drama for a more mainstream and profitable career in comedies.

All Movie Guide - Andrea LeVasseur