Love Jones (The Criterion Collection)

Director: Theodore Witcher Theodore Witcher

Overview

Theodore Witcher's African-American love story Love Jones comes to DVD with a disc that offers two different images. The widescreen transfer preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85: and is preferable to the standard full-frame 1.33:1 picture. An English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1. English subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a music video featuring Lauryn Hill, the original theatrical trailer, and cast and crew filmographies and biographies. This very solid, entertaining film has been given a solid DVD release.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/27/1999
UPC:	0794043478628
Original Release:	1997
Source:	New Line Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame, Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital, stereo]
Time:	1:50:00
Sales rank:	766

Special Features

Widescreen and full-screen versions of the film; Refugee Camp All-Stars featuring Grammy Award-winner Lauryn Hill, "The Sweetest Thing" music video; Original theatrical trailer; Cast and crew biographies and filmographies

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Larenz Tate	Darius Lovehall
Nia Long	Nina Mosley
Isaiah Washington	Savon Garrison
Lisa Nicole Carson	Jose Nichols
Bernadette L. Clarke	Sheila Downes
Khalil Kain	Marvin Cox
Leonard Roberts	Eddie Coles
Bill Bellamy	Hollywood

Technical Credits

Theodore Witcher

Theodore Witcher	Director,Screenwriter
Jane Alderman	Casting
Shawn Barton	Costumes/Costume Designer
Michael Caldwell	Associate Producer
Julia Chasman	Executive Producer
Helena Echegoyen	Executive Producer
Roger Fortune	Production Designer
James Giovannetti	Associate Producer,Asst. Director
Cydney M. Harris	Art Director
Amy Henkels	Executive Producer
Amelia Hochberg	Set Decoration/Design
Ernest Holzman	Cinematographer
Maysie Hoy	Editor
Darryl Jones	Songwriter
Pilar McCurry	Musical Direction/Supervision
Robi Reed-Humes	Casting
Jeremiah Samuels	Producer
Jay Stern	Executive Producer
Nick Wechsler	Producer

Scene Index

Side #1 --
0. Scene Selections
1. Main Title [3:01]
2. The Sanctuary [2:49]
3. Opening Fumble [1:51]
4. A Blues for Nia [4:19]
5. Approached [1:48]
6. Bad Timing [5:24]
7. Persistence Pays Off [4:24]
8. Coffee Table Philosophy [5:04]
9. Music of the Night [4:11]
10. The New Chef [1:51]
11. The Jones Comin' Down [5:02]
12. A Photographer's Eye [2:53]
13. Marvin's Return [4:44]
14. The One [3:55]
15. Life in the Big City [2:53]
16. Movin' On [5:59]
17. Verbal Skirmishes [3:43]
18. Sheila's Party [8:43]
19. Steppin' [2:20]
20. The Parlor Game [3:13]
21. The Love Jones [3:01]
22. A Matter of Trust [7:11]
23. The Noon Train [4:34]
24. One Year Later [9:16]
25. End Credits [6:27]

Menu

Side #1 --
   Play Movie
      Widescreen
      Fullscreen
   Language Selections
   Special Features
      Refugee Camp All-Stars Featuring Lauryn Hill: "The Sweetest Thing"
      Theatrical Trailer
      The Cast
         Larenz Tate
         Nia Long
         Bill Bellamy
         Isaiah Washington
         Lisa Nicole Carson
         Theodore Witcher (director/writer)
   New Line Home Video

Editorial Reviews

Love Jones is a funky, moody contemplation of love and sex among hip, upscale African-Americans in Chicago. But it isn't quite as profound as the jazzy soundtrack would have us believe. There's just the right song to accompany every interlude, from a smoky nightclub poetry slam, to a rainy afternoon in a movie-sized loft, to the note-perfect banter that punctuates a relaxed gathering in a plush apartment. But what's lagging is the emotion -- it's never quite convincing that Larenz Tate's Darius and Nia Long's Nina are jonesing for much more than sex. Darius first pursues Nina like some sort of stalker; his follow-up to a sexy poem he delivers moments after meeting her, which is very ambiguously received, is to steal her address from a personal check and swing by her apartment. The fumbles they make trying to build up trust and maintain the relationship contain few new insights, though it is interesting to see how many of their actions are dictated by foolish pride. What distinguishes the movie is the dialogue, refreshing in both its naturalism and intelligence -- it's too rare that audiences get to see urbane, three-dimensional African-American characters chatting about their philosophies on life and love. Writer/director Theodore Witcher should be commended for this attention to detail and the way he fleshes out the characters. The scenarios they face, and the resolutions to those scenarios, are only so-so.

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