‘The People vs. Larry Flynt’ review: Free speech crusade gets a sharp Arrow Video 4K revival
by Joseph Szadkowski · The Washington TimesDirector Milos Forman’s biographical dramedy debuts on 4K to celebrate its 30th anniversary and shed light on a self-described pervert’s fight for freedom of speech in The People vs. Larry Flynt: Limited Edition (Arrow Video, rated: R, 2.39:1 aspect ratio, 130 minutes, $49.95).
Focused on the legendary life of the pornographer (portrayed by Woody Harrelson), the movie first traces his early years in Kentucky as a child working with his brother, Jimmy, selling moonshine.
The action the focuses on an adult Flynt moving to Ohio to open strip clubs that evolved into the creation of his famed “girlie magazine for the common man,” Hustler.
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The film covers his court battles over obscenity laws, the Jerry Falwell fight leading up to a Supreme Court victory and even the assassination attempt that left him paralyzed, in pain and drugged out for four years, rebounding only to watch his beloved wife Althea (Courtney Love) wither away from AIDS.
Besides Mr. Harrelson’s Academy Award-nominated and Ms. Love’s Golden Globe-nominated performances, the excellent ensemble cast includes Edward Norton as Flynt’s loyal attorney Alan Isaacman and James Cromwell as legal nemesis Charles Keating.
The necessary movie about the serious topic of censorship certainly remains in the forefront of American life. No matter what one thinks of Flynt and his pornographic empire, his legacy of fighting for a fundamental right in the U.S. Constitution trumps any of his magazine’s sexually explicit silliness.
4K in action: Restored by Sony Pictures Entertainment, the 4K scanning and digital restoration from the original 35mm picture negative looks like a film shot last week, crisp and with warm, natural colors throughout.
The visual presentation highlights the pink- and blue-robed singers on shore as Flynt gets baptized in a lake; and Althea’s black, white and purple-streaked hairstyle and red leather minidress offering her best punk Cruella de Vil persona during a courtroom scene,
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Of course, male chauvinist pigs will embrace scrutinizing the clothed and nude female form as seen in various photo shoots in the film, but the 4K cinephile will appreciate a sharp, colorful fireworks display seen in the 1976 Independence Day celebration scene.
Best extras: By far the most important, the included Blu-ray disc gives viewers a relaxed, unassuming and informative 2026 interview with Mr. Harrelson, looking back at “one of the greatest experiences in his career” on making the film and assuming the persona of Flynt.
He discusses his reluctance to take the role; his distaste for the pornography in the magazine; and the key players getting together over Christmas for 10 days to finalize the script.
Mr. Harrelson gives kudos to Ms. Love and talks about the high cost of insuring her during the movie.
Next, and equally important for the first-person record, a 30-minute discussion between former Columbia Pictures’ production president Lisa Henson and producer Janet Yang that nails why the film was made.
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They touch on the importance of satire in the context of “South Park”; whether to allow Flynt to be part of the movie; using his real offices for the shoot; casting Ms. Love and getting her insured (a $1 million price split between key players); Ms. Yang debating Gloria Steinem; the fun casting process; producer Oliver Stone’s impact in getting the movie green-lit; and pulling funny lines out of actual court transcripts.
Another informative 30-minute discussion follows with the screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski.
This has them discussing being amused at originally reading about Flynt’s courtroom antics in the Los Angeles Times (like a Marx Brothers movie) and deciding his life story was a good idea for a film.
Other nuggets from the duo include initially pitching Bill Murray as Flynt, finding a director and enjoying Forman’s eccentricities, and making a one-of-a-kind movie with a very supportive Hollywood studio.
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The final interview offers 30 minutes with French cinematographer Philippe Rousselot, as revealed in English subtitles, while offering insight into his craft.
Mr. Rousselot said it was a complicated and repetitive process, and the best moments of his work were in the background, shooting with two cameras due to the actors’ improvisations; respecting actors’ faces; and examining his famous lighting work on “Dangerous Liaisons,” “Sherlock Holmes” and “La Reine Margot.”
Arrow Video delivers a true retrospective on “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” cemented by those compelling interviews … but there is more.
The legacy content starts on the 4K disc with a pair of optional commentary tracks from 2003, one packed with information from the enthusiastic Mr. Alexander and Mr. Karaszewski and the other, oddly entertaining, with Mr. Harrelson, Ms. Love and Mr. Norton.
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The trio was recorded separately, and the narration gets dominated by Ms. Love, who pulls no punches, offering a frank take on her life at the time and role. For example, her various drug addictions required that she got the role only if she urinated in a cup for testing every day of the shoot.
Next, back to the Blu-ray, a 30-minute documentary on Flynt, narrated by Dennis Hopper, covers his early years and all major points in his life, including doing a commercial for his presidential run in 1983. Interviews also include his brother, Jimmy, photographer Suze Randall, Mr. Isaacman, federal prosecutor Bo Anderson, even Jerry Falwell and, of course, Flynt.
Finally, a 22-minute segment from 1997 on “The Charlie Rose Show” with Forman talking about censorship and solely focused on the film and a 30-minute archival production overview from the 2003 DVD release.
The packaging offers a 44-page, full-color booklet featuring an archival essay by Mr. Alexander and Mr. Karaszewski, a new essay on Forman by author Andreas Halskov and an archival interview with Forman conducted by director Adam Davidson.
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Joseph Szadkowski
jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com
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