Continuing a diverse pattern of films since his Oscar win for The Piano, Adrien Brody stars as a time-travelling psychiatric patient in The Jacket. British director John Maybury "tingles the spine and stimulates the grey matter" in this genre-bending thriller which left some critics and moviegoers nonplussed. Ultimately, it flopped at the box office but Maybury blames this on a marketing campaign that misled audiences into thinking it was a straightforward horror film.

The Jacket Unbuckled

For those who did see the film and were completely baffled, this DVD does fill in some of the blanks. The Project History featurette talks to Maybury about the genesis of the film and his fascination with Gulf War syndrome, but it also provides the context for a batch of additional scenes. As well as explaining how these scenes fit in to the complicated plot structure, Maybury reveals why they were cut. For instance US test audiences objected to a graphic scene of lovemaking, which resulted in what the director calls a "puritanical" re-editing process. A couple of bland alternative endings are discussed as well, but perhaps the most surprising thing about this featurette is Maybury's objection to the studio's choice for leading lady. In his first meeting with rising starlet Keira Knightley, he told her point-blank: "I don't want you in this film."

Out Of The Box

Much of the film's impact comes from the psychedelic imagery that Brody's character experiences while locked in a morgue drawer (and strapped inside the eponymous jacket). The Look Of The Jacket investigates how these scenes were put together using CG effects as well as looking at Maybury's key influences. Above all he gives a nod to the late Stan Brackhage - an avant-garde filmmaker who experimented using materials like dead insects, blood and bleach splattered across celluloid. A similar effect was recreated electronically for the 'tripping scenes,' but even the opening and end credits owe a debt to Brackhage. (Maybury admits that the final credit roll blatantly rips off his 1963 short film Mothlight.)

Maybury's honest input means that both featurettes are meatier than the average and the deleted scenes are enhanced by his explanations. However, this makes the absence of an audio commentary all the more disappointing (along with the stars' minimal contribution). Even so, this DVD edition of The Jacket offers an engaging look beneath the intricate narrative binds.

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