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Expectations & Reactions:
Before he played an ex-con in "Mona Lisa" and way before he played a Mario Brother in "Super Mario Bros.", Bob Hoskins was Harold Shand, the London crime boss who propels "The Long Good Friday" into the annals of great British gangster movies.

I'd only seen "The Long Good Friday" once before in a grainy, chopped up TV print. Still, writer Barrie Keeffe's serpentine script and Bob Hoskins' ferocious performance shone through. The reverent and much-deserved DVD release from Anchor Bay Entertainment promised to return the film to its original vitality. It doesn't disappoint.

What makes "Friday" stand out isn't that it was the first (it's actually a return to Hollywood gangster films of the 50s as well as London's from the early 70s) it's that all the pieces fit together so well. Bob Hoskins is perfect as the volatile "H". Few portrayals of ganglords are so textured and convincing. He's like Tony Soprano with a wicked accent. His Lady Macbeth is no typical gangster's moll, as played by Helen Mirren, Harry's ladylove is a true equal. The plot, meanwhile, is nearly incomprehensible, but it somehow holds together thanks to Mr. Keeffe's script and director John Mackenzie's urgent direction.

The influence of Mr. Keeffe's tale of "terrorism meets gangsterism" was felt throughout the 80s in films like "The Hit" and "Storm Monday", but most recently in films such as "Sexy Beast", "Layer Cake" and of course the oeuvre of Guy Ritchie. All feature gangland anti-heroes, circuitous plots, moments of extreme violence and of course that inimitable British patois.

Like Mr. Ritchie's films, "Friday" is brimming over with familiar faces. Look closely and you'll see Pierce Brosnan in his first feature film role as a silent assassin (credited as First Irishman). Paul Freeman (Belloq from "Raiders of the Lost Ark") is on hand in a memorable role. P.H. Moriarty (also featured in Mr. Ritchie's "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels") stars as Harry's Oddjob-esque sidekick Razors. Alan Ford and Charles Cork, also Ritchie alumnae, appear in small but familiar roles.

Look & Listen:
Previously available in Widescreen only on an expensive Criterion Collection DVD (which was rather light on extras), this "Friday" also features a respectable 16x9 transfer to DVD. While the picture isn't as pristine as some Special Edition treatments, that actually works in its favor. "Friday", after all, takes place in London's underworld in 1979. Director John Mackenzie stages some memorable scenes (including a wonderful monologue on a boat under Tower Bridge) against backdrops which no longer exist, such as London's Docklands district long since replaced by Canary Wharf. While the picture may be a little gray, it seems a fitting tribute to these wonderful locations.

The memorable soundtrack by Francis Monkman is pumped up (almost to a fault) but sadly kept to a 2.0 stereo presentation.

Extras & Highlights:
The disc has some choice extras including a vivid commentary track from director John Mackenzie whose recall is startlingly detailed twenty-five years later. Particular gems include memories of prime London location shooting and a hysterical recount of the famous ending close-up of Mr. Hoskins which almost resulted in the director "killing the lot of us".

Much is made of a filmed-then-scrapped opening montage which tracked a suitcase of ill-gotten money on its way to London. Sadly, there's no sign of that or any other deleted scenes on the disc.

There's a lovingly produced, hour-long retrospective featuring new interviews from Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan, as well as Mr. Mackenzie. It turns out that the complicated script credited to Barrie Keeffe was the product of many rewrites, even donning a new title to turn attention away from the nationality of the main villains.

My favorite extra: a Cockney Slang Dictionary, featuring no less than ten words for "police" and five for "gun".

The collectible booklet, which puts the film in context, and screenplay, included in DVD-ROM format, round out this above-average set of extras.

Menus & Interface:
Fairly standard stuff, but easily navigable.

Storyline & Syllabus:
On the eve of a prosperous deal with some American investors, London ganglord Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins) is besieged by a series of attacks on his friends, family and business. Aided by his loving moll Victoria (Helen Mirren) Harold rounds up the usual suspects, with violent flair, until he gets to the bottom of it all.

See the full review on Big Picture Big Sound.

Conclusions & Afterthoughts:
"The Long Good Friday" is a must-see for any fan of either pre- ("Get Carter") or post-1980 ("Snatch", "Layer Cake") London gangster movies. The DVD Special Edition gives the film its due and should be a fine introduction for American audiences who may be less familiar with the film.

Even after twenty-five years, "Friday" is still a solid film and now it's presented on a solid DVD.

DVD Features:
° Widescreen Presentation enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs
° Rating: R
° Studio: Anchor Bay
° DVD Release Date: April 4, 2006
° List Price: $19.98
° Run Time: 109 minutes

DVD Extras:
° Bloody Business: Making The Long Good Friday (features new interviews with Bob Hoskins & Pierce Brosnan)
° Audio Commentary With Director John Mackenzie
° U.S. Trailer
° U.K. Trailer
° Cockney Slang Glossary
° Poster & Still Gallery
° Talent Bios
° 8-Page Collectible Booklet
° "Also on DVD" (trailers)
° The Long Good Friday Screenplay (DVD-ROM)

Buy The Long Good Friday DVD on Amazon.com.