Review
THE GIFT is both a traditional independent romantic tragedy and a trailblazing experiment in modern technology. It fuses 35mm footage from an unreleased earlier cut made by Krausz called AT RISK with new footage shot on HD (using both the Sony HDW-F900 and the Canon XL-H1). The original version was a 1994 cautionary tale about infidelity and the spread of HIV starring a then-unknown Vince Vaughn, the late Broadway Tony-nominated actor Daniel McDonald, country star Randy Travis and Elana Krausz. Many of its observations, fears and anxiety reflect the general hysteria of its time. The new material, shot nearly 15 years later, opens the film up to include a modern perspective, the effects of the disease as its passed through new generations, and a richer storyline that infuses a sweet lyricism and melodrama. |
