Broadcast News

Writer-director James L. Brooks came to filmmaking from TV, where he worked in the news industry before shifting to sitcoms. In 1987's Broadcast News, Brooks draws upon his background to fashion a romantic drama driven by rich character writing, sharp dialogue, and intelligently explored issues, both professional and personal. Holly Hunter is Jane, the workaholic writer-producer at the Washington bureau of a network news show. Jane respects her smart reporter colleague Aaron (Albert Brooks), who's hopelessly in love with her, but finds herself physically attracted to handsome new anchor Tom (William Hurt), a camera-friendly man with little journalistic experience or intelligence (or even ethical standards). Brooks delves into the conflicts between hard news and network pressure for ratings and the fine line between objective reporting and staged presentations (where editing shapes the story). But the human narrative, in which personal lives are sidelined to focus on careers, is just as interesting and involving. Also featuring Jack Nicholson in a small role as a veteran newscaster, Broadcast News was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and remains one of the smartest American movies of the 1980s. Criterion's newly mastered DVD and Blu-ray editions replace the old 1999 DVD release (mastered before the era of high definition and plasma widescreen sets). Extras include a new audio commentary by Brooks and editor Richard Marks, the documentary “James L. Brooks—A Singular Voice,” an alternate ending and deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes featurette, an interview with CBS news producer Susan Zirinsky, and an accompanying booklet. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)