Reviewer's Rating 4 out of 5
Quills DVD (2001)

Quite what the Marquis De Sade would have made of the very prim and proper DVD release of "Quills" is something that we can only imagine. He certainly couldn't have complained about the overall quality of the disc, which is very good.

There's a lovely soft glow to the cinematography that is beautifully showcased by a picture transfer that offers good levels of detail throughout.

The 5.1 sound mix does not have much to do in terms of steering effects between the speakers, but does have plenty of subtle atmospherics to enhance the drama with.

Scriptwriter Doug Wright sits in for an audio commentary that's earnest with detail, and certainly indicates that he was allowed on set far more than most writers.

A series of featurettes concentrate on the production design and costumes for the film. The clear aim was not to create yet another typical costume drama, and the interviews and behind-the-scenes footage are quite interesting. All that's missing really is an in-depth look at the naughty practices of De Sade, but then it's not that type of DVD.

Region: 2
Chapters: 15
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5:1
Extra Features: Scene selection, audio commentary with scriptwriter Doug Wright, 'Marquis on the Marquee' featurette (script featurette), 'Creating Charaton' (production design featurette), 'Dressing the Part' (costume featurette), costume design gallery, 'Fact and Film' gallery trailer and TV spot, animated menus, multiple languages subtitles, and English for the hearing impaired.

End Credits

Director: Philip Kaufman

Writer: Doug Wright

Stars: Kate Winslet, Geoffrey Rush, Joaquin Phoenix, Michael Caine, Billie Whitelaw, Patrick Malahide, Amelia Warner

Genre: Drama, Romance

Length: 124 minutes

Cinema: 19 January 2001

DVD: 29 October 2001

Country: USA