In the near future, Fox (Christopher Walken, King of New York) and X (Willem Dafoe, Light Sleeper) are industrial spies who are hired by corporations to bring sought after employees to the highest bidder, leaving their current employers in the dust. When they are hired to help move Hiroshi (played by anime artist Yoshitaka Amano), a brilliant scientist, from a German company back to Japan, they enlist the help of a call girl named Sandii (Asia Argento, Boarding Gate) to seduce him. The actions of Fox, X and Sandii result in a play of power, sex and violence that takes them around the globe, not knowing who either can trust.

Based on William Gibson’s short story of the same name and adapted for the screen by noted iconoclast Abel Ferrara (Bad Lieutenant, Dangerous Game), who co-wrote the script with regular collaborator Christ Zois, New Rose Hotel is an understated foray into cyberpunk aesthetics at the turn of the millennium that signals a turning point in the career of Ferrara. Cinématographe is proud to present Abel Ferrara’s often overlooked sci-fi thriller in a new 2K restoration from the best surviving film elements.

For thoughts on New Rose Hotel, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Cinématographe brings New Rose Hotel to Blu-Ray for the first time domestically with an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 derived from a newly commissioned 2K restoration from the best surviving preservation elements. This is a film that has been highly requested for quite some time, so the care shown towards it really stands out for fans waiting for it to be treated with respect. Some may be disappointed by the lack of a 4K UHD release, but it appears the quality was not there for this particular title, based on the restoration details.

This presentation eradicates nearly all print damage such as specks, scratches, and tears. The transfer renders a consistent grain structure that preserves the filmic origins of the picture, showcasing discrete details within the modestly futuristic environments. Ken Kelsch’s cinematography is key to establishing the picture’s atmosphere. The colors are not hyper-saturated, spreading throughout the frame with key hues in the costumes and production design. Skin tones appear natural, with a respectable amount of facial detail present in close-ups. Black levels are decent and rarely come up short in shadow detail. The picture mostly avoids crush, and highlights are firm with no semblance of blooming. Cinématographe does commendable work with this release.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that carefully realizes the sonic ambitions of the film. This is largely a talky picture, and the dialogue comes through clearly without being lost to competing noises. The sounds of the various environments emerge to create fabulous ambient details and subtle elements. The score from Schoolly D sounds great as it comes through with the utmost fidelity. All of the sounds in the mix seem lovingly executed so that nothing ever feels unnatural. Cinématographe has provided an audio track that hits all of the right notes. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Limited Edition version of New Rose Hotel comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer slipcase that opens up to a MediaBook that includes a bound booklet featuring new writing by film critic Filipe Furtado, Cinématographe’s Justin LaLiberty, and film critic Nick Newman, plus select archival photo reproductions. These essays delve into the film from multiple angles and each piece provides a great analysis in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Film critic and historian Adrian Martin provides an informative commentary track that discusses the work of Abel Ferrara, the background of the production, the disorienting nature of the story, the work of the performers, how the film compares to the source material, the film’s reception, and more.

Introduction: A new optional seven-minute introduction is provided with director Abel Ferrara in which he reflects on the creation of the film.

Interview with Actor Willem Dafoe: A new eight-minute interview with the actor in which he discusses coming on board the film, collaborating with Christopher Walken and Asia Argento, the unique qualities of Abel Ferrara, his thoughts on the film as it relates to his collaborations with the filmmaker, and more.

Interview with Actress Asia Argento: A new 15-minute interview with the actress in which she discusses her first interaction with Abel Ferrara, what makes him such a great director to work with, the work that went into her character, memories of her fellow performers, shooting in New York, and more.

Interview with Composer Schoolly D: A new 17-minute interview with the musician in which he discusses the major impact Abel Ferrara had on him as a composer, what he tried to bring to the music for different projects, and more.

Checking Into the New Rose Hotel – Video Essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas: A new 11-minute visual essay in which the film historian explores how this fits into the work of Abel Ferrara, recurring motifs within his work, the layers of the narrative, the collaborations with the performers, and more.

Final Thoughts

New Rose Hotel has a reputation for being a somewhat messy affair within the career of Abel Ferrara, and it comes by that reputation honestly. It is very inconsistent in its construction and execution, but that does not mean it is not an intriguing viewing experience. Ferrara creates a “future” that has grit and personality–not the sleek optimism often found in a sci-fi tale. The one-two punch of Christopher Walken and Willem Dafoe ensures that you are going to be dialed in to whatever techno-babble the script requires these legends to say, and they execute this quite well. It has numerous flaws, but if you are a fan of the talent involved, it is still an essential viewing experience. Cinématographe has provided a Blu-Ray that features a strong A/V presentation and an invaluable array of supplemental features. If you have been waiting to get your hands on this one, this release is not to be missed. Recommended

New Rose Hotel is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Cinématographe has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.