Another lengthy, tour de force from cherished filmmaker Martin Scorsese now shines in the ultra-high definition with Killers of the Flower Moon (Criterion, rated R, 2.39:1 aspect ratio, 206 minutes, $49.95).
Nominated for 10 Academy Awards in 2023, the film, adapted from David Grann’s best-selling true-crime novel, takes viewers back to 1920s Oklahoma and explores a series of murders of Native Americans of the Osage Nation tied to the discovery of oil on their tribal land.
The story sheds light on crime boss William King Hale (Robert De Niro) and his nephew, World War I veteran Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), taking advantage of the extremely wealthy Osage (the richest in the world at the time) who held the mineral rights to the lands.
Mr. Hale has amassed a fortune through his shady dealings, including contract killing and fraud, and he gets Mr. Burkhart to court and marry the level-headed Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), a rich Osage with key property rights to the tribe’s oil fortune.
The evil White men (truly an exploitative and despicable lot) conspire to kill off key members of her family to earn inherited headrights to the minerals on the lands until Ms. Kyle hires a private investigator and, in tandem, with help from President Calvin Coolidge, their plot begins to unravel.
Top-notch performances by Mr. DiCaprio, Mr. De Niro and Ms. Gladstone (nominated for an Oscar) bring the real players to life and are supplemented by the acting might of Jesse Plemons as Bureau of Investigation agent Thomas Bruce White Sr., John Lithgow as lead prosecutor Peter Leaward and Brendan Fraser as Mr. Hale’s attorney W.S. Hamilton.
Despite some narrative bloat, Mr. Scorsese’s movie brilliantly and meticulously exposes a shameful part of American history that should never be forgotten in a story of greed wrapped around an ill-fated romance.
4K in action: Mr. Scorsese and cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto’s vision, brought to ultra-high definition life via a 4K digital intermediate, immerses viewers in the period piece, mixing film and digital cameras to easily bring out the vivid, rich colors of nature.
Outdoor moments to absorb include a field of purple and white flowers; a glistening stream with tall green grass on each side; a field of golden wheat behind a cherry-red roadster; a sweeping shot of the grassy plains as far as the camera eye can see (littered with a sea of oil wells and cattle); and various stages of the sun setting and rising over the lands.
Equally important was the detail seen in the authentic Osage garb, cowboy attire, flapper wear and suits found throughout the film, ranging from a marriage headdress, varied 10-gallon hats, boot spurs, multicolored ribboned blankets and silver jewelry.
On the artistic side, one can really appreciate the scene of a nighttime fire surrounding a ranch house with heat distorting the silhouettes of the men containing a fire, making it all look like a watercolor masterpiece.
The director also goes deep in bringing history to the screen using a vintage Bell & Howell hand-cranked camera for the black-and-white newsreel scenes that look equally crisp and perfectly exposed in its monochromatic glory.
Best extras: Within the three-disc set, comprising one 4K and two Blu-ray discs, the digital goodies are all found on the second Blu-ray.
First, viewers get a 36-minute succinct and extremely informative overview of the real story, the book and the film as explained by cast and crew who include Mr. Scorsese, Mr. DiCaprio, Ms. Gladstone, Mr. Grann, Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, researcher Marianne Bower, editor Thelma Schoonmaker, location manager Mike Fantasia, costume designer Jacqueline West, production designer Jack Fisk, casting director Ellen Lewis, as well as members of the Osage community and cultural consultants.
Next, viewers get a 33-minute look at the Osage in the context of the film that covers the true story, as well as the movie’s final shot — a celebratory dance of the Osage based on an original song — as explained by the director, Chief Standing Bear and members of the Osage Nation.
The segment also touches on the tribe’s history, tradition, music, culture and the murders and includes a visit inside the Osage Nation Museum.
Next in a 24-minute interview, Mr. Prieto, cinematographer, talks to host Glenn Kiser of the podcast Dolby Creator Talks, starting by reminiscing about his work on four films with Mr. Scorsese.
He then tackles in detail the techniques and process behind the “Killers of the Flower Moon” visuals, such as researching the color still photography of the era; the color palettes representing White men and the Osage; building sets and shots based on the sun’s position; capturing the vastness of landscapes; hybrid shooting with film stock and digital; and specifics such as adapting vintage car headlights to LEDs to control dimming.
And finally, viewers get 30 minutes’ worth of excerpts from the 2023 Cannes Film Festival roundtable press conference with select comments from Mr. Scorsese, Mr. DiCaprio, Ms. Gladstone, Mr. De Niro and Osage Chief Standing Bear. The group also takes questions from the audience.
The package features a 38-page, full-color booklet containing essays from film critic Vinson Cunningham and filmmaker Adam Piron.
• Joseph Szadkowski can be reached at jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com.
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