TRANCE starts out with the heist of a Goya painting, “The Flying Witches”, and an employee named Simon (James McAvoy) who seems to be trying to stop the theft of the painting.  He is hit on the head by one of the robbers and he gets amnesia about the events that happened on the day of the theft.  It is soon revealed he is working with the heist crew (lead by Franck as played by Vincent Cassel who almost steals the movie away from everyone else) to steal the painting and they want to have him remember where he put the painting since the thieves don’t have it.  They take him to see a Elizabeth lamb, hypnotherapist, in an attempt to recover those missing memories and find the painting, but it becomes a more complicated game as memories may not be as they appear to be and who is playing the real game.

TRANCE is a movie that presents illusions about reality as you peel back the layers as the movie goes on.  The hypnosis reveals a form of the memories as you wonder what the truth is.  Has he become fixated on the therapist?   Why is the therapist really helping him?  Who can be trusted when the painting is found?  First, you think TRANCE is about the guy who has amnesia and then you find the therapist is the center of the movie.  The hypnosis she puts James McAvoy’s character through is the driving force for the movie along with how she interacts with McAvoy and Cassel’s characters.  Then you have this visual look and a hypnotic music score that takes you into the heightened experience of a Danny Boyle film.  Don’t forget TRANCE has a certain look to it that is uniquely the central vision of a director who has made some many interesting films like TRAINSPOTTING, 28 DAYS LATER, and SUNSHINE.  Whether you think Danny has succeeded with his films, there is always something that will stick out and leave an impression on the viewer.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

THE POWER OF SUGGESTION: MAKING TRANCE-

DANNY’S FILM NOIR- how the script was reshaped and turned into the film known as TRANCE where Danny wanted a woman at the center of the story and not have it be like a film noir.

HYPNOTHERAPY- all about hypnosis and its role in the story of TRANCE

THE LOOK- the production design and locations of TRANCE and how the Goya painting helped the general feel of the movie

THE FINAL REWRITE- how editing formed the final film and also how Danny Boyle stepping away to do the Olympics for nine months might have helped the final shape of TRANCE

Seven deleted scenes add nothing to the final film and cut for pacing reasons.

Theatrical trailer for TRANCE

DANNY BOYLE RETROSPECTIVE- Danny Boyle discusses  all the movies he has been involved with as a director or a producer (28 WEEKS LATER) that were put out by Fox Searchlight in this 15 minute retrospective (like lessons he learned and a few production tidbits about each movie).

Short Film: EUGENE by Spenser Susser is entertaining enough for one viewing and I wonder why it was included on this disc since it had nothing to with TRANCE.  

The blu-ray is part of a combo pack that includes TRANCE on DVD and a digital copy of the movie.

FINAL ANALYSIS: TRANCE is an interesting visual jigsaw that feels like Hitchcock as reinterpreted by Danny Boyle.   It is definitely a treat to watch.

This DVD review is (c)7-25-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

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