When it comes to the discussion of Brian De Palma's collected oeuvre, Raising Cain is often met with indifference or seen as a well-intended failure when compared to his early filmography. Scream Factory's new, definitive Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release will no doubt change that conversation, mostly thanks to De Palma's preferred cut included on the second disc, a passionate fan-made edit that shifts the narrative perspective and overall tone into a completely different beast.
After the failure of adapting The Bonfire of the Vanities, the theatrical cut of Raising Cain was a noble return to what De Palma does best: cinematically manipulating the audience like voyeuristic puppets, much like he did with Body Double. In “Changing Cain: Brian De Palma's Cult Classic Restored,” one of the features included on the Blu-ray’s second disc, film critic Jim Emerson discusses how the opening shot of a movie teaches you how to watch it. This theory is evident in the opening scene of the theatrical cut, when Dr. Carter Nix (John Lithgow), a man with multiple personalities, sloppily attempts to get rid of a young mother and abduct her children for his scientific experiments, relying on his sadistic and proficient personality, Cain, to clean up the mess and take control of the situation.
Back in 2009, film critic John Kenneth Muir posted a fascinating theory about the subtext of Raising Cain, commenting on American masculinity and the rise of Mr. Mom towards the end of the Reagan era—a deconstruction of the male conqueror fantasy within the nuclear family. If you were to buy into that theory, it is present within the opening fifteen minutes of the theatrical cut.
Interestingly enough, Brian De Palma has publicly expressed regret in how he chose to change his original screenplay at the last minute in order to support a new framework and open his film with the introduction of Lithgow’s character’s perspective. Peet Gelderblom's passionate fan edit shifts the opening focus to Carter’s wife Jenny's (Lolita Davidovich) point of view. Her romantic affair with Jack (Steven Bauer), combined with the menacing subplot of Carter’s multiple personalities, gives this re-cut a more surreal framework and confident tone with minimal buildup. Even though I found myself vastly enjoying the re-cut more, in retrospect it has also given me insights that enhance the pleasure of revisiting the theatrical version as well.
Included on the first Raising Cain Blu-ray disc with the theatrical cut are new interviews with actors John Lithgow, Steven Bauer, Gregg Henry, Tom Bower, Mel Harris, and editor Paul Hirsch. I couldn't be more pleased with how this Raising Cain Blu-ray has turned out, and with Scream Factory also releasing The Return of the Living Dead and Invasion of the Body Snatchers on respective Collector’s Edition Blu-rays earlier this summer, they are absolutely killing it this year. This is a release that De Palma aficionados will not want to miss out on, as it will make an extraordinary companion to A24's excellent De Palma documentary that premiered last year. Scream Factory continues to prove why their releases are well worth the effort to buy, and Raising Cain is no exception.
Theatrical Cut Score: 3/5, Director's Cut Score: 4/5, Disc Score: 4.5/5
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