Speaking Parts

Details

This listing is for the standard edition Blu-ray. The limited edition slipcover (designed by Connor Willumsen) was limited to 1,000 units and is sold out. The two versions are identical, aside from the slipcover.

From arthouse to Canuxploitation, Canadian International Pictures (CIP) is devoted to resurrecting vital, distinctive, and overlooked triumphs of Canadian cinema. This label is focused on the country’s original cinematic boom years – spanning the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s – occasionally venturing past that period (and the country’s borders) to highlight the films of Canada’s most inspired actors and filmmakers. Vinegar Syndrome’s sister company, OCN Distribution, is thrilled to be representing CIP's brand new line of home video releases!

Love. Passion. Obsession.

Hotel employee Lisa (The Sweet Hereafter’s Arsinée Khanjian) develops an obsession with her co-worker Lance (Dog Park’s Michael McManus), a struggling actor who has appeared in several films as an extra. With the help of a local video store, Lisa carefully investigates Lance’s body of work, as he undergoes his own pursuit – of screenwriter Clara (The Stepfather’s Gabrielle Rose) and a film role inspired by her late brother. As their connection grows, this production’s ties to reality start to unravel… and so do our three protagonists.

One of the most singular and defining films from celebrated Canadian auteur Atom Egoyan (The Adjuster, Exotica), Speaking Parts mixes the all-consuming video addictions of Videodrome with an artfully perverse exploration of fractured inner lives. Produced in collaboration with Egoyan, this deluxe special edition also includes three of the filmmaker’s early shorts and Sarabande, his little-seen 1997 film starring Khanjian, Yo-Yo Ma, Don McKellar, and Lori Singer.

directed by: Atom Egoyan
starring: Arsinée Khanjian, Michael McManus, Gabrielle Rose, David Hemblen, Tony Nardi, Gerard Parkes, Franco Tata
1989 / 92 min / 1.85:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0

Additional info:

• Region A Blu-ray
• Scanned and restored in 2K from the 35mm interpositive
• New audio commentary featuring Atom Egoyan and actress Arsinée Khanjian
• Archival audio commentary featuring Egoyan
• Scoring Parts (2022, 22 min.) – New interview with composer Mychael Danna
• A Different Breed (2022, 20 min.) – Former TIFF CEO Piers Handling reflects on Egoyan in the ’80s
• Archival interview with Egoyan (1989, 6 min.)
• Deleted scenes with commentary (2002, 7 min.)
• Afterword featuring Egoyan and Khanjian (2022, 18 min.)
• Sarabande (1997, 56 min.)
• Sarabande introduction by Egoyan (1998, 2 min.)
• New Sarabande audio commentary featuring Egoyan and Khanjian
• Egoyan student shorts Howard in Particular (1979, 13 min.), Peep Show (1981, 7 min.), and Open House (1982, 26 min.) with new introductions by the filmmaker
• Booklet featuring an essay by professor/author Ron Burnett
• Reversible cover artwork
• English SDH subtitles for all five films