From 1991 comes this surprising movie with Kenneth Branagh (who directed the movie, too!), Emma Thompson, Derek Jacobi, Robin Williams, Andy Garcia, and Wayne Knight (“Newman” from SEINFELD). Kenneth Branagh plays an LA private eye who investigates a woman with amnesia (Emma Thompson). At first, Emma Thompson’s character can’t speak, but with the help of a hypnotist played by Derek Jacobi, she starts to regain fragments of her memory. The plot revolves around “past lives” where Branagh was a composer and Emma Thompson was his wife who is murdered. The movie jumps back and forth in Time. Special features include the trailer, commentary with producer Lindsay Doran and screenwriter Scott Frank, and commentary by Kenneth Branagh. I enjoyed this. GRADE: B+
I remember seeing this and enjoying it. I don’t remember Robin Williams or “newmann” in it. If I ever get my dvr down, I’ll have to watch it again.
Maggie, Robin Williams plays a busted shrink. Wayne Knight, who played “Newman” in SEINFELD, works as a photographer for a newspaper in DEAD AGAIN.
“jumps back and forth in thine” is enough to turn me off.
Rick, “Past Lives” and Reincarnation are big factors in DEAD AGAIN. Back in the early 1990s, these were Hot Topics. Today, not so much…
George – This one brings back fond memories. We were on vacation and saw it at an old movie palace in Santa Barbara, California.
Elgin, I don’t know what I was doing back in 1991 but I missed DEAD AGAIN in the theaters. My local public library had the DVD. There doesn’t seem to be a Blu-ray version yet.
Excellent film: intelligent, suspenseful, and Branagh and Thompson had real chemistry together.There’s also future Hamlet Campbell Scott in a small part.
Dan, I think Branagh and Thompson were married at that time. Later, they divorced.
George
By sheer coincidence I reviewed this very same movie last Saturday. Here’s the link:
http://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=47384
This review first appeared in my DAPA-Em zine over 20 years ago after watching it on HBO. I haven’t seen it since then. After reading my review and now yours, I’m really going to have to find a copy on DVD so I can see it again.
Steve, as I mentioned on your fine blog: Great Minds think alike. Thanks for the link! DEAD AGAIN certainly has a 1990s “feel” about it.
Mere Coincidence? Or are there darker forces at play here…….
Dan, there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
I loved it. All these Shakespeare greats doing a fun little mystery and time travel (any and all I love) movie that was simple, fun, and satisfying entertainment. I seem to recall Robyn Williams was uncredited – but his character was good. I have it up in the library in my DVD collection, and now after several years, you’ve led me to pulling it out for another viewing. Branagh’s remake of SLEUTH was dreadful, so I’m so curios to see how his direction and role as Poirot fares this year (not high expectations, as much as I love the guy’s overall work–mostly Bard stuff).
Roy, Branagh is a quirky director. I liked his Shakespeare movies, but I thought his THOR movie was a bore.
Oh, that would be in the much UN-anticipated remake of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
Roy, I agree with you. We don’t need another MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS.