Midnight Ballad for Ghost Theater FTW!

John Turturro’s blue-collar musical Romance & Cigarettes, a film that has had nearly every obstacle thrown in its way — from completion up through a halfhearted theatrical release — finally gets a DVD release two days before Valentine’s Day. Watching it, one can see why studios were flummoxed by its combination of grand emotions, gritty setting, and explicit sexual talk. The film represents a unique and singular vision – there really hasn’t been anything quite like it. The film’s closest relative might be Martin Scorsese’s New York, New York, another film that attempted to collide naturalism with artificial theatricality. But where the Scorsese picture kept the characters grounded in reality while serving up the most stylish sets and photography imaginable, Romance & Cigarettes keeps a gritty, street-level feel while allowing the performers to play in a grand manner.

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