Release and reception
Dream with the Fishes debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, and was picked up by Sony's indie division Sony Pictures Classics. It would go on to earn $460,000 in limited release in June 1997. [5] In Australia, it also received a limited theatrical release in October 1997. [6]
The film received a relatively positive reception from critics, with Rotten Tomatoes giving the film a rating of 61% based on 44 reviews. [7] Roger Ebert stated in June 1997 that the film "shows some of the signs of unchained ambition." [8] The Los Angeles Times said that "of all the towering blockbusters this summer, Dream With The Fishes has more heart than the lot of them." Dan Webster of The Spokesman-Review commented in August 1997 that Dream with the Fishes is "a perfect example of the kind of personal film that won’t necessarily connect with a larger audience." He added that it is "told with a sensitivity that, while not exactly Oscar-worthy, does manage to touch on feelings most mainstream films don’t even admit exist." [9]
Dennis Harvey of Variety labelled it a "a flat-out imitation of some more adventurous strains in ’70s U.S. cinema", noting that the film "ends up looking wholly original in the current indie landscape" because of this. [10] Dream with the Fishes was included in Magill's Cinema Annual 1998: A Survey of the Films of 1997, which also noted its similarities to 1970s American cinema. The book states that, "Dream with the Fishes pays homage to '70s films like Dealing (1971), The Last Detail (1973) and California Split (1974), with unapologetic substance abuse, retro costumes, and characters who drop out of the mainstream on their way to enlightenment." The book further added that, "Taylor gives the picture a stark and distinctive visual style and the film stock itself was processed to further imitate the grainy, color-saturated look of '70s cinema." [11]
In a 2007 interview, actor David Arquette stated that Dream with the Fishes was "close to my heart" and "a great independent film." [12] In celebration of the film's 25th anniversary, it had a special screening at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, California on October 17, 2022. This screening used a new hi-res master. [13] In December 2022, the film was also released on Blu-ray for the first time by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, having previously only been available on VHS and DVD. [14] [15]
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