ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (April 2019): Criterion have transferred David Mamet's House of Games to 1080P Blu-ray. It appears to be from the same master approved by director of photography Juan Ruiz Anchia, although now it is in the higher resolution for home viewing. Colors gain some richness but it maintains the slightly bluer look of the Criterion SD. The HD upgrade will be more noticeable depending on your system.

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It is another advancement in the film's audio and score by Alaric Jans (Mamet's The Winslow Boy), sounding a bit deeper with more consistent dialogue. The Criterion BD offers optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray has the same extras as their DVD from 2007. Repeated description from below; 'the Mamet/Ricky Jay commentary is a lot of fun. Not very serious and I suspect Jay was chosen as he is a sharp cookie and, even gently, sparring with the giant intellect of Mamet was a joy to listen to. Ricky Jay reflects on much of his knowledge as a magician and scholar of unusual performance art (Ricky Jay from films like Magnolia (narrator) and The Spanish Prisoner (1997) is actually famous for his astounding ability to throw playing cards, and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for throwing a playing card a hundred and ninety feet at ninety miles an hour. From ten paces he can throw a playing card into the flesh of a watermelon). Mamet impresses us with his frequent references to films and directors gone by (quoting many) from Eisenstein to Poverty Row Pictures. There are also video interviews with actors Lindsay Crouse and Joe Mantegna and a short documentary shot on location during the film's preparation and production storyboard detail by David Mamet. Also included are a theatrical trailer and A 30-page liner notes booklet featuring an essay by critic Kent Jones and excerpts from Mamet's introduction to the published screenplay.'  In his original script for House of Games, director David Mamet included the 'Tap' as the short con that the characters Joey, George, and Mike would demonstrate to Dr. Margaret Ford. To protect anyone actually working this con, consultant Ricky Jay opted to devise a variation on a different short con called the Flue. With the approval of Mamet and Jay, presented here is a gallery of original storyboards for the 'Tap' and the corresponding scene from the movie. This is also found on the new Blu-ray.

One of the most re-watchable 'con' films - and it has an adventurous psychological edginess. House of Games has Mamet's measure dialogue and curious subtext. It's a film I am very happy to own on Blu-ray. An easy recommendation! 

***

ON THE DVDs: Not much in the way of a comparison hence I have limited the 'versus' frame matches. The stingy, single-layered MGM DVD is non-anamorphic, cropped, has boosted colors and is interlaced.  It sports optional French or Spanish subtitles and only a trailer as a supplement. Let's just forget the MGM shall we?

The progressive Criterion is anamorphic on a dual-layered DVD. It is not pristine sharp but without high end production dollars and with the transfer supervised by director of photography Juan Ruiz Anchia - I expect this is the best we will get until the format, itself, is upgraded. Audio is unremarkable but close, I'll wager, to the way it was produced. Criterion has optional English subtitles.

The Criterion has some great extras - the Mamet/Ricky Jay commentary is a lot of fun. Not very serious and I suspect Jay was chosen as he is a sharp cookie and, even gently, sparring with the giant intellect of Mamet was a joy to listen to. Ricky Jay reflects on much of his knowledge as a magician and scholar of unusual performance art (Ricky Jay from films like Magnolia (narrator) and The Spanish Prisoner (1997) is actually famous for his astounding ability to throw playing cards, and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for throwing a playing card a hundred and ninety feet at ninety miles an hour. From ten paces he can throw a playing card into the flesh of a watermelon). Mamet impresses us with his frequent references to films and directors gone by (quoting many) from Eisenstein to Poverty Row Pictures. There are also video interviews with actors Lindsay Crouse and Joe Mantegna and a short documentary shot on location during the film's preparation and production storyboard detail by David Mamet. Also included are a theatrical trailer and A 30-page liner notes booklet featuring an essay by critic Kent Jones and excerpts from Mamet's introduction to the published screenplay.

Great film - I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it till I watched this Criterion disc (and listened to the commentary). Lindsay Crouse, whom you may remember as the nurse in The Verdict (written by, at one time husband, Mamet) and a brief stint on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (among other things) is just excellent while darting around Mamet's stringent verbal cadence. This is really a special and unusual piece of work. Highly recommended!   

Gary W. Tooze