With the release of A History of Violence in 2006, the last VHS release for a big Hollywood movie, the VHS era came to an end. A History of Violence is a 2005 American action thriller movie written by Josh Olson and directed by David Cronenberg. It is based on John Wagner and Vince Locke’s 1997 graphic novel of the same name. Viggo Mortensen plays a small-town diner owner who is pushed into the spotlight after confronting two thieves in self-defense, forever changing his and his family’s lives.
The film competed in the main category for the Palme d’Or in 2005. On September 23, 2005, the film was released in limited distribution in the United States, followed by a wide release on September 30, 2005. A History of Violence received critical acclaim for its performances, writing, atmosphere, and plot; Hurt was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, while Olson was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. According to the Los Angeles Times, it is the final major Hollywood film to be released on VHS. ‘One of the best movies I’ve ever been in, if not the best,’ Mortensen said, adding that it was a ‘perfect film noir’ or ‘near to perfection.’
The movie is based on the original graphic novel rather loosely. Josh Olson, the screenwriter, sought to use the original story as a springboard to explore the issues that fascinated him from the start. The picture had a 14-theater limited release and grossed $515,992 at the box office, with an average of $36,856 per cinema. It was released in 1,340 theatres a week later and grossed $8,103,077 in its first weekend. The picture grossed $31,504,633 in the United States and $60,334,064 worldwide throughout its theatrical run.
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