directed
by Charles Crichton + John Cleese (uncredited)
USA/UK 1988
A perfectly old-fashioned romantic comedy, big on caper, generous on Ealing, and heavy on the twisted stereotypes. Cleese scripts and stars as London barrister Archie Leach, hired to defend a gem thief, and earning a much-vaunted 'sex symbol' tag with the affections of gangster's moll Wanda Gershwitz (Curtis). It's a plot too jagged to document in full - Where are the gems? Who has the safe-deposit key? Who's betraying whom? Is the London Underground really a political movement? - but the interest lies less in outcome than in character: Palin as a madly stuttering, animal-loving dog-murderer, Kline as a maybe-CIA cruel paranoid pseudo who's intermittently Wanda's lover/gay brother, and Cleese and Curtis as the most unlikely rug-tearers since Miller and Monroe. There's nothing deep, nothing ground-breaking, but it's a never-dull, tightly scripted yarn with some very funny gags.
Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE
Poster
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Theatrical Release: July 7th, 1988
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DVD Comparison:
MGM
- Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)
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MGM Region 1 - NTSC |
MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) Region 1 - NTSC |
| Runtime | 1:48:20 | 1:47:44 |
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Video |
1.85:1
Original Aspect Ratio |
1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
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| Bitrate : MGM |
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| Bitrate: MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) |
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| Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) | English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 1.0), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 1.0), Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0) |
| Subtitles | English, French, None | English, French, Spanish, None |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: MGM Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 32 |
Release Information: Studio: MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) Aspect Ratio:
Edition
Details:
• Optional
Trivia Track
DVD
Release Date: November 21st, 2006 Chapters 28 |
| Comments: |
I wouldn't say the new 2-disc Collector's Edition image is perfect, but it is light years ahead of the old non-anamorphic one. Sharper, brighter colors, clearer... better subtitles (and more options), upgraded audio, more extras etc. etc. The new image does have a few poorer points - some digital noise, I suspect some black/red boosting and a few speckles can still be seen. There was a 2-disc 'Deluxe Edition' that came out in 2004 and it wouldn't surprise me if not much has been updated from that by MGM. But I don't own it so I can't be positive, although extras look suspiciously duplicated.
The Cleese commentary is as engaging as he is, but there are some gaps. He talks a lot about the cast and crew - his inspiration - and elicits much praise to Kevin Kline and Jamie Lee Curtis. The Trivia pop-ups are kind of gimmicky and I can't see too many people being amused by them. There is a 2nd disc with some interesting material and a cute 'Message From John Cleese'. It shows a mark up from usual MGM thrown-together digital discs and I'm glad to own it. Apologies that I couldn't compare to the Deluxe but this appears to be the same price tag. |
DVD Menus
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(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
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MGM Region 1 - NTSC |
MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) Region 1 - NTSC |
Report Card:
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MGM Collector's edition |
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Sound: |
MGM Collector's edition |
| Extras: | MGM Collector's edition |
| Menu: | MGM Collector's edition |
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