Smile (1975) Blu-ray

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Michael Ritchie
USA 1975

The town of Santa Rosa is abuzz. That's because it's time again for the yearly Young American Miss Pageant. Talented "misses" from up and down California have gathered for the annual event where they will be choreographed by prickly song and dance man Tommy (Michael Kidd, whose many choreography credits include Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Guys and Dolls), produced by businesslike ex-pageant winner Brenda DiCarlo (Barbara Feldon, TV's Get Smart) and judged by blustery RV salesman and town booster Big Bob Freelander (Bruce Dern, Coming Home, Nebraska, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Meanwhile, Bob's young son Little Bob (Eric Shea, The Poseidon Adventure) and his pals get into some hormonally-fueled hijinks. Michael Ritchie's (The Candidate, Fletch, and The Bad News Bears) bittersweet satire of this peculiar tradition of small town Americana is a bona fide comedy classic of the New Hollywood era.

The contestants include Melanie Griffith (Something Wild), Annette O'Toole (Schrader's Cat Peop[le), Colleen Camp (Apocalypse Now), and Joan Prather (TV's Eight is Enough). Veteran character players Geoffrey Lewis (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot) and Nicholas Pryor (Risky Business) are part of Bob's cohort. Ritchie's award-winning behind-the-camera collaborators include writer Jerry Belson (TV's The Odd Couple and The Tracey Ullman Show), editor Richard A. Harris (Terminator 2 and Ritchie's Downhill Racer), and director of photography Conrad Hall (In Cold Blood and Fat City). SMILE has been restored from archival elements and comes to Blu-ray for the first time ever.

***

AIt's time again for California's "Young American Miss" beauty pageant, the biggest event of the year for Big Bob Freelander and Brenda DiCarlo, who give their all to put on a successful pageant. But Brenda is having marital difficulties and Bob's son is up to some mischief. Could this year's pageant be in jeopardy?

Posters

Theatrical Release: March 20th, 1975 (USA Film Festival)

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Review: Fun City Editions - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Fun City Editions - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:53:07.822
Video	1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 41,243,537,060 bytes Feature: 33,338,194,560 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.89 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1825 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1825 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -27dB Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Fun City Editions 1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 41,243,537,060 bytes Feature: 33,338,194,560 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.89 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Newly recorded audio commentary by actor-filmmaker Pat Healy and film curator Jim Healy • "Dernsie's Credo," a newly filmed interview with actor Bruce Dern (27:51) • Theatrical trailer (3:14) • Image gallery (6:01) Booklet with a new essay by film historian Mike McPadden Blu-ray Release Date: May 25th, 2021 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 5

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Fun City Editions Blu-ray (May 2021): Fun City Editions have transferred Michael Ritchie's Smile to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New 2K restoration from its 35mm interpositive". Aside from some infrequent aberrations the 1080P image quality is very impressive. It's a tight, clean image on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. There is consistent grain and adept contrast. A remarkable HD presentation exporting frequent depth and true colors.

NOTE: We have added 70 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Fun City Editions use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the original English language. There is plenty of music in the film starting with Charles Chaplin's "Smile" (written for his film Modern Times - lyrics added later by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons) and beautifully sung by Nat 'King' Cole. There is other recognizable 'hits' including The Beach Boys California Girls, and older standards; Robert Maxwell's Ebb Tide, Let the Good Times Roll sung by Shirley & Lee, Yes Sir! That's My Baby sung by Michael Chain and some may recognize Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 In D Minor (Choral), Opus 125 and Mozart's Concerto #2 for Flute in D Major by the flutist and Young American Miss Pageant contestant "Robin" - by Janette Butler utilized in Joan Prather's 'talent performance. It all sounds as clean and scrip as the image without egregious flaws via the lossless. Fun City Editions offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Fun City Editions Blu-ray offers a new commentary by actor-filmmaker Jim Healy (his brother Pat was in Henry Gamble's Birthday Party and PTA's Magnolia) and film curator Jim Healy (Cinema Scope's Nicholas Ray’s Bigger Than Life: A Conversation with Jonathan Lethem.) I thought they did a great job discussing the many performers (many professional actors as contestants, and many who were not), careers of Bruce Dern, Michael Ritchie, Barbara Feldon, bit performers as well as the many films released around the time of Smile and links to Preston Sturges. They were extensively prepared and professional. There is a also a newly filmed 29-minute interview with actor Bruce Dern entitled "Dernsie's Credo". He recalls the making of the film, his involvement (a week before shooting,) Michael Ritchie (his height - 6' 7"), the TV series 'Stoney Burke' and his recommendation for cinematographer Conrad L. Hall (Marathon Man, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cool Hand Luke etc.) and much more. There is also a theatrical trailer, image gallery and the package contains a liner notes booklet with a new essay by film historian Mike McPadden.

Michael Ritchie's Smile strikes a perfect balance between satire and chaotic realism - in such a way that it is funny because it's true (if exaggerated at times.) It has plenty of young stars playing the contestants; Joan Prather, Denise Nickerson ('Violet Beauregarde' in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), Melanie Griffith (only 17), Annette O'Toole (a favorite), Maria O'Brien, Colleen Camp, Caroline Williams and more. It a well-realized comedy and the Fun City Editions Blu-ray offers a lot with the commentary, Dern interview, liner notes essay and impressive a/v presentation. 70's humor at its filmic best. Absolutely Recommended!

Gary Tooze