Barry:
Season One (2018/HBO
DVD)/The Big Lebowski:
20th
Anniversary Limited Edition Box Set
(1998/Universal 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)/City
Slickers
(1991/Sony/TriStar)/Dragnet
(1987/Universal/both Shout! Factory Blu-rays)/Topper
Returns (1941/MVD
Visual/VCI Blu-ray)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: A Picture: B-/B+/B+/B+/B- Sound: B-/A &
B/B+/B+/C+ Extras: C/B+/B/B-/C- Main Programs: B/A/B/B/C+
Now
for all kinds of classic comedy and a new entry...
Bill
Hader stars in (and directs) Barry
(2018), a HBO drama/comedy that focuses on a Hitman, who also happens
to be an aspiring actor in Hollywood.
Traveling
to L.A. to kill an aspiring actor, Barry (Hader) ends up getting
sucked into the culture of the city and ends being inspired to be an
actor himself. While the job goes against his real life profession
in every way possible, Barry also ends up falls for a girl in the
process and making new friends... and enemies.
Nominated
for an Emmy, Barry
is an unusually charming new show that's sharply done and worth
checking out. Barry
also stars Henry Winkler, Sarah Goldberg, Anthony Carrigan, and
Stephen Root to name a few.
Season
One
is comprised of six episodes, including Make
Your Mark, Use It, Make the Unsafe Choice, Commit... To You, Do Your
Job, Listen with your Ears, React With Your Face, Loud Fast and Keep
Going,
and Know
Your Truth.
The
anamorphically
enhanced 1.85 X 1 image standard
definition DVD presentation is up to standards with the aging format
and presents the show in its original 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio
and paired with a lossy 5.1 Dolby Digital audio mix. Compression
issues are evident when watching the show on a 4K TV, with many
details lacking and of which would be corrected in a HD release.
A
digital copy is also included.
Special
Features include:
The
World of Barry
Featurette
and
Inside The Episode
Barry
gives some truth about the LA acting scene, and has plenty of
charming performances, and good writing to back it up.
The
Big Lebowski
(1998) is a cult classic and one of the best films in the Coen
Brothers' vastly impressive filmography. There simply aren't many
films like this modern film noir that tells the story of The Dude
(Jeff Bridges), whose mistaken for a millionaire of the same name,
and whom seeks restitution for his rug (which really tied the room
together). The Dude ends up entangled in trying to find the (rich)
Lebowski's kidnapped wife in return for a handsome reward.
The
film has seen several releases on home video over the years in every
format that you can imagine. On the eve of its 20th Anniversary,
Universal celebrates by this eye opening new 4K restoration of the
film on 4K Ultra HD disc, which is almost like watching the film for
the first time again.
This
review pertains to the Limited Edition set which includes a (very
nice!) bowling bag, small bowling ball and a hilarious 'Dude'-esque
cloth slip cover that goes over your disc as if it's wearing the
signature sweater worn by Bridges in the film.
The
Big Lebowski
features an all star cast that includes John Goodman, Steve Buscemi,
Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, John Turturro, Sam
Elliott, and David Huddelston to name a few.
The
4K remaster in The 2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition disc, and has a widescreen
aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and both an English DTS: X 11.1 lossless mix
(DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz) mixdown for older systems) that are
a vast improvement over previous versions. The Blu-ray edition
available previously only had 5.1 mixes and a less intricate
transfer.
Shot
originally on beautiful 35mm by the brilliant Roger Deakins, the
detail in the image is top notch with a clean and clear transfer that
has brighter colors and more definition than before. Also included
is a 1080p Blu-ray with the same aspect ratio and sound specs as the
4K UHD disc. The difference is the clarity of the image, which is
enhanced with HDR (high definition range) on 4K UHD disc.
Special
Features:
U-Control:
Scene Companion
U-Control:
Mark It, Dude
U-Control:
The Music of The Big Lebowski
Worthy
Adversaries: What's My Line Trivia
The
Dude's Life
The
Dude Abides: The Big Lebowski Ten Years Later
Making
of The Big Lebowski
The
Lebowski Fest: An Achiever's Story
Flying
Carpets and Bowling Pin Dreams: The Dream Sequences of The Dude
Interactive
Map
Jeff
Bridges Photo Book
Photo
Gallery
An
Introduction
and
No Kid Hungry PSA
Universal
has done a great job this year restoring some of their new classics
and upscaling them to 4K UHD disc. This, along with the cool
packaging here, makes this limited edition worth picking up for
hardcore fans of the film.
For
more on
our past coverage on the film you can start at this link....
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/7622/The+Big+Lebowski:+10th+Anniversary+Edition+(Un
Billy
Crystal stars in City
Slickers
(1991), the story of three friends who are about to turn the big 4-0,
and are in the midst of their mid life crisis. Starting to feel
pretty bored with life in the big city, Mitch Robbins (Crystal) and
his two friends (Bruno Kirby and Daniel Stern) decide to go on a
vacation to the wild west while they will train to be cattle framers.
When
in New Mexico, they end up meeting a true blue cowboy named Curly
(the great Jack Palance), who opens their eyes to what life in the
west is really about. The film also stars Patricia Wettig, and Helen
Slater.
There's
no doubt that this is classic Billy Crystal and his chemistry with
Jack Palance on-screen was so charming to audiences that they end
made a sequel years later. Ron Underwood (who had just finished
Tremors
before this), does a great job and the cinematography here is
captured nicely.
City
Slickers
is presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio
of 1.85:1 and two audio tracks in both DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1
and DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo lossless mixes. The transfer is pretty
sharp and has been restored in this new 4K remaster of the film from
its original 35mm elements. This definitely bests the previous
release of the film on 1080p Blu-ray disc in 2015, that wasn't quite
as sharp as this version.
Special
Features include...
Audio
Commentary By Director Ron Underwood And Stars Billy Crystal And
Daniel Stern
Featurettes:
"Back
In The Saddle: City Slickers" Revisited
"Bringing
In The Script: Writing City Slickers"
"A
Star Is Born: An Ode To Norman"
"The
Real City Slickers"
and
Deleted Scenes
Tom
Hanks and Dan Ackroyd star in Dragnet
(1987), a spoof on the original hit TV and radio series that I
personally find hilarious. The dark comedy isn't afraid to bring up
some heavy subjects but has great onscreen chemistry between its two
stars. Available now from Shout! Select, there's finally a
definitive version of Dragnet
that's just as fun to watch today as it always has been.
Dragnet
also stars Christopher Plummer, Harry Morgan, Kathleen Freeman, and
Alexandra Paul.
L.A.
detectives Friday and Streebek are assigned to some very strange
robberies: the stealing of one bat, a 30-foot-long snake and the mane
of a lion from a zoo. All the latest BAIT magazines were also
recently stolen, and some chemicals that when are mixed correctly
develops a very deadly gas. All these thefts have one thing in
common; visit cards with the word "PAGAN" left at the crime
scenes. Solving these crimes, including why plenty of police
vehicles have been stolen lately, involves the usual; to drink coffee
at strip tease bars, rescue kidnapped virgins from drowning, and lose
the job. Can these two Detectives solve this bizarre mystery?
The
film is presented on 1080p Blu-ray disc with a widescreen aspect
ratio of 2.40:1 and a great sounding DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0
Stereo lossless mix. The film hasn't been released on Blu-ray disc
in the states until this release and it's a welcome addition to any
cinephile's Blu-ray collection. The film looks and sounds far better
than previous standard definition presentations obviously and is a
very nicely shot film in retrospect.
Special
Features include...
New
"A Quiet Evening in the Company of Connie Swail": An
Interview With Co-Star Alexandra Paul
New
Audio Commentary with Pop Culture Historian Russell Dyball
"Just
the Facts!": A Promotional Look at Dragnet with Dan Aykroyd and
Tom Hanks
Original
Theatrical Trailers & Promos
Photo
Gallery
Reversible
Cover Art
While
it may not be the most well known or successful film of either of its
stars, Dragnet
is a fun spoof and really looks better than ever in this new Shout
Select edition.
Finally
we have Roy
Del Ruth's Topper
Returns
(1941), which is actually the third film despite sounding like the
second as the hit original film with Cary Grant brought on sequels
form the Hal Roach Studios. Distributed by United Artists at this
point, it has arrived on Blu-ray from VCI (who issued the first film
on Blu-ray) in a pretty decent edition. This time, there is a
disguised murderer on the loose up to no good, shooting out the tire
of a fancy car whose passengers include rich gal Ann (Carole Landis)
and one of her best friends (Joan Blondell) who look like maybe
they'll join the ghost world (the camera shots suggest this) but
survive to get to Ann's family's house.
Unfortunately,
the trouble is there as well as one of them will soon be murdered in
a plot with interesting twists. Roland Young is back as Topper,
Billie (the Good Witch from the original Wizard
Of Oz)
Burke back as
his wife, plus Patsy Kelly, Dennis O'Keefe, George Zucco and Eddie
'Rochester' Anderson as additional comic relief as a chauffeur who
wears a long fur throughout that would be as expensive as anything
his employees might wear.
The
mystery twist is fun, but as underutilized as Anderson, who is made
comic relief more than the knowing, witty guy he is best known for on
the many episodes of radio and TV broadcasts of Jack Benny's show.
The visual effects are fun and they know how to work those, but the
results are mixed as too many missed opportunities hold an otherwise
enjoyable film back. It looks good though and it has good energy to
go with a really good cast. Too bad the script was not more
ambitious.
For
more on the original Topper
film, try this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/15065/Captain+Underpants:+The+First+Epic+Movie+(201
The
1080p 1.33 X 1 black & white digital High Definition image
transfer can show the age of the materials used, but this is far
superior a transfer to all previous video editions (et al) that I've
seen over the years and though we get softness and detail issues a
little more than expected, also expect some nice shots here and
there. Roach always knew how to make his releases look good. The
PCM 2.0 Mono lossless mix does its best to recreate the original
theatrical monophonic sound with as much clean up as possible, but
the film's age shows sonically. Still, most of the dialogue was very
clear and this plays just fine.
Extras
include an Original Theatrical Trailer for this and the previous two
films in the series.
-
Nicholas Sheffo (Topper)
and James
Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/