One of the all-time funniest and one of biggest recent comedies top the list of new Blu-ray releases this week, along with two other notable movies:
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1.) “What’s Up, Doc?” (Warner, 24.98) set out to be an homage by director Peter Bogdanovich to the screwball comedies of the 1930s-1940s, specifically “Bringing Up Baby,” but wound up becoming one of the funniest films of all time. Here are just a few of the reasons this Blu-ray of the movie about a hapless musicologist who is relentlessly pursued by a carefree young woman up and down the streets of San Francisco and in and out of hotel rooms is a must-own:
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— Hilarious writing and banter by the incomparable Buck Henry: “Don’t touch his rocks.”
— Brave and ingenious casting and directing of unlikely stars Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal, who are superb — brilliant comic timing in delivery of lines, all while being charming and romantic.
— Outstanding supporting performances by first-timer Madeline Kahn, Austin Pendleton, Liam Dunn, and many others.
— Every moment and every element in the 94-minute gag-fest is genious and perfection, from the clever opening titles and choice of having Streisand sing Cole Porter’s “You’re the Top” to the closing scene with a tongue-in-cheek nod to O’Neal’s famous line in “Love Story.”
— Barbra Streisand’s 13-minutes of audio commentary sounds like she is watching the film for the first time, yet clearly remembers Bogdanovich hamming it up on camera in the movie trailer (included here), demonstrating how the actors were to perform their scene. She also points out O’Neal’s brother and mother in cameo roles, and offers several fun anecdotes, especially how scared she was as her character walked supposedly obliviously across the street as cars and motorcycles crashed around her.
— Mega-producer Frank Marshall (“Back to the Future,” “Indiana Jones,” “Bourne” series, among dozens of others) is mentioned by both Streisand and Bogdanovich in their separate audio commentaries — Streisand points out the then-assistant to producer Bogdanovich in a scene acting exasperated by cars passing under sand being dumped from a truck; Bogdanovich recalls the then-25-year-old Marshall coming up with a solution to an early morning unplanned need for two cars to collide into each other near Streisand as she crossed the street — Marshall rented them and returned them later, apologizing for getting into an accident.
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2.) “Date Night” (Fox, $39.99) pairs Steve Carrell and Tina Fey as a normal surburban couple caught in a series of incredible mix-ups while on a rare date in the city, a la “The Out of Towners” and “After Hours.” Among the highlights of this Blu-ray Disc edition:
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— Multiple funny situations played well by Carrell and Fey.
— Fun supporting role by Mark Wahlberg.
— Gobs of amusing gag reel and outtake footage — stunning how many times Fey and Carrell walked into glass doors face first before nailing it
— Director Shawn Levy’s good audio commentary includes noting how story was inspired by a date night with his wife.
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3.) “Multiple Sarcasms” (Image, $27.98) is a throwback to traditional cinematic storytelling about people and relationships, in this case an unfulfilled architect in the 1970s struggling to find the drive to finish writing a play while holding together an otherwise good marriage and be supportive for his young daughter. Among the notable aspects of the Blu-ray:
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— Very interesting characters and strained and awkward interactions despite a mutual love and respect for each other.
— Another solid performance by TImothy Hutton, with strong support from Dana Delaney, Mario Van Peebles, India Ennenga, Mira Sorvino, Stockard Channing, and Chris Sarandon.
— Terrific recreation of the 1970s, complete with soundtrack of fun and familiar songs of the era.
— In one of good bonus feature interviews it appears that Stockard Channing is a hostile witness, seemingly unhappy or uncomfortable about doing the interview at all.
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4.) “The Joneses” (Fox, $24.99) features the very attractive couple of Demi Moore and David Duchovny as a very attractive suburban couple pretending to be married parents but really secret sales agents showcasing upscale products to neighbors who will surely want to keep up with the… . The most notable aspects of this Blu-ray:
— very clever concept and execution that hooks you instantly and keeps you engaged.
— Solid performances by Moore and Duchovny.
— Skimpy extras highlighted by deleted scene of Duchovny’s character interviewing with Moore’s character for the job of fake husband.
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— By Scott Hettrick