Based on the volume I'm covering now, I'm condensing things into digest format with the exception of notable individual discs. It makes more sense and is more manageable. Note that I'm not including a full writeup of the Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection here, since I've only recently gotten them. I do have a couple of things to say about it as a preface to the multi-installment review I'm working on finishing in the next couple days.
The biggest thing going around on this release has to do with Digital Noise Reduction. Fuel was added to the fire as review copies were delayed in getting out to the press, which some theorized to be an indication of Paramount hiding something. Bill Hunt of The Digital Bits is better qualified and has a better setup to examine this kind of thing than me, which he did in a recent installment of My Two Cents. I should note here that a delay in disc replication to keep up with demand and meet street date was the culprit behind the late discs, not a conspiracy.
In short, those with ultra-high-end setups with screens the size of a house may notice a softer look to these releases than would be ideal, but the vast majority of us on screens 52" and under won't. Frankly, the production values many of the movies were shot with resulted in soft focus and jagged edges around matte paintings and optical effects. As a Picture Quality expert friend put it on his way out the door to Fry's the other day, "DNR or no, $60 is more than worth it." I agree with him and will get into the specifics as soon as I can make it through the mountain of features.
Wayne's World & Wayne's World 2
There are bits of dirt in the transfer, but I'll be damned if this isn't the best both of these movies have looked on disc. There's a great deal of background detail I'm only seeing for the first time here. I wore out tapes of both Wayne's Worlds going through school, and even I can acknowledge how dated they are. Not many people are going to laugh at the Grey Poupon joke anymore. Regardless, one can imagine many a two-pack of these titles going out the door with new Blu-ray players this holiday season.
Extras are carried over from the previous editions, including an Extreme Close-Up featurette [23:14 and 14:06 respectively] that you'll watch once (both taped in the same session) and Director's Commentary on both, but neither is terribly engaging (Spheeris' on the first a bit more so than Surjik on the sequel). It'd be interesting to hear a track from Spheeris ten or twenty years from now that lets her loose on how difficult Mike Myers allegedly was on-set (which is why she declined to direct the sequel).
Is it me, or did they put the trailer on the first one but not 2? Anyone know why?
Major League
It's fun to watch Charlie Sheen do something other than a sitcom (one I watch as a guilty pleasure from time to time). Speaking of sitcoms, I also noticed Neil Flynn (the Janitor from Scrubs) in a one-line part here as a construction worker for the first time. I forgot how much of a throwaway, shallow, cheeseburger of a movie this is in a good way. Cerrano still bothers me as an example of a "Cuban voodoo man," one of the many ridiculous caricatures that people think there's nothing wrong with.
The most time-worthy of the carried-over supplements is the Feature Commentary with writer/director David S. Ward and producer Chris Chesser, which sounds like color commentary from an afternoon baseball game but is actually pretty interesting. I suppose the A Major League Look at Major League [SD 14:27], Bob Uecker: Just a Bit Outside [SD 12:43] featurette and the Alternate Ending [4:18] aren't bad either. I skipped the Tour of Cerrano's Locker [SD 1:36], as short as it is.
Black Sheep
This one's a bit odd in that there are no special features at all. If you love this "adjective-rich critical quote" comedy, you don't care anyway. The picture is vastly upgraded, as is the sound. I guess this past Tuesday was Penelope Spheeris Day in the catalog department at Paramount.
Without a Paddle
The only reason I could see myself buying this one is if it came in a two-pack with Deliverance for less than Deliverance cost on its own. 13 Additional Scenes (with Optional Commentary), Director's Feature Commentary, a Director and Cast Video Commentary, and some Interstitials and a Featurette or two makes for a lot more than I'd expect this movie deserves.
A friend told me the other day "it's on TBS all the time, it's not THAT bad," but I remember the trailer. Save Seth Green, who I enjoy in practically everything he does, I couldn't come up with a reason to watch this for free when it came up as an advanced screening in college. I've already dedicated more words to it than I feel comfortable with.
For the record: (if you like it) Buy, Buy, Buy, Rent when you need some Farley, and You don't care if I like it anyway
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