Some
people have complained that director Blake Edwards’ THE GREAT
RACE ($20) is too much of a good thing. Film comedy is such a delicate
art form, that many individuals believe that movies of this genre it is
difficult to sustain for much more than a ninety minutes running time.
With THE GREAT RACE clocking in at a whopping one hundred and sixty
minutes, including Overture, Entr’acte and Exit Music, I can see
their point. While I find myself continually laughing throughout the course
of THE GREAT RACE, the numbing of my buttocks at the two and a
half hour mark indicates that the film’s Prisoner Of Zenda
subplot probably could have used some trimming. Still, I out and out love
THE GREAT RACE and will continue to watch this delightful film
over and over again (my buttocks be damned).
THE
GREAT RACE is a slapstick comedy on an epic scale; with the film dedicated
to Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy, one knows what Blake Edwards’ intentions
are from the get go. The plot of THE GREAT RACE concerns a heroic
daredevil named The Great Leslie (Tony Curtis), who in 1908, proposes
that American automobile manufacturers sponsor a long distance race that
runs from New York to Paris. Of course, The Great Leslie’s arch nemesis
Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon) also enters the race, with the intention
of using every dirty trick in the book to finally come out on top. Fate’s
henchman Max (Peter Falk) manages to immediately wipe out most of the
competition, except for Leslie and Maggie DuBois (Natalie Wood), the beautiful
suffragette and lady newspaper reporter who is covering the race. Like
the intercontinental auto rally that it depicts, THE GREAT RACE
moves at a steady pace, allowing Edwards to perfectly set up each and
every one of the film’s numerous gags. The cast of THE GREAT RACE
also includes Keenan Wynn, Arthur O'Connell, Vivian Vance, Dorothy Provine,
Larry Storch, Ross Martin, George Macready, Marvin Kaplan, Hal Smith and
Denver Pyle.
Warner
Home Video has made THE GREAT RACE available on DVD in a 2.35:1
wide screen presentation that features the anamorphic enhancement for
16:9 displays. This is an utterly glorious transfer that had my mouth
hanging open for two and a half hours. The transfer either comes from
an original IB Technicolor source or has been digitally doctored to appear
that way. Colors are so richly saturated; they virtually leap off the
screen- check out the pie fight if you want to see what I mean. Man, these
colors are so good; one should be eating them with a spoon. The image
itself is wonderfully sharp and finely detailed. Additionally, the transfer
comes from a film element with virtually no age related flaws and very
little appreciable grain. Blacks are suitably inky and the picture has
very smooth contrast and fine shadow detail for a 1965 release. The dual
layer DVD doesn’t betray any signs of digital compression artifacts.
For
this release, THE GREAT RACE has been remixed to a Dolby Digital
5.1 channel soundtrack. While this track doesn’t compare to modern
motion picture sound mixes, Warner has done a fine job of breathing new
life into these old recordings. The new mix opens up the track and allows
it to spread across the forward soundstage. Surround usage is somewhat
limited, but when the rear channels do kick in for a sound effect, they
really enhance the moment. While Henry Mancini’s music doesn’t
have the fidelity of a modern recording, his score is well represented
in the new sound mix, with a greater sense of presence than it had in
the past. Dialogue is very clean sounding and always completely understandable.
A French monaural soundtrack is also encoded onto the DVD, as are English,
Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai subtitles.
Music
underscores the basic interactive menus, which provide access to the standard
scene selection and set up features as well as a couple of extras. Running
fifteen minutes is the theatrical featurette Behind The Scenes With
Blake Edwards’ The Great Race. The featurette is pure promotion
and plenty entertaining for an extended theatrical trailer- one that gives
away a good deal of the plot. Of course, there is some actual behind-the-scenes
footage, but it doesn’t offer too much insight into the production.
A theatrical trailer, plus an Academy Awards list, cast & crew listing
and a Blake Edwards filmography close out the extras.
Although
a bit long, THE GREAT RACE remains a whole lot of fun. Warner should
be congratulated for producing a fantastic looking DVD. If you are a movie
buff, then you are going to want to own THE GREAT RACE on DVD.
If you have never experienced this epic comedy, then by all means, check
it out for the first time on disc.
Some
people have complained that director Blake Edwards’ THE GREAT
RACE ($20) is too much of a good thing. Film comedy is such a delicate
art form, that many individuals believe that movies of this genre it is
difficult to sustain for much more than a ninety minutes running time.
With THE GREAT RACE clocking in at a whopping one hundred and sixty
minutes, including Overture, Entr’acte and Exit Music, I can see
their point. While I find myself continually laughing throughout the course
of THE GREAT RACE, the numbing of my buttocks at the two and a
half hour mark indicates that the film’s Prisoner Of Zenda
subplot probably could have used some trimming. Still, I out and out love
THE GREAT RACE and will continue to watch this delightful film
over and over again (my buttocks be damned).
THE
GREAT RACE is a slapstick comedy on an epic scale; with the film dedicated
to Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy, one knows what Blake Edwards’ intentions
are from the get go. The plot of THE GREAT RACE concerns a heroic
daredevil named The Great Leslie (Tony Curtis), who in 1908, proposes
that American automobile manufacturers sponsor a long distance race that
runs from New York to Paris. Of course, The Great Leslie’s arch nemesis
Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon) also enters the race, with the intention
of using every dirty trick in the book to finally come out on top. Fate’s
henchman Max (Peter Falk) manages to immediately wipe out most of the
competition, except for Leslie and Maggie DuBois (Natalie Wood), the beautiful
suffragette and lady newspaper reporter who is covering the race. Like
the intercontinental auto rally that it depicts, THE GREAT RACE
moves at a steady pace, allowing Edwards to perfectly set up each and
every one of the film’s numerous gags. The cast of THE GREAT RACE
also includes Keenan Wynn, Arthur O'Connell, Vivian Vance, Dorothy Provine,
Larry Storch, Ross Martin, George Macready, Marvin Kaplan, Hal Smith and
Denver Pyle.
Warner
Home Video has made THE GREAT RACE available on DVD in a 2.35:1
wide screen presentation that features the anamorphic enhancement for
16:9 displays. This is an utterly glorious transfer that had my mouth
hanging open for two and a half hours. The transfer either comes from
an original IB Technicolor source or has been digitally doctored to appear
that way. Colors are so richly saturated; they virtually leap off the
screen- check out the pie fight if you want to see what I mean. Man, these
colors are so good; one should be eating them with a spoon. The image
itself is wonderfully sharp and finely detailed. Additionally, the transfer
comes from a film element with virtually no age related flaws and very
little appreciable grain. Blacks are suitably inky and the picture has
very smooth contrast and fine shadow detail for a 1965 release. The dual
layer DVD doesn’t betray any signs of digital compression artifacts.
For
this release, THE GREAT RACE has been remixed to a Dolby Digital
5.1 channel soundtrack. While this track doesn’t compare to modern
motion picture sound mixes, Warner has done a fine job of breathing new
life into these old recordings. The new mix opens up the track and allows
it to spread across the forward soundstage. Surround usage is somewhat
limited, but when the rear channels do kick in for a sound effect, they
really enhance the moment. While Henry Mancini’s music doesn’t
have the fidelity of a modern recording, his score is well represented
in the new sound mix, with a greater sense of presence than it had in
the past. Dialogue is very clean sounding and always completely understandable.
A French monaural soundtrack is also encoded onto the DVD, as are English,
Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai subtitles.
Music
underscores the basic interactive menus, which provide access to the standard
scene selection and set up features as well as a couple of extras. Running
fifteen minutes is the theatrical featurette Behind The Scenes With
Blake Edwards’ The Great Race. The featurette is pure promotion
and plenty entertaining for an extended theatrical trailer- one that gives
away a good deal of the plot. Of course, there is some actual behind-the-scenes
footage, but it doesn’t offer too much insight into the production.
A theatrical trailer, plus an Academy Awards list, cast & crew listing
and a Blake Edwards filmography close out the extras.
Although
a bit long, THE GREAT RACE remains a whole lot of fun. Warner should
be congratulated for producing a fantastic looking DVD. If you are a movie
buff, then you are going to want to own THE GREAT RACE on DVD.
If you have never experienced this epic comedy, then by all means, check
it out for the first time on disc.
