|
|
|
||
Category | Comedy | Theatrical Trailer(s) | Yes, 1 - 1.78:1, 16x9, Dolby Digital 5.1 |
Rating | Other Trailer(s) | Yes, 1 - Dolby Digital Canyon | |
Year Released | 1999 | Commentary Tracks | Yes, 2 - Adam Rifkin (Director); KISS (Idols) |
Running Time | 90:48 minutes | Other Extras | Biographies - Cast and Crew
Deleted Scenes (4) Featurette - Behind The Scenes (36:52) Featurette - Detroit Rock City KISS Concert (4:41) Menu Audio and Animation Music Video - Strutter (The Donnas) (3:06) Music Video - The Boys Are Back In Town (Everclear) (4:28) Scene Selection Audio and Animation |
RSDL/Flipper | RSDL (85:17) |
|
|
Start Up | Menu | ||
Region | 4 | Director | Adam Rifkin |
Distributor |
Roadshow Home Entertainment |
Starring | Edward Furlong
Giuseppe Andrews James Debello Sam Huntington KISS Natasha Lyonne Lin Shaye |
Case | Appalling Button Thing | ||
RPI | $34.95 | Music | J Peter Robinson |
|
|
||
Pan & Scan/Full Frame | None | MPEG | None |
Widescreen Aspect Ratio | 2.35:1 | Dolby Digital | 5.1 |
16x9 Enhancement |
|
Soundtrack Languages | English (Dolby Digital 5.1, 448 Kb/s)
English (Dolby Digital 2.0 , 224 Kb/s) English Audio Commentary 1 (Dolby Digital 2.0, 192 Kb/s) English Audio Commentary 2 (Dolby Digital 2.0, 192 Kb/s) |
Theatrical Aspect Ratio | 2.35:1 |
|
|
Macrovision | Yes | Smoking | Yes |
Subtitles | English | Annoying Product Placement | No |
Action In or After Credits | Yes, minor after credits |
I suppose the very first misconception that should be cleared up is the fact that this is not a KISS film per se: whilst KISS is certainly a factor in the film, the film is actually about four boys following their dream of seeing their favourite rock band live in concert. Set in 1978, we join Hawk (Edward Furlong), Jam (Sam Huntington), Lex (Giuseppe Andrews) and Trip (James Debello), of aspiring basement band Mystery jamming away in truly appalling fashion on the eve of the big event. These four guys from Cleveland, Ohio have managed to acquire four tickets to see the hottest live act of that era (and just about any other era too) in concert in Detroit, and they are very happy indeed. However, things do not quite go to plan and the key nemesis here is none other than Jam's mother (Lin Shaye). Something of a religious fruit loop, she is so against rock and roll that Jam is forced to hide his records in unusual record covers - with some painful results for his mother and as a result himself. For reasons that shall not be divulged here, Jam is in possession of the sacred KISS tickets when his mother discovers them, and in a fit of pique burns them. However, nothing is going to stop these guys from seeing KISS live - including Jam being immediately marched off to boarding school - and so when Trip thinks he has come into possession of four front row tickets and four backstage passes, the guys bust Jam out of boarding school and head off in (of all things) a Volvo to Motor City, USA. Now clearly things do not go quite as expected and the pilgrimage ends up with the four guys needing to do whatever they can to obtain tickets for the big concert.
If this sounds like a fairly weak storyline, that is simply because it is. On the face of it, this had the potential to be something quite decent but in the end it gets too sidetracked by the subplots, with the result that the whole thrust of the film is lost. This really required someone like a Steve Martin to sit down and firm up the comedy aspects of the story to really get the best out of what was a decent idea. Sadly, the film is the worse for the lack of such work. It ends up with lacking that essential ingredient of a comedy - comedy. Not aiding the situation is some fairly lacklustre efforts from the cast. The only role that really carried any sort of conviction was Jam's mother and in that respect Lin Shaye as the anti-rock and roll (almost) priestess just about carries the show here. She is definitely the highlight here and the rest of the cast were either sadly lacking in any acting ability (Shannon Tweed springs to mind here) or were simply unable to understand that this was supposed to be a comedy. Certainly on this evidence, I would not be jumping to see any further work from the four principal players. Adding further to the lack of direction of the film is indeed the lack of direction from Adam Rifkin, and this would certainly not be wanting to rank highly in his portfolio lest it impede his directorial ambitions completely.
Indeed, about the only thing that makes this film in anyway enjoyable is the music, and a fair sprinkling of some terrific music from the 1970's is on offer here - culminating in of course the "recreation" of the 1978 Love Gun concert tour show by KISS. However, that is barely sufficient compensation for the rest of the film and this is overall something that in all honesty I can leave on the shelf with ease.
The transfer is presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and as usual is 16x9 enhanced.
The main disappointment here is the fact that this simply does not have the vibrancy and sharpness that I have come to expect from anamorphically shot films. At times this is just a little on the dullish side from the transfer point of view, although still having a good deal of definition to it. Whilst this may partly be the result of trying to capture the feel of the late 1970's, in the end the lack of vibrancy really hurts in the darker portions of the film - of which there are many. There are times when I just felt that there should have been a bit more detail in these darker scenes. Overall, this transfer is still better than most, but just not as good as we are coming to expect from this source. However, after direct comparison with the Region 1 version, this is far less a Village Roadshow problem as opposed to an inherent problem in the original print. There were no low level noise problems in the transfer.
This is a slightly over-rich transfer at times, although quite natural in tone. Generally, this is a nicely colourful transfer. Whilst some of the more vibrant colours of the era are perhaps a little bit lacking at times, it is hardly a serious distraction to the transfer. There did not appear to be any problem with oversaturation of colours at all, nor was there any problem with colour bleed.
There did not appear to be any MPEG artefact problems in the transfer. There did not appear to be any significant film-to-video artefact problems in the transfer. There did not appear to be any film artefact problems in the transfer.
This is an RSDL formatted disc with the layer change coming at 85:17. This is an unusually placed layer change, as it comes just before the closing credits start - and as such is an eminently sensible place to have a layer change. It is completely non-disruptive to the film and indeed is barely noticeable as it just marginally extends a black scene fade.
There are four audio tracks on the DVD; an English Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, an English Dolby Digital 2.0 surround encoded soundtrack, and two English Audio Commentaries in Dolby Digital 2.0. I listened to the Dolby Digital 5.1 effort, as well as the two Audio Commentaries.
The dialogue was clear and easy to understand throughout the transfer.
There did not appear to be any problems with audio sync in the transfer.
The original music score comes from J Peter Robinson, but it could hardly be considered a serious part of this film. What stands out here is some of the finest rock music from the late 1970's ever to grace a film soundtrack. Well worth an isolated music track in its own right, it is that good.
The main, albeit minor, problem with the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is that it is just a little lacking in bass and surround channel support. Indeed, about the only time that the soundtrack starts to really rock is the final scene at the concert. Other than that, this is a good transfer, with very little to complain about - but equally little to praise, either. The overall soundscape is just a little too flat for my taste but nonetheless is a reasonably natural sounding effort.
A good if unspectacular video transfer.
A good if unspectacular audio transfer.
A good extras package quantity wise, if not in quality.
Video | |
Audio | |
Extras | |
Plot | |
Overall |
© Ian Morris (have a
laugh, check out the bio)
20th July 2000
|
|
DVD | Pioneer DV-515; S-video output |
Display | Sony Trinitron Wega 84cm. Calibrated with the NTSC DVD version of Video Essentials. |
Audio Decoder | Built in |
Amplification | Yamaha RXV-795. Calibrated with the NTSC DVD version of Video Essentials. |
Speakers | Energy Speakers: centre EXLC; left and right EXLR; and subwoofer ES-12XL |