Old School
(2003/Paramount HD-DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: C- Film: C-
NOTE: This film has been reissued in the Blu-ray
format and the HD-DVD version is now discontinued. Read more at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/7923/The+Heartbreak+Kid+(2007)/Hot+Rod
From a
sad breakup when he finds his girlfriend cheating, Mitch Martin (Luke Wilson)
decides to start a wild fraternity and high education is about to get lowered
again in Todd Phillips’ overrated, tired, umpteenth generation comedy Old School (2003) hoping to be the next
Animal House, but barely able to
hold its own. Issued in HD-DVD for the
first time to capitalize on the continued rising popularity of Will Ferrell and
Vince Vaughn, the film was not much of a hit at the time and it is easy to see
why.
Well,
this is from the director of Road Trip,
another one of the lesser disposable comedies of late, with sex jokes that are never
funny, idiot behavior without laughs and even a sense that just by showing up,
we should laugh for no reason. The
result is lazy filmmaking even being sickly drunk cannot improve upon. Surprise casting that is supposed to improve
things includes Jeremy Piven, Ellen Pompeo, Juliette Lewis, Leah Remini, Elisha
Cuthbert, Seann William Scott (whose star has gone nowhere) and Artie
Lange. Even when I like these actors, It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World has
nothing to worry about.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot in Super 35mm by Director of
Photography Mark Irwin, C.S.C./A.S.C., giving it the same lame school look
emphasizing the same color schemes typical of such films shot in
California. Better than expected in
playback, this is still far from demo material.
The Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix is dialogue-based and not bad, but don’t
expect much in the way of sonics despite the surrounds. Extras include cutting room floor deleted scenes,
feature-length audio commentary, outtakes/bloopers, 3 TV spots, theatrical
trailer in HD, Old School Orientation
and send-up of Inside The Actors Studio.
- Nicholas Sheffo
