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Happy Gilmore Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Kevin EK

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Happy Gilmore


Studio: Universal

Year: 1996

Length:  1 hr 32 mins

Genre: Comedy/Adam Sandler/Golf


Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1


BD Resolution: 1080p

BD Video Codec: VC-1 (@ an average 20 mbps)

Color/B&W: Color


Audio:

English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (@ an average 4 mbps, going up to 5 mbps in the big scenes)

French DTS 5.1 Surround

Spanish DTS 5.1 Surround


Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French



Film Rating: PG-13 (Language, Common Sexuality, Adam Sandler)


Release Date: June 7, 2011


Starring:  Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, Carl Weathers and Ben Stiller

Written by:  Tim Herlihy & Adam Sandler

Directed by:  Dennis Dugan


Film Rating:    2 ½/5


Happy Gilmore is an entertaining Adam Sandler movie with a simple premise that is pretty funny when it works.  The new Blu-ray ports over the content from the prior DVD release and the picture transfer from the prior HD-DVD release – but it’s all good material.


The basic idea of Happy Gilmore is bound to appeal to more than Adam Sandler fans, although his brand of humor obviously rules here.  Sandler’s thought here is that the title character (who he of course plays) is a hockey player who finds that his vicious slapshot also works as an unbeatable golf swing.  So the audience is treated to multiple scenes of Gilmore on golf tours acting like he’s on a hockey rink.  But there’s also a fair amount of truly funny material, although it nearly always lurches to the bottom before a scene is finished.  Christopher McDonald has a lot of fun playing the mean golf pro, and Carl Weathers is clearly enjoying himself playing a former golf player with a “hand”-icap who winds up serving as Gilmore’s mentor.  And in addition to Ben Stiller turning in an unbilled cameo as a mean retirement home supervisor, there’s also a great cameo by Bob Barker.  I have to admit that I laughed several times during this movie – albeit usually in astonishment, but a laugh is a laugh.  Fans of Adam Sandler love this movie, and it’s easy to see why.


Happy Gilmore has previously been released on standard definition DVD and HD-DVD, and the new Blu-ray is a port of the prior releases.  The extras from the earlier SD DVD have been carried over here, including some deleted scenes and an outtake reel.  As with Billy Madison, the picture transfer from the HD-DVD has apparently been carried over.  The Blu-ray adds a DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound mix, which, like the other Sandler catalogue Blu being reviewed this week, really doesn’t have a lot to do other than play the dialogue and most sound effects in the front channels, and put the music in the surrounds.  This Blu will certainly appeal to Adam Sandler’s fans.  For other viewers, I’d suggest a rental if you’ve never seen it before.



VIDEO QUALITY   3/5

Happy Gilmore is presented in a 1080p VC-1 1.85:1 transfer that has a lot of fun with all the wild colors in this movie.  Between the deep greens of the golf courses, there’s also a host of colorful golf shirts and attire, as well as some gag material with a Gene Simmons jet black KISS mask.  Flesh tones look good, and, as with Billy Madison, the grain is visible here, but not in a bad way .   I should note that I am watching the film on a 40” Sony XBR2 HDTV. If anyone is watching the film on a larger monitor and is having issues, please post them on this thread.



AUDIO QUALITY   3/5

Happy Gilmore is presented in an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix in English, along with standard DTS 5.1 mixes in French and Spanish.   As noted before, the mix is fine, but there really isn’t a lot of substance here.  The dialogue and pretty much all of the atmospheric effects are confined to the front channels, while the rear channels are primarily used for music.  I did note that when Gilmore does his slap shot to the golf ball, the breaking branches resonate in the surrounds. 


SPECIAL FEATURES      1 ½/5

The Blu-Ray presentation of Happy Gilmore comes with the usual BD-Live connectivity and My Scenes functionality.  The disc carries over the previously available extras from the DVD and HD-DVD, including some deleted scenes and an outtake reel.  There’s really not a lot here.


Deleted Scenes – (6 Scenes, 18:36 Total, 480p, Non-Anamorphic – Six deleted scenes are presented here in non-anamorphic standard definition.  One scene actually could have worked in the movie – where a heckler finally gets his comeuppance from Gilmore.  The scenes can be accessed on their own or via a “Play All” function.  If you use that function, you can still skip through via chapters.


Outtakes – (5:07, 480p, Non-Anamorphic)  - A standard definition outtake reel is presented here, mostly showing Carl Weathers or Adam Sandler blowing their lines.  But there is one funny moment where Julie Bowen tries to say a mouthful of dialogue after taking a big bite out of her veggie burger.


BD-Live - The more general BD-Live screen is accessible via the menu, which makes various online materials available, including tickers, trailers and special events. 


My Scenes - The usual bookmarking feature is included here.


The usual promotional ticker is present on the main menu, but can be toggled off at your discretion. The film and the special features are subtitled in English, Spanish and French.  A generous chapter menu is provided.



IN THE END...

Happy Gilmore is an appealing movie that doesn’t really go very deep but may make you laugh in spite of itself.  The Blu-ray here collects the transfer from the HD-DVD and the extras from the earlier DVD release.  Fans of Adam Sandler will no doubt want to pick this up.  I can’t really recommend the movie to non Sandler fans, but I can suggest a rental for the curious.


Kevin Koster

June 2, 2011. 

 

Carlo_M

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Joined
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Messages
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​One of my favorite Sandler comedies (along with The Wedding Singer). Will definitely pick this up on release date. Plus, Julie Bowen is downright adorable in this film (as opposed to the hot MILF she has become), and Ben Stiller in one of his early, classic creeper roles.

You could trouble me for a warm glass of shut the hell up! You will go to sleep or I will put you to sleep. Check out the name tag, you're in my world now grandma!
 

Kevin EK

Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 9, 2003
Messages
3,103
Julie Bowen is best in the outtake where she tries to talk with her mouth full, only to hear Dennis Dugan yell, "Uh, cut, uh, now let's do one for the English speaking audience..."


Is there any role Ben Stiller has ever played where he WASN'T creepy? And I go back to his best performance ever for this - as an older, smoking Butch Patrick on Sprockets in the Silver Age of SNL.
 

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