“Bigger isn’t necessarily better” so the old saying goes, but in the case of Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, bigger is just fine and dandy, and in Criterion’s new edition of both the general release and extended versions of the film, the viewer can have his pick of which account of the film he wants to see. In terms of its scale, the number of stars, its epic length (in either cut), and its uncanny ability to sustain the madcap farce for three or more hours, the film outstrips other big budget comedies like The Great Race, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, and 1941 and leaves them in the dust (though I have always been rather partial to The Great Race in a head-to-head competition for sheer belly laughs). Kramer’s nutty comedy may not be the wittiest or subtlest movie ever made, but it’s a deeply funny, genuinely riotous movie that has easily stood the test of time, and Criterion’s new release offers fans two cuts with a plethora of bonus material that should satisfy most World aficionados.
Studio: Criterion
Distributed By: N/A
Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC
Aspect Ratio: 2.76:1
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA
Subtitles: English SDH
Rating: G
Run Time: 2 Hrs. 45 Min./ 3 Hrs. 17 Min.
Package Includes: Blu-ray, DVD
fold out cover inside a cardboard slipcoverDisc Type: BD50 (dual layer)
Region: A
Release Date: 01/21/2013
MSRP: $49.95
The Production Rating: 4/5
Video Rating: 4.5/5 3D Rating: NA
Audio Rating: 4.5/5
Special Features Rating: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewed By: Matt Hough
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