DVD, Blu-Ray Round Up, Jan. 13, 2009: ‘My Best Friend’s Girl,’ ‘My Bloody Valentine,’ ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’

CHICAGO – Audrey Hepburn and Dane Cook. You won’t find that kind of variety too many places outside of HollywoodChicago’s DVD & Blu-Ray Round-Up. From serial killers to musicals to a British import, this week’s round-up features an exciting variety of titles.

Some of these are agreed-upon classics, while at least one features arguably the most critically despised actor alive. And before you see a certain 3D horror movie this weekend, you should check out the available special edition.

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Funny Face,” “Little Britain USA,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” and “My Bloody Valentine”. Try and find a lineup that diverse anywhere other than the round-up.

(Check out the first edition of the round-up [16], the second edition [17], and a few Blu-Ray Round-Ups here [18] and here [19].)

All of these titles were released on January 13th, 2009.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s was released by Paramount on January 13th, 2009.” Photo credit: Paramount

“Centennial Collection: Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

Last year, Paramount began the “Centennial Collection” with two-disc special editions of three classic films - “Roman Holiday,” “Sabrina,” and “Sunset Boulevard”. Full of special features and with great transfers, the series continues this week with two of Audrey Hepburn’s most beloved films, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Funny Face”.

The widely adored “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” from 1961 stars Audrey Hepburn as the delightful Holly Golightly, a madcap, carefree, New York playgirl. Based on Truman Capote’s best-selling novella, “Tiffany’s” is about a young woman scouring the Manhattan social scene for a suitable millionaire to marry. George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, and Mickey Rooney co-star in the Blake Edwards classic. Henry Mancini won an Oscar for the amazing “Moon River” and when most people think of Audrey Hepburn, Holly Golightly is the first image that comes to mind.

The film is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16x9 televisions and with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English track and French and Spanish mono tracks. The first disc of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” includes a commentary by producer Richard Shepherd. The second disc contains all special features, including “A Golightly Gathering,” “Henry Mancini: More Than Music,” “Mr. Yunioshi: An Asian Perspective,” “The Making of a Classic,” “It’s So Audrey: A Style Icon,” “Behind the Gates: The Tour,” “Brilliance in a Blue Box,” “Audrey’s Letter to Tiffany,” the original theatrical trailer, and galleries.

Funny Face was released by Paramount on January 13th, 2009.” Photo credit: Paramount

“Centennial Collection: Funny Face”

The Centennial Collection continues with the charming musical “Funny Face” co-starring Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. Actually made four years before “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” the Stanley Donen classic features music from the incredible team of George and Ira Gershwin. Hepburn plays Jo Stockton, the shy, reluctant Greenwich Village bookstore who becomes an overnight sensation on the modeling scene after she’s discovered by a fashion photographer played by Astaire. Kay Thompson plays the publisher and editor of Quality magazine and the woman who wants to take Jo all the way to the mecca of the fashion scene, Paris. Classic tunes from “Funny Face” include “‘S Wonderful,” “How Long Has This Been Going On?,” and “Let’s Kiss and Make Up”.

The film is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16x9 televisions and with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English track and French and Spanish mono tracks. The first disc of “Funny Face” features only the film itself but the second disc includes an excellent collection of special features. The featurettes are titled “Kay Thompson: Think Pink,” “This is VistaVision,” “Fashion Photographers Exposed,” “The Fashion Designer and His Muse,” “Parisian Designs,” and “Paramount in the ’50s - Retrospective Featurette”. The second disc also includes the original theatrical trailer and photo galleries.

Little Britain was released by HBO Home Video on January 13th, 2009. Photo credit: HBO Home Video

“Little Britain USA”

The very talented Matt Lucas and David Walliams brought their routine to the United States with the critically acclaimed “Little Britain USA,” which aired on HBO last year and now makes its debut in a two-disc set. All six episodes of the new British invasion include fan favorites like trash-talking delinquent Vicky Pollard, “Fat Fighter” Marjorie Davies, amorous Prime Minister Sebastian Love, feminine seductress Bubbles Devere, and, of course, the great pretender Andy and his clueless caretaker Lou. The talented comedians also bring in new, outrageous American characters to their hilarious sketch comedy like gym buddies Mark and Tom, potty-mouthed Ellie Grace, and eighth man on the Moon Bing Gordyn. Guest stars on “Little Britain USA” include Harry Lennix, Vivica A. Fox, Sting, Rosie O’Donnell, and Paul Rudd.

All six episodes of “Little Britain USA” are presented in 16x9 widescreen, as they were originally broadcast. Bonus features, an extensive set for a show that only runs 180 minutes, include commentary by Lucas and Walliams on all six episodes, “The Making of Little Britain USA,” a character playlist, deleted scenes, and bloopers.

My Best Friend’s Girl was released by Lionsgate on January 13th, 2009. Photo credit: Lionsgate

“My Best Friend’s Girl” (Blu-Ray)

Dane Cook continues to provoke the ire of critics with the Blu-Ray release of his comedy “My Best Friend’s Girl” with Kate Hudson, Jason Biggs, and Alec Baldwin. Cook and Lionsgate have unleashed a romantic laugher on audiences every September for three years running with “Employee of the Month” with Jessica Simpson and “Good Luck Chuck” with Jessica Alba preceding the latest entry in the Cook filmography. The average critical percentage for these films, according to Rotten Tomatoes? Just over 13%. Cook clearly has his fans, although it’s worth noting that “Girl” made less than the last two films with arguably his biggest co-star in Hudson. Maybe audiences are finally getting wise.

If you are one of those fans and haven’t seen “My Best Friend’s Girl” or are considering buying it, the Blu-Ray release should definitely satisfy. In the film, Cook plays the stupidly-named Tank Turner, a lothario who is hired by other guys to be such a jerk just so their girlfriends will stay with them and not risk ending up with a scumbag like Tank. When he goes to run his routine on his best friend’s girl Alexis (Kate Hudson), he actually falls for her.

The unrated version of “My Best Friend’s Girl” is presented in 1080p High Definition and with a 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio track in English and even a 5.1 French track. Maybe the French like Dane Cook? Makes sense. The special features are exhaustive, as Lionsgate knows that Cook has a big audience on the home market and unrated comedies are an easy sell.

Features on the unrated version include an audio commentary with actor Jason Biggs, writer Jordan Cahan and producer Gregory Lessans, an audio commentary with director Howard Deutch, “Making it in Beantown: Back to Boston, Where It All Began,” “Men and Women: The Good, The Bad and The Cast,” “On a Scale of A-to-Z: Like Father, Like Son,” “The Prom: America’s Awkward Rite of Passage,” deleted and extended scenes, gag reel, and “The Tanking Game,” a MoLog exclusive which is a 7-minute section of the film where the user adds their own directions, words, thoughts, sound effects and props into the scene in order to ‘tank’ the date. The second disc includes a standard definition so you can watch “My Best Friend’s Girl” on the road on your laptop or iPod. Try not to offend the person sitting next to you on the train.

My Bloody Valentine was released by Lionsgate on January 13th, 2009. Photo credit: Lionsgate

“My Bloody Valentine: Special Edition”

Twenty-seven years after the original, “My Bloody Valentine” has been remade in 3D for a new generation who may not even know that it’s a remake. “MBV” was a slasher classic for the ’80s generation, a film by George Mihalka that came out a year after “Friday the 13th” and right around the height of the slasher pic craze. Is it a good movie? Oh God no. In fact, I had forgotten how poorly made “MBV” actually was and it’s proof that not everything is too sacred to be remade. Come back Friday to see how they did with our review.

Until then, you might as well check out the source material. Twenty years after a Valentine’s Day tragedy, a small town prepares for its annual holiday dance. When a box of candy arrives containing an eerie warning and a blood-soaked heart, the townsfolk realize that this Valentine’s Day romance is as good as dead and so are they. Special features on the special edition of “My Bloody Valentine” include deleted footage with director, cast, and special effects designer introductions, and two special features - “Bloodlust: My Bloody Valentine and the Rise of the Slasher Film” and “Bloodlines: An Interactive Horror Film History”. Do two special features and deleted footage really make for a “special edition”? You decide.