Dick

Released By:

Col/Tri Home Video

Features:

1999; 94 Min; Rated PG-13; Dolby Digital 5.1 English, Dolby Surround English; Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85) and Pan/Scan.

Extras:

Audio Commentary by Director Andrew Flemming and Screenwriters; Featurette; Deleted Scenes; Blooper Reel; Theatrical Trailers

Review:

First and foremost, this is not a review of a porno film. Dick is a comedic send up of the Watergate scandal from the 70's. One of the best ways to describe this film is, Romy and Michelle meet the Nixon administration.

Instead of Romy and Michelle, we are given two 70's teenage girls named Betsy (Kirstin Dunst) and Arlene (Michelle Williams). These two bubble-heads, accidentally become wrapped up in the Watergate break in, and become the "Official White House Dog Walkers" for Richard Nixon (Dan Hedaya), much to the stress of  his aide Bob Haldeman (Dave Foley).

After Betsy and Arlene discover more than their share of the behind the scenes dealings, they eventually get kicked out. Out of spite, they decide to crank call the Bob Woodward (Will Ferrel) of the Washington Post, to dish out info. Eventually they become the infamous Deep Throat.

In addition to the previously mentioned actors, Harry Shearer shows up a G. Gordon Liddy. Teri Garr plays Betsy's lonely mother. Bruce McCulloch plays Carl Bernstein, a general annoyance to Ferrel's Woodward. Two other SNL alums show up as well, Ana Gasteyer as Nixon's Secretary and Jim Bruer as John Dean.

I believe this is the first comedic look at the Watergate scandal, and it left me wanting more films of this type. Hopefully people will not take this film too seriously, and enjoy it for what it is, a light comedy.

The audio and video of this film are first rate, as usual. Col/Tri rarely seems to screw up in this area. The anamorphic print is completely flawless. The audio, while mostly mono, does have it's moments, mainly when it comes to music.

The extras of this disc are decent. There's an audio commentary by Director Andrew Flemming, how many new Columbia title don't? There also the standard talent files and small featurette. The original trailers for Dick, Spice World and Can't Hardly Wait are also included. While listed on the box, there are no production notes to be found. The best, and most perplexing, extra on the disc is the blooper reel. It has something to do with a Mr. Bippy, some orange sock or something, but the outtakes are pretty good.

While I wouldn't recommend this title for purchase, it's definitely worth the rental.

Light hearted fun. Politics needs to get slammed a little more often, I give the movie a 5.5.

Columbia has once again produced a nice SE treatment for one of their films, the over all presentation earns a 7.

Reference System A

Dan Linzmeier, FIT Productions
Fitprod@aol.com
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