Stars:
David Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloh, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson, and
Kathryn Greenwood
Writers:
Norm Hiscock, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson
Director:
Kelly Makin
Feature
length: 88 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1, English Dolby Surround 2.0, and French Stereo
Subtitles:
English Captions
Packaging:
Amaray Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 12
Sound:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Dolby Surround Sound, and Stereo Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1996/DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Home
Video Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
The
Canadian Improvisation Group discovered by SNL Producer Lorne Michaels “The
Kids In The Hall” made the leap to the big screen back in 1996 with “Kids In
The Hall: Brain Candy.” Anyone who has caught the show on cable or on
broadcast will have an idea of what to expect in this feature film that
satirizes the anti-depressant pharmaceutical industry with various side gags
commenting the cult of “celebrity,” the contemporary American family,
homosexuality, and the alternative rock scene of that era among other things.
Like
any film based on a TV comedy show, particularly one from a show like “Kids In
The Hall,” a sketch from “Saturday Night Live,” or “Monty Python’s
Flying Circus” you will have a movie where some gags work while others
don’t. Fortunately, “Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy” is consistently funny
and offers more laughs as a whole than many comedies that have come before and
since. In fact there are a few gross out jokes and whatnot that I noticed were
repeated in a popular feature film comedy that was a sleeper hit in the summer
of 1998. I will not state names, but it’s something that I’m sure people
will notice when they watch “Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy” for sure.
Paramount
Home Entertainment delivers another great DVD with a transfer that looks about
(1.85:1) with anamorphic enhancement. The quality is very good throughout with
only one scene where there was any noticeable grain, which appears to be from
the source film itself and not the result of the digital compression transfer
process. A surprisingly full and vibrant English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Soundtrack is included along with the original English Dolby Surround Soundtrack
and a French Language Stereo Soundtrack. English Captions and Closed Captions
for the hearing impaired and are encoded on to the DVD as options.
Unfortunately
there are no extra features included on the DVD. The menus are standard
interactive still frames that are easy to navigate. If you are not familiar with
“Kids In The Hall” or have not seen the film, I suggest renting before
buying. “Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy” will debut on DVD-Video on Tuesday,
July 16, 2002 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.