Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Collector's Edition - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Collector's Edition

Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score: ​

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Movie
While The Jerk may have put Steve Martin on the map, 1988’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is the one that solidified him as a comedic legend (at least in my mind). Easily my favorite of his films, Steve Martin teams up with acting legend Michael Caine to create a buddy comedy that just oozes style, charm, panache, and complete stupidity at the same time. I have never encountered a person who didn’t love the film whenever I show it to them on a movie night, and each time I watch the movie I gain a better appreciation for the level of sly humor intermingled with straight out stupidity that seemingly wouldn’t work as well as it does on the surface just WORK in motion. MGM released the movie on Blu-ray back about 5 years ago, but now Shout Factory is making it the 61st film in the Shout Select lineup with a solid collector’s edition, which sports a brand new 2K master as well as a few new extras as well for us to enjoy.

In the south of France, Lawrence Jamieson (Michael Caine) is the prince of his domain. He’s suave, debonair, filthy rich, and a complete sham. You see, Lawrence makes his living conning rich tourists who come to the French Riviera through a myriad of schemes, separating the fools from their (probably not so much) hard earned monies in exchange for his lies. His world is absolutely perfect, as he’s got the chief of police in his payroll, and helped along by the aide of his man servant Arthur (Ian McDiarmid), only to watch what he’s built start to crumble around him when a rival con man enters the game. Enter Freddy Benson, a crude, rude, slovenly American who has a knack for fast talking women out of their purses. Even though he’s a small time crook, Freddy’s operating in the French Riviera acts as a roadblock for Lawrence’s more sophisticated scams. Trying to get rid of Freddy is an effort in futility through force, so Lawrence ends up taking the young con man under his wing in order to teach him the art of the sophisticated con and keep him underfoot.

Freddy picks up way quicker than Lawrence anticipates, and soon the two are running a combo scam that nets them a veritable fortune (at least Lawrence a fortune), but when a quibble over money bubbles over into the two competing once more, Freddy offers up a solution. A bet if you will. The first one to get $50,000 out of the next wealthy visitor will get to stay in France, while the loser has to pack his bags and get out of dodge. In walks Janet Colgate, a wealthy young soap heiress, and the game is on with both men stabbing, twisting and lying their way into her heart in an effort to cut the footing out from underneath the other.

Michael Caine and Steve Martin go together like a hand in a glove here, with Martin playing the slapstick doofus we all know and love, while Michael plays off of him as the straight man. It’s love at first sight, with both men turning out some blisteringly funny scenes with their own variation of their comedic talents. Martin is very much toned down from his normal over the top rubber man routine, but he does get more than a few moments to truly shine in that regards (playing the mentally deficient “brother” Ruperict in the combo scam has him pulling some truly crazy stunts), but many times it’s just the droll delivery of Michael Caine that garners the most laughs. Especially in regards to how blithely innocent he seems during his scams. However, the film really works well because both actors just play off of each other’s strengths, and according to many an interview and special feature I’ve watched, the two literally ad libbed off of each other like CRAZY. Both men exude that animosity that most “buddy” films only strive to achieve, and the hilarity is truly gut busting.

The film itself has very few flaws, with the main one being that you can see the “twist” coming a mile away. I’m not going to spoil it for you if you’ve not seen the film already, but the twist on who the real “villain” is doesn’t come out of thin air, and even my wife called it about 40 minutes before the end of the movie. Still, I can’t help but love Dirty Rotten Scoundrels as one of the best Steve Martin films in his repertoire, and an all around funny movie in general, which does so in a completely PG manner while not being “kiddy” in nature.




Rating:

Rated PG By the MPAA




Video:

According to Shout Factory Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was given a brand new 2K scan for this collector’s edition re-release, and while I did see the MGM Blu-ray a few years back, I don’t have it in my hands to do a director comparison. I do remember that it looked REALLY good for a catalog title, and checking out reviews of the old release see it was held in high regard. I’m not deadly sure how to compare the two, but I can say this, I have never seen the film look so good! The print is excellent and there is no signs of speckles or debris on this new master. Colors are warm and robust, and fine detail is pretty exemplary across the board. There are some minor soft focus shots and some mild judder on a few screen pans, but the Shout Factory disc boasts some shockingly revealing imagery. When Freddy is out at the beach living life up after his first scam in France you can literally see every detail and textural pore of the surrounding beachscape. Michael Caine’s face is lined and weathered to the eye (I swear, he’s always been older looking, even 30 years ago) and the warm, slightly ruddy, looking color grading shows off splendidly. I love this transfer, and I love this film, so seeing one of my all time favorite comedies look THIS good is a revelation.





Audio:

I can’t say for certain, but judging on the near 100% accuracy of this pattern, Shout Factory has probably ported over the same 5.1 mix that was used in the 2013 MGM release as well. It’s about what you would expect for a dialog heavy comedy film. The dialog plays front and center with mild ambient noises to fill out the front sound stage and the rears. The rumbling of a jet leaving the runway at the end adds some bass, as does the jazzy Miles Goodman created score. Surrounds really only are utilized with a few horn honks, or the buzzing background dialog of the French Riviera personal in a casino, otherwise this is a very dialog heavy movie with a strong presence in the front of the room. Nothing wild, but a very solid track nonetheless.






Extras:

• BRAND NEW 2K REMASTER OF THE FILM
• NEW Interview with Writer Dale Launer
• Audio Commentary with Director Frank Oz
• Featurette
• Trailers

Final Score: ​

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is still my favorite Steve Martin movie of all time, and whenever I introduce a friend to the film they end up loving it nearly as much as I do. It’s witty, charming, stupid, and utterly hilarious from beginning to end, with Steve Martin and Michael Caine playing off of each other beautifully. The Shout Factory collector’s edition sports great video, excellent audio, and a rather decent array of extras. HOWEVER, for a collector’s edition from Shout Factory, the extras aren’t AS robust as I would have hoped for. Shout is famous for cramming their collector’s editions full to the brim with extras (many of them new) and this release only has ONE new extra to supplement the moderate amount of extras ported over from the MGM release. It’s nothing major, bust just a minor grumble for what is a very good release otherwise. Must watch in my humble opinion.



Technical Specifications:

Starring: Michael Caine, Ian McDiarmid, Steve Martin, Glenne Headly, Anton Rodgers, Barbara Harris, Dana Ivey, Meagan Fay, Frances Conroy
Directed by: Frank Oz
Written by: Dale Launer, Stanley Shapiro, Paul Henning
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DTS-HD MA 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH
Studio: Shout Factory
Rated: PG
Runtime: 110 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: January 22nd, 2019

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• Michael Scott
• May 11, 2017

Recommendation: Must Watch

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I can't believe I've never watched this movie.

 

[Michael Scott]

I can't believe I've never watched this movie.

haha, I watched this with my wife last night and found out that she had NEVER seen it before either... in 15 years of marriage I feel like I failed in my husbandly duties to introduce her to great comedy. But that was fixed

 

[Todd Anderson]

I can't believe I've never watched this movie.

Wha....whaaa.... WHAT????????

Both of you, to the dungeon!!!

This is a classic!

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. A great funny classical movie.

 

[Asere]

I guess I am going to the dungeon also haha. I haven't seen it either.

 

[Michael Scott]

well, to the dungeon to both of you!

 

[Tony V.]

Loved this movie, I still personally think Plans, Trains and Automobiles tops this one though. I hope Shout factory does that movie soon

 

[Michael Scott]

Loved this movie, I still personally think Plans, Trains and Automobiles tops this one though. I hope Shout factory does that movie soon

that I would doubt. It's owned by Paramount and so far Shout Factory has not made a licensing deal with Paramount

 

[Tony V.]

Oh, ok thats too bad. I would also love to see Cool running's done but who knows if it ever will.

 

[Michael Scott]

Oh, ok thats too bad. I would also love to see Cool running's done but who knows if it ever will.

cool runnings is Disney owned and it's out already. It's a "disney movie club exclusive" (which is the disney version of columbia house). I have it, it's been out for almost 2 years

 

[Tony V.]

cool runnings is Disney owned and it's out already.

Oh really? Ive wanted to find it forever. Im not a Disney movie club member though.

 

[Michael Scott]

yup, go over to www.blu-ray.com and check out the "deals" section, there's a sticky there on how to maximize the Disney Movie Club to your advantage and get the most films for the least cost out there. I've probably re-upped 5-6 times over the years. Otherwise the only way to get the film is off of a friend who DOES have the movie club, or through a third party on amazon reselling

 

[Jack]

I love this movie, it is well done to the core. The dinner scene when Freddy does his thing is so funny I still laugh every time.

 

[Michael Scott]

I love this movie, it is well done to the core. The dinner scene when Freddy does his thing is so funny I still laugh every time.

lol, the infamous trident image is still one of the favorite bits out of that sequence

 

[Tony V.]

Yup, never though a discussion about utensils particularly a spoon could be so enlightening

 

[Jack]

Ruprecht eat your food !
EXCUSE ME, may I go to the bathroom first....

 

[Michael Scott]

lol, I cry laughing at that scene every time. Although the scene where they introduce the Ruperict character when he's locked away

"What do we do when uncle what's his name comes over?"

Freddy grabs rubber gloves and starts putting vaseline on it..

I about die at that scene