THE SET-UP
Disc jockey Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) turns Vietnam War-era Saigon upside down with his playlist of rock and roll and outrageous brand of humor.
Directed by: Barry Levinson
THE DELIVERY
The classic 1987 Robin Williams comedy Good Morning Vietnam goes high-definition in its first-ever Blu-ray release. Williams himself has had a hit-or-miss history on film (let's not discuss RV or Father's Day), but under the right circumstances, he is Oscar-worthy. Here, director Barry Levinson not only showcases Williams' talents, he crafts a great story around him as well.
The film holds up surprisingly well, considering the film was once criticized for being a comedy about Vietnam. The movie never pulls punches or gets political, even when the story turns serious. Levinson keeps Williams perfectly balanced with the rest of the cast - Bruno Kirby and Forest Whitaker are especially good here - and allows for just enough spontaneity to give it an authentic feel.
Younger audiences may scratch their heads over some of the film's dated jokes, including digs at President Lyndon Johnson's ugly daughters. Nearly everyone, however, will chuckle at the idea that Pat Boone is a misunderstood genius. Even Pat can appreciate the humor in that one.
After a quarter of a century, nearly everyone has had the chance to see the film and form an opinion, so perhaps my view is a moot point. Perhaps it is best not to try and discuss it and appreciate it for what it is: a Hollywood comedy that gets better with age.
VIDEO AND AUDIO
Touchstone did not make it clear if a new transfer of the film was done for this 25th anniversary edition, but the video image is fantastic. It does show some film grain, which is forgiveable considering the age, but it otherwise has nice detail, with good sharpness and excellent color reproduction. The image is crisp and clean with little dust or debris on the film print.
The 5.1 DTS-HD audio mix is excellent, balancing Williams' monologues with a number of classic rock and roll hits. It may not be as dynamic as more modern movie mixes, but it works fine here.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The Blu-ray includes special features carried over from a previous DVD release, which provide some great background on the film. The "Production Diary" is actually a number of behind-the-scenes featurettes pieced together, which are all excellent. Viewers even get to meet the real Adrian Cronauer, who discusses how much of the film is actually based on his experiences.
The "Raw Monologues" actually feature the uncut shots of Williams at the radio mike riffing on jokes that were later edited into the film. You can watch him work and deliver a joke several times before he gets it right, a rare thing for any comedian to allow viewers to see. It is too bad that Williams himself did not provide some commentary or insight into this feature, or anything else on the disc for that matter. Given the fact that he rarely participates in producing these DVD and Blu-ray special features for his films, I cannot hold it against Touchstone.
The trailers featured on the disc are unrestored and a bit rough looking, but the teaser in particular is interesting to watch, as it appears to be early test footage of Robin Williams in a different radio booth set that was not in the final film.
THE BOTTOM LINE: BUY IT OR REDBOX IT?
Ratings
Movie: A-
Video: A-
Audio: A-
Extras: B-
Overall Grade: B+
Good Morning Vietnam is a classic 1980s comedy, featuring some of Robin Williams' best work. Fans of the film will likely want to snatch this up right away to have this in high-def. The lack of new special features is disappointing, which may be reason enough for some to consider renting it, but what is included is a solid selection of extras. With a retail price of $20, fans who wish to purchase the Blu-ray should be able to find it at a decent discounted price.
BLU-RAY SPECS
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Running time: 121 minutes
Rating: R
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA
Subtitles: English for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, French
Special Features: Production Diary featurettes, Raw Monologues, Original theatrical trailer, Original theatrical teaser trailer.
Good Morning Vietnam is now available from Touchstone Home Video
