MY COUSIN VINNY [1992 / 2009] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] Truth, Justice and the Gambini Way! The Funniest Case Ever Gets A Fair Trial on Blu-ray! So Funny, It’s A Crime!
Marisa Tomei won an Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actress OSCAR® Winner in 1992 for her hilarious performance as a car-savvy fish-outta-watah in this must-own comedy! When Bill Gambini [Ralph Macchio] and Stan Rothenstein [Michael Whitfield] are mistakenly accused of murder on a trip through Alabama. So they recruit Bill's cousin Vincent LaGuardia "Vinny" Gambini [Joe Pesci] a New York lawyer who's never gone to trial before, to represent them before a formidable Judge Haller [Fred Gynne]. Will justice follow Vinny and his girlfriend Mona Lisa Vito [Marisa Tomei] drive south, when they try to save the day? It's the most hilarious cultural clash ever, when they hit the road in this tried-and-true favourite!
FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: 1992 Awards Circuit Community Awards: Win: Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Marisa Tomei. Nominated: Best Original Screenplay for Dale Launer. 1993 Academy Awards®: Win: Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Marisa Tomei. 1993 American Comedy Awards: Win: Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture in a Leading Role for Joe Pesci. Nominated: Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for Fred Gwynne. Nominated: Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture in a Leading Role for Marisa Tomei. 1993 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards: Nominated: Best Supporting Actress for Marisa Tomei. The courthouse scenes were filmed on a set based on the courthouse in the town square of Monticello, in Georgia.
Cast: Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei, Ralph Macchio, Mitchell Whitfield, Fred Gwynne, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill, Austin Pendleton, Chris Ellis, James Rebhorn, Maury Chaykin, Paulene Myers, Raynor Scheine, Michael Simpson, Lou Walker, Kenny Jones, Thomas Merdis, J. Don Ferguson, Michael Genevie, Jeff Lewis, Ron Leggett, Aubrey J. Osteen, Larry Shuler, Suzi Bass, Michael Burgess, Bill Coates, Jill Jane Clements, Muriel Moore, Bob Penny and Timothy Aaron Styles (uncredited)
Director: Jonathan Lynn
Producers: Dale Launer and Paul Schiff
Screenplay: Dale Launer
Composer: Randy Edelman
Cinematography: Peter Deming, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Audio
Spanish: 2.0 Dolby Digital Audio
French: 2.0 Dolby Digital Audio
Subtitles: English SDH and Spanish
Running Time: 119 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘MY COUSIN VINNY’ [1992] is a really hilarious comedy, about a woefully inept yet street-smart lawyer who, with the help of his savvy, gum-smacking girlfriend, tries to save a family member from a bogus murder rap. It is not a classic by any means, but thanks to the outrageous urban legend it innocently spawned, director Jonathan Lynn's innocuous farce will forever live in infamy. Of course, the notion that Marisa Tomei somehow nabbed her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the film by mistake is about as implausible as the film's story, yet the pesky rumour did persist that presenter Jack Palance read the wrong name when he announced the winner on National Television, and no one ever corrected the error, like that would ever happen! Yes, Marisa Tomei was a dark horse that year and her surprise victory shocked both audience dignitaries and average home viewers, but weirder things have happened at the Oscars, and the erupting controversy only served to spotlight an otherwise forgettable film and performance.
Now before anyone cries foul, let me say I consider Marisa Tomei to be one of America's finest actresses, and her superb turns in 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead' and 'The Wrestler' back up the claim. But let's face it, while she's a bubbly, engaging, wisecracking presence in ‘MY COUSIN VINNY,’ and her performance was worthy of filmdom's ultimate prize, even especially when measured against the work of such heavyweight fellow nominees as Vanessa Redgrave, Joan Plowright, Miranda Richardson, and Judy Davis. Marisa Tomei's spot-on portrayal of Mona Lisa Vito, an Italian princess from Queens who's a heck of a lot smarter than she looks and whose mile-a-minute mouth can spout a litany of automobile specs and statistics without missing a beat, earns a few chuckles and a lot of affection.
New York transplants Billy Gambini [Ralph Macchio] and Stan Rothenstein [Mitchell Whitfield] in hot water in the film. When the pair stops at an Alabama convenience store for some on-the-go snacks on their way to UCLA, little do they know a mistakenly stolen can of tuna will lead to a whopper of a misunderstanding... and a murder charge. Billy makes his one jailhouse phone call to his mom, who recommends his cousin Vinny [Joe Pesci] as legal counsel, but after Vinny and his girlfriend [Marisa Tomei] arrive in the Deep South, it soon becomes apparent the fast-talking, flashy lawyer – who failed the bar exam five times and has never tried a case in court! –is in way over his head. The local prosecutors expect an open-and-shut case; Vinny, on the other hand, hopes a crash course in Southern culture and legalese will give him the tools he needs to save his clients from the electric chair.
Like the screwball comedies of old, where you get mix-ups and miscommunication, fuel the plot and provide plenty of humorous fodder. The film's funniest scene, which unfortunately transpires far too early, finds newly incarcerated Stan Rothenstein mistaking Vinny for a sex-hungry prison thug. The stranger-in-a-strange-land premise works well, too, and though the Alabama natives depicted in the picture are much kinder and gentler than their redneck Arkansas counterparts in the film 'Deliverance,' and the contrast is still stark enough to engender a few laughs. Jokes, however, taper off as the action shifts to the courtroom, and the lack of any sharp edge or ferocious bite keeps the film ‘MY COUSIN VINNY’ from attaining elite comic status, but not far off.
Performances, of course, the key to the film's success, and Joe Pesci, makes an obnoxious character become very likeable and especially quintessentially from the borough of Queens in New York. The actor Joe Pesci nicely clashes with the down-home Southerners, and his nasal New York twang offsets their lazy Dixie drawl well. Joe Pesci of course, is always Joe Pesci; he is such a character himself, and he never really needs to create one from scratch, and Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei often get compared with Nathan and Adelaide from the film 'Guys and Dolls,' with their ceaseless bickering, whining, and pre-marital woes. Fred Gwynne as the implacable Southern judge and the always hysterical Austin Pendleton as a stuttering co-defence attorney provide extra comic sparks.
Like Marisa Tomei's portrayal in ‘MY COUSIN VINNY’ it is fun all the way to the end of the film. This frothy comedy "laugh-a-minute" film is largely a brilliant enjoyable film, and keeps you on the edge of your seat in knowing whether Vinny will win his case and the brilliant ending is totally amazing.
MY COUSIN VINNY MUSIC TRACK LIST
WAY DOWN SOUTH (Written by Edgar Winter) [Performed by The Fabulous Thunderbirds]
DON’T LOOK AT MY SHADOW (Written by Stephen Stills and Produced by Jess Harnell & Chuck Duran) [Performed by Jess Harnell]
IT JUST TAKES ONE (Written by Jan Buckingham & David Vidal) [Performed by Prentis Goodwin]
SECRETLY (Written by Dick Manning, Al Hoffman & Mark Markwell) [Performed by Jimmie Rodgers]
MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS (Written by David Cole & Robert Clivillés) [Performed by Robert Clivillés & David Cole]
STAND BY YOUR MAN (Written by Billy Sherrill & Tammy Wynette and Produced by Jess Harnell & Chuck Duran) [Performed by Gail Lopata Lennon]
ARE YOU REALLY MINE (Written by Dick Manning, Al Hoffman & Mark Markwell) [Performed by Jimmie Rodgers]
A SECOND HAND LOVE (Written by Phil Spector & Hank Hunter) [Performed by Connie Francis]
KEEP IT TO YOURSELF (Written by Alan Mirikitani) [Performed by BB Chung King & The Screaming Buddah Heads]
FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY (Written by Willie Nelson and Produced by Jess Harnell & Chuck Duran) [Performed by Jess Harnell]
BIBLE BELT (Produced by Gregg Brown) [Performed by Travis Tritt]
Blu-ray Image Quality – 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment presents a better than anticipated 1080p image transfer, especially for a 1992 film and is enhanced with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The source material exhibits none of the wear and tear one might expect; in fact, it's tough to spot even tiny print blemishes. Grain is noticeable, but blends in well and never distracts from the action on screen, and thanks to well-modulated contrast, the image always appears vibrant. Whites are stunningly bright and crisp, and though black levels never achieve the inky depth we desire, they're still solid and pleasing throughout. The 1080p encoded image has a dazzling razor sharpness that distinguishes the best high-definition transfers. Clarity is good overall, but medium and long shots never exhibit the strong detail levels we crave for. Some digital noise creeps in now and then as well, most notably during the courtroom scenes, which also suffer from a nagging haziness. Colours are generally vivid, though saturation levels tend to fluctuate especially where Marisa Tomei's red dress looks brilliantly bold in the courtroom, but pales significantly when she ventures outdoors in the next scene. The greens of the Alabama landscape, however, always appear lush and beautiful. Fox deserves kudos, though, for preserving the movie's natural look, and steering clear of additional processing to sharpen up the existing image. This is definitely a worthy upgrade from the very inferior DVD release, and should please the many film fans out there, like me with this classic hilarious film.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment brings us this brilliant 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track and gives us plenty of bangs for your bucks, especially during the film's opening sequences. The surrounds kick in with surprising oomph, emitting distinct directional effects that make us feel as if we're in the thick of the action. Even during less lively scenes, subtle atmospherics, such as chirping birds, gently envelop. Annoying accents like squealing pigs and steam whistles cut through the soundscape with palpable force, while a rumbling freight train provides a decent sampling of bass. The Southern rock tunes also enjoy good sonic heft, exhibiting fine fidelity and an expansive feel. Dialogue is always properly prioritized and easy to understand, and the various vocal timbres, from Joe Pesci's high-pitched whine to Marisa Tomei's sassy New Yawk inflections, are well reproduced. Though the surround activity drops off significantly during the film's second half, this is still a very strong audio effort. Without question, 'MY COUSIN VINNY’ has never sounded better.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Audio Commentary by Director Jonathan Lynn: British Director Jonathan Lynn provides a thoughtful audio commentary, but an abundance of lengthy gaps somewhat diminishes its merit. In a serious, no-nonsense style, Jonathan Lynn conveys plenty of interesting information, from Joe Pesci's penchant for spontaneity to stories about filming on death row. Jonathan Lynn also talks about rewriting portions of the screenplay, as well as the elements of a successful comedy, and his acute attention to the accuracy of the story's legal details. Sadly for me it gets a paltry two star rating and personally Jonathan Lynn should have made a much greater effort.
Trailers: Here we get to view several types of trailers and they are as follows: 'MY COUSIN VINNY' [1992] [480i] [1.33:1] [1:55 and 1:24]. Plus two TV spots [1992] [480i] [1.33:1] entitled ‘Up to His Ears’ [0:32] and ‘Lover’ [0:32].
Finally, 'MY COUSIN VINNY’ works wonders as a take-it-for-what-it-is, sit-back-and-relax experience that will tickle the funny bone and allow viewers to leave their troubles outside and escape into a two-hour topsy-turvy big-city-meets-small-country tale of justice, and with lots of love and laughs. This is a comedy first and foremost, and 'MY COUSIN VINNY' will also enthral you at several points during the heated courtroom scenes, even if said scenes are dotted by the film's trademark humour that serves up gut-busting laughs through the minutiae of the overreaching absurdity of the situation. With a cast that, to a man, immerses them in the world and the characters they portray, and ‘MY COUSIN VINNY’ is one of the better comedies to come from the genres last great era. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment's Blu-ray release of 'MY COUSIN VINNY' delivers a good quality 1080p image and a great soundtrack, but sadly there is a very disappointing lack of extras that might turn off some potential buyers. Nevertheless, this Blu-ray disc comes recommended based on the strength of the film and the image and audio quality is a brilliant presentation, which goes a long way to why I feel you must not let this Blu-ray disc pass you by, as it has been a massive favourite of mine ever since I saw it ages ago in the cinema and I was aching with laughter when I came out of the cinema and now it has now gone pride of place in my Blu-ray Collection. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
