UNCLE BUCK [1989 / 2011] [Blu-ray] [UK Release] He’s Crude! He’s Crass! He’s Family!
John Candy stars in this outrageous comedy written and directed by John Hughes. Uncle Buck is an idle, good-natured bachelor. However, during a family crisis; Uncle Buck is suddenly left in charge of his nephew and nieces.
Unaccustomed to suburban life, fun loving Uncle Buck soon charms his younger relatives Miles Russell [Macaulay Culkin] and Maizy Russell [Gaby Hoffmann] with his hefty cooking and his new way of doing the laundry. But his carefree style doesn’t impress everyone, including Tia Russell [Jean Louisa Kelly], his rebellious teenage niece, and Chanice Kobolowski [Amy Madigan], his impatient girlfriend.
Uncle Buck is the last person you’d think of to watch the children. But with a little luck and a lot of love, Uncle Buck manages to surprise everyone in this heart-warming family comedy film.
FILM FACT: The film ‘UNCLE BUCK’ was the first one directed, written and produced by John Hughes under a multi-picture agreement deal with Universal. Filming began on the 4th January, 1989 in Chicago. The company decided to keep the production facilities and locations as close as possible. The vacant New Trier High School in Northfield, Illinois was chosen for the production facility. Three of its gyms were converted into sound stages on which several sets were constructed including the two-levelled interior of the Russell House, Uncle Buck's bedroom, a corridor in the elementary school, the boys' restroom, the principal's office, a classroom, and several smaller sets. Danny DeVito was first offer to play Buck Russell but Danny DeVito turned it down then they offered the role to Tom Cruise and Cruise was considered for the role but Cruise turned it down so the role went to John Candy this was Jean Louisa Kelly's first feature film.
Cast: John Candy, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffmann, Macaulay Culkin, Amy Madigan, Elaine Bromka, Garrett M. Brown, Laurie Metcalf, Jay Underwood, Brian Tarantina, Mike Starr, Suzanne Shepherd, Dennis Cockrum, Joel Robinson, Colin Baumgartner, Erik Whipple, Mark Rosenthal, Doug von Nessen, Wayne Kneeland, Gigi Casler, LaVerne Anderson, Gina Doctor, Rachel Thompson Perrine, Ron Payne, Jane Vickerilla, Kyle Lewis Eastman, Dana Taylor, Jennifer Kane, Christen Loftis, Genae Affrunti, Anna Chlumsky, Betsy Bottando, William Windom (voice), Julia Morgan (voice), Granville Ames (voice), Ramey Ellis (voice), Leigh French (voice), Patricia Arquette (voice), Laura Jacoby (voice), Devon Odessa (voice), Arnold F. Turner (voice), Garin Bouble (voice), Tim Hoskins (voice), Julie Payne (voice), Jack Blessing (voice), Todd Larson (voice), Kevin Bassett (uncredited), Michael Berkowitz (uncredited), Cathy Carlson (uncredited), James Anthony Caruso (uncredited), Anthony Joseph Fatigato (uncredited), Frost Keaton (uncredited), Robert Minkoff (uncredited), and Ryan Todd (uncredited)
Director: John Hughes
Producers: John Hughes, Ramey E. Ward, Tom Jacobson and William H. Brown
Screenplay: John Hughes
Composer: Ira Newborn
Cinematography: Ralf D. Bode (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Color by DeLuxe)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic)
Audio: English: 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
French: 2.0 DTS-HD Stereo Audio
Italian: 2.0 DTS-HD Stereo Audio
German: 2.0 DTS-HD Stereo Audio
Spanish: 2.0 DTS-HD Stereo Audio
Português: 2.0 DTS-HD Stereo Audio
Spanish [Latin America] 2.0 DTS-HD Stereo Audio
Russian: 2.0 DTS-HD Stereo Audio
Subtitles: Japanese, English SDH, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguêse [Brazilian], Spanish [Latin America], Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguêse, Swedish, Thai, Turkish and Chinese (Traditional Mandarin)
Running Time: 99 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Universal Pictures
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘UNCLE BUCK’ [1989] when it comes to relations, there is always being that one family member we’re reluctant to call on when we’re in a jam. The gossipy aunt, the grouchy uncle, the pushy cousin or the unpleasant niece who’ll run up your phone bill when he baby-sits the children. We all have them and they’re hard to avoid at get-togethers and when they do bother to turn up and if we are brave enough to invite them, that is . . .
Uncle Buck [John Candy] is no different. Uncle Buck, he drinks, gambles, chain smokes, is unable to hold down a job or commit to his girlfriend and he’s a complete disaster to have around the house. That’s why Cindy Russell [Elaine Bromka] is hesitant to let her husband Bob Russell [Garrett M. Brown] gives his brother a call to come and look after their three kids. Cindy Russell’s dad’s has just had a heart attack and they have to go out of town to visit him.
With no one else available on such short notice, the Russell’s have no other choice. Eldest daughter Tia Russell [Jean Louisa Kelly] is not too pleased about the situation. 15 years old and with a giant chip on her shoulder, she deeply resents her parents and any authority figures and therefore doesn’t take too kindly to Uncle Buck’s intrusions on her life. 8-year-old Miles Russell [Macaulay Culkin], and 6-year-old Maizy Russell [Gaby Hoffman] are easier to please and the oafish uncle hits it off right away with them with his brand of off-beat humour, unhealthy meals, relaxed rules on housekeeping and feeding the family dog.
This is the story of how the world’s most unlikely person transforms a bickering family into one that comes to appreciate each other while also learning a thing or two about himself. John Hughes mixes teen angst with this family comedy, a formula that worked well in his best known filmss such as ‘Sixteen Candles’ [1984], ‘The Breakfast Club’ [1985] and ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ [1986].
John Hughes’s characters are traditionally depicted as struggling with the transition from adolescences to adulthood and the same can be seen here, but while Tia Russell is the eponymous scowling petulant angst teenager, it’s actually Uncle Buck who struggles the most and the story largely remains his. While it’s comedy isn’t as slapstick as in ‘Home Alone’ [1990], there are some genuinely funny moments, like when Miles Russell interrogates Uncle Buck, resulting in the line “I’m a kid, that’s my job.”
Macaulay Culkin and John Candy made a great comedy pair and it’s partly their facial expressions together with perfect timing that has always made ‘UNCLE BUCK’ one of my favourite of John Hughes’ films, especially in the scene where Uncle Buck surprises Miles Russell on his birthday. That’s the kind of surprise I have always been waiting for since 1989!
Cue some solid head-to-head stuff, including Uncle Buck driving Tia Russell to school each morning, Uncle Buck going into Maizy Russell's school and tearing a strip off her way-too-serious Principal and Uncle Buck taking the kids Bowling, where one of his terrible friends tried and very, very unsuccessfully, to hit on Tia Russell. Then there's the visit to the party. Ultimately Uncle Buck's persistence pays off and the kids all love him by the time their parents get back. Tia now thinks he's wonderful, especially as he has managed to grant her retribution on the now ex-sleazebag boyfriend Bug, with a five-iron and some well-aimed golf balls, and even improve the relationship she has with her mother.
‘UNCLE BUCK’ has got to be just about the greatest film John Candy ever made. You know when some actors get roles that seem written just for them? This is such a role just made for John Candy. It is impossible to say anything bad about him or his performance. Whether he is sparring verbally with Macaulay Culkin or physically with Tia Russell's boyfriend Bug [Jay Underwood] all of his lines and all of his scenes are smooth as a very smooth thing that doesn't need ironing.
The rest of the cast seem to revolve around John Candy and whilst they are very good in their own way, it must have been so easy for them to act alongside a comic genius at the height of his powers. Macaulay Culkin is so much more relaxed than he was in ‘Home Alone,’ it's almost possible to like him. Gaby Hoffmann is just small, cute and mercifully quiet. Jean Louisa Kelly shines in her first acting performance.
UNCLE BUCK MUSIC TRACK LISTING
RHYTHM OF LIFE (Written by Hugh Harris) [Performed by Hugh Harris]
GOT MORE RHYMES (Written by Marvin Young, Matt Dike, Michael Ross, and John King) [Performed by Marvin Young]
TWEEDLEE DEE (Written by Winfield Scott) [Performed by La Vern Baker]
THUNDERBIRD (Written by Ray Anthony and George Williams) [Performed by Ray Anthony]
SANDMAN (Written by Pat Ballard) [Performed by The Chordettes]
JUKE BOX BABY (Written by Joe Sherman and Koel Sherman) [Performed by Perry Como]
LIPSTICK, POWDER AND PAINT (Written by Charles F. Calhoun) [Performed by Big Joe Turner]
WILD THING (WILD BEATS) (Written by Marvin Young, Tone LÅc), Matt Dike, and Michael Ross) [Performed by Tone LÅc]
LAUGH, LAUGH (Written by Ron Elliott) [Performed by The Beau Brummels]
BUST A MOVE (Written by Marvin Young, Matt Dike, and Michael Ross) [Performed by Marvin Young]
SLIDE (Written by Derek Greening) [Performed by Flesh for Lulu]
SLOWDOWN (Written by James Mitchell) [Performed by Flesh for Lulu]
SMALL-TIME HUSTLER (uncredited) [Performed by The Dismasters]
TWEEDLEE DEE (uncredited) [Performed by John Candy]
* * * * *
Blu-ray Image Quality – Universal Pictures presents you this Blu-ray disc with a 1080p encoded image and an equally nice looking 1.85:1 anamorphic aspect ratio. Visually, the image is good with only the occasional dust mark and speckle. There is a touch of grain visible, but the colour saturation is good and there are no signs of artefacts or other compression problems, other than some slight moiré effects on John Candy’s multi-coloured woollen jumpers!
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Universal Pictures brings you this Blu-ray disc with just a standard 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo experience. The 2.0 DTS-HD Stereo audio is very clear and accurate, despite having no 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. The music soundtrack comes over well, with the vocals easily distinguishable. There are a few ambient surround effects that are well executed and the loud backfiring from Uncle Buck’s car is really nicely done.
* * * * *
Finally, ‘UNCLE BUCK’ is a really glorious riotous fun film that has stood the test of time, except for some very dodgy looking clothes, but still slightly darker in approach than John Hughes’s normal family film. The younger niece and nephew are played well and are suitably cute, but the eldest niece Tia [Jean Kelly] is as rebellious and angry as any of today’s 15 year olds stroppy teenagers with a lot of angst. Some of the funniest moments come as Uncle Buck enters psychopath mode to scare away Tia’s creepy boyfriend, Bug, whose intentions are purely dishonourable. So all in all this is a really funny enjoyable film and recommended for all fans of John Candy and especially the films of John Hughes. Overall, I had forgotten how great this film is. It is very family friendly minus a few swear words. What is also outstanding with this film is all the brilliant music that is used in the film and really adds to the flavour of the time period in the 1980s. So to me adding this to Blu-ray Collection is an added bonus and it is one film that I would certainly want watch more often now I own it. Simply put it, this is classic comedy at its best. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
