What's Up, Doc? DVD in Stores July 1, 2003
Posted/Updated: 30 August 2003 14:32
Warner Home Video released Barbra Streisand's fifth movie, What's Up, Doc?, on DVD on July 1, 2003. Also included in the 4-disc box set, The Barbra Streisand Collection (order link), this 1972 Peter Bogdanovich-directed screwball comedy co-stars Ryan O'Neal in addition to boasting supporting players Madeline Kahn (film debut), Kenneth Mars, and Austin Pendleton. Check the box below for full release specs, including Barbra's first-ever DVD commentary. Each individual DVD package features pink side binding. Order the DVD now. Merchandiser display bins should be in some stores. Look for print ads (view) in People (June 30 issue), Ladies' Home Journal, and Woman's Day. Britain and Europe should see these new DVDs at the end of August. Read the Warner Home Video press release dated April 8, 2003.
DVD Review by Mark Iskowitz
What's Up, Doc? has been marvelously transferred to DVD in visuals which appear as crisp and delicious as the film's rapid fire dialogue. Barbra Streisand radiates naughtiness and shrewd nuttiness while appearing absolutely radiant and comfortable on screen. She's simply magnetic and can't help attracting Ryan O'Neal's straight-laced Howard Bannister, the two providing formidable competition for Hollywood's best male-female comedy duos. Not only is the comedy and sound livelier than ever (even in mono) on this amazing disc, but the Bristol hotel's vivid colorful interiors serve us hot reddish hues in practically every shot or scene, a constant reminder of those elusive and confounding red suitcases. The first-time widescreen presentation for home video/DVD allows the film's ensemble acting to flourish and constantly amaze. It also makes director Peter Bogdanovich's frequent lengthy single takes that much more impressive.
Indeed, as he enthusiastically attests in his feature-length audio commentary, with Doc Bogdanovich had the most fun making a picture in his entire career. He knows every nuance and history of the non-stop jokes and is actually hard-pressed to keep up with them all. His information is always fascinating, such as Barbra's desire to say "okay" like a childish Jerry Lewis when she leaves O'Neal in the hotel store. Bogdanovich also reveals certain improvisations created by character actors Kenneth Mars and Austin Pendleton during the banquet scene. Beginning by briefly detailing the film's origins (explored in greater depth in below interview) and annotating the opening credits, the director manages selected short breaks in his commentary, allowing key dialogue and jokes to be fully audible. During the film he imitates Howard Hawks' voice and later Cary Grant's. Very amusing! One of the most unusual revelations is the curious and largely unknown origin of Judy calling Howard "Steve." And did you know that it took four weeks and $1 million to shoot the 12-minute car chase in San Francisco?
Speaking of 12 minutes, that's the length of Barbra's scene specific audio commentary, which is only accessible through the Special Features menu. Beginning in the middle of the opening credits by crediting herself as merely an actress for the movie ("Just following orders"), Barbra speaks sparingly during this group of abbreviated scenes, sometimes amazed at what she's seeing on screen. Perhaps not having viewed the film in decades, Barbra does have a fresh, almost objective view of the humor, which she does now find admittedly funny. In fact, her final commentary line is "That's funny, isn't it?"
You bet it is! Besides the material discussed above, the DVD contains the wonderful 1972 featurette Screwball Comedies...Remember Them? providing an 8 1/2 minute inside view of the production. Also, the nearly four-minute extended theatrical trailer includes key scenes and additional on-the-set shenanigans, including Bogdanovich subbing for Barbra with Ryan for "As Time Goes By." You'll learn even more about that remarkable footage when you listen to the director's commentary. Hey What's Up, Doc? DVD! You're the top! - MJI, 7/02/03
As a DVD-related postscript, John Travolta recently invited friends Barbra and husband James Brolin to dinner in his home and showed his film Face/Off or another DVD on his Runco large screen TV. "You've gotta see what they've done now," Travolta raved to Barbra & Jim. "It looks better than in the movies!" Barbra was equally impressed. "Oh my God, I can't believe it," she told Travolta. "It's so amazing!"
The Peter Bogdanovich Interview
On June 18th Mark Iskowitz interviewed Peter Bogdanovich about What's Up, Doc? his modest screwball comedy idea which Warner Brothers green-lighted in early 1971 even before the story was hatched, let alone a screenplay drafted. The film eventually became a blockbuster hit movie joining the ranks of the director's highly successful films including The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon, Daisy Miller, and Mask. His most recent theatrical release was The Cat's Meow (2002). Bogdanovich has been busy directing and acting in diverse television work including Out of Order (Showtime), The Sopranos (HBO), and Rescuers: Stores of Courage (Showtime, for Streisand's Barwood Films). In the midst of editing a future Natalie Wood biographical mini-series for ABC, Bogdanovich paused to discuss Doc, one of his favorite films and a joy to direct. "It plays like it could have been made yesterday," observes the director, who deliberately avoided topical references when shooting the film except for the Love Story reference at its conclusion. Having not viewing Doc for a long while, Peter recently recorded his full-length Doc DVD commentary track in a New York studio, viewing the film on a large monitor while listening to it through an ear phone and voicing his thoughts live throughout the film. Vivid memories of a fun shoot flooded back, and the film's frenetic pacing still pleases him. "Barbra complained a lot," Bogdanovich admitted, "but she had a good time anyway." In fact, there were a few tense moments in an early scene featuring Barbra, not a stunt woman, igniting a car crash while nonchalantly strolling through traffic after a pizza delivery guy into the San Francisco Bristol hotel. "She hardly blinked," the director recalls. Just an example of the full belief and trust Barbra had in him before, during, and after production. Although she didn't really enjoy the finished film, according to Bogdanovich and Barbra herself through the years (we'll see how she feels today in her DVD commentary), she was not at all "difficult," because he liked her so much. Despite his affinity for Barbra, Bogdanovich does point out, however, that Barbra and leading man Ryan O'Neal were certainly "infatuated with each other" during production.
"Buck Henry wrote good dialogue for Barbra," despite Streisand not believing she or the film was funny, the director explains. "You think this is funny?" Bogdanovich remembers Barbra often asking in disbelief following an excellent, hilarious take. In fact, BJS didn't exactly agree with her director's selection of "You're The Top" for the film's credits. Nevertheless, when hearing Ethel Merman's recording during some timely in-flight entertainment, he had found the song. Speaking of songs, Barbra's comically abbreviated live rendition of "As Time Goes By" was perfection in a single take. Of course, this was before her Judy Maxwell character and Ryan O'Neal's Howard Bannister battled a wild motley crew to collect all four mismatched matching suitcases. Bogdanovich points out that the shooting script merely stated, "A fight breaks out, which will be staged brilliantly by the director." Consequently, all the jokes in the Larrabee house were devised on the spot. In the original Newman-Benton screenplay there were only three suitcases. After reading this screenplay's two drafts, Buck Henry met Bogdanovich in a LA restaurant and advised the story wasn't complicated enough. "You mean we need another suitcase?" asked the surprised director. In the headlines at the time, the "Pentagon Papers" controversy generated the idea for the fourth case. "I follow those suitcases carefully when watching the movie," your interviewer admitted. The director proudly confirmed that they carefully mapped everything out on paper to account for each case's proper location at all times. They didn't want to take any shortcuts or deceive the audience. In fact, Bogdanovich recalls a funny story where one night during production Henry was sorting out scenes using a hotel diagram and telephoned Bogdanovich in desperation - "I've lost one of the fucking suitcases!" Of course, this became a running joke between them.
I asked Peter Bogdanovich whether it's accurate to say that the halting of production on Warner Brothers' A Glimpse of Tiger starring Elliott Gould (Barbra's then future ex-husband) in February 1971 led directly and very quickly to What's Up, Doc?, a completely new story he was hired to create for Streisand and Ryan O'Neal. He agreed with my belief that few are aware of this unusual film history. Indeed, the director, concurs that Barbra originally wanted him to direct her in Glimpse, a drama featuring a very erudite lead character, but that he disliked the script and preferred a comedy. Barbra had previously done a comedy (The Owl and the Pussycat) and wanted to change gears. Bogdanovich explained to her that he had just completed the highly acclaimed drama The Last Picture Show and yearned for a comedy, particularly a 1930s-style screwball model like Bringing Up Baby. He approached WB studio head John Calley who approved the general idea without seeing a story or screenplay. Bogdanovich was thrilled to be allowed to produce, direct, and write the story with his chosen screenwriters. Simultaneously, Barbra was convinced to star in the comedy project. After Bogdanovich saw Love Story, he met with Ryan O'Neal who made the director laugh. Ryan O'Neal's entry into the project solidified Barbra's commitment. Moreover, the director prepared the straight, serious actor to radically change his screen image as a foil to Barbra's character. "Everything then came together extremely fast," Bogdanovich remembers. "These days there's too much corporate influence for films to be made like that anymore," he regrets. With a medium budget for the time, $4.6 million, the film shot for 71 days, Bogdanovich explains. "We shot for eight weeks in San Francisco" for all exteriors and some interiors and about four weeks in LA both before and after San Francisco. Why San Francisco? "Partially to send-up Bullitt," Steve McQueen's 1968 action film which filmed there, and because the city is "ideal for a chase."
In our interview Bogdanovich said that when recording his DVD commentary, seeing the late Madeline Kahn on screen again as Eunice Burns was tough. "She was a joy, a brilliant comedienne." While filming, he laughed so much during her takes that he was forced to muzzle himself. Like Streisand, the director says Kahn didn't believe she was funny.
Bogdanovich also remembers how overwhelmed everyone was when What's Up, Doc? broke Radio City Music Hall's 30-year house record for box office receipts during two consecutive weekends when the film opened in March 1972 (view archival newspaper ad for Radio City engagement). Ticket prices hadn't changed in all those years either. He also cheerfully recalls the deafening laughter in the packed theater from the film's beginning to end. Prior to this, he was nervous before the opening, despite the film's "sensational first preview." Also, he recalls favorable reviews. "This one just jelled," the director humbly declares.
The BSMG was the only Streisand fan site participating in the interview with Peter Bogdanovich, which also included reporters from The San Francisco Chronicle, DVD Etc., UPI, and DVDfile.com. Read DVDfile.com's own transcript of the group interview, which that site solely credits inaccurately to its editor Peter Bracke and is somewhat incomplete. In fact, yours truly, Mark Iskowitz, asked at least 25% of the questions during the interview. Most of Bogdanovich's responses are also included in his marvelous full-length commentary on the new Doc DVD. That's where you'll learn the most about the film - it's all there! A big DVD supporter, Bogdanovich feels the medium is "fantastic" and the best way to view movies at home. - Mark Iskowitz
Film Synopsis: Two researchers (O'Neal as Howard Bannister, Kenneth Mars as Hugh Simon) have come to San Francisco to compete for a research grant in music. Bannister seems a bit distracted, and that was before he meets her (Streisand as Judy Maxwell), a strange young woman who seems to have devoted her life to confusing and embarrassing him. At the same time, another woman has her jewels stolen, and a government whistle blower arrives with his stolen top secret papers. Of course, all have the same style and color overnight bag. Original Theatrical Release: 3/9/72.
What's Up, Doc? (1972)
Release Date: July 1, 2003
Warner Home Video
Suggested Retail Price: $19.98
Catalog Number: 1041
ISBN Number: 0-7907-6531-4
UPC: 0-12569-10412-9
Features:
* Anamorphic 16x9 Widescreen Format (1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio)
* English - Mono, French - Mono
* Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
* Special Features
- Exclusive All-New Scene Specific Commentary by Barbra Streisand
- Feature Length Commentary by Director Peter Bogdanovich
- Original 1972 Documentary Screwball Comedies…Remember Them?
- Original Extended Theatrical Trailer (featuring Bogdanovich & cast, 3:45)
- Cast/Director/Writers Film Highlights
Running Time: 94 minutes
DVD Region Code: 1 Rating: G
Streisand films released or coming soon on DVD in U.S. --
- Hello, Dolly!, FOX # 2007579
- What's Up, Doc?, WHV #1041
- Up The Sandbox, WHV#11325
- The Main Event, WHV #17161
- Nuts, WHV #11756
- Funny Girl, CTHE #03089
- Funny Lady, CTHE #06676
- The Prince of Tides, CTHE #23329
- The Owl and the Pussycat, CTHE #04751
- For Pete's Sake, CTHV #05814
- The Way We Were, CTHV #02850
- The Mirror Has Two Faces, CTHV #82529
Copyright © 1996-2003 Mark Iskowitz. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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