What is it about watching rich snobs get their just desserts that
is oh-so-delightful? Trading Places may claim to be a light and frothy
comedic confection about that age-old debate "Nature versus
Nurture," but it seems to derive its greatest pleasures from
watching the snooty uppercrust finally get their comeuppance. A mini-
phenomenon in the 80's were the "slobs against the snobs"
comedies, mega-hits that included the Vacation flicks, Caddyshack, and
perhaps the best of them all, this hysterical smash that may still be
Eddie Murphy's finest hour. Ever had that boss from hell you spent
hours and hours secretly plotting to get your revenge on? Then this is
your movie.
Randolph and Mortimer Duke are two rich
commodities "bookies" so bored with making millions, that
they pass the time by playing petty little games on the meek and
unworthy. Wagering their usual bet - one dollar - this time they
decide to test "genetics versus environment" by bankrupting
their rising young charge Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) and
"trading him" with streetwise hustler Billy Ray Valentine
(Eddie Murphy). The pair never knew what hit them, but he who laughs
first, laughs last. Once the jig is up, revenge is in the air, and the
Duke's have a few secrets of their own ripe for the exploiting. Yep,
it's mean and nasty, but what goes around comes around, and watching
bad karma at work has rarely been so much fun! While I can't
watch a single film John Landis has done post-Twilight Zone (the guy
should be in jail), in the early 80's he was really in his prime.
Animal House, The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf in London,
Trading Places...this guy instinctively knew what was funny, and had a
knack for stories that tapped right into the zeitgeist of the time.
Aykroyd, never more smug (or funny), is perfect as the gullible
Winthrope, and Murphy is prone to his usual ad-libs and improvised
antics, but never at the expense or the narrative. Landis also
assembles a terrific supporting cast, including a career U-turn for
Jamie Lee Curtis as the hooker with a heart of gold, and a subtle but
affecting Denholm Elliot as the long-suffering butler. The film may
veer off on some pretty zany, slapstick tangents (amorous gorillas,
anyone?) but when a movie is this funny and unapologetically wicked,
who cares?
Video: How Does The Disc Look?
As
much fun as I always have watching Trading Places, I can't say it has
ever been a particularly striking film. In fact, it is rather ugly:
dull colors, no real pizzazz, and a thoroughly cold, washed-out look.
Certainly, this new DVD is the best this film has ever looked outside
of the theater, but it still isn't likely to inspire many as an
overlooked visual spectacular.
Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic
widescreen, the print is in fairly good shape. After a rough start
with lots of dirt and dropouts, it brightens up considerably, with few
blemishes save for a dodgy shot or two. Colors are still rather bland,
but hues clean and crisp with accurate fleshtones. Blacks are nice
with only a few instances of slight fading, and contrast respectable
for a film of this vintage. Detail is decent and shadow delineation
just fair; the transfer has an overall dark appearance and is a little
soft. Edge enhancement is noticeable but minor, and there are no
apparent compression artifacts. Pretty good.
Audio: How
Does The Disc Sound?
Newly remixed in 5.1 Dolby surround, I
wasn't expecting much with this one, but it's actually a very nice
little remix. Trading Places has never offered much in the way of
sonic delights, but this mix opens up the front soundstage
considerably. Dynamic range is fairly wide with solid separation of
the music and effects. Dialogue is generally clear if a bit flat by
today's standards, and the largely classical score benefits from some
nice stereo effects. The surrounds are barely utilized, and in fact I
only counted about two noticeable uses of the rears at all, involving
incidental effects such as traffic and a train. The .1 LFE is also
nearly nonexistent, as this just isn't a mix that offers much in terms
of low end. But for a film that was always essentially mono, this is a
solid effort and better than I expected.
Also included is an
alternate English 2.0 surround track, a French mono dub, and English
subtitles and Closed Captions.
Supplements: What Goodies
Are There?
Here's another Paramount 80's classic that really
deserves a bit more than it gets. Last year, NBC ran a special
"20th Anniversary" broadcast of Trading Places (really only
the film's 18th birthday, but nevermind) featuring new interviews with
John Landis, Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Unfortunately, none of that
material is included here, and in fact, there are no extras at all,
not even a trailer. Too bad.
DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do
you get when you pop the disc in your PC?
No ROM extras
have been included.
Parting Thoughts
A truly
funny movie that holds up just great almost twenty years later,
Paramount has delivered a extras-deprived DVD that at least offers a
nice transfer. The price may be a bit steep for what you get, but if
you're a fan of the film at all, it's worth picking up at a discount.
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