Why So Blu?

The Naked Gun (Blu-ray Review)

Up next for the Why So Blu crew we have The Naked Gun on Blu-ray.  This is a Best Buy exclusive, meaning that for the time being it can ONLY be purchased at your local Best Buy store or online at www.bestbuy.com.  I’m sure it will be available at other retailers down the line very soon.  The Naked Gun is one of the three catalog classics that were released by Paramount.  You can read our review or Airplane! and we will also be bringing you Planes, Trains, and Automobiles soon.  For now, sit back, relax, and prep your funny bone.  Here is The Naked Gun on Blu-ray. 

Film

From the files of Police Squad comes the first film spun off of the classic spoof television show into its own series of films starring Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban, and many others.  The Naked Gun succeeds at being a “world” film in that the opening scenes of the film takes place overseas and parodies all of the crap that was going on in the middle east, etc… Yes, there were problems back then, as well.  Once the opening credits begin to roll, you had better get out of the way…literally.   We’re plunged into a seedy world of drug dealing, corruption, and much more.

The Naked Gun is a story that revolves around a criminal mastermind (Ricardo Montalban) who is orchestrating the assassination of Queen Elizabeth as she prepares to visit the great city of Los Angeles.  Uber cop Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) is on the case!

Priscilla Presley is Jane Spencer, an assistant that works for the evil Montalban and is sent to spy on Drebin, so that she may report back to him.  What she didn’t count on was falling in love with him…on the first date…literally.

The Naked Gun is a film that was brought you by the Airplane! cats, you know that it will not disappoint in the laughs departments.  Indeed, it doesn’t, because I found myself laughing quite often at all of the comedy, sight gags, and physical humor The Naked Gun brought.  In fact, I actually saw The Naked Gun in theaters, but hadn’t watched it in over ten years, at least.  The memories just came flooding back!

I guess what really makes The Naked Gun a successful romp of a film is that Leslie Nielsen is so damned likable…again!  He’s always been the most likable guy on the planet.  That, and the way he plays Frank Drebin as a straight faced-always-gets-his-man-type of cop is pretty hysterical, even though he’s not that bright.  We cheer for Frank and laugh at him at the very same time.  The supporting cast is also pretty cool in their roles, and the situations that everyone is put into are equally great.  The baseball game scenes are classics – and so is his interpretation of the U.S. national anthem.

The Naked Gun was released in theaters back in 1988 and is the first of a trilogy – The Naked Gun 2 1/2 and The Naked Gun 33 1/3 followed thereafter.  They were good too, but the original one cannot be beat.

Frank: Interesting… almost as interesting as the photographs I saw today.
Jane: I was young! I needed the work!

Video

The Naked Gun is presented in 1080p, 1.85:1, widescreen.  I am happy to report that The Naked Gun looks really good!  The movie is almost 25 years old and looks as good as Airplane! did.  There’s an awesome layer of grain that remains consistent all the way through.  Colors are bold, but not overbearing.  They really pop during the last act of the film at the baseball stadium.  Just check out The Queen in her outfit, as well.  Edge enhancement does creep in on occasion and so does a dirt speckle or two.  It’s to be expected, but it does not hamper the viewing experience, in my opinion. 

Audio

The Naked Gun is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1.  Here’s another winner in terms of audio presentation.  Dialogue is crystal clear as are the onscreen effects.  The film does have several action set-pieces and they are handled with great accuracy by the lossless surround.  Some of the effects may sound a bit dated, but that’s the age of the film talking.  Ambient surround sounds are also used to great effect, because some of the gags also involve off screen sound bites.  The LFE gets some work in with explosions and so forth.  The Naked Gun is a great sounding catalog Blu-ray release.

Special Features

The Naked Gun serves up only two helpings of special features.  An audio commentary and an old trailer.  C’est la vie.

• Group Commentary by David Zucker, Robert Weiss, and Peter Tilden
• Theatrical Trailer (HD)

Final Thoughts 

The Naked Gun is another of the classic spoof movies before they all went downhill.  Leslie Nielsen and company are in their funnybone prime and it shows.  Most of the gags work and they genuinely succeed at being stupidly funny without being tryhard.  The Blu-ray features stellar video and sound, but crappy extras.  Still, I highly recommend The Naked Gun on Blu-ray.  Please remember that this Blu-ray is only available at your local Best Buy or on their website at www.bestbuy.com.

 

 

Order The Naked Gun on Blu-ray!