Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy – HD DVD Review

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (HD DVD)

DreamWorks Home Entertainment / 2004 / 97 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: November 27, 2007
List Price: $29.98 [Buy it at Amazon.com]

The Movie:

Will Ferrell is like a warm soda. Sometimes his comedy will go down smooth even if the material is flat. I remember seeing Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy in theaters back in 2004 and not liking it at all. It seemed like a five-minute SNL sketch that had been stretched into a 90-minute movie. Ferrell is an odd brand of comedy. And I guess I just wasn’t expecting a movie like that. Seeing it again, however, this wickedly absurd comedy has grown on me a little. Maybe it’s because Ferrell and crew lampoon something that has been going down the toilet for years: broadcast news. They don’t go after the bias that has infiltrated news though, but rather the changing of the times, when the men-only establishment had to welcome women into the fold.

Set in 1970s, this autobiographical tale – only the names, dates and places have been changed – of Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) goes the distance at parodying news broadcasters. Burgundy is beloved by all of San Diego. His prime-time news telecast is number one, and women just fawn over him. He’s shallow and egotistical and not overly bright, never mind his nice collection of literature. But he sure knows how to read copy off the teleprompter. Also a part of his San Diego news team is sports reporter Champ Kind (David Koechner), on-the-scene correspondent Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell). Bad moustache and all, Paul Rudd alone would be enough support for this Adam McKay-directed comedy. But it may just be a pre-40-year-old-virgin Steve Carell who is the ultimate scene-stealer. His weatherman character is but a few points shy of being legally retarded, hence the name Brick, as in being as dumb as a.

The Lou Grant of the station is Ed Harken (Fred Willard). A chauvinist himself, It is his decision to add some diversity to the newsroom. Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) is the diversity, much to the dismay of the news team. This working girl is no spring chicken when it comes to a sexist newsroom; Veronica knows how to outwit the likes of Fantana and Kind, but Burgundy is another hairy beast altogether. She takes everything in stride, apart from the fact that she’s being regulated to puff pieces about cat fashion shows. Veronica knows she’s more than sexy eye candy for the newsroom.

She gets her chance to shine – thanks in large part to subplot involving Ron, his dog Baxter, a burrito and Jack Black. In fact, some of the subplots have dialogue and action that are funnier than the central story. The rumble between area news teams, including Frat Pack regulars Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson and Ben Stiller, and a surprise guest offers nothing but uncontrollable laughter. Watching Burgundy’s fall from grace and his uncontrollable weeping is similar to comic gags used on TV’s Family Guy, where one scene just seems to go on and on, and when you think it is about to stop, it continues.

While Anchorman may not be as rewarding as the comedies Judd Apatow has written and directed, it is a fun, off-the-wall satire of the evening news. Seeing it again years later, it is better than I remembered. It’s still a mixed bag, but having enjoyed other Apatow-produced comedies like Talladega Nights and Walk Hard, both of which are satires, there are some great comedic moments to be had here. Who cares if most of the material isn’t coherent? Make some fondue and enjoy some “Afternoon Delight” San Diego style.

The video:

A fairly new release, there is still a noticeable improvement in picture quality. Presented with a lively 1080p/AVC transfer, we get some striking hues of all the brightly colored costumes. Increase and contrast and deep blacks provide a realistic picture, and the detail in the articles of clothing is sharp. There is some softness in the picture when we go from interior to exterior, and at different times in the day. I also noticed some flashing in one sequence. Don’t believe it was because of the transfer, as it looks like the problem was in the print itself. Still, there is an overall improvement in the picture.

The audio:

Anchorman comes with a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 track and it handles the comedic dialogue with ease. The front speakers handle most of the conversation, leaving the rears for the occasional sound effect. Like Brick heaving a trident. The use of ‘70s era music helps to liven up bass, but the rest of the track could have been a more engrossing experience.

The extras:

The biggest missing piece when it comes to extras is the Wake Up Ron Burgundy bonus disc that came with the limited edition giftset in 2004. That disc came with another full-length comedy comprised of deleted scenes and alternate takes, as well as other supplements: deleted scenes, outtakes, audition reels, and rehearsal footage.

Cast and Crew Commentary – includes Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, David Koechner and a few guests. This is an absolute mess when it comes to commentaries. Don’t expect to learn any technical wizardry about how Anchorman was made. Subjects are varied and often don’t include anything about the movie. Lots of bleeping when the guys go off and talk about what you can and can’t say in a commentary track, and when they talk about mule and polar bear sex. Um, what?

The Making of Anchorman (9:28) – is a simple, behind-the-scenes feature with the cast and crew (McKay and Apatow). This is pretty much fluff, even with outtakes and rehearsal footage, as we don’t get any insight on the actual production.

Deleted Scenes (37 minutes) – are mostly extensions or alternate takes of scenes already in the comedy, but with 29 deletions to watch you are sure to find something worth laughing over.

A Conversation with Ron Burgundy (10:40) – is a mock interview with Will Ferrell in-character as Ron Burgundy. Here he is being interviewed by Bill Kurtis in front of small crowd. Ferrell riffs on his 100-acre ranch which is only really a half acre, and more.

Ron Burgundy at the MTV Movie Awards (7 minutes) – Barbara Walters’ has got nothing on Ron Burgundy. Just watch Burgundy ask celebrities like Rebecca Romijn-Stamos probing questions about their careers.

“Afternoon Delight” Music Video (3 minutes) – may be one of the shortest extras, but seeing the news crew in their own music video actually singing is like watching the final minutes of The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Catchy acapela version of this classic rock tune.

Ron Burgundy’s ESPN Audition (1:54) – Ferrell is again in character doing his shtick. Ferrell is auditioning for a new show called SportsCenter. “A 24-hour sports network? That’ll never work.”

Bloopers (7:45) – prepare to be amused, some of these flubs will make you grin, maybe even chuckle. Nothing like seeing a take go up in flames because of uncontrollable laughter.

Special Report – not sure why this wasn’t included with the bloopers or called “line-o-rama.” That’s what it feels like, as David Koechner and others deliver different inflections when it comes to certain lines of dialogue.

Commercial Break (2:03) – Weird, random moments captured from the production. Paul Rudd sporting his tidy whities as he strolls around the set, eating a hot dog, for example.

HD Extras:

None.

The Inside Pulse:

Love him or hate him, Will Ferrell is a comedy star. While his style of comedy is to be desired – you will either see the humor in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy or you won’t – at least he gives his supporting players plenty to work with. This is especially true of Paul Rudd and Steve Carell. As for this HD DVD release, audio and video are decent upgrades, but nothing that would show off your home theater setup. The extras provide the laughter, but lack enlightenment. Unless you are a die-hard Will Ferrell fan, consider this a rental.