Elle Woods flipped the college character in a romantic comedy. For decades the members of stuffy fraternities and sororities were seen as the villains. Even in National Lampoon’s Animal House, Delta House was less a frat and more of a party excuse. The real Frat on campus was full of uptight and wicked members. Revenge of the Nerds let us know how cruel and mean by the book frat boys could be and how stuck up Sorority sisters could be. They’re like people in cults with their perfect lifestyles and desire to be so snobby. They are not warm and lovable characters in movies. Even in a film where the nerd hooks up with a sorority girl, she realizes that she’s been living a Greek lie. Her redemption comes from quitting her so-called sisterhood. But Legally Blonde refused to go by these rules and shockingly enough ended up being funny, entertaining and a blockbuster. Now Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde have been joined for the Legally Blonde Collection.
Legally Blonde (2001 – 96 minutes) has Elle Woods (Hook‘s Reese Witherspoon) thinking everything is great. She’s doing great as a Fashion merchandising major and the president of Delta Nu sorority. She feels her boyfriend is going to give her an engagement ring before he heads east for Harvard Law school. Things don’t go as planned since the boyfriend (Vampire Diaries‘ Matthew W. Davis) can’t hang out with a pink and fluffy obsessed girlfriend at Harvard. She’s wants him back in her life so she studies for the LSAT in her sorority way and ends up also getting in Harvard Law. She think she’ll surprise him, but ends up getting a shocked since the guy has a new woman (Hellboy‘s Selma Blair) that’s a bit more legal minded. But Elle won’t be broken. Her classmates won’t take her seriously since she’s still that sorority girl from California. But very quickly they come to understand that her view of life matters when she becomes part of the research team for a major case being handled by her professor. She can’t let Brooke Windham (Ali Larter) down since they’re both Delta Nu.
The film was a massive hit and the masses wanted more Elle Woods. Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003 – 95 minutes) arrived and took Elle down to Washington D.C. First she loses her job at a Boston law firm when she learns the truth about what’s being done to the mother of her Chihuahua, Bruiser. This leads her to become a crusader for animal rights. She wants to ban cosmetic testing on animals and works for Representative Victoria Rudd (Smokey and the Bandit‘s Sally Field). She has a big battle as she discovers how members of Congress can be very deceptive. Can this break Elle’s spirit and her sorority can do attitude?
You’ll be happy to know that the collection saves you from the nightmare that is Legally Blondes which did not feature Elle Woods. This is a good thing. You get the two films that made Elle a spiritual leader to woman who wanted to feel that being part of a sorority mattered. That being popular wasn’t automatically a bad thing worthy of being mocked. Legally Blonde Collection is a deep dive into a pink universe with a happy ending for a woman who could accessorize.
The video is 2.35:1 anamorphic for Legally Blonde with 1.85:1 anamorphic for the sequel. The transfer on the original is a 4K Scan of the camera negative. The pinks pop even more than before. The audio is DTS-HD MA 5.1 mixes for both films. You’ll get the peppiness of Elle’s voice. The movies are subtitled.
Interview With Actor Jessica Cauffiel (13:31) has Margot talk. She nailed the role on her first audition even though she thought she blew it. She and Reese spent time at a UCLA sorority to learn what it was really like in the house.
Audio Commentary With Director Robert Luketic, Actor Reese Witherspoon, and Producer Marc Platt gets into the production.
Audio Commentary with Costume Designer Sophie de Rakoff Carbonell, Production Designer Melissa Stewart, Director Of Photography Anthony B. Richmond, Screenwriters Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, And Animal Trainer Sue Chipperton deals with all the little things.
Deleted Scenes (9:45) has director Luketic explain why the moments had to be snipped. The scenes include Elle returning after she doesn’t get engaged.
Inside Legally Blonde (21:37) talks of how the book was adapted into a movie.
The Hair That Ate Hollywood (9:00) talks of blondes. They talk with the key stylist. She had to do a lot of blonde hair for the sorority.
Hoku: “Perfect Day” Music Video (3:26) reminds you of when MTV ran videos.
Theatrical Trailer (2:23) sets up the break up and law school admission.
Interview With Actor Jessica Cauffiel (8:37) has her remember how the budget was bigger and Reese was a producer who took care of the cast. She speaks of her sunburn situation
Audio Commentary with Actors Jennifer Coolidge, Jessica Cauffiel, and Alanna Ubach touches on getting to make a bigger film than the first.
Blonde Ambition (22:26) has crew and cast talking about what they did to make this film work after the original was such a hit. People have fond memories of working with the dog.
Stars and Stripes, Never! (7:35) is talk of the wardrobe for Elle.
Elle’s Anthem (7:13) is the magic of creating a theme for Elle’s entrance. We’re in the recording studio with the orchestra.
Deleted Scenes (9:31) includes Elle presenting a hair dye for pregnant women.
Gag Reel (2:39) is goofs from the set.
Leann Rimes: “We Can” Music Video (3:41) is a musical moment from the film.
Hair Apparent (6:55) is how they changed her hair for each scene.
Puppy Love (2:23) is about Bruiser’s movie romance.
Pretty In Pink (6:36) talks of making Elle a little more adult without losing her flair.
Theatrical Trailer (2:08) sends Elle to Washington D.C. to stick up for underdogs.
Shout! Factory presents Legally Blonde Collection. Directed by Robert Luketic & Charles Herman-Wurmfeld. Screenplay by: Karen McCullah Lutz & Kirsten Smith / Kate Kondell. Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Jennifer Coolidge, Sally Field, Regina King & Bob Newhart. Rated: PG-13. Boxset Contents: 2 movies on 2 Blu-ray discs. Released: February 26, 2019.
