Customer Reviews

A Fish Called Wanda (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

5 star:		(95)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

NOTE: This review is about the 1998 version of the DVD. Newer releases may be better quality.

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This film is definitely on my top ten list of funniest movies of all time, with "Some Like it Hot," "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" and the Monty Python masterpieces...

But this DVD is atrocious. The soundtrack is all in the center channel... haven't heard anything worse since I gave up watching a TV with a 3 inch speaker. The theme song is burbled and warbly. There is no separation -- even to the front speakers. The dialog is flat as a flitter.

The picture quality is a hair better than off the air, rabbit ear antennae reception. At times the picture is choppy and halting -- as if you were watching it on a rental video that has been viewed too many times.

The only extra is the film's trailer.

Wait for a re-release before buying!

This review refers to the 1998 DVD edition of "A Fish Called Wanda"(MGM)


"A Fish Called Wanda" is a fabulous romp with a group of jewel thieves, of which the term "honor among thieves" has no meaning!
At every turn, they are scheming and manipulating the events, as each wants the loot for themselves. The most scheming and manipulating of all is the lone woman of the bunch, who is also the weak spot for all the fellows. Wanda, played impeccably by Jaime Lee Curtis, has these guys falling over themselves trying to get the loot and the girl! Kevin Kline, John Cleese(who also penned the screenplay)and Michael Palin, will have you in stitches with each and every view. Every time I view it I see or hear some little detail or subtlety I didnt get previously.

Nearly 20 years later(yes fans, it's been that long), this film has not lost one bit of it's appeal for those of us that like our humor a little on the bawdy side(Although all in good fun).

But!...Give me a break MGM. This DVD is quite shabby considering the loyal fans this film has.This DVD does have a couple of things going for it. It has the choice of widescreen viewing or standard, has English, and French subtitles, for those who may need them, and includes a booklet with production notes and trivia. Also, the menu page was cute. If you click on the little treasure chest in the aquarium, the screen becomes just the "Wanda" fish swimming around with sound effects. However... as another reviewer mentioned the picture is below average. It does not live up to the reason why we don't mind paying a little extra for a DVD vs a VHS. The sound is in MONO..what's up with that? This film is deserving of at least stereo sound.

And as usual, after all of us have already purchased this now classic comedy, MGM is coming up with a new "Deluxe" edition, that is more along the lines of what is expected of a DVD.(Talk about double dipping!)It is a 2 disc edition and shows these features:
"Audio Commentary with Actor/Writer John Cleese
Over 25 minutes of Deleted and Alternate Scenes
John Cleese's First Farewell Performance
Something's Fishy Making-of Documentary
Easter Eggs, Previews, and More!"

It is available for pre-order(but doesn't list the sound available yet)The ASIN for that site is B000E33W1C.

5 stars for a film that never gets old. 3 stars to MGM for making us wait this long for a decent view.

Still laughing after all these years...Laurie

fans of the very talented Kevin Kline may also enjoy:
The Ice Storm
Grand Canyon
see my reviews for film details - both are fabulous

Starting with the commonplace idea of a jewel robbery gone maniacally wrong, actor John Cleese and director Charles Crichton manage have created a madcap comedy that remains fresh, even after 10 years. George (Tom Georgeson), assisted by his girlfriend Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis), his best pal Ken (Michael Palin) and Wanda's 'brother' Otto (Kevin Kline) has orchestrated a robbery that has only one fatal flaw - none of the participants have any intention of sharing the loot. In short order, double-crosses seem to grow on trees and George finds himself under arrest. It is only fitting that Wanda and Otto simultaneously discover that the jewels have been moved 'for safekeeping.'

It doesn't take very long for Wanda to figure out that her only hope of regaining the loot is through George's barrister, Archie Leach (John Cleese). Wanda works at seducing Leach while fighting of Otto's psychotic fits of jealousy. Ken, in the meantime, attempts repeatedly to kill the only witness, an elderly woman. Unfortunately, he manages to assassinate all three of her dogs in the process.

This is a set up for the combination of slapstick, vulgarity, and tongue-in-cheek comedy that British films are noted for and Americans love and it is delivered with an almost evil verve. Cleese is determined to take no prisoners, and the landscape is littered with car crashes, fallen masonry, savaged canines (fake savaged canines, please) and hapless victims. Only the fish (also called Wanda) has no funny lines, and fares no better than her companion 'Lunch' does.

The film has an R rating, which I think is exaggerated. In reality, its vulgarity and sexual innuendo are hardly noticeable when compared to what is accepted today. I certainly think teenagers can handle it without permanent damage, although you may have to explain to them that certain phrases don't bear repeating. At this price, expect a bare bones DVD. No added games, no interviews, just the film in French and English, in both wide screen and standard presentations. Even so, this is a classic comedy that will bear much watching.

I love the movie "A Fish Called Wanda". It is one of my all time favorite movies. If you haven't seen it, go rent/buy it - there is no better time to see it, now that it is on DVD!

Therefore, this is a review of the DVD - not the movie. The DVD has a very good presentation of the movie - the best you can watch at home (as mentioned above). However, the sound is lacking - dull mono. Maybe this movie was originally recorded in mono, but I would be surprised.

Next there is the lack of extras - you get the trailer and "cast notes" but virtually nothing else... just a dumb fish screen saver.

I don't mean to be so down on this DVD, it isn't terrible, it is just a disappointment to think of all of the unrealized potential. First of all, there is the sound. Then, there was no behind the scenes featurette, no comentaries, no deleted scenes, nothing. With Kline, Cleese, Palin and Curtis in the cast, there could have been all kinds of killer extras. But there wasn't...

At this point I would give this DVD 3 stars. However, it earns an extra star because MGM bowed to pressure and put it out in Widescreen. They originally planned on P&S only.

So thanks a lot, MGM, but now get busy on a "Collectors Edition".

Jeremy

The movie is in great shape, and the extras are worth the money. The cast interviews were quite revealing. Jamie Lee tells who she thinks the best kisser was among Kline, Palin, and Cleese. And you find out if Cleese really was hung out a window or if it was just special effects. Cleese's running commentary was worth sitting through, even for me, and I usually hate those things. The deleted scenes weren't very interesting--just shots, really, not even full scenes. Overall, though, I'm very glad I bought it!

Congratulations to the American Film Institute for recognizing the hilarity of this movie and voting it one of the 100 Funniest Movies. I saw "A Fish Called Wanda" at the theater when it was first released and my friend and I laughed so loudly that we were almost asked to leave. It's just a great at home...plus people won't stare at you.

The performances of all four leads are exceptional, not just Kevin Kline's Oscar-winning Otto ("It means eight"). I've been a fan of John Cleese and Michael Palin forever and, whether Python fan or not, they'll have you rolling on the floor. Palin's stutter is brilliant especially when he's trying to tell Cleese the name of the hotel ("Sing it, Ken! Sing it!"). John Cleese is subtle and surprisingly real (I know, I was surprised too) and Jamie Lee Curtis is terrific.

In this age of Political correctness, it's fun to watch a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously. This movie is what a comdey movie should be: hysterically funny.

I LOVE Monty Python AND John Cleese teaches part-time here at Cornell, so when he gave a talk and mentioned the plot of AFCW, I thought I'd check it out. It was great seeing a couple of the Python troup in a non-Python role. Be warned, although the movie is very funny (7.8 out of 10) it's not at all the same type of humour as Python.

My absolute favorite part, which doesn't give anything about the movie away, is near the end when John Cleese imitates an American accent. Usually we see comedians here making fun of British, French, and other foreign accents, so it was fun to see someone try to imitate us here in the States.

I'd say this is a MUST RENT no matter what and a MUST BUY for anyone who likes British humour and/or wants to see Cleese do something different.

There's nothing more to say about the crazy plot that hasn't been blabbed away before. Important here is that the great Charles Crichton was nominated for Best Director, after 50 years of respectability. Amusing is that, though Kevin Kline won the Oscar, he wasn't nominated by BAFTA (British Academy); they gave it to Palin. Both are great! Jamie Lee Curtis is perfect, and John Cleese used all of his "Monty Python" humor to create an Oscar nominated script (with Crichton).15 years later, this is fresh and fun and worthy of repeated viewings, and watching the British writers let the Americans make fun of them (they all end up looking stupid), you can't help but laugh. Unnoticed my many is the great performance of Maria Aitken (Wendy, Cleese's wife). She a totally committed insensitive beast. She was great. Also ignored, was the lovely score of John du Prez, most original. Give yourself a laugh, and forget the real world. This is fun! Oh, DO shut up, Portia.

Hilarious, wonderful film with many twists and hundreds of classic moments. The cast is perfect, and Kevin Kline deservedly won an Oscar in one of the greatest comedic performances ever. A great double feature with the sadly underrated "Fierce Creatures." For a fun flub, watch carefully during the scene in which Jamie Lee Curtis visits John Cleese's office to discuss the case. As she is leaving, you can clearly see a reflection in the mirror of the camera and several crew members.

Michael Palin is the anti-PC, stuttering, animal rights activist, thief, and doggie hitman.

Jamie Lee Curtis is sexy (of course), devious, loveable, and a manipulation mastermind.

John Cleese is, well, John Cleese.

Kevin Kline won an Oscar for his work as a philosophy-reading/mangling, live-fish-eating, ex-CIA thug named Otto.

There's a plot involving stolen diamonds and plane tickets to Rio, but, really -- who cares? The joy is in watching four brilliant comic actors, who all obviously enjoy working with one another.

The joy, and the laughs, are infectious. Quite simply, "A Fish Called Wanda" is the funniest movie of the last 25 years.