Product Details

• Actors: Bill Murray, Matthew McConaughey, Jerry Adler, Richard Alan Baker, Richie Allan
• Directors: Howard Franklin
• Writers: Pen Densham, Garry Williams, Roy Blount Jr.
• Producers: Guy East, John Watson, Pen Densham, Richard Barton Lewis
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304413602
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,841 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Jack Corcoran (Bill Murray) is a mildly successful motivational speaker on the lower end of the trade-show circuit. At his engagement party, he finds out his long-believed-dead dad has only recently died, leaving him a large inheritance. Of course, Jack doesn't know how large until he meets a suspicious lawyer (Harve Presnel) who unloads Dad's prized possession: a four-ton circus elephant named Vera (Tai). Larger Than Life is a buddy-road movie. Murray uses his old tricks to bully or con several people into helping him, including a whacked-out truck driver (Matthew McConaughey). In this day and age of digital effects, Murray could be teaming up with Roger Rabbit or some other special effect; his interplay with Tai is quite natural. Director Howard Franklin codirected the underrated Quick Change with Murray, and it's clear they work well together. A curio in Murray's career, this film is effective and fun family entertainment, filled with good-natured ribs, bubble-light dramatics, and a scene-stealing elephant. She's a charmer. --Doug Thomas

Product Description

Bill Murray, Janeane Garofalo, Matthew McConaughey and Linda Fiorentino star in a family film thatwill amuse adults as much as it entertains children (Gannett News), while offering a trunkful of love, laughter and excitement they'll want to experience again and again! Jack Corcoran (Murray) is thrilled when he learns that his father, a former circus clown, has left him a very big inheritance. But when Jack learns that the large legacy is Vera, an 8,000-pound elephant, he immediately makes plans to sell her'to a buyer 3,000 miles away! Thus begins the most outrageous cross-country journey ever, complete with crazed truck drivers, hilarious run-ins with the law and one lovelorn elephant who stretches the limits of travel size but is really big on charm!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Murray at his finest...well, since Ghostbusters that is., June 5, 2003

By 

derek glidewell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Larger Than Life (DVD)

Larger Than Life is a fun (and sadly forgotten) little family flick that everyone can enjoy. Im 16 and I was chuckling all throughout by the likes of Bill Murray and Matthew McConaughey who are essentially the heart and soul of this kiddie adventure. The plot is a bit more advanced than most youthful ventures, and revolves around the escapades of sarcastic motivational speaker Jack Corcoran (Bill Murray), who receives a rather large inheritance from his estranged father and unknowingly gets a suitcase full of clown supplies and a large elephant named Vera. Deep in debt and eager to lose the new burden placed on his hands, Jack goes cross-country hoping to strike up a deal in which he can get Vera off his hands and make a little cash on the side. This, of course, goes awry and moral dilemmas lie in wait as Jack comes across floods, a paranoid hitchhiker played superbly by Matthew McConaughey going by the name Tip Tucker babbling about corrupt cops and conspiracies in motion by Big Brother, hijacking semi trucks, and half a dozen other little slapstick moments that should have the kids giggling. Larger Than Life is a simpleminded comedy aimed for the adolescent audience and though a few crude jokes are disguised by adult talk and should be over most of their heads, should be one that will provide the young ones with 93 minutes of fun and constant laughs from Murrays comical antics while still remaining family friendly and appropriate.

As for the disc, for one, you can expect Larger Than Life to be next to bare bones since its another nail in MGMs budget title catalog and the demanding MSRP is reasonable, and secondly, its a kiddie flick and therefore features are not a top priority, and three, the films next to pitiful $8 Million box office haul doesnt help either. That said, there is the obligatory Trailer presented in a widescreen format. Nothing special there. No booklet as usual. And since this is still an adolescent adventure, MGM gave us a bland full-frame presentation that is a tad bit above VHS quality. The picture quality is simple, faded, and bland. Nothing really stands out as a nice transfer would have and things remain in a neutral setting whether bright or dark, never adjusting quality with a change of atmosphere. And since there is really no sound effects and dramatic explosions to show off, the Stereo Surround mix is rather bland. Oh, and in addition to the less than par picture and sound quality we get a bland little promo for a dozen or so other MGM family budget titles.

The reason I give Larger Than Life a four star rating is because as a film I enjoyed it, Murray was flawless and his sarcastic humor never let me down, plus the fabulous cameo by McConaughey didnt hurt. But as a DVD, its a toss up. MGM put no effort into the release and starved the flick of anything other than a Trailer. Yet on the other hand, the film is meant for the kids and there is not a demand for deleted scenes or commentaries among the target audience plus the low MSRP keeps Larger Than Life in reason. If you are looking for an affordable family fun title that the kids will get a kick out of then by all means go for Larger Than Life, and for those who are fans of Murrays relentless sarcastic antics, but those who are looking for a full fledged feature filled disc (which I doubt there are more than a dozen or so including myself) should steer clear. Larger Than Life is a fun kids flick that the whole family can sit back and enjoy, and for the budget its a full fledged value. Thanks for reading my rather lengthy review of Larger Than Life; I hope it helps in your decision.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, Clean Fun, October 15, 2000

By 

M Huntley (Farmington, NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Larger Than Life [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This was a funtastic movie. I just loved it. I have seen it several times and enjoy every bit of it. I even laugh just thinking about it. Bill Murray is such a funny actor, but it was great to see him in a good clean movie. The movie is wonderful for both kids and adults. Mathew McConaughey was hilarious as the high strung truck driver. Leonard Maltin doesn't know what he is talking about. I actually did not even know that it was McConaughey until I read the Maltin review. The scene with Bill Murray trying to drive the semi-truck brought tears to my eyes, I laughed so hard. I also really enjoyed the scenery in Colorado and New Mexico. If you are tired of the rubbish that Hollywood normally puts out and you want to see a great, clean, and fun movie, you must see larger than life. It is wonderful.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious and Sweet!, July 25, 2000

By 

Wobbin (Kansas City, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Larger Than Life [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Bill Murray has the perfect sarcastic resignment at the beginning of the movie when he is suddenly surprised with an elephant that he has to care for! As the story goes on, he tries to find a way to get rid of the unwanted burden, but the elephant starts to win him over and his goals change to finding a way to give the elephant a happy life. The bonus is, that along the way, he finds himself, and discovers the spirit of the father he never knew. The most hilarious part was the crazy trucker, and Bill Murray is funny the whole way through. The sweetest part was Vera the elephant and her thoughtful caring ways for the son of her beloved master. I get so irritated when I see critics disparaging movies that I enjoy. I never let their snobbish remarks stop me from trying a movie that sounds good to me. I recommend that you don't let Leonard Maltlin stop you from trying this charming movie.