Product Details

• Actors: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Dody Goodman
• Directors: Ron Howard
• Writers: Brian Grazer, Babaloo Mandel, Bruce Jay Friedman, Lowell Ganz
• Producers: Brian Grazer, John Thomas Lenox
• Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Unknown)
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Walt Disney Video
• DVD Release Date: March 23, 2004
• Run Time: 111 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00015YVD6
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,754 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  #12 in	Movies & TV > Comedy > Comedy Directors > Ron Howard

• For more information about "Splash (20th Anniversary Edition)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

Tom Hanks was a relatively unknown TV actor with a sitcom as his biggest credit when relatively unknown director Ron Howard (best known for his own sitcom acting) cast him in this surprise hit. It made stars of Hanks, Daryl Hannah, and John Candy and an A-list director out of Howard. Hannah is a mermaid who comes to Manhattan in search of Hanks, the guy she has twice saved from drowning. Hanks runs a business with his lovable blowhard brother (Candy), whose goal in life is to have a letter published in Penthouse. When this perfect woman shows up, Hanks can't believe his luck and plunges into a dizzyingly romantic relationship, unaware of her sea-water secret. But the mermaid needs to soak and unfurl her tail from time to time, which leads to complications, including her capture by the government for scientific study (what else?). Hanks is winningly charming and Hannah is a perfect match in this enjoyably high-spirited comedy, though the biggest laughs belong to Candy. --Marshall Fine

Product Description

Don't let this spectacular 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition be the one that got away! Academy Award(R) winner Tom Hanks (1994 Best Actor, FORREST GUMP) stars as Allen Bauer, a workaholic who's convinced he can't fall in love. That is, until he's mysteriously rescued at sea by the mermaid of his dreams! Soon Allen and Madison (Daryl Hannah, KILL BILL) are swept away by hilarious and heartwarming romance. Academy Award(R) winner Ron Howard (2001 Best Director, A BEAUTIFUL MIND) directs a star-studded cast, including Eugene Levy (BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, AMERICAN PIE), and hilarious John Candy (HOME ALONE) in a magical tale that now includes all-new bonus features.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tom Hanks' Feature Film Debut, June 7, 2005

By	Mark J. Fowler "Let's Play Two!" (Okinawa, Japan) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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Tom Hanks had done a couple of TV shows and the producers of "Splash" really wanted a bigger name actor in their movie. Daryl Hannah had made a favorable impression in a bit part in "Blade Runner" but the big "name" in the announced cast of Splash was John Candy, who was probably paid as much as the rest of the cast combined in the role of brother Freddy.

It would have been very easy for the movie to become a broad farce with Candy and Eugene Levy in the love story of the man and the mermaid, but writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel found the right note between love story and comedy, and the cast pulls off both. The comedy varies between clever and slapstick, and seeing the film again 20 years later still made me laugh at parts. As expected, Candy and Levy do the heavy lifting in the comedy department, and they are both hilarious in their respective scenes. The whole movie wouldn't work at all, though, if we didn't believe in the central love story - and Hanks and Hannah make it work.

Hannah is a mermaid apparently not unlike Disney's Ariel. She has a tail when wet, and legs when dry. Hanks is Allen Bauer, who has inherited his father's wholesale produce business along with brother Freddy. As a child Allen suddenly jumped into the water off Cape Cod, where the child mermaid rescues him until the adults can fetch him from the water.

As an adult Allen has commitment issues and admits he doesn't love his girlfriend. After a friend's wedding he returns to Cape Cod for a little nostalgia. Another boating accident results in another mermaid rescue, but the "girl" runs away as Allen regains consciousness on shore.

The mermaid fetches Allen's wallet from the ocean floor and follows a map to track Allen down in New York City. She climbs onto dry land at the statue of liberty - lacking a tail and clothes - and is taken into custody by the police. They call the guy who owns the wallet she's carrying. (The mermaid, of course, can't speak English...)

So Allen and the Mermaid are united again, where the attraction is powerful and mutual. The Mermaid learns English watching television for an afternoon (this makes the rest of the movie easier!) and she decides to make her American name "Madison" while looking at a street sign for Madison Avenue. (Many Americans subsequently chose "Madison" for their daughters after this movie.)

Allen only knows Madison is "foreign". Madison's time on land is limited. (For reasons that aren't exposed in the film.) Levy portrays a renegade pseudo-scientist who has been searching for a mermaid his entire career. When one swims past while he's diving at Cape Cod he is startled. Then he sees a newspaper photo of a nude girl at the Statue of Liberty that looks a lot like the mermaid...

The plot isn't difficult to guess, but the performances are full of funny and touching flourishes that make you laugh and care about these characters. This isn't really a 5-star movie - but I couldn't choose 4 1/2. It's a pleasant way to spend some time with your own sweetie.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent DVD extras, April 5, 2004

By	Michael Booker (Arnold, MO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The DVD extras really make this 20th anniversary re-release worth owning. This movie has been run repeatedly (in edited form) on television, so there probably aren't that many people who haven't had a chance to see this delightful fantasy. The "making-of" video and the commentary track give a fascinating glimpse into the way that Hollywood works. Why did Disney wind up making this film? How did Tom Hanks get the lead? How did they choose Darryl Hannah? Who was the film's "real" star? How did they pull off the underwater shots? What was the lobster that Madison ate in the restaurant? If you have a soft spot for this film, it's a joy to watch and a real treat to get to know better.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Splash is a beautiful, romantic comedy., April 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Splash [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Splash is a wonderful, romantic comedy about a man and a mermaid who fall in love for each other. This is one of Tom Hanks' earliest hits that made him a star. His co-star, Darryl Hannah, who plays Madison the mermaid, has never really had a hot film career away from this movie, sadly enough. The late John Candy and Eugene Levy provide some of the film's hilarious comedy as well. This film was directed by Ron Howard. A movie about a mermaid has to be good, and Splash does this so well. Tips off to the crew of this movie who made it so real. The underwater sequences are well done as well as Daryl Hannah herself as the mermaid. She is utterly believable as a mermaid! She is just so sexy in the rubber mermaid tail suit. She swims in it so well. This movie really brought a fairy tale type story to life. A must see for everyone. This film was followed by "Splash, Too", a Disney TV movie sequel in 1988 starring Todd Waring and Amy Yasbeck in the Hanks/Hannah roles. Unfortunately, this sequel is not on home video.