Product Details

• Actors: Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, Ellen Barkin, Allison Janney, Kirstie Alley
• Directors: Michael Patrick Jann
• Writers: Lona Williams
• Producers: Claire Rudnick Polstein, Donna Langley, Gavin Polone, Judy Hofflund, Lona Williams
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: New Line Home Video
• DVD Release Date: December 14, 1999
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (208 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0780628306
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,426 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #67 in	Movies & TV > Comedy > Teen
  #75 in	Movies & TV > Comedy > Satire

• For more information about "Drop Dead Gorgeous" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Subtle is not the word to describe Drop Dead Gorgeous, a mock documentary purporting to cover the Sarah Rose Cosmetics Teen America Beauty Pageant in Mount Rose, Minnesota. Ellen Barkin (Sea of Love) and Kirsten Dunst (Interview with a Vampire, Dick) are perfectly cast as a mother and daughter whose only ambition is to use the pageant to get out of their claustrophobic small-town lives. Opposing them are Denise Richards (Wild Things, Starship Troopers) and her mother, Kirstie Alley (Look Who's Talking), who just happens to be the pageant's organizer. The plot, which centers on contestants being murdered (mostly by flaming explosions), is clearly secondary to the backstage shenanigans and satirical portrayals of vanity, small-town corruption, and family dysfunction. There's not much suspense to the pageant itself, but Dunst is an endearing protagonist and along with the broad jokes are some excellent acting turns from the cast, particularly Barkin, Brittany Murphy (Clueless), Nora Dunn (a Saturday Night Live alumna), and the great character actress Allison Janney, who's played small roles in countless movies but finally gets a chance to shine as the supportive neighbor of Barkin and Dunst. In fact, for all the jokes and satirical jabs, in the end it's the characters' relationships that stay in your mind. A bonus: the soundtrack features a hard-rocking version of the theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, performed with cool aplomb by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. --Bret Fetzer

Product Description

A mockumentary about a vicious competition between two contestants in a rural Minnesota beauty pageant. While the two girls prepare for the contest their mothers (an overbearing hairdresser and a civic-minded matriarch) decide they will stop at nothing to help each one's respective child win the contest.Running Time: 98 min.System Requirements:Starring: Kirstie Alley Ellen Barkin Kirsten Dunst and Denise Richards. Directed By: Michael Patrick Jann. Running Time: 98 Min. Color. This film is presented in both "Widescreen" and "Standard" formats. Copyright 2001 Warner Home Video.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 794043492723

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected, Immoral, Unequal, November 15, 1999

By A Customer

Having seen the previews during a lazy summer, I figured it would be fun to take my girlfriend and her little sister to a cute little movie spoofing beauty padgeants. Never in my life have I laughed so hard in the theater. I could barely stay in my seat. The twisted, dark comedy was absolutely unexpected, ruthless, undaunting and hilarious. For those of you who are familiar with the state, the Minnesota jokes are right-on-target. The mentally-challenged mocking was tasteless, crude and offensive, but all those of us who saw it know it was funnier than hell. Any of you who have a taste for black comedy and don't take life too seriously should see this movie. I promise you will be pleasently surprised.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Drop Dead Funny!, June 22, 2000

By	Brett D. Cullum (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Okay, this one is out there for anybody who likes their humor on the darkside! Murderous beauty queens, lecherous judges, catfights in bras, trailers exploding -- John Waters territory to be sure. Infact I could see Divine playing a mother in this movie but I digress. It's a good movie even though the humor is a little low and tasteless. Ellen Barkin and Kirstie Alley both play mothers, and Kirsten Dunst and Denise Richards play their respective daughters. Both girls are vying for the Miss Sara Rose Teen Princess title in their small Minnesota town. The conceit here is that a documentary film crew shows up to record the event, and some not-so-mysterious murders begin taking place. In addition to the competition's body count piling up, the pageant itself is a complete parody of everything you've ever feared beauty pageants could be like. Nothing is spared -- not eating disorders, the handicapped, or even religion. The flaw is there is so much it often seems to go off in a lot of directions. But maybe that is part of the movie's charm! It's all over the map -- funny and gross with some good messages in there about self-esteem if you look deep enough. Definitely a worthy addition to your collection.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DROP DEAD GORGEOUS DELIVERS..., October 13, 2001

By	Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This mock documentary is a spoof about a teenage beauty pageant. It centers around what purports to be the oldest such pageant in existence, the Mount Rose American Teen Pageant in Minnesota. Look for wonderful performances by Kirsten Dunst, as the pretty, but poor, girl who would be Queen, Ellen Barkin, as her trailer trash mom, Allison Janney, as their supportive and endearing neighbor, and last, but certainly not least, Kirstie Alley, with a priceless Minnesotan accent, who is nothing short of fabulous as the rich, maniacal, beauty pageant director who will stop at nothing to see her daughter, effectively played by Denise Richards, win the pageant.

It is a black comedy which centers around who will win this pageant. As it is a mock documentary, the camera enters into the lives of the front runners. It is a very funny spoof and a great parody of pageants. As the pageant draws near, the front runners begin experiencing a series of calamities, and the body count begins to rise. It is totally irreverent and, at times, quite funny. Denise Richards' talent segment, in particular, is a riot.

Who will win this pageant? Watch the film and find out. You will not be disapoointed. You may even be surprised.