Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
25th Anniversary Edition Worth the Upgrade!, February 9, 2008
It seems that in "special" releases, Columbia and Paramount really trail behind Warner Bros., which is why I hesitated somewhat from upgrading my barebones "Tootsie" DVD to this 25th Anniversary Edition. The first extras that I looked at were the deleted scenes; there are quite a few short ones here, none of which really deserved to be inserted. Some are mildly amusing, some shouldn't have even been shot in the first place. OK, one extra down, two to go. Next I looked at Dustin Hoffman's "screen test." Source material are original betamax tapes of Dustin first doing the Dorothy Michaels character. Although theses tests are very short, they are extremely relevatory into the talents of Hoffman. Between the time he filmed these initial test and the time that his final character was put on film, Hoffman transitioned from a bad drag queen into a believable female. Truly incredible to compare the two performances which are roughly 3 years apart. 2nd extra down, last one to go: "The Making Of" documentary. I had no expectations of this whatsoever; expecting a 20 minute assortment of clips and a little narration, instead, we are treated to about an hour and a half of indepth interviews and insight into the creation of this comedy classic. There are current interviews from Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Terri Garr, and Sydney Pollack. The only major player missing is Murray, but it doesn't detract from the documentary. We learn that this movie is one of those amazing occurrances where the right creative team comes together; Hoffman is a difficult to control idea-man who definitely needs to be steered and somewhat restrained. As the Director, Pollack supplied this excellent guidance, and rather than play the movie for bawdy laughter, he went for honesty and truth. Elaine May also apparently gave the film its momentum and helped build all of the intertwined stories that lead to the exciting conclusion of the live Soap Opera reveal at the climax. Bill Murray and Terri Garr gave many classic improv moments, and Jessica Lange gives a very sweet and honest "straight" performance. In the interviews, Dabney Coleman tells how nobody ever laughed on the set; it was the editing of Pollack that made all the humor work, and when looking at the movie after hearing this, it is obvious to see the truth in his statement. This documentary all has many behind-the-scenes clips and confrontations between Pollack and Hoffman, who pushed the director to try every possible route and questioned everything about the movie. Large gripe - why couldn't the theatrical trailer have been put on here? It was on the barebones previous release...surely it could have fit on this DVD, too.
For those not familiar with the plot, here it is: Michael Dorsey is a talented but exasperating NYC actor (much like Hoffman apparently) who nobody wants to work with; he drives up budgets and is difficult to work with. Desperate for money, he disguises himself as a woman to win a role on a soap opera. After he gets the role, he must keep it a secret from his girlfriend (Terri Garr), his costar Julie (Jessica Lange) with whom he has fallen for, and from Julie's dad (Charles Durning) who has fallen for him, thinking he is a woman. The longer it continues, the harder it is to keep juggling his life and secrets, and Michael must figure out a solution.
The film itself looks good for its age in this widescreen 2:40:1 transfer in English 5.0. It is a little surprising that there's no commentary track, however, the documentary covers so much it really isn't all that necessary. Nice job and a move in the right direction, Columbia!
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Roll Tootsie, January 21, 2001
One of the other reviewers here comments that "Tootsie" is a movie that doesn't get much notice anymore. I don't know if that's true or not, but if it is true, it's a real tragedy. In my opinion, this is one of the best comedies ever made. It's somewhere between the blatant slapstick of "The Great Race" and the witty sophistication of "The Pink Panther", and it doesn't have a car chase in it, but this movie is nonstop funny from beginning to end. There is humor in just about every scene, and funny lines abound. Dustin Hoffman, one of the best actors of his generation, gives one of his best peformances as a tempermental actor who can't get a job and secretly tries out for a female role on a big daytime soap opera in drag. Of course, he gets the part and becomes enormously popular, largely because he refuses to put up with the crap that other actresses put up with. Not only is Hoffman excellent, but the rest of the cast is also outstanding. Jessica Lange got a best supporting actress oscar. The oscar for best picture should have landed here, as well. If you've never seen this one, do yourself a favor -- get a copy and watch it. If you haven't seen it in years, get a copy and watch it again. Either way, you won't be sorry. This is one Hollywood's best comedies.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Astounding film fails to harness the power of DVD, September 13, 2001
If ever a movie got robbed on Oscar® night, it was TOOTSIE. Up against the historical powerhouse GANDHI, it didn't stand much of a chance. But in any other year, it would clearly have swept the statuettes off the stage. This sublime comedy is a must for every aspiring actor, not only for the message it delivers about the need for talent to be tempered by professionalism, but also for the sheer quality of the acting on display. There's not a single actor in the entire piece who fails the script. The editing is particularly crisp, often adding a comic punctuation of its own. For me, the standout actor is not Dustin Hoffman but the highly underrated Sydney Pollack. As Michael Dorsey's frustrated agent, and the only character actually in opposition to Dorsey's impersonation, his sense of frustration and confusion provides, I think, the funniest moments in the film. What's even more impressive is that his character echoes his behind-the-scenes role. As the film's director, his principle duty is to make sure that the film coheres into a logical narrative. Similarly, as Dorsey's agent, he provides a lot of that necessary narration. Though many of Pollack's lines are not only hilariously funny, they also serve to better define Dorsey and provide answers to fill in potential plot holes. In the end, the audience is twice served by Pollack. Not only does he direct with great comic assuredness, his character crucially makes Dorsey's madness believable. What makes this DVD disappointing is not its film. No, the woeful lack of any special features is simply inexcusable. There is really no reason to buy the DVD over the cheaper VHS. It's incredible to me that such a seminal work can be so bereft of even a simple director's commentary. Hopefully, later "special editions" will be a more complete addition to your DVD library.
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