Old School Unrated (Blu-ray)

Filed Under: Blu-ray, Reviews | Article Tags : Blu-ray review

By: The Dweeb

Blu-ray Features Video: 1.85:1 1080P Audio: Dolby Digital TrueHD 5.1,  French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Feature Commentary From The Cutting Room Floor: - Early Flight Home - Legal Advice - Beanie’s True Colors - Planning Max’s B-Day Party - Mitch Visits Dean Pritchard - Original Locker Room Scene - House Inspection - Frank’s Soul Mate Old School Orientation Theatrical Trailer Inside The Actors Studio Spoof Outtakes & Bloopers TV Spots: - Working Together - Old Wild - Nomination Theatrical release: 2/21/2003 DVD released on 12/16/2008 by Dreamworks Running time of 92 minutes Starring: Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson Director: Todd Phillips Plot: What’s a guy supposed to do when he catches the early flight home and finds his girlfriend in a bed with a roomful of strangers? Return to college and start a fraternity! Before you can say “wild and wet wrestling”, Frank “The Tank” (Will Ferrell) Mitch (Luke Wilson) and Beanie (Vince Vaughn) have their own frat raging with out-of-control antics. But when things get too wild, the dean sets out to shut them down. The laughs are top of the class (even if the guys aren’t)!

In the race to put more titles in the Blu-ray format, studios are pumping titles out at full steam whether its warranted or not. Some films just don’t really need to be on Blu-ray, in this case its Old School Unrated, which already has the exact same disc available on DVD . Do I really need to see Will Ferrell’s ass in high definition? Seriously? Watching this movie again in 1080P doesn’t really change much for me, there is no compelling reason to upgrade, especially with the price tag of these discs. You’ll do just fine on the older format. This disc is another example of a studio slapping the same DVD material on Blu-ray and repackaging it as new.  I cannot find one reason to get this disc, its not an epic film or anything, nothing compels me to get an upgrade. Oh sure the movie industry is hoping this will be the new standard some day, but I would feel a bit cheated I paid a bit more for the same product.

Sure its a really funny film, featuring the frat pack at their best in an Animal House style ripoff, but it feels truncated and never complete. Like there are many parts missing from the storyline.  But watching Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson (among others) at their comedic best in this raunchy no holds barred comedy makes up for any lack of a coherent plot. Its just one big party, even Snoop Dogg drops in for a bit. From Vince’s earmuff thing with his kids to old Blue taking on the topless KY jelly girls, I was grinning from ear to ear. My favorite sequence is when they drive in the A-team styled van and kidnap the frat prospects from their day jobs.  Ah to relive one’s time in college, this time with more money! I had this to say about Old School back in 2003 and its still true; “More importantly, it shows how middle aged white men cannot go back to college and party hard without looking like idiots.”

As I said above, this Blu-ray edition is the same thing as the Unrated DVD edition that came out in 2003. The film itself looks decent, but the rest is rather lackluster. How about some new material at least? There are no surpises when it comes to this Blu-ray, nothing really stands out. No new menus, no in movie content like branching scenes. They could have done that with the deleted scenes maybe.  Only in the extras there are the usual deleted scenes, commentary tracks, promotional items and what not. Also there is the unexplainable Inside The Actors Studio spoof, which in a seriousness probably sounded like a good idea at the time. Its just..embarrassing really to watch. I’m hope they regret putting that on there..maybe not.

Overall, unless you have the urge to rebuy your library on Blu-ray, it would be a good bet to save some money and just stick with the DVD.

Reviewer’s Opinion: BORROW IT!!