It's almost on the level of urban legend that some mysterious widescreen version of this movie exists on DVD. Well, as least it used to be. After years of watching the movie on the USA Network (seemingly at least once a week), this disc finally brings the movie home like it should be. This remastered 1.85:1 print is absolutely flawless with no imperfections as all. Color has been brought out to incredible levels, the flesh tones are dead on, and the entire picture has an incredible layer of clarity. Compression is well under control (though you can really see it during the ice skating scene for a brief period) and there is no edge enhancement to speak of. (*****)
The movie premiered using the DTS format, and this disc includes that track along with standard 5.1 audio. The surrounds hardly get any work at all, even during some of the more crowded segments on the course. Ambience is minimal. Bass is provided by the countless punches and the super-swing of Gilmore. This is a serviceable audio track that really doesn't do much more than it's supposed to, and that's a bit of a disappointment, especially after seeing how well the video was handled. (***)
There are no trailers for the film, but this disc does have a few extras. The most entertaining, as always, are the outtakes. There are some great clips here that are bound to provide a few laughs. The final extra are some deleted scenes. Though there is some humor here, these are all scenes that should have been cut. This isn't an earth-shattering mix of extras, but much like the audio, it just gives you a little something extra to keep you happy. (***)
This disc comes only as part of the "Happy Gilmore/Billy Madison Collection." Yes, you have to buy both, as they are not available separately. It's a weak move by Universal since not everyone is a fan of both films. Still, this one alone is worth the price of admission.
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