The fine folks at Shout Factory have released The Wizard on Blu-Ray with all the bells and whistles including a new 4K Transfer.
The Film
The
Wizard creates
this strange space where 30 years ago everyone complained that the film was
either too much an ad for Nintendo or not enough gaming. Now able to stand on
its own merits, this sweet adventure road/conman movie is a uniquely singular
film that could have only come from the late 80s.
A lone
kid mutters a single word “California” on a long stretch of Utah highway. We
quickly learn Jimmy (Luke Edwards) is a product of divorce and a traumatic
event so hard that he’s essentially left in a catatonic state. Through a series
of events his older brother Corey (Fred Savage) breaks him out of the “home”
they’ve put him in. Corey wants to get his brother to California but realizes
his brother is an amazing natural gamer (back in the 80s they made anyone “on
the scale” damn near superhuman…).
Corey somehow things kidnaping his traumatized brother will help him, as
most 12-years would.
Dreams
of California in front of them, their family (Beau Bridges and Christian
Slater) and a creepy bounty hunter hot on their trail, Corey, Jimmy and Haley
(Jenny Lewis) try to get to Video Armageddon (and gaming championship with a
$50k purse) and maybe solve what is ailing Jimmy’s soul.
The
Wizard is a film
that is missing at least 15-minutes of vital emotional plot. It can be seen
very easily. It makes the film ripe with contrivances that easily make it a
film that could be picked apart. Though the film as it is now is an
entertaining and endearing piece of childhood nostalgia. Rather than a video
game adaptation, it’s a film with video games in it. This approach, The Hustler/Color of
Money meets Nintendo and Family drama works even despite its flaw.
The
Transfer
The new 4K
Transfer that Universal has provided to Shout Factory for this release is an
upgrade in every aspect from the even the most recent Blu-Ray release 2-year
prior (that release was terrible). The
image is clean showing no hints of DNR (which Universal loves to do on their
catalog titles from this era). The transfer by that fact retains the grain
structure of the original theatrical release (yes, I was one of the few that
did see this in the theatres 30 years ago… god, I feel old at this point). The black levels and contrast are rendered
nicely here. Anyone that loves this film
will be impressed by this release.
The
Extras
They
include the following:
DISC ONE:
Audio
Commentary with Director Todd Holland
Never-Before-Released
Deleted Scenes
Trailers
The newly
recorded Commentary by Todd Holland is a standard affair. Some of the time is spent describing the
scenes but also giving some sort of Production Anecdote which makes this a mixed
bag of a commentary. There is a lot of
discussion of the re-edited first half of the film (more on that later with the
deleted scenes) which is interesting but there are large gaps in the commentary
where there is no discussion. All in
all, it’s a fairly good track filled with some great insight one just wished
the dreaded “describing what’s on-screen” was not there.
The
37-minutes of deleted scenes in the goldmine here. The first close to 20-minutes is from the
opening of the film. Some of it is slightly out of continuity but no matter,
watching the film, deleted scenes give you an idea of a more full-bodied first
act that setups everything you possibly, or at least this review, has umbrage
within the film. Also, included is an
additional scene from the ending that really should have made it into the
film. With all this material, one wishes
that there was a fuller extended cut of the film (which Shout has been known to
pull together for these editions) as one can imagine this footage within
context makes the film that much stronger.
There is
one theatrical trailer running 2-minutes.
DISC TWO:
The
Road to Cali-forn-ia
How
Can I Help You? Confessions of a Game Play Counselor
A
Clinical Analysis of The Wizard
Post
Screening Q&A From Let’s Play Gaming Expo 2019
Post
Screening Q&A From the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin
Photo
Gallery
The Road to
Cali-For-ia is an all-new
40-minute making-of documentary. Beginning with what it was described “Karate
Kid with Nintendo”, and an upcoming looming Actor’s strike what begins the
journey of making the film. Star Fred Savage, Director Todd Holland, Co-Star
Luke Edwards (Jimmy), Producer/Writer David Chisholm, Producer Ken Topolsky
recount the casting, production, and release of the film. Some of the great
tidbits include making the film just north of LA for Utah, Slater being given a
Gameboy before Gameboys were released, how they got the video game footage (and
how tedious it was), the creation of the Video Armageddon, the change to the
ending, and more. One does wish that Jenny Lewis and Christian Slater were in
the making-of.
How can I help you?
Confessions of a Game Play Counselor is an all-new
6-minute interview with Greg Lowder. Lowder was a Nintendo Game Play counselor
from 1988 – 1993. In the film, there is a version of this in the film, which
was a real thing, which is in a precursor to YouTube walkthroughs. It’s a great
informational interview.
A Clinical Analysis of
The Wizard is an all-new
13-minute interview with Andrea Letamendi, Ph.D. who dissects the film from a
psychological perspective. Comments included by Co-Star Luke Edwards (Jimmy),
and Producer/Writer David Chisholm. This is a great essay on this particular
film, and the darker aspects of the film (with the death of a family member)
and Jimmy possibly being on the Autism Spectrum.
Let’s Play Gaming Expo
2019 Panel is taken from the 30th-anniversary
panel. The 57-minute Q&A Hosted by Christian Deitering features Co-Star
Luke Edwards (Jimmy), Producer Ken Topolsky, and Producer/Writer David
Chisholm. They discuss the making of the film much more in detail than the
Making-Of included.
Post Screening Q&A is a post-Alamo Drafthouse Screening of The Wizard hosted by
Christian Deitering (who also hosted the Let’s Play Expo Q&A). The
25-minute Q&A Hosted by Christian Deitering features Co-Star Luke Edwards
(Jimmy), Producer Ken Topolsky, and Producer/Writer David Chisholm. The
featurette begins with an introduction and goes into the Post-Screening
Q&A. Much like the Let’s Play Expo Q&A, it covers a lot of the same
ground as the new Making-of expands upon certain anecdotes.
The Photo Gallery consists of well over 200
production stills, behind the scenes photos, and other pieces of
advertisements.
The
Final Thought
Shout Factory has created a special edition that will not disappoint fans of this film.
The fine folks at Shout Factory have released The Wizard on Blu-Ray with all the bells and whistles including a new 4K Transfer.
The Film
The Wizard creates this strange space where 30 years ago everyone complained that the film was either too much an ad for Nintendo or not enough gaming. Now able to stand on its own merits, this sweet adventure road/conman movie is a uniquely singular film that could have only come from the late 80s.
A lone kid mutters a single word “California” on a long stretch of Utah highway. We quickly learn Jimmy (Luke Edwards) is a product of divorce and a traumatic event so hard that he’s essentially left in a catatonic state. Through a series of events his older brother Corey (Fred Savage) breaks him out of the “home” they’ve put him in. Corey wants to get his brother to California but realizes his brother is an amazing natural gamer (back in the 80s they made anyone “on the scale” damn near superhuman…). Corey somehow things kidnaping his traumatized brother will help him, as most 12-years would.
Dreams of California in front of them, their family (Beau Bridges and Christian Slater) and a creepy bounty hunter hot on their trail, Corey, Jimmy and Haley (Jenny Lewis) try to get to Video Armageddon (and gaming championship with a $50k purse) and maybe solve what is ailing Jimmy’s soul.
The Wizard is a film that is missing at least 15-minutes of vital emotional plot. It can be seen very easily. It makes the film ripe with contrivances that easily make it a film that could be picked apart. Though the film as it is now is an entertaining and endearing piece of childhood nostalgia. Rather than a video game adaptation, it’s a film with video games in it. This approach, The Hustler/Color of Money meets Nintendo and Family drama works even despite its flaw.
The Transfer
The new 4K Transfer that Universal has provided to Shout Factory for this release is an upgrade in every aspect from the even the most recent Blu-Ray release 2-year prior (that release was terrible). The image is clean showing no hints of DNR (which Universal loves to do on their catalog titles from this era). The transfer by that fact retains the grain structure of the original theatrical release (yes, I was one of the few that did see this in the theatres 30 years ago… god, I feel old at this point). The black levels and contrast are rendered nicely here. Anyone that loves this film will be impressed by this release.
The Extras
They include the following:
DISC ONE:
The newly recorded Commentary by Todd Holland is a standard affair. Some of the time is spent describing the scenes but also giving some sort of Production Anecdote which makes this a mixed bag of a commentary. There is a lot of discussion of the re-edited first half of the film (more on that later with the deleted scenes) which is interesting but there are large gaps in the commentary where there is no discussion. All in all, it’s a fairly good track filled with some great insight one just wished the dreaded “describing what’s on-screen” was not there.
The 37-minutes of deleted scenes in the goldmine here. The first close to 20-minutes is from the opening of the film. Some of it is slightly out of continuity but no matter, watching the film, deleted scenes give you an idea of a more full-bodied first act that setups everything you possibly, or at least this review, has umbrage within the film. Also, included is an additional scene from the ending that really should have made it into the film. With all this material, one wishes that there was a fuller extended cut of the film (which Shout has been known to pull together for these editions) as one can imagine this footage within context makes the film that much stronger.
There is one theatrical trailer running 2-minutes.
DISC TWO:
The Road to Cali-For-ia is an all-new 40-minute making-of documentary. Beginning with what it was described “Karate Kid with Nintendo”, and an upcoming looming Actor’s strike what begins the journey of making the film. Star Fred Savage, Director Todd Holland, Co-Star Luke Edwards (Jimmy), Producer/Writer David Chisholm, Producer Ken Topolsky recount the casting, production, and release of the film. Some of the great tidbits include making the film just north of LA for Utah, Slater being given a Gameboy before Gameboys were released, how they got the video game footage (and how tedious it was), the creation of the Video Armageddon, the change to the ending, and more. One does wish that Jenny Lewis and Christian Slater were in the making-of.
How can I help you? Confessions of a Game Play Counselor is an all-new 6-minute interview with Greg Lowder. Lowder was a Nintendo Game Play counselor from 1988 – 1993. In the film, there is a version of this in the film, which was a real thing, which is in a precursor to YouTube walkthroughs. It’s a great informational interview.
A Clinical Analysis of The Wizard is an all-new 13-minute interview with Andrea Letamendi, Ph.D. who dissects the film from a psychological perspective. Comments included by Co-Star Luke Edwards (Jimmy), and Producer/Writer David Chisholm. This is a great essay on this particular film, and the darker aspects of the film (with the death of a family member) and Jimmy possibly being on the Autism Spectrum.
Let’s Play Gaming Expo 2019 Panel is taken from the 30th-anniversary panel. The 57-minute Q&A Hosted by Christian Deitering features Co-Star Luke Edwards (Jimmy), Producer Ken Topolsky, and Producer/Writer David Chisholm. They discuss the making of the film much more in detail than the Making-Of included.
Post Screening Q&A is a post-Alamo Drafthouse Screening of The Wizard hosted by Christian Deitering (who also hosted the Let’s Play Expo Q&A). The 25-minute Q&A Hosted by Christian Deitering features Co-Star Luke Edwards (Jimmy), Producer Ken Topolsky, and Producer/Writer David Chisholm. The featurette begins with an introduction and goes into the Post-Screening Q&A. Much like the Let’s Play Expo Q&A, it covers a lot of the same ground as the new Making-of expands upon certain anecdotes.
The Photo Gallery consists of well over 200 production stills, behind the scenes photos, and other pieces of advertisements.
The Final Thought
Shout Factory has created a special edition that will not disappoint fans of this film.
Shout Factory’s Blu-Ray Edition of The Wizard is out March 24th
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