Just because you’re one of the first doesn’t mean you’re one of the best. Well before Kentucky Fried Movie, Monty Python and the Meaning of Life, or Amazon Women on the Moon there was Tunnel Vision. Tunnel Vision is an anthology comedy film that presents a fictional TV station from the year 1985 and all its uncensored programming as a senate oversight hearing determines if Tunnel Vision (the channel) will allow to continue. Cue the various TV shows, and News Reports (e.g., comedy bits) of Tunnel Vision (the film).
From a comedic standpoint the film at every turn falls flat. The comedy is of the most crass and oblivious joke about the subject’s its lampooning school. The concept itself is clever, yes, for sure, as it does show a fairly accurate picture of the cesspool that we current doom scroll through on social media. It’s just done with such a heavy hand. That does not even account for the current tastes in what is acceptable has veer far away from what Tunnel Vision finds funny.
Many will be truly shocked at the level of racial slurs, homophobia, sexism, sexual assault and caricature used throughout as comedic bits or what passed as comedy bits. Though creators at the time would say that it was reflecting the counterculture anti-establishment of the time to do so – a renegade taboo but one does ask? If the establishment at the time used those without repercussion and there isn’t a … pointed barb at them, where is the anti-establishment? Is it just enough to show a skit where a Mexican man mispronounces car names??? Nope. Not in any way shape and form.
Tunnel Vision as a culture artifact is a fascinating one of a bygone era. A comedic anthology film – it falls flat in every way. It’s shock and awe approach rather than being truly critical and force an uncomfortable tone and critical comedic barbs at the subjects it’s trying to lampooning.
The Transfer
The all-new 4K HD transfer presented in 1080p in both 1.66:1 and 1.33:1 aspect ratios is an excellent representation of the film. The 1.66 is cropped slightly from the 1.33 open frame. Though tighter the 1.66 framing is a bit more pleasing. The transfer itself is great being sourced from the best possible sources. One will definitely see that because most of the film is shot on Video of the era, the quality is hit and miss of these sections. Again, this is nothing to do with the transfer which is great which one can tell if a second is shot on film. Regardless of what one thinks of the film itself the transfer is truly a fantastic presentation of the film. Kudos to MVD Entertainment for taking the care they have with this film.
The Extras
They include the following;
New! Feature Commentary from Cult Film Historian Marc Edward Heuck
New! Interview with Co-Writer & Co-Director Neal Israel conducted by Stuart Shapiro
Tunnel Vision Continuity Script
Archival Photo Gallery (SD)
New! Photo Gallery
Radio Spots
Theatrical Trailer
The all-new audio commentary from Cult Film Historian Marc Edward Heuck opens with his bonafides before diving into information about the title sequence and opening song. Some of the details include the creates including Neal Israel that developed the film and developed the concept of Tunnel Vision; a great note of PT Anderson’s ties to the film; a discussion throughout about the various writers that were credited for specific sketches; a discussion throughhout of the various cultural touchstones and social targets the various sketches are lampooning; a larger discussion of the various actors that appear in the film and how they came to be cast and work on the film; and much more. Heuck’s track is a truly wonderful deep dive into the film, thoroughly researched including quotes from the major players.
Interview with Neal Israel & Stuart Shapiro (45:07) – the all-new interview conducted by Shapiro on 08/23/24 with co-writer/co-director Neal Isreal conducted via Zoom. After the introductions they begin with Israel give us some historical context in which he made the film and how it was at the time a comedy about the future and deregulation of TV – the forefathers of Cable TV, YouTube, censorship, et. al. They do tackle the un-PC nature of the film and what their intent was, including nowadays and cancel culture and how it applies. Some great discussion of Israel who ended up show running multiple Disney Channel shows and how their HR worked with what they could and could not day. Israel goes on to discuss the development, pre-production, production of Tunnel Vision and how the film rose out of the counterculture, anti-authoritative comedy of the late 1960s to the early 1970s (the film was made in 1974). The interview is a fascinating look at not just the making of this unique film but the era in which it was made.
Tunnel Vision Continuity Script (8:25) – images of the “continuity script” scanned in play over the opening title song. The images can be paused for reading and inspection. The document is curious itself as it gives you an idea of just how planned out the anthology film was. Unfortunately, there are no Chapter Stops to navigate the pages of the script.
Archival Photo Gallery (2:55) – the archival gallery which consists of mostly screen grabs from the film plays over the film’s title song. Presented in SD.
New! Photo Gallery (3:50) – the all-new gallery which consisting of pictures from the premiere, poster art, Newspaper Ads, and behind-the-scenes stills plays over the film’s title song.
Radio Spots (5:12) – these five 60-second radio spots are presented over the original theatrical poster art for the film. Listen to this for just how wildly inappropriate these spots can be or what passed for comedy in the 1970s. This are definitely cultural time capsules.
Theatrical Trailer (2:56)
The Final Thought
MVD Entertainment’s Blu-ray give some great context with its special features for this cult comedy.
The Rarely seen comedy anthology film from Neal “Batchelor Party” Israel Tunnel Vision gets its Blu-ray debut thanks to MVD Entertainment.
The Film
Just because you’re one of the first doesn’t mean you’re one of the best. Well before Kentucky Fried Movie, Monty Python and the Meaning of Life, or Amazon Women on the Moon there was Tunnel Vision. Tunnel Vision is an anthology comedy film that presents a fictional TV station from the year 1985 and all its uncensored programming as a senate oversight hearing determines if Tunnel Vision (the channel) will allow to continue. Cue the various TV shows, and News Reports (e.g., comedy bits) of Tunnel Vision (the film).
From a comedic standpoint the film at every turn falls flat. The comedy is of the most crass and oblivious joke about the subject’s its lampooning school. The concept itself is clever, yes, for sure, as it does show a fairly accurate picture of the cesspool that we current doom scroll through on social media. It’s just done with such a heavy hand. That does not even account for the current tastes in what is acceptable has veer far away from what Tunnel Vision finds funny.
Many will be truly shocked at the level of racial slurs, homophobia, sexism, sexual assault and caricature used throughout as comedic bits or what passed as comedy bits. Though creators at the time would say that it was reflecting the counterculture anti-establishment of the time to do so – a renegade taboo but one does ask? If the establishment at the time used those without repercussion and there isn’t a … pointed barb at them, where is the anti-establishment? Is it just enough to show a skit where a Mexican man mispronounces car names??? Nope. Not in any way shape and form.
Tunnel Vision as a culture artifact is a fascinating one of a bygone era. A comedic anthology film – it falls flat in every way. It’s shock and awe approach rather than being truly critical and force an uncomfortable tone and critical comedic barbs at the subjects it’s trying to lampooning.
The Transfer
The all-new 4K HD transfer presented in 1080p in both 1.66:1 and 1.33:1 aspect ratios is an excellent representation of the film. The 1.66 is cropped slightly from the 1.33 open frame. Though tighter the 1.66 framing is a bit more pleasing. The transfer itself is great being sourced from the best possible sources. One will definitely see that because most of the film is shot on Video of the era, the quality is hit and miss of these sections. Again, this is nothing to do with the transfer which is great which one can tell if a second is shot on film. Regardless of what one thinks of the film itself the transfer is truly a fantastic presentation of the film. Kudos to MVD Entertainment for taking the care they have with this film.
The Extras
They include the following;
The all-new audio commentary from Cult Film Historian Marc Edward Heuck opens with his bonafides before diving into information about the title sequence and opening song. Some of the details include the creates including Neal Israel that developed the film and developed the concept of Tunnel Vision; a great note of PT Anderson’s ties to the film; a discussion throughout about the various writers that were credited for specific sketches; a discussion throughhout of the various cultural touchstones and social targets the various sketches are lampooning; a larger discussion of the various actors that appear in the film and how they came to be cast and work on the film; and much more. Heuck’s track is a truly wonderful deep dive into the film, thoroughly researched including quotes from the major players.
Interview with Neal Israel & Stuart Shapiro (45:07) – the all-new interview conducted by Shapiro on 08/23/24 with co-writer/co-director Neal Isreal conducted via Zoom. After the introductions they begin with Israel give us some historical context in which he made the film and how it was at the time a comedy about the future and deregulation of TV – the forefathers of Cable TV, YouTube, censorship, et. al. They do tackle the un-PC nature of the film and what their intent was, including nowadays and cancel culture and how it applies. Some great discussion of Israel who ended up show running multiple Disney Channel shows and how their HR worked with what they could and could not day. Israel goes on to discuss the development, pre-production, production of Tunnel Vision and how the film rose out of the counterculture, anti-authoritative comedy of the late 1960s to the early 1970s (the film was made in 1974). The interview is a fascinating look at not just the making of this unique film but the era in which it was made.
Tunnel Vision Continuity Script (8:25) – images of the “continuity script” scanned in play over the opening title song. The images can be paused for reading and inspection. The document is curious itself as it gives you an idea of just how planned out the anthology film was. Unfortunately, there are no Chapter Stops to navigate the pages of the script.
Archival Photo Gallery (2:55) – the archival gallery which consists of mostly screen grabs from the film plays over the film’s title song. Presented in SD.
New! Photo Gallery (3:50) – the all-new gallery which consisting of pictures from the premiere, poster art, Newspaper Ads, and behind-the-scenes stills plays over the film’s title song.
Radio Spots (5:12) – these five 60-second radio spots are presented over the original theatrical poster art for the film. Listen to this for just how wildly inappropriate these spots can be or what passed for comedy in the 1970s. This are definitely cultural time capsules.
Theatrical Trailer (2:56)
The Final Thought
MVD Entertainment’s Blu-ray give some great context with its special features for this cult comedy.
MVD Entertainment’s Blu-Ray edition of Tunnel Vision is out now
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