As I mentioned in my Billy Madison review… days like this make me feel every day of my forty-seven years. I still remember as clear as day ditching school on a day in February and going to see Happy Gilmore. After the film, and on the long ride back home, we quoted lines from the film that we had only seen one time. Even today, there are lines that just instantly make me chuckle from the film.
I don’t even think I remembered what the plot was at the time, even though it’s the simplest and barest of plots: Grandma loses her house, Happy finds his hidden talents as a golfer, and turns that into making some money to get Grandma’s house back. What makes Happy Gilmore great, upon reflection, is how Sandler and co-writer Tim Herlihy take that and keep upping the stakes for Happy and pushing him to be a better Golfer, a sport he actively despises. What makes Happy so hilarious is that he’s a terrible hockey player and takes his frustrations out everywhere, though he feels that he’s born to be one, he can’t see the actual talents as a golfer that everyone else can. It’s that sort of misanthropic point of view that’s constantly undercut by a hopeful, almost kindheartedness that perfectly encapsulates the unexpectedness of Happy Gilmore.
Director Denis Dugan has unexpectedly made one of the great sports moves as he defiantly makes a film visually anti-sports. The film is goofy in a way that cannot be described, only viewed. One look at the alligator that took Chubbs (Carl Weathers) hand and you understand what I mean. There isn’t anything in the film that is taken seriously. It’s that, along with the lightest of touches with the stupidest of jokes, that delivers on what is actually one of the best underdog sports movies of the 1990s.
It isn’t just Sandler who’s perfect as Happy, the angry man-child just trying to save Grandma, who saved him years ago. The entire cast is pitch-perfect. The cast truly supports Sandler’s starring role. Though none hold a candle to Christopher McDonald as the ultimate Sandler Comedy foil/villain, Shooter McGavin. McGavin isn’t like the other villains in a Sandler comedy, with nothing to do other than to be the butt of his jokes. McDonald is given a truly great role as a Grade A prick and relishes every moment. They give him the sort of one-upmanship that you want in a sports film.
Everyone knows just how Happy Gilmore is going to end. That’s the hitch with any sports film. They’re binary to a fault. Win or lose. That’s the only outcome of a sports film. It’s how you present that and how your hero lives up to the main event. Sandler and Herlihy manage to do what all great sports movies do, which is stack the deck with the illusion of stakes beyond the binary to create that tension that Happy could lose. That’s what makes Happy Gilmore a true sports classic. That and the Bob Barker fight.
The price is right, bitch!
The Transfer
The all-new HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 6K Scan (Arri Dry Gate Full Aperture 5460 x 4150 16-Bit) of the EK Original Negative looks as good as the film has ever looked. To make a punctuation on the point – this is probably the best Happy Gilmore will ever look until a new format. Maybe not even then. The 6K scan has allowed for a detailed scan that is about as close to the native resolution of 35mm you can get that the human eye can perceive. What this basically means is that the detail level within the 4K UHD is as soon any will be able to see. The results are magnificent. Having watched this on three separate 4K monitors (two with Dolby Vision and one with only HDR10+), the image is a flawless representation of Happy Gilmore’s 35mm origins. Having seen the film projected a few times in my life, this iteration on home video feels like it’s the best version (yes, even better than the 35mm prints I’ve seen). The color, sharpness, and contrast levels are near perfect. Kino has continued to release amazing 4K discs, and this one is one of the best of the year. Fans and non-fans alike will be impressed by this excellent presentation.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
NEW Audio Commentary by Author and Filmmaker Bryan Connolly & The Billy Gilmore Podcast Host Wilson Smith
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
NEW Audio Commentary by Author and Filmmaker Bryan Connolly & The Billy Gilmore Podcast Host Wilson Smith
6 Deleted Scenes (18:36)
Outtakes (5:07)
Theatrical Trailer (Newly Mastered in 2K)
The all-new Audio Commentary by Author and Filmmaker Bryan Connolly & The Billy Gilmore Podcast Host Wilson Smith opens with their respective credentials, setting up the film as the second Sandler, Herlihy-written comedy. Some of the details include how many of Sandler’s comedies open with childhood scenes; how the character was based on one of Sandler’s childhood friend; a discussion of director Dennis Dugan’s career as an actor and eventual transition into director – the first of many Dugan-directed Sandler comedies; a discussion of their first viewings of this film; the work of Carl Weathers; the development of the screenplay and rewrites – including the golf consultant they had that helped make it more authentic; the work and career of actor Christopher McDonald; the work and career of actor Julie Bowen; the various needle drops that appear in the film; the work of actor Ben Stiller; the critical reception and discussion of Roger Ebert’s thoughts on early Sandler movies; the product placement in this film and other films; the Bob Barker scene and the history behind it; a larger discussion of other Sandler movies as they relate to this early Sandler film; a larger discussion of the various shooting locations in Canada; a discussion of the various actors that appear in the film; and much more.
Deleted Scenes (18:36) – which can be played all at once or one at a time.
At Grandma’s House (1:07)
Waterburry Open (1:13)
Happy on Tour (5:59)
Nursing Home (3:48)
Happy Land Mini-Golf (1:26)
League Championships (5:03)
Outtakes (5:07) – a collection of flubs and actors breaking character.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for Happy Gilmore [Newly Mastered in 2K] (2:23); Billy Madison (2:00); Brain Donors (1:29); Black Sheep (2:20); CB4 (2:31); Wayne’s World 2 (2:17); Half Baked (1:54);
The Final Thought
Kino has produced another winner. Highest possible recommendations!!!
Adam Sandler’s Comedy Classic Happy Gilmore comes to 4K UHD with a new 6K scanned master from Kino Lorber.
The Film
It’s all in the hips! It’s all in the hips!
As I mentioned in my Billy Madison review… days like this make me feel every day of my forty-seven years. I still remember as clear as day ditching school on a day in February and going to see Happy Gilmore. After the film, and on the long ride back home, we quoted lines from the film that we had only seen one time. Even today, there are lines that just instantly make me chuckle from the film.
I don’t even think I remembered what the plot was at the time, even though it’s the simplest and barest of plots: Grandma loses her house, Happy finds his hidden talents as a golfer, and turns that into making some money to get Grandma’s house back. What makes Happy Gilmore great, upon reflection, is how Sandler and co-writer Tim Herlihy take that and keep upping the stakes for Happy and pushing him to be a better Golfer, a sport he actively despises. What makes Happy so hilarious is that he’s a terrible hockey player and takes his frustrations out everywhere, though he feels that he’s born to be one, he can’t see the actual talents as a golfer that everyone else can. It’s that sort of misanthropic point of view that’s constantly undercut by a hopeful, almost kindheartedness that perfectly encapsulates the unexpectedness of Happy Gilmore.
Director Denis Dugan has unexpectedly made one of the great sports moves as he defiantly makes a film visually anti-sports. The film is goofy in a way that cannot be described, only viewed. One look at the alligator that took Chubbs (Carl Weathers) hand and you understand what I mean. There isn’t anything in the film that is taken seriously. It’s that, along with the lightest of touches with the stupidest of jokes, that delivers on what is actually one of the best underdog sports movies of the 1990s.
It isn’t just Sandler who’s perfect as Happy, the angry man-child just trying to save Grandma, who saved him years ago. The entire cast is pitch-perfect. The cast truly supports Sandler’s starring role. Though none hold a candle to Christopher McDonald as the ultimate Sandler Comedy foil/villain, Shooter McGavin. McGavin isn’t like the other villains in a Sandler comedy, with nothing to do other than to be the butt of his jokes. McDonald is given a truly great role as a Grade A prick and relishes every moment. They give him the sort of one-upmanship that you want in a sports film.
Everyone knows just how Happy Gilmore is going to end. That’s the hitch with any sports film. They’re binary to a fault. Win or lose. That’s the only outcome of a sports film. It’s how you present that and how your hero lives up to the main event. Sandler and Herlihy manage to do what all great sports movies do, which is stack the deck with the illusion of stakes beyond the binary to create that tension that Happy could lose. That’s what makes Happy Gilmore a true sports classic. That and the Bob Barker fight.
The price is right, bitch!
The Transfer
The all-new HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 6K Scan (Arri Dry Gate Full Aperture 5460 x 4150 16-Bit) of the EK Original Negative looks as good as the film has ever looked. To make a punctuation on the point – this is probably the best Happy Gilmore will ever look until a new format. Maybe not even then. The 6K scan has allowed for a detailed scan that is about as close to the native resolution of 35mm you can get that the human eye can perceive. What this basically means is that the detail level within the 4K UHD is as soon any will be able to see. The results are magnificent. Having watched this on three separate 4K monitors (two with Dolby Vision and one with only HDR10+), the image is a flawless representation of Happy Gilmore’s 35mm origins. Having seen the film projected a few times in my life, this iteration on home video feels like it’s the best version (yes, even better than the 35mm prints I’ve seen). The color, sharpness, and contrast levels are near perfect. Kino has continued to release amazing 4K discs, and this one is one of the best of the year. Fans and non-fans alike will be impressed by this excellent presentation.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
The all-new Audio Commentary by Author and Filmmaker Bryan Connolly & The Billy Gilmore Podcast Host Wilson Smith opens with their respective credentials, setting up the film as the second Sandler, Herlihy-written comedy. Some of the details include how many of Sandler’s comedies open with childhood scenes; how the character was based on one of Sandler’s childhood friend; a discussion of director Dennis Dugan’s career as an actor and eventual transition into director – the first of many Dugan-directed Sandler comedies; a discussion of their first viewings of this film; the work of Carl Weathers; the development of the screenplay and rewrites – including the golf consultant they had that helped make it more authentic; the work and career of actor Christopher McDonald; the work and career of actor Julie Bowen; the various needle drops that appear in the film; the work of actor Ben Stiller; the critical reception and discussion of Roger Ebert’s thoughts on early Sandler movies; the product placement in this film and other films; the Bob Barker scene and the history behind it; a larger discussion of other Sandler movies as they relate to this early Sandler film; a larger discussion of the various shooting locations in Canada; a discussion of the various actors that appear in the film; and much more.
Deleted Scenes (18:36) – which can be played all at once or one at a time.
Outtakes (5:07) – a collection of flubs and actors breaking character.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for Happy Gilmore [Newly Mastered in 2K] (2:23); Billy Madison (2:00); Brain Donors (1:29); Black Sheep (2:20); CB4 (2:31); Wayne’s World 2 (2:17); Half Baked (1:54);
The Final Thought
Kino has produced another winner. Highest possible recommendations!!!
Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD Edition of Happy Gilmore is out now.
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