Stanley Kramer's epic 1963 comedy may look and sound better on DVD, but it isn't any funnier. Kramer, director of such "message" films as Judgment at Nuremberg, Inherit the Wind and Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, may not have been the ideal choice to navigate this all-star slapstick spectacle about a group of strangers who race cross-country to find DVD: $350,000 buried beneath "a big W." The film contains several virtuoso sequences, such as one-man wrecking crew Jonathan Winters' destruction of a desert gas station, but they inspire more wincing than laughter, with the climactic chase particularly painful to watch as Kramer emphasizes every bodily injury. The cast--headed by Sid Caesar, Milton Berle, Phil Silvers, and Winters--is a who's who of comedy, but several legendary names, such as Buster Keaton and the Three Stooges, appear fleetingly. On the extras front, the disc contains several expendable extended scenes and an hour-long "tribute" to the film with reminiscences from cast and crew. Not likely to win any new converts, but this film's legion of fans will go "Mad" for this disc. A strong, optional purchase. (K. Lee Benson)[Blu-ray/DVD Combo Review—Jan. 28, 2014—Criterion, 5 discs, 163 min., G, Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $49.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1963's It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World features a great transfer. Extras include both the theatrical and extended versions, audio commentary by fans Mark Evanier, Michael Schlesinger, and Paul Scrabo, a two-part 1963 episode of the TV program Telescope on the film's press junket and premiere (51 min.), 2012's “The Last 70 mm Film Festival” with cast and crew hosted by Billy Crystal (38 min.), a new “Sound & Vision” featurette with visual effects specialist Craig Barron and sound designer Ben Burtt, a 1974 TV talk show segment hosted by director Stanley Kramer and featuring costars Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, and Jonathan Winters (37 min.), a 1963 cast interview (35 min.), excerpts from the 2000 AFI program “100 Years…100 Laughs” (11 min.), a restoration demo (5 min.), a promotional section featuring trailers, TV, and radio spots (with an intro by Stan Freberg), and a booklet with an essay by film critic Lou Lumenick and new illustrations by Jack Davis, along with a map of shooting locations by artist Dave Woodman. Bottom line: an excellent extras package for this classic comedy that tends to split critics down the middle.]
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
MGM, 161 min., G, DVD: $19.98 November 19, 2001
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: