Strange Brew

Shakespeare's Hamlet in a brewery? Take off hoser! Written and directed by and starring Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, otherwise known as Bob and Doug McKenzie--known to all (most…ok, some) from SCTV's "The Great White North" segments where the boys waxed semi-philosophic on all things Canadian (particularly beer)--1983's Strange Brew follows the naturally sophomoric misadventures of the McKenzies, who find sort-of-gainful employment at the Elsinore Brewery, where something is rotten following the mysterious death of Pam Elsinore's (Lynne Griffin) father and the ascendance of her uncle Claude and his right-hand brewmeister Smith (Max von Sydow). Truth be told, Strange Brew is better approached with liquid refreshment made from hops, malt, and water (which is probably the way most true cult fans prefer to enjoy it) than with parched lips, but either way you must admit that any film appealing to both literature buffs and those whose primary contribution to civilized discourse is a prolonged belch has got to be a beauty, eh? On DVD, the film looks better than it should (not that the assumed audience will give a hork), sporting reasonably good color and sharpness (with a few scratches). Warner has also thrown a few notable extras on the disc, including the original SCTV sketch "How to Stuff a Mouse in a Beer Bottle" (and thereby score a free case of beer), a five-minute trailer for The Animated Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie (a prospective new series), and an Easter egg text "Canadian Dictionary." Not a great movie by any means, there are still a sizable number of folks who will want to watch this socially irresponsible film with a brew and a jelly (that's a donut, you hoser). Recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD/Blu-ray Review—Mar. 8, 2016—Warner, 90 min., PG, DVD: $5.98, Blu-ray: $12.98—Making its debut on Blu-ray and latest appearance on DVD, 1983's Strange Brew features a fine transfer and a DTS-HD stereo soundtrack. Extras include “The Animated Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie” segment (5 min.), the classic McKenzie brothers SCTV sketch “How to Stuff a Mouse in a Beer Bottle” (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a cult favorite makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]