The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!

"Emergency! Everybody to get from street!" Nostalgic baby boomers may fondly recall Norman Jewison's 1966 Cold War-era comedy--a box office smash in its day--that combined slapstick with a plea for peaceful coexistence between the superpowers (boy, those were simpler times). Alan Arkin, in his first starring role, is the commander of a Russian submarine that has gone aground just off the coast of a sleepy New England town. Carl Reiner costars as the family man whom he approaches for help (setting off a panic in the town), with Jonathan Winters displaying his fine madness as a gung-ho resident, and Brian Keith as the sheriff nonplussed at the sight of a Russian U-boat in his harbor. Venerable comedian Ben Blue also has a nice running--make that galloping--gag. A time capsule relic of its time, but like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, this film, presented on an extra-less disc with a solid transfer and Dolby Digital mono sound, has its fervent defenders. A strong optional purchase. (K. Lee Benson)[DVD/Blu-ray Review—Feb. 10, 2015—Kino Lorber, 126 min., not rated, DVD: $19.95, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1966's The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming features a fine transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack on the Blu-ray release. Extras include a “making-of” featurette hosted by director Norman Jewison, and the original theatrical trailer. Bottom line: this hit Cold War comedy sparkles on Blu-ray.]