Search - Wet Hot American Summer on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Profanity, Substance Abuse, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 2001 DVD Release: 01/15/2002 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 37 mins Studio: Polygram USA Video Members Wishing: 21 Genres: Comedy, Parody/Spoof, Farce See Also: Wet Hot American Summer, Wet Hot American Summer

1980s teen comedies finally get the parody they so richly deserve with Wet Hot American Summer, the first feature film from writer/director David Wain and co-screenwriter Michael Showalter, formerly of the sketch comedy troupe the State. It's the last day of the summer season at Camp Firewood, and as camp director Beth (Janeane Garofalo) prepares to wrap things up, the staff of teenage counselors realize this is their last chance to do something about the summer romances that have been brewing for the past three months. Sweet but shy Coop (Michael Showalter) is crazy about pretty Katie (Marguerite Moreau), but there's the problem of her severely moody boyfriend Andy (Paul Rudd). Meanwhile, Victor (Ken Marino) is trying to score with sexy Abby (Marisa Ryan), who is known to make friends easily, and McKinley (Michael Ian Black) and Ben (Bradley Cooper) attempt to keep their hot and heavy relationship a secret. Meanwhile, arts and crafts teacher Gail (Molly Shannon) turns to her students for comfort as her marriage falls apart, drama coach Susie (Amy Poehler) tries to whip the talent show into shape with Ben's help, and camp chef Gene (Christopher Meloni) deals with his unique sexual quirks with the help of a talking can of vegetables (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin). Beth even finds time for romance with socially inept astrophysicist Henry (David Hyde Pierce), but first Henry has to save Camp Firewood from a large piece of space junk about to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. Like Wain and Showalter, Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black, and Joe Lo Truglio (who appears in a small role) were also members of the State; fellow State alumnus Kerri Kenney was cast in a supporting role in the film, but her character didn't appear in the final cut. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Janeane Garofalo - Beth
David Hyde Pierce - Professor Henry Neuman
Michael Showalter - Coop
Marguerite Moreau - Katie
Paul Rudd - Andy

The "wet" part of the title Wet Hot American Summer was a given. The pre-spring, 28-day shoot in the woods of western Pennsylvania saw rain for 22 days. And not just sprinkles, but torrential downfalls that turned the live-in set into a quagmire. If you have any desire at all to be a movie actor, watch the "behind the scenes" chapter included in the DVD; the actors are soggy, pale, and exhausted, but there is a joyful camaraderie that keeps their spirits up. The conclusion: Acting's not so bad, it looks kind of fun -- if it's indoors. The disc also includes lively commentary by director David Wain, co-writer Michael Showalter, and star Janeane Garofalo, all of whom are perhaps the biggest fans of this middling parody as each scene seems to crack them up anew. The crew also provides commentary for the deleted scenes (why was the shot of the chef with no pants under his apron cut?), and the still photo gallery is accompanied by four songs from the movie, a nice touch. There's also a chapter of cast and crew interviews from the set, but the folks behind the video camera asked each of the subjects the same questions -- mainly, "Describe the comedy of this movie" -- and after Garofalo gives her answer the rest are simply repetitious and not a little pretentious. The producers have also included -- as a "bonus" -- an alternate soundtrack that peppers the film with squeaking sound effects replicating the noise of human gas emissions -- yes, farts. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide