Search - The Big Chill on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Adult Language, Sexual Situations, Drug Content Movie Release: 1983 DVD Release: 01/26/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 46 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 7 Genres: Comedy Drama, Comedy of Manners, Reunion Films, Ensemble Film

Embraced by the Baby Boomer generation and spawning countless imitators, the sophomore film of writer-director Lawrence Kasdan was a successful comedy-drama with a best selling soundtrack of Motown hits. Kevin Kline and Glenn Close star as Harold and Sarah Cooper, a couple whose marital troubles are put on hold while they host an unhappy reunion of former college pals gathered for the funeral of one of their own, a suicide victim named Alex. As the weekend unfolds, the friends catch up with each other, play the music of their youth, reminisce, smoke marijuana, and pair off with each other in unexpected combinations. Included are Michael (Jeff Goldblum), a smarmy journalist; Sam (Tom Berenger), a TV star; Karen (JoBeth Williams), unhappily married and pining for Sam; Nick (William Hurt), a drug-addicted Vietnam vet; and Meg (Mary Kay Place), a single career woman who wants a child. Joining the group is Alex's bizarre girlfriend Chloe (Meg Tilly), who finds new love with Nick. As they learn to deal with the truth about the loss of idealism in their lives and Alex's sad demise, the friends find their bond still intact, while the marriage of Harold and Sarah is healed in an unusual way that's in sync with the era of their youth. Cut from the release of The Big Chill (1983) was the brief appearance of young actor Kevin Costner as Alex. Kasdan promised Costner a role in his next picture, which turned out to be a star-making part in Silverado (1985). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Kevin Kline - Harold
Glenn Close - Sarah
Jeff Goldblum - Michael
William Hurt - Nick
JoBeth Williams - Karen
Tom Berenger - Sam
Mary Kay Place - Meg
Meg Tilly - Chloe

Columbia's DVD release of =The Big Chill falls a few supplements short of a full-fledged Special Edition or Collector's DVD, but it contains enough to keep fans of the movie interested. Available in a 1.85:1 anamorphic master, Lawrence Kasdan's comedy looks sharper and cleaner than any version available previously and the Dolby Digital Sound enhances the film's well-known Motown soundtrack. While it doesn't offer a feature-length commentary by Kasdan, the disc includes the next best thing: an hour-long documentary by noted film documentarian Laurent Bouzerau, who offers a view into how the cast bonded while on location and how the film evolved into its finished version. The other main supplement on the disc is the deleted-scene reel. The scenes are mostly humorous and add some color to the characters. The main disappointment, however, is that Kevin Costner's infamous cutting room floor scene is not included. Kasdan mentions it in the documentary, and a still picture of Costner in character is included, but the footage itself is nowhere to be found. The DVD of =The Big Chill is valuable for what it has to offer, but it falls short of being a gem. ~ Oliver Thornton, All Movie Guide