Search - Slap Shot on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Brief Nudity, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Humor, Profanity, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1977 DVD Release: 01/05/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 3 mins Studio: Universal Studios Members Wishing: 3 Genres: Comedy, Sports Comedy See Also: Slap Shot [25th Anniversary Special Edition]

Paul Newman plays Reggie Dunlop, the coach of a pathetic minor-league American hockey team. His career at a standstill and his marriage in tatters, Dunlop has nothing to lose by taking on a new group of players who are one evolutionary step above Neanderthals. Only when the team begins winning does he decide to get behind these players, and to encourage the rest of the team to play as down-and-dirty as the newcomers. Straight-arrow team member Ned Braden (Michael Ontkean) resents this influx of gonzo talent, preferring to play clean. As the film's multitude of subplots play themselves out, Dunlop does his best to keep the outraged Braden on the team. Slap Shot is the sort of film for which the "R" rating was invented: Its nonstop barrage of profanity and its raunchy action sequences are of such intensity that the film will probably never be shown intact on commercial television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Paul Newman - Reggie Dunlop
Strother Martin - Joe McGrath
Michael Ontkean - Ned Braden
Jennifer Warren - Francine Dunlop
Lindsay Crouse - Lily Braden

Way ahead of its time and still bitingly funny, Slap Shot has earned a massive cult following since its initial 1977 release. A very smart mix of harsh no-class humor, crude language, and rich naturalistic drama, this was the first of two DVD releases of Slap Shot. This first one is perfectly acceptable, but doesn't have all the extras that =the 25th Anniversary Edition does. What this disc does have in its favor is a clean widescreen anamorphic transfer that showcases Victor J. Kemper's gritty cinematography. Similar to the great camera work that Kemper did on Dog Day Afternoon and The Friends of Eddie Coyle, it's rare for a comedy to have such a downbeat look. Less impressive than the widescreen transfer is the Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track, which sounds fine when played through a television set, but comes off as slightly compressed and muted when fed through a stereo system. Thankfully, both of these transfers would be improved upon for =the 25th Anniversary Edition of the movie, but even without any extras, fans of Slap Shot can easily watch this DVD over and over again. ~ Nick Dedina, All Movie Guide