Search - The Graduate on DVD

Outstanding movie, crummy DVD

David C. Read | Glendale, CA USA | 12/05/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This movie was groundbreaking when released, and it is now a classic. The screenplay by Buck Henry is great, Mike Nichols did an outstanding job directing, and all the key parts were cast and acted perfectly. The great Simon & Garfunkel music helped to make the film what it became. AFI ranked it #7 on its list of the top 100 American movies, and I agree. I think it is that good. I saw it on TV when I was teenager, and have rented it or seen it on TV several times since then. It has always been one of my favorite films. I even read the novel by Charles Webb (to which the movie stayed pretty close).Unfortunately, this DVD does not do it justice. The main problem is the audio. The sound track is just ever so slightly out of sync with the picture throughout the entire film. In one scene, when Benjamin's mother confronts him about his nocturnal activities, the problem is extremely noticeable. The sound is mixed badly throughout, especially during the second half of the film, when Benjamin starts seeing Elaine (Katherine Ross). Crucial dialog is drowned out by sound effects. By the end, you have to crank up the volume on your TV to wake-up-the-neighbors levels just to hear what the characters are saying. This is inexcusable. I also note, from an earlier review, that the laserdisk version had a director's commentary, so why doesn't the DVD? Some day, they'll put out a good DVD version of the movie, until then we'll have to be content with VHS and Turner Classic Movies."

The Landmark Film - Done RIGHT!!!

Steven I. Ramm | Phila, PA USA | 08/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The previous reviews posted here are all based on what the reviewers HOPED would be on the new 40th Anniversary and raised some questions. I can answer most of the concerns having watched the DVD this week.

As for how important this film is, let's just say it defined a generation in the 1970s. And nearly anyone in either high school or college (or a recent "graduate" entering the working world) when the film was released can quote verbatim important lines and whole scenes. Try "Are you trying to seduce me Mrs. Robinson?" or even the mention of one word ""Plastics!". I have only watched the film (on VHS) once since my original viewing on the big screen forty years ago. Of course I remember many of the great moments (the finale at the church, for one) and the Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack. (Dave Grusin wrote the incidental music.). I did not see the "25th Anniversary" reissue. So much of the supplemental material was new to me.

First off the transfer is great! It must have been remastered. And yes, it's in Wide Screen. It HAS to be. The hardest video to pan and scan was always this film as Director Mike Nichols spaced his characters at the far sides of the screen. I watched this on an 25 year old 26 in TV and it was still perfect.

Okay, now the bonus features. It's a 2 "disc" set because one disc is a CD of FOUR songs from the film. So it's really more of a CD single.", That's fine with me, but most of us have the music in our collection.

There are TWO commentary tracks: One is Hoffman and Ross talking. Since Ross doesn't even appear in the film until almost half way through, she has little to say for a while. And there are long periods where Hoffman says nothing so you get to hear the soundtrack dialogue at that point. The second commentary is with Director Mike Nichols and Director Stephen Soderburgh. It more that SS is interviewing Nichols. And Nichols is very outgoing here. Where I found a small problem is that the conversation often does not match what is on the screen. During the "Seduction" scene I expected to hear details about the set up. But Nichols was talking about Screen Tests or something else. I have not made it all the way through the commentaries. Too much other good stuff here.

There is a NEW 25-minute documentary: "Students of the Graduate" which has interviews with young directors who learned techniques from Nichols direction. The Directors of "Little Miss Sunshine" were ones I remember. It's interesting. There is a short 8-minute one on "the Seduction" as well. This appears to be new.

The other featurettes are from the 25th Anniversary release. One is obvious as it's title is "The Graduate at 25". You can see from the excerpted scenes how poor the 25th Anniversary print was. And - what I found MOST interesting was a "One on One" featurette with Dustin Hoffman which runs 22 minutes. It was recorded for the 25th - similar comments appear in the "Graduate at 25" feature - but Hoffman tells GREAT stories and I was on the floor laughing!

ONE of the tywo screen tests that Ross did - with Charles Grodin - is included in the "at 25" featurette but the announced "two screen tests with introduction" are not on the final DVD. NEITHER is the "Coming of Age: The Making of the Graduate" one.

So there is lots to watch here and moments to remember. I, for one, loved this set and the special featurettes - which rarely, though sometimes, repeat themselves - briefing out things you missed and make you want to playback some scenes.

This should be a hot release for September!

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"
"