Μύ "Birthday Girl" was one of the great hopes for now defunct UK movie company FilmFour. While many seemed to like this quirky comedy, it didn't do well in the US. You'll get some thoughts as to why this happened on this DVD.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Picture No problems in this department, with a clear and sharp picture on offer.
Sound The 5.1 sound mix has mainly ambient effects to handle, but is punchy with the music score.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary One Director Jez Butterworth and lead actor Ben Chaplin make for a pleasant audio experience, although don't expect too many revelations.
Perhaps funniest is the fact that Ben deliberately got himself a sad haircut that looked like a helmet. Filming then went on for much longer than had been anticipated, and he ended up repelling all female advances for a year.
"Birthday Girl" didn't do anything special at the US box office, and Jez is at pains to point out some of the editorial decisions taken in the US which, for him, changed the intended effect of the film.
Behind the Scenes This is just 11 minutes of unedited B-roll footage that gives you brief glances of the crew setting up for scenes and other tedious delights.
Cast and Crew Interviews An alternative title could be "Eighteen Minutes of Crap". This is interview material created for press to watch and while we get paid to watch such stuff, you certainly shouldn't have to pay to see it. Flimsy questions get bored answers.
Additional Extra Features Also on the disc is a music video, trailer for the film, and a trailer gallery of other FilmFour titles.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Region: 2
Chapters: 16
Ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Audio Tracks: English
Subtitles: See Captions
Captions: English
Menus: Animated, with music
Special Features Subtitles: None of the special features come with subtitles.
This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.
