Weekend at Bernie's Blu-ray Review

"Weekend at Bernie's," expertly captured by cinematographer François Protat, maintains a vibrant and cheerful palette despite the film’s narrative heat wave. Once the narrative shifts to Bernie's island retreat, the visuals transition to cool hues and pastel tones that articulate the comic contrast against the film's potentially morbid themes. This Blu-ray presentation from Fox/MGM, encoded in 1080p AVC, proficiently showcases the original cinematography.

The 1080p transfer is notable for its outstanding detail, sharpness, and clarity, revealing minute elements such as specific makeup effects on Terry Kiser’s character, Bernie Lomax. The image features deep blacks and a fine, natural grain pattern free from disruptive digital manipulation like filtering or artificial sharpening. With an average bitrate of 26.89 Mbps, the video quality remains high, effectively preserving the integrity of the source material.

While the transfer does show some small flecks of white and black dirt, which slightly detract from the overall presentation, the picture integrity is commendable. The skin tones and contrast are well-balanced, maintaining a natural look throughout. Though some scenes exhibit slight softness, the overall visual experience is pleasing, and fans will find the presentation satisfactory without significant over-processing issues such as excessive DNR. Ultimately, this Blu-ray provides a pleasantly robust visual experience that honors the original theatrical presentation.

The Blu-ray edition of "Weekend at Bernie's" features an audio presentation in lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Originally released in Dolby Stereo, this track generally succeeds in providing a robust sense of ambiance. Scenes such as those on the island ferry, at the seashore, and aboard Bernie's boat benefit from impressive dynamic range, even though there is scant bass extension. The dialogue remains clear throughout these scenes, contributing positively to the movie-watching experience. The soundtrack, composed by Andy Summers of The Police, further enhances the film's comic and mock-serious vibe.

Despite being limited to a 2.0 configuration, the audio track effectively employs channel separation. However, occasional minor issues do arise; specifically, spoken dialogue can sometimes seem slightly muted or muddy compared to the rest of the soundtrack. Nevertheless, the DTS-HD MA 2.0 track is largely glitch-free and performs its essential functions admirably. For users requiring additional language options, a Spanish Dolby Digital mono track is available, along with English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles for accessibility.

The extras section of the "Weekend at Bernie's" Blu-ray disc is disappointingly minimal. The sole addition is the original theatrical trailer, presented in 1080p with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, and running for approximately 2 minutes and 35 seconds. While this trailer remains an interesting glimpse into the movie's original release, it shows some wear indicative of its age. There is no main menu on the disc, adhering to the customary format of MGM catalog titles handled by Fox. Notably, the disc's BD-Java mastering disables the stop and resume functionality, and there is no bookmarking feature included, affecting user convenience.

Extras included in this disc:

• Theatrical Trailer: The original trailer in 1080p, displaying signs of wear.

Ted Kotcheff's "Weekend at Bernie's," an emblematic 1980s comedy, showcases the director's versatility across genres, adding a farcical touch to his eclectic oeuvre. The film stars Andrew McCarthy as Larry Wilson and Jonathan Silverman as Richard Parker, two junior corporate employees who discover their boss Bernie Lomax (Terry Kiser) engaging in embezzlement. Hoping for a promotion, they instead get invited to Bernie's beach house only to find him murdered by a mob boss. In an increasingly absurd series of events, Larry and Richard must pretend Bernie is alive to outwit both unperceptive party guests and a confused hitman.

Kiser's portrayal of the lifeless Bernie is a masterclass in physical comedy. Despite playing a corpse, Kiser's performance is pivotal, navigating the physical pratfalls and comedic timing that drive much of the movie's humor. The script by Robert Klane leverages the seaside setting for comical deceptions, while Kotcheff's direction ensures Bernie pops in and out of sight in cleverly orchestrated sequences. Notable scenes include escapades with Bernie's drunken girlfriend, pushing the film towards R-rated humor without explicit content, showcasing Kotcheff's knack for suggestive comedy.

Set in the quintessential 80s aesthetic, "Weekend at Bernie's" revels in its time-specific details – from typewriters and bulky computers to the socio-economic aspirations of its protagonists. The plot remains straightforward, focusing on slapstick humor over profound narrative depth; yet, this simplicity contributes to its enduring charm. Despite initial box office struggles, the film found success in the home video market, cementing its cult status. This Blu-ray release caters squarely to nostalgia, presenting the film in HD without significant extras but offering a chance for fans to relish this quintessential 80s comedy once more.

"Weekend at Bernie's" Blu-ray release offers a nostalgic trip back to the late 1980s, when mainstream comedies prioritized simple, yet engaging, entertainment. The film, helmed by Ted Kotcheff and penned by Robert Klane, possesses a unique charm attributed to its slapstick humor, which still manages to elicit laughter decades later. The narrative, revolving around two young insurance executives who stumble upon a scheme involving their late boss, remains humorous due to its solid comedic craftsmanship.

The Blu-ray transfer provides a significant upgrade in terms of picture quality, presenting the film with commendable clarity and color vibrancy. Technical aspects such as detail retention and contrast levels have been appropriately optimized for an HD experience. However, the absence of substantial bonus features is a noticeable drawback. The inclusion of outtakes or behind-the-scenes content would have added value for both new viewers and long-time fans.

The essential appeal of Bernie's is that it's a slapstick comedy, which never goes out of style; it just has to be reinvented for each age. John Hughes may have been the Eighties' single most prolific contributor to the genre, between the Home Alone franchise and the Vacation series, but Klane and Kotcheff made their mark with Weekend at Bernie's (and the far less successful sequel that Klane directed). The film is a period piece now, but it's still funny, because the craftsmanship is solid. The lack of features is unfortunate—somewhere there must be great outtakes—but the presentation is good enough to make this Blu-ray highly recommended.