Kiss Me, Stupid – Olive Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1964
Director: Billy Wilder
Writers: Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond
Cast: Dean Martin, Kim Novak, Ray Walston, Felicia Farr, Cliff Osmond, Mel Blanc, Henry Gibson

Release Date: February 17th, 2015
Approximate Running Time: 124 Minutes 49 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"When pop crooner Dino (Dean Martin) is detoured to Climax, NV, on his way to Las Vegas, he stumbles on fame-hungry, would-be songwriters Orville (Ray Walston) and Barney (Cliff Osmond); the wheels are set in motion for a comedy that is pure Billy Wilder." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Kiss Me, Stupid comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.3 GB

Feature: 21.9 GB

Outside of some very minor debris, most of the time the source looks excellent. Flesh tones look healthy, image clarity is solid, contrast and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Summary:

A pop music crooner named Dino is compelled to take a detour while traveling from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, where he is scheduled to film his next TV special in a few days. Along the way he finds himself in a small rural town named Climax, and when he stops for gas, he is quickly noticed by the gas station attendant, who also happens to be an aspiring songwriter. Not wanting to let his one chance at stardom slip through his fingers, the gas station attendant enlists the help of a songwriting partner. They come up with a plan that ensures that Dino will be found, forced to stay the night in Climax, and hear their music. Unfortunately for them, Dino has other ideas of what he would like to do for the night, and these plans involve hooking up with a beautiful lady. Not willing to give up just yet, the two songwriters hire a waitress to play the role of one of their wives, and she is also given the task of keeping Dino happy while they try to get him to listen to their music.

If ever there was a case to be made about a film that missed its audience due to being ahead of its time, then that film would be Kiss Me, Stupid. Upon its initial release, this film was panned by critics and failed to capture an audience at the box office. With the majority of the blame for Kiss Me, Stupid’s failure being pinned on its morally objectionable subject matter. Fortunately, time can be kind, and things that were once condemned can be reevaluated and given their just due.

Ironically, the primary issue that led to the troubles faced by Kiss Me, Stupid was essentially the same factor that contributed to the success of The Apartment just four years earlier for Billy Wilder. Both films feature characters who manipulate others to achieve their goals. However, they approach this theme in distinctly different ways. Most notably there is a cynical undertone that runs throughout Kiss Me, Stupid that is in direct contrast to the vibe going on in The Apartment.

All around, the cast are excellent. Dean Martin (Ocean’s 11) is cast in the role of a pop crooner named Dino. His character is essentially a caricature of his public persona. The most memorable performance is Kim Novak (Vertigo), who portrays Polly the Pistol, a waitress that was hired by the two songwriters to pretend that she is one of their wives. Dean Martin and Kim Novak have strong onscreen chemistry, and they create the best moments when they share the screen.

At a time when the majority of films were shot in color, Billy Wilder insisted on shooting in black and white, which puts the spotlight on characters and the story at hand. The well-constructed narrative moves briskly; it does an excellent job building momentum and holding your attention. When it comes to humor, it is a very satisfying blend of self-deprecating and morality-based humor that is often laced with double entendres. Ultimately, Kiss Me, Stupid is a vastly underrated film that deserves a place next to Billy Wilder’s more highly regarded films.

Kiss Me, Stupid gets a strong audio/video presentation from Olive Films. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer