Plot: What’s it about?
Marketing films has changed a lot over the years. With the “invention” of the internet, we’ve had a lot of films that have a viral film campaign as well as those that have done well by word of mouth. In 1999 we had two very different films that succeeded with very different approaches. The Blair Witch Project took more the viral approach, while American Pie took the more traditional route. The former was one of the frontrunners of the “found footage” genre and American Pie was somewhat of a resurgence of the “teen” film that we saw so much of the decade prior. Though touted as something that we thought would be raunchy, it turns out that this one actually had a lot more heart. And it’s also a film where the girls were smarter than the guys. And we were OK with that. It’s been a while since I sat down and watched “the original” but what better way to do it than with this new 4K edition.
The film follows four high school friends: Jim (Jason Biggs), a high school loser obsessed with sex, Kevin (Thomas Ian Nichols), someone who wants to sleep with his girlfriend (Tara Reid) if he could only say “those three words.” Oz (Chris Klein), wants to exchange his jock image for a more sensitive one and finally Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas), someone who starts rumors about himself in an effort to make girls forget how much of a geek he is. The quartet make a pact that they’ll all have sex before they graduate. That’s half of the equation with the other half being the ladies they pursue. Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) is the “band geek”, there’s a foreign exchange student, Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth), Jessica (Natasha Lyonne), someone who sympathizes with the boys’ horniness and finally Heather (Mena Suvari).
The ups and downs of the four are all explored, but we all know what happens. And as much as the film was touted as a “gross out” film, it really wasn’t. It seemed to strike a chord in many more people than intended. The film was also successful, so much that it inspired three sequels and a spin-off (all staring Eugene Levy). I think we can officially call this film successful. Chris and Paul Weitz gave us another film a few years later that I also enjoyed – About a Boy. This proves that these two weren’t out to make a few bucks, but rather make films that spoke to people. Shifitng gears back to this one, though, the obligatory sequel ensued a few years later as did the entire genre giving us films like Road Trip and Old School. Suffice it to say, I think we can officially call this film a “classic” in every sense of the word. It’s earned it.
Video: How’s it look?
Aside from the steelbook packaging, the uptick in video quality is the film’s asset. This isn’t the first time the movie has appeared in 4K, however, 88 Films released a version not too long ago and Universal hopped on the train to market this to the masses. I’ve never really found this film to look “bad” by any means. A few of the shots have been improved, offering us a bit more clarity and a more film-like appearance. The 1.85:1 HEVC 4K image does give us a bit more on the color spectrum as well as even out flesh tones and stronger, bolder contrast. It’s a worthwhile upgrade, but a comparison to the Blu-ray (also included) doesn’t really indicate a night and day difference.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Though it might seem prime for a Dolby Atmos track, we get the same DTS HD Master Audio mix that was found on the Blu-ray. Granted, this isn’t/wasn’t a film that was heavily dependent on its audio mix, so no big loss. Vocals are fine, well-rounded and solid, surrounds are used often (mainly during party sequences) and offer a bit of ambiance and the front stage shoulders most of the burden of the remainder of the mix. It’s good, though nothing that’ll blow you away.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Theatrical and Unrated Cuts – Two cuts of the film, but with the unrated one being just a few seconds longer than its theatrical counterpart.
- Audio Commentary – Directors Chris and Paul Weitz are joined by writer Adam Herz and actors Jason Biggs, Sean William Scott and Eddie Kaye Thomas as they add their comments on the film, it’s initial appeal and working on the project. It’s nothing mind-blowing, but hey – at least it’s there if we want it.
- American Pie Revealed: The Complete Story of All Three Comedies – If you really wanted the all-inclusive documentary then look no further. We get this complied and broken into different segments: “Begin the Journey,” “The Recipe for Pie,” “The First Piece,” “The Aftertaste,” “The Second Helping,” “One Last Piece,” “The Reunion Dinner” and “FAQ.”.
- Casting Tapes – Jason Biggs, Shannon Elizabeth, Alyson Hannigan, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Thomas Ian Nicholas and Chris Klein’s are featured.
- Poster Concepts – Originally entitled Great Falls, we see some of the various concepts.
- Spotlight on Location – One of the early featurettes made for the DVD.
- From the Set – The Weitz brothers offer some insight along with various production stills.
- Deleted Scenes – I think the film has stood on its own for enough time that we can safely say that we didn’t need these.
- Outtakes – Yep, you know…those.
- Tonic Live Performance – The band gives us a bit of info.
- Music Video – Tonic’s “You Wanted More.”
- Theatrical Trailer
The Bottom Line
American Pie was one of those hyped movies that actually delivered. It wasn’t a flash in the pan and looking back on this over a quarter of a century later, I still laugh and enjoy it. It’s taken a while for this to finally get a 4K version but that wait is over. Disappointingly there aren’t any new features, but the uptick in video quality alone is well worth the price of admission.
