Plot: What’s it about?
Chazz (Brendan Fraser) is the frontman of a rock band, but he is not having much luck these days. He was thrown out of a record executive’s office, his girlfriend left him, and now he’s in a situation where it is now or never. So he and fellow band members Rex (Steve Buscemi) and Pip (Adam Sandler) have to devise a plan to get signed, no matter it takes. After they attend a record release party for an inferior band, they decide that in order to get signed, they need to have their demo played on the hottest rock station in town. So they grab some watergun uzis, pile into their van, and head down to take over the station, but just long enough to have their demo played and then they’re back out again. So they manage to sneak inside, flash their pieces, and get deejay Ian (Joe Mantegna) to agree to play the tape, but when the machine eats the demo, it looks like impending doom is certain. Can Chazz somehow contact his ex Kayla (Amy Locane) and have her bring the only other copy to the station, or will his band remain unheard forever?
I’ve seen this movie countless times on cable and home video, but I never tire of the content, which is rare in films these days. Of course, this is a rock ‘n’ roll comedy and holds minimal artistic value, but it still delivers on the laughs, which is what counts. The writing is very good and captures the essence of the time well, especially the dialogue from our three leads, which is dead on as far as their characters go. Brendan Fraser and Adam Sandler were in Airheads a little before they hit the upper levels of stardom, while Steve Buscemi, Michael McKean, Chris Farley, Joe Mantegna, and Judd Nelson also supply terrific turns, which means this film sports a very cool cast, if you ask me. The characters are hilarious and the situations are even more humorous, from the watergun uzis to the ending, which was much better than I had expected. I think fans of hard rock music will pick up on more of the jokes, but this one is safe for just about anyone, unless you really despise mid 1990s slang and such. This disc from Fox has few bells & whistles, but is still well worth the price involved, if you’re a fan of the picture.
After he was Link and before he was Rick O’Connell, Brendan Fraser was Chazz and while this wasn’t a smash success, I think it won him some new fans. At this time, Fraser was in a lot of comedies and I think one stands above most of the others, as it is consistent and gives Fraser more room to inhabit the character. Of course, this silly performance is not the kind you take home awards for, but Fraser is dead on as Chazz, almost too realistic at times, I think. A dumb, but good natured rocker might not seem like a dream, but it is played out here to perfection, thanks to Fraser’s mannerisms and spot on line deliveries. Other films with Fraser includes The Mummy Returns, The Scout, Encino Man, Dudley Do-Right, School Ties, Gods and Monsters, and Bedazzled. The cast also includes Steve Buscemi (Armageddon, Reservoir Dogs), Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison), Michael McKean (This is Spinal Tap, Teaching Miss Tingle), and Amy Locane (School Ties, Cry-Baby).
Video: How does it look?
Airheads is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I’ve never seen the movie look this good on home video, so I am quite pleased with the results. This is not as impressive as some more recent efforts, but it looks terrific and I doubt anyone will be let down. The print used has a couple minor flaws, but aside from that looks pristine, which is impressive for a catalog title from 1994, I think. The colors look bold and never falter, flesh tones are on the mark, and black levels are well balanced at all times. I doubt Airheads could look much better than this on DVD, so kudos to Fox on another superb catalog title transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included 4.0 surround option is your basic comedic track, with minimal surround use, outside of the hard rock soundtrack. But the music does spark quite often, so this is not a tame mix at all times, not by any means. Some sound effects can be heard in the rear channels at times too, but on the whole, this one is based in the front speakers. The elements still come through as intended however, as this is pretty much a dialogue driven piece. The front channels provide an enjoyable experience, with well placed sound effects and always crisp vocals. This disc also includes 2.0 surround options in English & French, as well as Spanish & English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes two television spots, Born to Raise Hell and Feed the Gods music videos, a brief behind the scenes featurette, and the film’s theatrical trailer
