Plot: What’s it about?
You can’t always judge a book by the cover, but sometimes you can read into things a little and discover the truth. A beautiful, but impoverished young woman (Phoebe Cates) is taken into court on a begging charge, but little does anyone know the truth about this person. She is covered in dirt, wears ragged clothes, and speaks in a language no one understands, but she seems so sweet and acts like she wants to tell everyone something. Her message is soon translated and in the end, it is revealed that she is Princess Caraboo, a member of a distant royal family and not at all the street rabble she appears to be. This evokes a generous response from a local family of aristocrats, who think taking in Caraboo will further enhance their class status and prestige. But while most people are awestruck by Caraboo, a reporter seems to think it is all rubbish and is determined to prove herself right, even if takes a lifetime. Is Caraboo the lost princess she claims to be, or is this an elaborate hoax to gain access to the upper class caste?
I was very much looking forward to this release, until the disc arrived. In a real disappointment, Columbia/Tristar has issued a below standard disc in more than one respect. The disc has minimal extras and that I can deal with, but the lack of a widescreen transfer is unacceptable. I was very taken back by this notion, as Columbia has been supportive of widescreen since the start, with only a handful of botched discs, but now we can add one more to the list, Princess Caraboo. I would rather have been given a rehashed laserdisc edition here, as at least that was presented in the proper form, unlike this mess. I like this movie a lot and had a place picked out in my collection for this disc, but now that void will be filled another way, as the laserdisc will remain instead of this new edition. I still think the movie is worth looking into, as it is a magical piece that seems to have all the elements, including an enchanting performance from Phoebe Cates. So if you’re interested in Princess Caraboo, then give this release a rental, but if you want to own the flick, I highly recommend the laserdisc edition instead, to see the film as it was meant to be shown.
This kind of storyline needs to have a powerful lead to work, which is why I am glad Phoebe Cates was given the role. She hasn’t been in a ton of flicks, but Cates has such a commanding screen presence, which is why this movie is so darn good. She has an innocence to her in all of her roles, but never is it as dominant as here and it works to perfection for her character. Of course, her stunning good looks and charisma serve her well also, as she simply shines as Caraboo and really wins over the audience. I think this is hand down her finest performance and while she isn’t very active as of the present, I hope to see her return to the screen soon. You can also see Cates in such films as Gremlins, Drop Dead Fred, Date With An Angel, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, and Private School. The rest of the cast includes Stephen Rea (Michael Collins, In Dreams), Wendy Hughes (Lonely Hearts, Paradise Road), John Lithgow (Cliffhanger, A Civil Action), Jim Broadbent (Time Bandits, The Avengers), and Kevin Kline (The Ice Storm, Dave).
Video: How does it look?
Princess Caraboo is presented in a full frame transfer, which compromises the film’s original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. This is a real let down, as the laserdisc was widescreen and Columbia/Tristar has been so consistent with their transfers. But as it stands, this is a serious disappointment and it forces me to drop the score a lot, even if the image is more than decent. The colors seem well presented and contrast is even at all times, but the lack of a widescreen transfer leaves me to hammer this one in the score section. I am unsure why Columbia/Tristar was so ignorant with this release, but let’s hope they get back on track with future releases.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included 2.0 surround track is solid, but keep in mind that this film isn’t one for dynamic audio. This is a dialogue based picture in all respects, so the front channels handle most of the load, though some surround use can be heard at times. Whether the musical score or some atmospheric effects, the surround have some sparks here and there, which is more than enough to liven up this rather basic mix. No issues with the vocals either, as dialogue is clean and sharp throughout, very solid overall presentation here. This disc also contains French and Spanish language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some talent files, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
