Plot: What’s it about?
Yeah, Rodney…we know, you don’t get no respect! Despite being in my all-time favorite movie, Caddyshack, Dangerfield has had a very successful career even without that movie. True, his Al Czervick character did enhance what was already a great movie; but what he might have lacked in that film, he more than made up for in Back to School his biggest hit and one of the bigger comedies of the 1980’s. But aside from his screen persona, Dangerfield has been an accomplished comedian for several decades and it’s only with the most recent years that he’s really started to not be that funny. Well, that might change as he has made The 4th Tenor in which he travels to Italy to woo a busty lady (hey, wouldn’t we all)! Is it the old Dangerfield that we know from other movies and even Easy Money? No, not really. But, let’s give the guy the respect he deserves…he’s a few years old over 80 and still making movies. True, they’re not all great, but a lot of people won’t be around at his age. No respect, I tell ya…
The plot is, well, paper thin. He plays Lupo, the owner of an Italian restaurant that just so happens to employ waiters and waitresses that belt out a few notes here and there. One of the waitresses in particular catches Lupo’s eye and he figures that the best way to win her heart (among other things) is to learn how to sing like a real opera star. He then flies to Italy (wouldn’t you if you wanted to learn how to sing like an opera star) with money in hand and is quickly taken advantage of by two con men who see only dollar signs. The wonderful Robert Davi plays the antagonist, Ierra; but it’s the comic genius of Dangerfield that keeps this movie going. True, it may not be the best movie in the world, but we have to face the fact that he won’t be around in a few years and must therefore soak up every ounce of his humor. While the latter part of the movie does take on a somewhat “fairy tale” twist to it (and thus gives away the ending); it doesn’t really ruin the movie. Fans of Dangerfield will relish this opportunity to see Rodney in a decent movie, while others might just want to steer clear of it all together.
Video: How does it look?
One might not watch this movie to see the best a DVD can look. True, it’s a new to DVD movie and it is enhanced for widescreen televisions, but it’s not a reference-quality disc by any stretch of the imagination. The flesh tones seem bright and clear, though they seem a bit oversaturated at times during the movie. There are a few instances of grain from here to there, but on the whole it’s a decent transfer. The level of detail is great and with only the aforementioned “minor” bugs, this isn’t that bad when it comes to how the DVD looks. The extras are scant and the movie is short, so the disc does take advantage of the space and I believe it benefits from it.
Audio: How does it sound?
Again, this isn’t a disc you’ll pop in to impress your friends. But The 4th Tenor doesn’t really sound that bad. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track does sound a bit like surround, but then again; I wasn’t expecting much from it to begin with. Dialogue is clean and clear and that stereotypical “Italian” dialogue that we expect sounds good as well. Surrounds do kick in from time to time, but nothing more adds to the depth of the track. A little above average, but nothing more.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A trio of deleted scenes as well as a brief featurette are included as well as the original theatrical trailer.
