Plot: What’s it about?
Larry (Billy Crystal) wrote a tremendous book that would have made him rich, but his ex-wife stole it and called it her own work. As such, she has since went on to riches and fame, while he is stuck teaching a writing class and trying to get back his touch with his typewriter. It seems as though every time he picks up a newspaper or turns on the television though, there she is with his book, talking about how talented she is for being able to write it, which peeves Larry to no mortal end. At his school one day, Larry explodes and screams how much he wants his ex-wife dead, when Owen (Danny DeVito) overhears his exclamations. You see, Owen also has someone making his life miserable, but for him, it is his very own Mamma (Anne Ramsey). So what does this all mean? Well, Owen suggests that the two trade murders and in the process, get rid of the negative person in their lives and be free from arrest, since both would have alibis that check out. But as they soon discover, plans like this never seem to work out just as planned…
This is one of those flicks I’ve seen a million times, but never had it as part of my home video collection, until now. I like the movie a lot and MGM has issued a solid disc, so I knew the time had come to add this one to the old archive. As you can tell from the synopsis, this is a darker comedy and while it isn’t always hilarious, it never fails to make me laugh often. I think the performances of Anne Ramsey and Danny DeVito are amazing, while Billy Crystal supplies a very good turn also, terrific casting all around here. I think most of the funnier moments involve Ramsey and DeVito’s shared screen time, but there’s a lot of laughs dispersed well through the whole flick. As I said, this isn’t always laugh out stuff, but it is funny and dark comedy fans will be right at home. The film moves at a brisk pace and picks up speed toward the end, although the conclusion is not as impressive as I would like, to be honest. Even so, Throw Momma From The Train is a very good movie and with a nice disc, I can’t help but give this release a strong recommendation.
In one of his finest performances, Danny DeVito brings across his childlike character with ease, never faltering even for a second. I can’t help but laugh when he deals with his mother, as you can see the desperation that consumes him, very impressive work indeed. I’ve loved DeVito’s turns in countless films, but this one stands out with the other top notch ones, though perhaps not his best overall performance. His on screen work is made even more impressive when you consider he also worked behind the camera, as the film’s director. He hasn’t done much of directing in his career, but I think he delivers here, even with acting pressures to contend with at the same time. You can also see DeVito in such films as Going Ape!, Romancing The Stone, L.A. Confidential, Ruthless People, The Big Kahuna, Screwed, and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. The cast here also includes Billy Crystal (When Harry Met Sally, Analyze This), Anne Ramsey (The Goonies, Scrooged), Kim Greist (Houseguest, Brazil), and Bruce Kirby (Armed and Dangerous, Catch-22).
Video: How does it look?
Throw Momma From The Train is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This image is not the best I’ve seen of late, but this is the finest home video edition I’ve seen and as such, I am quite pleased. The source print shows some small flecks and such, but looks clean most of the time and that lets the rest of the visuals be as good as can be. The colors seem natural, but bright when need and as far as flesh tones, they look normal and warm also. I saw no glitches with the contrast either, sharp black levels and a strong detail presence. This is a fine looking presentation from MGM, so let’s hope their commitment to excellence continues in future releases.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a flick driven by dialogue and as such, the audio is reliant on the front channels and that means not much in terms of surround use. The included 2.0 surround track is more than decent however, with some surround presence in a few instances and of course, it always has the kick when the material demands it. But this one is fueled by dialogue, so don’t expect a lot of surround power, or you’ll be let down. The vocals come through in clean, crisp form however, with no volume errors in the least. This disc also includes subtitles & language tracks in Spanish and French, in case you’ll need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer, as well as a selection of deleted scenes. A total of four extra scenes can be viewed and while not pertinent stuff, I am very pleased MGM took the initiative to pack these on, very cool stuff indeed.
