Plot: What’s it about?
Phyllis Nefler (Shelley Long) lives in a lush estate, surrounded by hired help, with infinite resources at her command. She can cruise down the stores on Rodeo Drive and spend as much as she wants, since her credit cards have a limit so high, even her expensive tastes couldn’t overdraft the accounts. In addition, she has a beautiful daughter Hannah (Jenny Lewis), who is part of a group called The Wilderness Girls. Phyllis seems to have all that she could dream of, but she is one card short, as she is involved in a separation. Her husband Freddy (Craig T. Nelson) has moved to the guest house and has serious problems with her lifestyle choices. He insists she does nothing but shop and spend money, so she decides to prove him wrong. When Hannah’s group needs a new leader, Phyllis applies and is given the position. But she and the other girls from the area have minimal experience in the ways of the wilderness. The other troops laugh at them and count the days until they give up, but Phyllis rallies the girls and continues. Even if they can’t get all the patches like the other troops, they obtain the ones within their reach and in some cases, use creative means to earn the honors. But when it comes time to face off with their rival troop, can Phyllis and her girls prove that they belong in The Wilderness Girls?
The world of family comedies isn’t loaded with worthwhile releases, let alone ones that deal with mothers and daughters. We see some films touch upon that relationship, but in Troop Beverly Hills, girl power is on full showcase. No, this movie isn’t the kind that wins armloads of awards, but is has a good message and is loads of fun. The topics of divorce, class status, and self esteem are covered and well handled, but not in the usual, afterschool special methods. Instead, the tone remains light and most of the comic material works very well. I love the performance of Shelley Long (The Money Pit, The Brady Bunch Movie) here, but she has a lot of talent around her also. This is just one of those movies that never fails to entertain, even after countless viewings over the years. Even if you love the movie though, this terrible disc from Columbia isn’t even worth the price of a rental. So until Columbia gets it right, pick up the cheap laserdisc or watch Troop Beverly Hills on cable. In the end, we have a barebones disc with a low end soundtrack and miserable visual presentation. If Columbia insists on pushing out those bottom of the barrel discs, at least they should price them under ten bucks. But instead, let’s hope they come to their senses and we don’t have to endure releases like this in the future.
Video: How does it look?
Troop Beverly Hills is presented in full screen, instead of its intended widescreen presentation. In a real burn, the film begins in widescreen, but soon after the opening credits end, it turns into an unacceptable full screen version. I know this is just a light comedy, but come on Columbia, every film deserves a proper presentation. And as if that injustice isn’t bad enough, this is a weak overall visual effort. The print has frequent debris and grain, which produces a worn, even dirty set of visuals. The poor print results in not just a soft image, but one with poor black levels and somewhat muted colors. This is simply an unacceptable treatment, so let’s hope Columbia revisits this movie and gives it a proper transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
This sounds just like the laserdisc, which means a thin, unmemorable experience. All the needed elements come through in passable fashion, but this soundtrack seems much more limited than it should be. I expected an enhanced audio treatment here, one which crossed off the problems of the laserdisc and added overall presence. Instead, this seems to be the same track and that is a real disappointment. The music has some life, but other sound effects seem weak and never have enough punch. The dialogue is smooth and always clear, but the other elements simply don’t deliver as expected. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English and French, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
