The Film
In 2010, we saw the release of Death at a Funeral, an all-star comedy featuring Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Regina Hall, Zoe Saldana, Danny Glover, James Marsden, Tracy Morgan and Luke Wilson. However, that movie was actually a remake of Death at a Funeral, a small-budget British film (we steal everything, don't we?), which was released theatrically just three years earlier.
This is the version that was directed by Frank Oz, who you may know as the hand (and voice) behind Miss Piggy, Cookie Monster, Yoda, and plenty of other famous muppets.
Otherwise, the films are very similiar, all the way down to the inclusion of Peter Dinklage. He comes to see Daniel (Matthew MacFadyen), who has organized his father's funeral. What could possibly go wrong? Um, everything, which is what makes this movie so entertaining. Daniel's brother Robert (Rupert Graves) doesn't want to pay his share of the expenses, Simon (the especially funny Alan Tudyk) accidentally drops acid and the casket, and Peter (Dinklage) shows up with blackmail in mind.
Death at a Funeral is slow in some parts, but it's still the funniest funeral we've ever attended. Much of that is due to Oz's capable direction. It's nice to see him get back in the director's chair -- a statement that we didn't think we'd ever make after 2004's The Stepford Wives. This is a much more entertaining effort.
The Picture
This is Death at a Funeral, not a circus, so the color palette is pretty muted. It's a lot of dark suits and funeral home decor. That's not to say that the 1.85:1 transfer doesn't have a few brighter moments. The outdoor scenes offer up a lot of nice greens. Other colors, most notably in the hazy sky and the back room's red wallpaper, don't pack quite the same punch. However, they seem intentionallt muted and are still more than acceptable. Blacks are really the star of the show here, and are well represented: inky and deep. It's also a fairly sharp presentation, despite the occasional soft shot.
The Sound
The DTS-HD Master Audio track is mainly about dialogue, with very few atmospheric sounds. That would be fine for this type of film, but that dialogue is a tad low in some points. That's not always good when British accents are involved. It's even worse when the score is overpowering. The audio has its better moments, but is pretty inconsistent and uneven overall.
The Extras
Two commentaries are the main perk on this release. One allows you to have director Frank Oz all to yourself. The second has writer Dean Craig and actors Alan Tudyk and Andy Nyman. Otherwise, the special features are slim, with a quick gag reel and the film's theatrical trailer.
Final Thoughts
Death at a Funeral isn't the funniest movie ever made, but it's probably the funniest movie about a funeral. That said, it takes a while for all of the main characters to arrive, introduce themselves, and get this party started. It's a tall order for 91 minutes, yet still manages to drag a bit. Still, Death at a Funeral is far from a somber occasion, and looks sharp in this high-def release.
Product Details
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