The Film
Goldie Hawn had an especially impressive run in the '80s. She started off the decade with an Oscar-nominated role as Private Benjamin. Then, she signed out of the '80s a little early, with 1987's Overboard.
The plot of Overboard is a bit over the top. Hawn plays rich biotch Joanna Stayton, who pisses off the wrong guy, carpenter Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell). Shortly after Joanna suffers amnesia, Dean "claims" her as his missing wife only to return the torture. Of course, wackiness and true love ensues.
Director Garry Marshall had just three other feature films (but a ton of classic TV shows) under his belt before Overboard. Two films later, he hit major rom-com paydirt with Pretty Woman. Still, Overboard is much more enjoyable. It epitomizes '80s movies. It's cheesy, it's unrealistic, and it's completely lovable. It's also elevated to an acceptable level, thanks to real-life couple Hawn and Russell.
The Picture
If you've watched Overboard one of the countless times it has aired on cable TV, you'll instantly notice that this 1.85:1 transfer isn't that much of an improvement. It's definitely cleaner, but sports a ton of grain. That leaves little to no detail throughout the entire film. Color saturation is OK at best, but nothing spectacular. Joanna's red dress, which is basically a blip on the screen, offers the best color in the entire movie. It's sad to say, but this is still probably the best that this movie's image has ever looked for home video. It's also a nice glimpse of cheap '80s filmmaking at its finest.
The Sound
MGM doesn't offer any surround sound here, but the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track certainly gets the job done. There are some sound effects and the dialogue is fine. Also, you won't miss a note (even if you try) of that incredibly goofy '80s soundtrack.
The Extras
MGM gives viewers the theatrical trailer for Overboard, and nothing more. The disc doesn't even have a main menu; you'll have to use your remote's pop-up button to access anything.
Final Thoughts
Sadly, MGM didn't go overboard with the release of Overboard. The audio is serviceable, the extras are non-existent, and the video offers a blip of a better picture over basic cable. However, this is still one of those movies that we could watch over and over again -- and we have. If you must own this film on a continuous loop, it's ok to go a little overboard and pick it up at a discount on Amazon. It's probably the best this release will ever get.
Product Details
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