Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Paramount has decided to release the film on Blu-ray -- again. If you scrambled to get last year's Best Buy exclusive, you can move along quietly. For the rest, this John Hughes classic is an absolute must-see.

And really, is there any Hughes film that isn't a classic? That said, this was the director's first release that targeted an adult audience, with two incredibly funny leads put into incredibly funny situations.

Steve Martin has one of his best roles as the uptight Neal Page, a man who just wants to get to his family in time for Thanksgiving. Standing in his way are the weather, several modes of transportation, and his travel companion, Del Griffith (a perfect John Candy). From there, hilarity ensues from just about every angle. If you haven't seen Planes, Trains and Automobiles, consider yourself severely comedy-deprived.

The Picture

Once again, if you have last year's release, there's nothing new to see here -- literally. The film has the same hit-or-miss 1.78:1 transfer. Blacks crush on occasion, there are few soft and even hazy scenes, and overall detail isn't all that awesome. The room at the Braidwood Inn is particularly dim and disappointing. That said, the colors are bold for the most part and it's definitely a nice boost from the DVD release. It's also probably the best print you'll ever see for this 25-year-old film.

The Sound

With so many wacky situations and modes of transportation in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, you'd probably expect this to be a more immersive experience. The DTS-HD Master Audio track definitely shows off some of those effects; certainly more than most comedies. However, the main attraction here is the hilarious dialogue, with every word being crystal-clear and quite awesome.

The Extras

It shouldn't be a surprise that this release picks up all of the special features from the 2011 Blu-ray. However, fans of the film and John Hughes will want to devour every morsel. That includes "Getting There is Half the Fun," a 16-minute Q&A with Hughes, Martin and Candy, which is intertwined with additional interviews and scenes from the movie. There's also an excellent two-part documentary titled, "John Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast." This is a tribute to the late filmmaker, featuring interviews with cast and crew from his films, film clips and archival interviews.

Final Thoughts

John Hughes created a legacy based on teen angst. However, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is absolutely one of his best films. It's funny, touching and has a stellar cast, all the way down to the many quickie cameos. The most disappointing thing about this Blu-ray is the actual Blu-ray, which is basically a pick up from last year's Best Buy exclusive. Unless Paramount is holding out for another anniversary release, this is probably the best you're going to get -- and considering the quality of the movie, you will want to get it.

Product Details

• Actors: Steve Martin, John Candy
• Director: John Hughes
• Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital Mono (Spanish, Portuguese)
• Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating: R
• Studio: Paramount
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: November 6, 2012
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• List Price: $45.99
• Extras:
  • Getting There is Half the Fun: The Story of Planes, Trains and Automobiles
  • John Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast
    • John Hughes: The Voice of a Generation
    • Heartbreak and Triumph: The Legacy of John Hughes
  • John Hughes for Adults
  • A Tribute to John Candy
  • Deleted Scene - "Airplane Food"