Meatballs [Blu-ray]

Thanks so much

Bill Murray is a great actor

I first saw this film at the theater and thought it was very funny. Unlike some other films from the 1970s and 80s , this film has aged well. It's just as funny now as it was then. If you went to any type of summer camp in the 70s, you know this cast of characters.

This is how I remember most of 1970s and early 1980s California, only the science camp I went to was more oriented towards collecting field data than announcing who was giving "wet dreams" over the PA system, and was otherwise more sedate … the odd king snake in my chest of drawers or scorpion in the woodwork not withstanding. But, such is life in the Sierras during the summer.Meatballs looks at young blossoming sexuality, and is a lesson about liking people for who they are, and not how much money they have nor whatever kind of social status they may have by way of innate talent or fiduciary concerns. The girls were just as interested in sex as the guys, only some were more open and forward about it than others, and all that entails.I think this film captures the spirit of a regular summer camp where kids can let go of their parents' lordship for a week or two, and feel free to frolic with and without limited supervision, as well as partake in a myriad of activities. Even so, to me, this film is for the time, rather cliché in terms of the acceptance message, but this was a transitional time for the United States of America as a whole, as the traditional popular jock athlete in popular media and at various schools, was being eclipsed with a more accepting message of social inclusiveness. Having said that, nearly the entire cast is white. Ho hum. We went through social throes in the 60s to shed traditional social circles, and for a film that's about acceptance and inclusiveness, the cast seems awfully stereotypical of the time.I guess my real criticism is that even as a pre-teen, or grade schooler about to become a pre-teen, the message seemed exceedingly sappy or saccharine to a fault. Then again it is a film meant for the average American pre-teen, and pre-pre-teens who are "in the know" so to speak (most American male boys).Bill Murry gives the performance of the obnoxious likeable class clown turned camp counselor, displays some really physical flirtation techniques that today would be cause for a law suit, and winds up being the special goto help counselor for the kid who is the odd-kid-out. There's really nothing in the film that is too offensive, though still may shock some of the more conservative minded parents.I remember it because all the other kids at school bragged about it. So when I finally did see it … like the mature kid I was at the time, I shrugged my shoulders at it.Riding off the coattails of the likes of the Bad News Bears, Meatballs, meant for a slightly older audience, delivers on its promise of a summer camp movie.I say see it once and see what you think. You could do worse, but don't expect too much. A decent night's watch.

Missing the older movies makes one’s day

Ivan Reitman's 1979 comedy hit stars Bill Murray, who effortlessly parades around campgrounds and cliches found in many a kids' outdoor comedy, in this warm and satisfying summer-camp classic, packed with all the genre hallmarks one would anticipate.You may have seen other movies like it, but "Meatballs" is still the seminal camp movie, with its semi-raunchy humor (you'd never see a PG rated kids comedy now with as much adult material as this), fun mix of Elmer Bernstein score and songs (many written by Elmer and Norman Gimbel), and steady stream of laughs making for a good time for one and all.Surprisingly, "Meatballs" had something of a turbulent post-production process. Reitman's original version of the film focused mostly on the adventures of the various camp counselors, but when the director went to cut the film down, taking out nearly an hour of footage, he found himself with a 70 minute feature that needed "more." The director then decided to develop more material around the relationship between Murray's counselor and young Chris Makepeace, resulting in an enhanced emotional center at the heart of the picture (those scenes also stand out since Makepeace looks noticeably older).An independent production that's bounced around various video labels over the years, "Meatballs" was last issued by Sony in a Special Edition DVD that included a decent retrospective documentary. That edition was supposed to be released on Blu-Ray but never happened, leaving fans to wait until this excellent new Lionsgate HD package materialized. While the BD lacks the Sony documentary and other extras (it does retain a fascinating commentary track with Reitman and co-writer Dan Goldberg), the 1080p transfer is spectacular: crisp, colorful, and freed of DNR. The DTS MA stereo audio is likewise fine, and the original Paramount logo is retained (Paramount beat Fox and Universal for the rights to distribute the film theatrically in 1979). For Murray fanatics and comedy fans, this is a terrific catalog release that comes highly recommended.

I love the movie,package arrived in pieces not happy at all with that as this is dvd which is delicate. Now I have to try to find a replacement case.

Comedy classic, love it!

Years ago I saw this in the cinema so I am looking forward to a re-visit, rarely broadcast, Bill Murray upsets establishment TV. It has hilarious scenes even if somewhat raw in content, a good comment on USA philosophy as was Dirty Dancing and we have all been there whether trampling the ATC RAF camp parade ground and throwing logs in ditches or waiting to leap into the sea from boat or aircraft to practice being rescued by Air Sea, that never happened so we can watch Murray river antics, similar to Dan and Uncle Buck in a wood cabin with a Bald Headed Bear. Part of the era of such films.

Great a blast from the past must of watched it 4 times since it arrived.Excellent service all round.

Love this movie! Totally brings back memories of all the summer camps I went to in northern Ontario (where it was filmed) growing up.

Didn't work so I sent it back

funny film slightly dated now but still brilliant bill murray film. region 1 DVD so not all DVD players will play this filmdelivered quickly and packaged well.