ORANGE COUNTY (DVD) WS ENHANCE 16X9/DOLBY DIG(ENG 5.1 SUR/ENG DOL DVD

Orange County
Some cast and crew from NBC's highly acclaimed, little-seen series Freaks and Geeks reunite for this Teen comedy that also marks the first starring role for Tom Hanks' son, Colin. The younger Hanks plays Shaun Brumder, a high schooler eager to propel himself out of the land of surf bums and ranch homes to which the film's title refers. He's had his sights set on Stanford ever since he read the works of professor Marcus Skinner (Kevin Kline), and his transcript is stellar enough to gain him admission. Shaun is understandably furious, then, when he receives a rejection letter in the mail; after some detective work on his part, he realizes that his flaky counselor (Lily Tomlin) mistakenly sent the university the wrong papers. It's up to him to get to Stanford within 24 hours to set the record straight -- literally -- and he enlists the help of his slacker brother Lance (Jack Black) to do so. Orange County co-stars Catharine O'Hara and John Lithgow as Shaun and Lance's slightly unhinged parents; the film was directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Mike White, both of whom contributed to several episodes of Freaks and Geeks. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

Cast Colin Hanks as Shaun Brumder Jack Black as Lance Catherine O'Hara as Cindy Beugler Schuyler Fisk as Ashley John Lithgow as Bud Brumder Harold Ramis as Don Durkett Jane Adams as Mona Garry Marshall as Arthur Gantner Dana Ivey as Vera Gantner Chevy Chase as Principal Harbert Lily Tomlin as Charlotte Cobb George Murdock as Bob Beugler Leslie Mann as Krista Kyle Howard as Arlo RJ Knoll as Chad Bret Harrison as Lonny Munsack

Crew Anne McCarthy - Casting Mary Vernieu - Casting Felicia Fasano - Casting Debra McGuire - Costume Designer Carey Dietrich - First Assistant Director Jake Kasdan - Director Tara Timpone - Editor Adam Schroeder - Executive Producer Herbert W. Gains - Executive Producer Michael Andrews - Composer (Music Score) Manish Raval - Musical Direction/Supervision Tom Wolfe - Musical Direction/Supervision Gary Frutkoff - Production Designer Greg Gardiner - Cinematographer Scott Rudin - Producer Van Toffler - Producer Scott Aversano - Producer David Gale - Producer Steven Schwartz - Set Designer Keith A. Wester - Sound/Sound Designer Mike White - Screenwriter Robert Grieve - Supervising Sound Editor Joel Shryack - Supervising Sound Editor Chris Spellman - Set Decorator

Orange County
Director Jake Kasdan's shaggy, haphazard een comedy scores points for its likable (if miscast) leads and some inspired comic situations, but it's hard to think of the film as anything more than a missed opportunity. Orange County's scant 81-minute running time may provide some clues as to why: The best jokes in Mike White's mildly subversive script were most likely left on the cutting-room floor to avoid an "R" rating. What's left is a hodgepodge of gags about sex, substance abuse, and class privilege, some of which are spot-on in lampooning Southern Californian affluence, while others feel half-baked and perfunctory. Kasdan shoves the film along at a sprightly pace, but the economy comes at a price: The quick cutting and frequent close-ups rob County of its atmosphere and style, and most every role feels like an extended cameo. Even the inspired supporting work by Jack Black, Kevin Kline, and Catharine O'Hara fails to make an impression. On the plus side, the film's wall-to-wall pop/rock soundtrack -- a prerequisite for an MTV Films release -- makes room for some unexpected pleasures, including several sun-kissed Brian Wilson tracks and even a running parody of Crazy Town's corny hit single, "Butterfly." ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DDS: Dolby Digital Surround Additional Features: cc Widescreen version enhanced for 16:9 TVs Dolby Digital: English 5.1 Surround, English Dolby Surround, French Dolby Surround English subtitles Menus Scene selection Theatrical trailer 15 interstitials Commentary by director Jake Kasdan and writer Mike White 4 deleted scenes MPAA Rating: PG13 DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 82 min Part of Series: Paramount Widescreen Collection   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Dear Mr. Skinner 2. Opening Credits 3. Waiting for the Letter 4. Mrs. Cobb 5. Dad's House 6. Tanya 7. The Gantners 8. Lance's Big Idea 9. Mona 10. Dean Don Durkett 11. Back at the Admissions Office 12. Run Away 13. The Party 14. Chance Meeting 15. An Expert Escape 16. Back Home 17. Another Letter