Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Have you ever had diarrhea from eating Mexican food? This is a particularly important question that is asked during the 1970 comedy Brewster McCloud starring Bud Cort and Shelley Duvall. Director Robert Altman directed M*A*S*H and Brewster McCloud in the same year. The two films are vastly different in about every aspect. Brewster McCloud (Bud Cort) lives underneath the Houston Astrodome, home to the MLB team Houston Astros in the 70s. He spends his time building a pair of wings so he can fly. He is helped by a guardian angel (Sally Kellerman) who often shoplifts. Brewster is a prime suspect for a string of murders where the only thing that is common amongst the murders is bird poop. Yes, bird poop.
Review
Brewster McCloud is one of the oddest films I have seen from the 1970s. The film does not quite make sense at times and is filled with pointless subplots that steer away from the main storyline. Despite a weak storyline, I was able to have a lot of fun with the film. Most of the humor comes in the beginning of the film when Brewster drives around millionaire Abraham Wright. Several gags involving the two are hilarious and often repetitive but make the film enjoyable. Wright is a character you hate but the film presents his scenes in a humorous way that makes them pleasing to watch. Most scenes moving forward after the interactions between Wright and McCloud focus on having shock value rather than building the narrative. Several characters are introduced throughout the film like Shelley Duvall’s character and they never feel important to the story. The film moves at a quick pace but hardly ever feels like it wants to complete a scene or further the story.
Video
Warner Archive Collection once again gives us another great looking transfer. Brewster McCloud is filled with bright colors and details that look stunning on Blu-Ray. One thing I was looking forward to seeing on Blu-Ray was the Houston Astrodome. It was home to the Houston Astros, an MLB team, as well as the Houston Oilers, an NFL team, for several decades. As a big fan of baseball, I like to research past baseball stadiums and teams. I have never visited the Astrodome, but Brewster McCloud gave me an in depth look at the stadium and that was pleasing. Many of the costumes and props within the film are colored nicely and the transfer can make them pop.
Audio
The film offers a few action sequences and the audio is presented well. It is not overbearing but also not climatic. The film also has a decent soundtrack with songs such as ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ and ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’. The soundtrack in the film is easily the loudest scenes in the movie and they are clear. The dialogue is also clear during the film with conversations heard nicely.
Special Features
- Theatrical trailer
Overview
Brewster McCloud was such an odd film with a narrative that did not seem to be going anywhere. It is one of those films that is so bad it is good. The Blu-Ray from Warner Archive Collection has a great 1080p transfer with a good audio track. I wish there would have been some special features based around the filmmaking of the movie. Any fan of absurd humor should check this film out for its wacky characters and its unique dialogue.
Warner Archive generously provided Hotchka with the Blu-ray for reviewing purposes.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
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