Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Steve Martin wasn't always such a wild and crazy guy. Sure, he was The Jerk and The Man With Two Brains. He was even the dad that went ballistic over the ratio of hot dogs to hot dog buns, in Father of the Bride.

Well, somewhere in between all of that insanity, Martin dropped his arrow headband for a bit and got all romantic on us. Hence, Roxanne.

This modern take on Cyrano de Bergerac finds C.D. Bales (Martin), a local firefighter with a nose for poetry, as well as beautiful astronomer Roxanne (Daryl Hannah). Unfortunately, he also has a nose for the ages -- a real honker. Despite C.D.'s wit and wisdom, Roxanne turns her attentions to young, buff recruit Chris (Rick Rossovich), who is dumb in front of women and pretty much everyone else. The two soon team up to become Roxanne's ideal man.

Roxanne is slightly sappy, complete with a bad '80s soundtrack. However, it's also got Martin, one of the greatest comedians of all time. With or without a goofy, giant, prosthetic nose, the guy just can't not be funny, making this one a must-see.

The Picture

While the movie holds up pretty well, this 2.40:1 transfer does not. There are plenty of great details, from C.D.'s nose and Roxanne's long flowing hair to the cuteness of the small town and some of its scenery. Colors, however, are just OK, and the film shows a few signs of its age. Overall, the film seems to have a slight dark tint, which isn't distracting, but doesn’t make it right.

The Sound

Despite the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track, most of the audio in this release sounds a bit canned, as if a few of the mics had aluminum foil over them or something. Still, the dialogue is clear and the balance is decent. Don't expect too much, though. There's virtually nothing going on in the surrounds here, except for the occasional dated sounds of Bruce Smeaton's score.

The Extras

This release is a bit of a slap in the face to Martin fans, as well as Blu-ray buyers. There are absolutely no special features on this disc, not even the film's original trailer.

Final Thoughts

Any Steve Martin fan will consider Roxanne a highlight in the comedian's career. Sure, it's not as wacky as some of his other endeavors; however, it's no Pink Panther either. While you may want to add it to your collection for a nostalgic chuckle, Sony offers little reason to blow the extra money to go for the Blu-ray.

Where to Buy:

• Roxanne on Blu-ray Disc (Amazon.com)

Product Details

• Actors: Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah, Shelley Duvall, Rick Rossovich, Fred Willard
• Director: Fred Schepisi
• Audio/Languages: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English, French, Portuguese), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Spanish)
• Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
• Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating: PG
• Studio: Sony Home Entertainment
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: May 5, 2009
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• List Price: $28.95