The Film
I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen.
During my second year of college, a girl in my dorm used to blast out Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" on a loop. Know why? Because it was part of one of the most romantic moments in film history -- OK, at least '80s film history.
However, Say Anything is not a one-note (or one-song) wonder. First of all, it's a Cameron Crowe film -- his first as a director. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Singles, Almost Famous -- the guy has a way of creating characters. So instead of slapping down your typical sex-starved teens and calling it love, he created memorable characters, quotes and scenes. It's easy to make a teen love story. It's hard to actually make you care about a teen love story.
Despite being a classic Cusack film from the '80s, Say Anything has a surprisingly nice image. It's not going to be one that you use as a demo, but the 1.85:1 transfer is a good one. The black levels are pretty deep the colors are spot on -- just check out that rosy glow in Diane's cheeks. There's also a decent amount of detail throughout, from the many moments in the graduation scene, to the strings on the guitars, to the strands in Diane's often tousled hair.
The Sound
Crowe must have a killer album collection (and yes, we're assuming a lot of it is vinyl). His movies have some of the best soundtracks. Say Anything is no different. Fishbone, Peter Gabriel, The Replacements, Red Hot Chili Peppers and others all depict the time period so perfectly -- and so wonderfully on this DTS-HD Master Audio track. The bass is excellent and despite the genre, the music never gets too loud. As far as the rest of the film is concerned, the post-graduation party scene provides the most action for the rear speakers. A few other audio details pop up, but most of the sound sticks close to the front for this dialogue-driven movie.
The Extras
For its 20th birthday, Fox has compiled a decent amount of extras on this single-disc release. The studio put together a nice (and new!) look back at the film, which includes all of the major actors, as well as Cameron Crowe and his wifey, Heart singer/guitarist Nancy Wilson. The 22-minute retrospective talks about how Cusack wasn't all that interested at first, how well the film has stood up against the test of time, the inspiration for Lloyd Dobler, and how Cusack and Skye may or may not have had on-set crushes.
Crowe, Cusack and Skye have a lot to say about the film -- so much that the commentary starts 20 minutes before the film does. As still photos play, the three start chatting like old friends. They never seem to run out of material, either. It's sweet and interesting, and a nice peek at the casting, how the Joe songs came about, how Ordinary People provided some inspiration, how Fishbone's "Turn the Other Way" is the actual song playing on the boombox, and how Eric Stoltz would bring everyone coffee. It's not brand new, but it's definitely worth a listen.
There are plenty of other interviews, deleted scenes, and trivia. It's not all new, but it's pretty good. We have to applaud Fox; making this 20th Anniversary special edition something that is actually special.
Final Thoughts
It's been 20 years since Say Anything made its debut. Feel a little old? This release makes it seems like yesterday. The film is still relevant, romantic and fun to watch. Fox has given the film a nice birthday present with this release. They even celebrated its birthday in New York with an all-Lloyd Dobler extravaganza. You may have missed that, but this one shouldn't pass you by. The transfer, the extras and the inexpensive price tag (Amazon has it for under $20!), make Say Anything a must-have for fans.
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