Review of Mr Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie - The Special Edition (2 Discs)

Introduction

`Bean - The Ultimate Disaster Movie` was something of a disappointment ten years ago, and it remains just that today. There are some very funny moments (the recycling of the head in a turkey routine from the Christmas special always entertains) though, in common with other misguided small to big screen transfers like `Kevin and Perry Go Large`, it just doesn`t quite cut the mustard.

The real problem with the movie is its astonishingly convoluted plot. Unlike the often-hilarious half-hour TV outings, `Bean` moves away from the wordless Jacques Tati styled routines into a new realm all together. Do we really want to hear Mr. Bean speak?

Here he is cast as a National Gallery curator who finds himself being sent to the US as an `art expert` who will deliver a key-note speech for the unveiling of recently acquired masterpiece `Whistler`s Mother`.

And that`s where the problems start. Now we have `Bean` on a plane (very funny); Bean at the airport (less funny), Bean as a visitor in an art expert`s home (mildly amusing) and finally, Bean as the eccentric art expert (un-funny). It`s a plot clearly calculated to befuddle children who will struggle to know what is going on, or even to care. Far better to invest in a set of TV specials.

There are some laugh aloud moments but for a visual comedian of Atkinson`s calibre, far too few. We can only hope that his new outing, the shameless Tati homage `Mr.Bean`s Holiday` will be back to form, though the brief insight offered on this disc doesn`t look too hopeful. If you watch the trailer on the official site (listen to the narrator`s pronunciation of `Rowan Atkinson`) you`ll get the gist of the problem. It`s the same one suffered in `Bean`. (Whisper: desperate attempt to break America).

Here`s the URL though you`ll have to cut and paste: http://www.beansholiday.com/flash.html

Video

Widescreen 1.85:1. This is a high quality transfer with no signs of wear, tear or blocking. Top notch.

Audio

Dolby Digital 5.1. A fun sound-bed with good use of the rears (and plenty of opportunity to do so with endless crashes, bangs and wallops).

Features

In addition to the main feature, you get the following:

DISC 1
BEAN SCENES UNSEEN
The usual trawl through the stuff that was deemed too dull for the final cut, including an amusing drive through Harrods, falling asleep on the plane, the Turkey scene extended, and some exceptionally dull extra footage at the airport that was wisely trimmed out of the movie.

`BEAN - THE ULTIMATE DISASTER MOVIE` MAKING-OF FEATURETTE
Filmed and edited in 1997, this is fairly standard fare. It`s nice to see Mel Smith in the Director`s chair though it`s all a bit tedious.

MR. BEAN`S HOLIDAY - SNEAK PEEK
This is a short `making of` documentary on-set. You`ll get a much better idea of the real deal by visiting the movie`s official website.

DISC 2
Two animated episodes. The first (`Goldfish`) is just incredibly unfunny, though the second (`Hot Date`) is marginally funnier, picking up a few of the gags from the original Bean Christmas Special.

Conclusion

With `Mr. Bean`s Holiday` about to hit the silver screens near you, it`s hardly surprising that so much `Mr. Bean` product is hitting the shelves.

This ten-year anniversary `special edition` double-DVD set is clearly part of that marketing programme.

I suppose it would be fair to say that the new movie is a very transparent homage to the evident influence that Jacques Tati has had on Atkinson, and that influence can be felt strongly in this feature outing too. `Bean` is a textbook lesson in visual comedy, perfect for global marketing, and it`s easy to see how it caught the imagination of its backers.

But like all great 30 minute TV concepts transferred to the big screen, there`s an over-riding feeling that it just doesn`t quite cut the mustard. It tries just a little bit too hard, and the clumsy relocation to the US takes Bean out of the humdrum which is where he works best.

But despite this, and its unnecessarily convoluted plot, it does have its laugh-aloud moments - the sick bag gag and the erasing of Whistler`s Mother`s face amongst the best of these.

There`s nothing particularly special about this edition (the extras are all largely superfluous and a perfectly good transfer of the main feature has been available for some time), though if you get caught up in the Bean revival, it must just tickle your funny bone.