Product Description

Chevy Chase is at his hilarious best in this suspense-packed comedy thriller based on Gregory McDonald's best-seller. Irwin Fletcher, a.k.a. Fletch (Chase), is an investigative reporter who's constantly changing his identity. While working on a drug expose, Fletch attracts the attention of a strange businessman (Tim Matheson) who wants him to be killed so his wife will inherit more insurance. The wily Fletch senses a scam, and soon he's up to his byline in frame-ups, murder, police corruption and forbidden romance. It'll be the story of the year, if he can stay alive to meet his deadline!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11623 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-05-01
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Dolby, Dubbed, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 98 minutes

From Amazon.com
Gregory McDonald's lightweight mystery novel about an undercover newspaper reporter cracking a police drug ring is transformed by screenwriter Andrew Bergman (Blazing Saddles, and writer/director of The Freshman and Honeymoon in Vegas) into a fairly sarcastic and occasionally very funny Chevy Chase vehicle. Enjoyment of the film pivots on whether you find Chase's flippant, smart-ass brand of verbal humor funny, or merely egocentric. If you don't like Chase, there's really no one else worth watching (Geena Davis is sadly underused). Chase seems born to play I.M. "Fletch" Fletcher, a disillusioned investigative reporter whose cynicism and detached view on life mirrors the actor's understated approach to comedy. Fletcher offers Chase the opportunity to adopt numerous personas, as his job requires numerous (bad) physical disguises, and much of film's humor centers on the ridiculous idea that any of these phony accents or bad hairpieces could fool anyone. These not-so-clever disguises are put to use when Fletch becomes involved in the film's smart but continually self-mocking two-part mystery. As well as trying to gather drug-smuggling evidence against the LAPD for a long-overdue newspaper story, a rich and apparently terminally ill stranger also offers Fletch a large payoff to kill him. While the film does a fairly good job juggling both of these plots, not to mention tossing in a love interest as well, it's subservient, for better or worse, to Chase's memorable one-liners and disguises. Followed by two forgettable sequels that lack both the original's wit and Chase's attention span. The DVD version includes production notes and a theatrical trailer, and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1:85 to 1. --Dave McCoy

Review
Along with brethren like Animal House, Caddyshack, and Stripes, Fletch has earned its place among a choice few endlessly quotable movies, and not just among slacker cinephiles who think of it as their comedic Bible. In his only classic leading role (Clark Griswold from Vacation falls just short, and he's part of an ensemble in Caddyshack), Chevy Chase is such a genius wordsmith, talking circles around one befuddled character after another, that it reaches the sublime. The numerous wacky identities he assumes are really only a surface gimmick, not necessary with dialogue this snappy and smart. Chase makes it easy to understand why this guy would be both a riot to be around and a major source of exasperation. Director Michael Ritchie goes a little heavy on intrigue, using one too many synthesized suspense songs better suited to a movie like Beverly Hills Cop, but Chase's smarter-than-thou schtick delivers more than enough laughs to offset these gestures. The credentials of screenwriters Andrew Bergman (Blazing Saddles), Phil Alden Robinson (All of Me), and Jerry Belson (Smile) blend perfectly to create material that's just right for Chase's deadpan deliveries, as well as a plot that's sufficiently serpentine and genuinely interesting. Whether posing as a mattress-tag inspector or running up endless food orders on the bill of a country club prig, Chase is the smooth prankster we all wish we could be. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide

On the DVD
Interviews:
Just charge it to the Underhills - Making and remembering Fletch: Relive the insanity of this comedy masterpiece through hilarious interviews with the cast and crew!
Behind the scenes: From John Cocktoastin to Harry S. Truman - The disguises:
See how Chevy Chase's wild imagination and a few prosthetics created the wackiest characters of all time!
The Classics:
Favorite Fletch moments - Relive the funniest Fletch moments!

Customer Reviews

The F in Fletch is also for Funny
Chevy Chase stars as I.M Fletcher in the 1985 screen adaptation of Gregory McDonald's mystery series Fletch. Fletch is an undercover journalist investigating drug trafficking and the L.A.P.D, when he's approached by a stranger who asks to be killed for money. As the movie progresses, Fletch discovers that there's a connection between the man and the drugs, and the entire ordeal is very funny.

The film relies entirely on the comedic styles of Chevy Chase, as it's he that brings the sarcastic and witty Fletch to life. Through out the film, Fletch incorporates a variety of poor disguises and often introduces himself as different people, such as when he's a drug addict named Ted Nugent. Another highlight is when Fletch fanaticizes about himself playing professional basketball while wearing a giant Afro-wig.

The synthesizer sound track is not as memorable as Beverly Hills Cop's, "Axel F", but it complements the film nicely. Cinematography and directing are usually not aspects focused on in comedies, but in Fletch the two are as high quality as the writing. Fletch is rated PG and relies on clever humor and sight gags rather than raunchy jokes, which makes the comedy smart and inoffensive, unlike recent comedies such as National Lampoons' Van Wilder.

The most important aspect of comedy is the jokes, and the ones in Fletch are great, but its Chase's delivery that makes them fantastic. Whether its Fletch's one-liners, such as distracting a Doberman Pincher with, "Look, defenseless babies!" or instances such as when he claims to be real estate developer Harry S. Truman, the whole movie is outstanding. From start to finish, Chase delivers a performance that's sure to bring a smile to one's face and fill the room with laughter.

2 Paws Up!!!
I watched this with my master today, and boy did he laugh a lot. I like when he laughs because that means he is happy and then he pets me more. The movie had a lot of action, and a lot of humor too! I was a little scared of the Doberman guarding the realtor's office. Those dogs mean business, let me tell you!!! They could easily tear a dog like me in half, so I keep my distance. But yeah, great movie!!!

Retch
The movie is just plain bad, not horrendously so. Chevy Chase has less talent then Anna Kournikova. What plummets this to One Star is that it somehow has gained cult status. Maybe the government is putting doping agents in our water, for whatever reason hundreds or more think this is legendary cinema. They are wrong and I am right.