Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Fletch Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 11, 2024

Michael Ritchie's "Fletch" (1985) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary by critics Bryan Reesman and Max Evry; archival program on the making of the film; archival cast and crew interviews; vintage trailers; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Igor Stravinsky

Fletch is a genuine Chevy Chase character. Of course, you should give Gregory McDonald credit for creating Fletch, but on the big screen, Chase owns this character. Completely. You can like and you can dislike what Chase does with Fletch, or do a little bit of both, but you cannot disagree that Chase gives him a very, very unique personality that effectively invalidates his relationship with MacDonald and his successful novels.

While pretending to be a bum on the beach and collecting information for a blockbuster story about the drug trade in Southern California, investigative reporter Irwin Fletcher (Chevy Chase) is approached by Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson), a multi-millionaire. Fletch follows Stanwyck back to his posh home, where he is offered $50,000 to commit a murder and a plane ticket to Rio de Janeiro. Stanwyck, who has planned the murder and the escape route, is also the target. When Fletch asks him to reveal why he wants to die, Stanwyk explains that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Fletch agrees to do the job and accepts a $1,000 bonus, but immediately after that begins digging into Stanwyk’s medical history and business dleaings. He quickly discovers that Stanwyk’s is a very healthy and very greedy man, who has put together a complicated scheme to steal his beautiful wife’s (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson) fortune.

Michael Ritchie directs Fletch with distinct confidence, providing the entire film with a stable and attractive 1980s appearance. However, the attitude and tone of Fletch are remarkably flexible, at times perhaps even perplexingly so. While the flexibility is intentional and produces effective contrasts during Chase’s investigation, some areas look out of sync because the comedy and suspenseful material they produce do not gel. For example, this issue is easy to spot whenever Joe Don Baker’s character, a corrupt cop, appears because there is an instant reset of the light atmosphere that Chase and his antics have been creating. Elsewhere, some of the material where the camera is fixated on Chase and his antics simply runs too long, so the feeling that this material has a natural presence in his investigation begins to disappear.

The other obvious weakness of Fletch is the mostly underwhelming supporting cast. It is a strange weakness because Matheson and Baker are joined by several outstanding character actors. M. Emmet Walsh, for instance, plays a slightly loopy but still quite intelligent doctor with intimate knowledge of the multi-millionaire’s health. George Wendt is a beach relic who sees and hears a lot. Gena Davis is Chase’s most trusted co-worker at the building where he reports to his boss. While these actors are not mishandling their characters, they do not leave lasting impressions, which is strange and disappointing.

And yet, Fletch still works. Chase is frequently terrific, mixing witty humor and hilarious action that make the many twists and turns throughout his investigation genuinely surprising and enjoyable. Fletch is a good time capsule, too. It visits various naturally beautiful areas in and around Los Angeles with that classic 1980s look that is permanently lost now. Further enhancing this wonderful 1980s look is a terrific soundtrack with synth-pop tunes. Composed by Harold Faltermeyer, the main theme is something of a minor classic. It is quite similar to the iconic theme Faltermeyer composed for Beverly Hills Cop.

Ritchie’s director of photography was Fred Schuler, whose credits include several other big comedies that emerged during the 1980s, one of which is the Oscar winner Arthur.

Four years later, Ritchie and Chase reunited for Fletch Lives, which is based on an original screenplay by Leon Capetanos, not on any of the eight books McDonald had written after his original bestseller.

Fletch Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspects ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 10870p transfer, Fletch arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master that was struck from an interpositive. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this release offers a much stronger and more satisfying presentation of Fletch than Universal's original release of it from 2009. The improvements are everywhere. For example, all visuals have a much more attractive organic appearance because the sharpening that was present on the previous release is eliminated. Contrast is managed a lot better as well. Color balance is stable and natural. Saturation levels can be better, but all primaries and all supporting nuances are properly set and look healthy. Highlights are more convincing and more natural now. Darker nuances look good too, though this is one area where some meaningful improvements can still be made. The dynamic range of the visuals is good. I think that it can be even better, but for optimum results a 4K presentation will have to be considered. I noticed a few tiny nicks and blemishes, but there are no large cuts, debris, warped or torn frames to report. All in all, this release delivers a very fine presentation of Fletch that makes it possible to experience it in a brand new way. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Fletch Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed the entire film with the English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The big car chase, the remaining action, and the music sounded great on my system. I like the main theme a lot, so in a couple of places I turned up the volume quite a bit and thought that the quality of the music was outstanding. In the upper register, but elsewhere as well, there are no traces of age-related anomalies. Perhaps some small adjustments are possible to improve balance, but I like the quality of the 2.0 track a lot.

Fletch Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Bryan Reesman and Max Evry.

• Just Charge It to the Underhills: Making and Remembering Fletch - an archival program about the making and success of Fletch featuring interviews with screenwriter Andrew Bergman, producer Alan Greisman, producer Peter Douglas, M. Emmet Walsh, George Wyner, and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, among others. A few of the interviewees also share a hilarious story about an odd experience they had in Rio de Janeiro while trying to shoot the final scene from Fletch. In English, not subtitled. (27 min).

• From John Cocktoastin to Harry S. Truman: The Disguises - an archival program about Chevy Chase's transformations and the many aliases he uses throughout Fletch. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Favorite Fletch Moments - a small selection of hilarious short clips from Fletch. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Chevy Chase: Reba Merrill Profile - presented here is an excerpt from an archival program in which Chevy Chase addresses his work in Fletch. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Fletch. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• TV Spots - presented here are a couple of vintage TV spots for Fletch. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

Fletch Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Occasionally, it does feel like Fletch becomes too much of a one-man show, which is unfortunate because Chevy Chase is joined by several excellent character actors. On the other hand, Chase is frequently brilliant, so it is not difficult to understand why Michael Ritchie's camera spends a lot of time observing him and his antics. I quite enjoy Fletch. It could have been a better film, but there is a lot more in it that works very well and looks wonderful. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from an exclusive new, very good 2K master, so consider an upgrade. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.