7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Walter, Peanut, Bubba J, Jose Jalapeno... On a Steek!, and Achmed the Dead Terrorist as you've never seen them before! Enter the ultimate haunted house where Walter transforms into something grumpier than he already is! Watch Bubba J rise from the dead! Meet Peanut's alter ego, The Purple Avenger of the Night, and his spicy sidekick! And witness Achmed literally dressed to kill in an outfit that would terrify the most terrifying terrorist!
Starring: Jeff DunhamComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (224 kbps)
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Happy frickin' Halloweiner.
Ventriloquist extraordinaire and Comedy Central sensation Jeff Dunham is back with an all-new special, this one a themed show in which he and his
best friends discuss the joys of fright and the delight of scaring others, all the while engaging in general buffoonery in Jeff Dunham: Minding the
Monsters, Dunham's first Halloween special and second holiday-themed outing (the other being Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special). Dunham and puppets
delight with off-the-wall, foul-mouthed, politically incorrect banter about all things Halloween and even a few things not Halloween. The
characters
appear in full Halloween regalia, soaking in the Holiday or, at least, tolerating it while Dunham guides them on a journey beyond their thick artificial
skulls and into the very essences of what makes them tick on Halloween. Most importantly, the show answers the question of what could
possibly lead Achmed the Dead Terrorist to dress up like that which he
despises most: a free and scantily dressed American woman. This is the Jeff Dunham puppet collection like they've never been seen before, but rest
assured a change of appearance in no way means a departure from classic Jeff Dunham style.
That's something we thought we'd never see.
Jeff Dunham: Minding the Monsters arrives on Blu-ray with a competent high definition transfer framed at 1.78:1. The image offers satisfyingly sharp HD video content. Paramount's presentation is crisp and nicely detailed, evident on close-ups and wide shots of the auditorium alike. Viewers will appreciate the complex detailing and intricate textures visible on the puppets, a real treat that's probably the next best thing to seeing them in person. Close-ups reveal very fine lines and tiny accents that help create a more believable, lifelike puppet. Dunham's face and clothes are adequately presented, enjoying sufficient complexity. Colors are steady and accurate on the puppets and their colorful outfits. The rest of the image takes on a very warm, bronze-like appearance. There's a good bit of noise covering the image, but this is otherwise a solid, enjoyable presentation.
Jeff Dunham: Minding the Monsters features a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Like the video, this presentation satisfies but doesn't set any new Blu-ray standards. The track offers fair energy and, often, a good sense of crowd immersion, Applause sometimes lingers only across the front, but generally enjoys a more filling, rounded, back-channel supported sensation. Thunder booms, bass rattles, and other sound effects play clearly and often robustly during the short movie-inspired interludes, which also feature rich, satisfying music. Dialogue is clear and focused; the lossless track allows every verbal nuance to come through cleanly and clearly, making sure to capture all the necessary details that ensure the various voices come to life with the precision required to best appreciate the show.
Jeff Dunham: Minding the Monsters contains an audio commentary and several very good behind-the-scenes features, including a rather
fascinating piece on Dunham's use of cutting-edge 3D printing technology. As for the video itself, viewers may choose between "bleeped" and
"unbleeped" ("censored" and "uncensored") versions of the
program. Note that the disc does not contain seamless menus.
Jeff Dunham: Minding the Monsters is funny, and oftentimes uproariously so, no question about it. It also has an air of staleness to it, a feel of routine, even if the dialogue is different and the characters have come dressed to the nines for a Halloween special. The good news is that even when the show gets a little dull, the intercutting movies are fantastic and Dunham is so good at what he does that there's always value in simply watching the best of his kind at work. This is a very good show even if it's not groundbreaking. Hardcore Dunham fans will love it, casual viewers will enjoy, and newcomers may as well start here; it's as good as any other Jeff Dunham show and the puppet personalities are so rich that no background is required to truly enjoy them. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Jeff Dunham: Minding the Monsters features good video and audio and a surprisingly robust and very interesting assortment of extras that are alone reason enough to add this release to any Blu-ray collection. Recommended.
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