Over the Edge Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Over the Edge Blu-ray Movie Review

This deluxe edition release of Jonathan Kaplan's OVER THE EDGE (1979) courtesy of Arrow Video UK comes with 3+ audio commentaries, a multi-part retrospective documentary, an archival post-screening Q&A, multiple image galleries, text-based supplements, and trailers. Several of these extras are exclusive to this disc. Region free.

For my thoughts on the film, please see my review of the Shout disc here.

Over the Edge Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arrow's release of Over the Edge is presented in 1.78:1 on this MPEG-4 AVC-encoded BD-50 (disc size: 46.56 GB). The image boasts a nice texture and ample grain that's neither chunky or too scattered. Dirt and scratches are virtually nonexistent. Skin tones are a little warmer here than than they are on Shout's transfer. Arrow has encoded the feature at an average video bitrate of 30276 kbps.

The 95-minute film receives a dozen chapters from Arrow just as it does on Shout's release.

Over the Edge Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Arrow has supplied a DTS-HD Master Audio Single Mono mix (1093 kbps, 24-bit). This is an outstanding mono track. Arrow has not resorted to any dynamic range compression. It has also not employed an equalizer to moderate sound levels. The viewer can literally hear Cheap Trick's "Surrender" as if s/he were listening to it in a live studio recording. It practically blasts out of Carl's headphones. Songs by The Cars, Van Halen, Earl King (with Hendrix performing his "Come On"), the Ramones, Little Feat, Valerie Carter, and other ballads by Cheap Trick all sound fantastic on this lossless 1.0 mono mix. Arrow has also included the music and effects on a separate track.

Optional English SDH can be accessed through the main menu or via remote.

Over the Edge Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary With Director Jonathan Kaplan, Producer George Litto, and Writers Tim Hunter & Charlie Haas - this feature-length track was first recorded for the Warner Bros. DVD in 2005. Because the filmmakers went on to work with some of the same cast members in later features, they developed an intimate familiarity with them and share a number of anecdotes from their collaborations. This is a lively and jovial chat. A gap occurs 35 minutes in that lasts for several minutes. There's also a few more gaps throughout the track. In English, not subtitled.

• Audio Commentary With Star Michael Kramer and Journalist Mike Sacks - recorded in 2018, this full-length commentary first appeared on this Arrow disc. Sacks is an über fan and expert of everything Over the Edge so he was very well qualified to commentate on it here. Among the numerous topics he covers, along with Michael Kramer who joins him on the recording, are auditions, the ultra-rare novelization by Charlie Haas and Tim Hunter based on their screenplay (which I'd love to obtain a copy of), backstories of the film's characters, off-screen activities while taking a break from filming, and the songs in the film. This is a highly substantive track and an arguably better listen than the archival DVD commentary. In English, not subtitled.

• EXCLUSIVE Excerpts From the Projection Booth Podcast Episode on the Film: Discussion by Mike White, Leon Chase, and Heather Drain (1:32:35) - The participants watch the film while discussing it; their comments play over the feature. The trio explain how they first became fans of Over the Edge, compare and contrast it with other films in the same genre, analyze its use of songs, and reflect on the difficulties of teen life. In English, not subtitled.

• EXCLUSIVE Excerpts From the Projection Booth Podcast Episode on the Film: Cast and Crew Interviews - these excerpted interviews with Charlie Haas, Tim Hunter, and a few of the actors play during the first half or so of the film. The second half of space is filled with rehashed bits of the 2005 commentary. In English, not subtitled.

• Wide Streets + Narrow Minds (1:12:46, 1080p) - a retrospective 2021 documentary produced by Arrow Video and directed by Elijah Drenner. It covers Over the Edge's inception, production, and legacy. The doc contains interviews from a couple years ago with various cast and crew members, including co-writer Tim Hunter, director Jonathan Kaplan, co-writer Charlie Haas, talent scouts Jane Bernstein and Linda Feferman, as well as production designer Jim Newport. We also hear from stars Matt Dillon (Richie), Michael Kramer (Carl), Tom Fergus (Claude), Vincent Spano (Mark), Pamela Ludwig-Dreyfus (Cory), Julia Pomeroy (Julia), Harry Northup (Doberman), Kimberly C. Ehmke (Abby), Jeff Fleury (Outlaw), and Diane Reeve (Marcy). Also interviewed are the two journalists who wrote the "Mousepacks" article for the San Francisco Examiner, Bruce Koon and Jim Finefrock. The seven parts of this doc can be played individually or via Arrow's "Play All" option. All interviewees speak in English, not subtitled.

• EXCLUSIVE Full Post-film Q&A from a 2010 screening at the Walter Reade Theater in New York (39:59, 1080i) - this was a Lincoln Film Center post-screening Q&A about Over the Edge sponsored by VICE magazine. This cast and crew reunion features remarks by Tom Fergus, George Litto, Tim Hunter, Charlie Haas, Jane Bernstein, Harry Northup, Michael Kramer, Pamela Ludwig, and Julie Pomeroy. The participants give their reflections after more than three decades making it. Litto is difficult to hear for at least the first half because he shakes the microphone. (A Lincoln staff member runs over to show him how to keep the mic right up by his mouth.) I have good ears and was able to comprehend all his comments. He talks about how the picture was distributed, marketed, and received in the US, Japan, and France. Audience questions are supported by captions. The camerawork is rather jittery throughout. This is a valuable program to have because it was the movie's first retrospective. In English. (Cast and crew remarks aren't subtitled.)

• EXCLUSIVE Mousepacks Story Outline (1978) (6 screens of text) - this piece is akin to an early treatment of Over the Edge conceived by Haas and Hunter that was pitched to potential investors.

• EXCLUSIVE Original Press Kit (1979) (17 screens of text) - Orion's press kit contains a detailed summary of Kaplan's directing career up to that point, bios of five of the young teen actors, and bios of the adult actors.

• VICE Retrospective by Mike Sacks (2009) (47 screens of text) - this was an oral history that Mick Sacks did on Over the Edge that was originally posted on VICE magazine's website. It has been reproduced here with extended excerpts of interviews Sacks did with Haas, Hunter, Litto, Kaplan, cinematographer Andrew Davis, Bernstein, Dillon, Spano, Kramer, Ludwig, Northup, Frank Mugavero (party host in the film), Ellen Geer (who plays Sandra, Carl's mother), Andy Romano (who plays Fred, Carl's father), and Pomeroy, Also interviewed are Bun E. Carlos (drummer for Cheap Trick), Richard Linklater, and Andy Holtzman (former film curator). They (more or less) cover the original story that inspired the film, casting, the shoot, post-production, marketing, and the movie's legacy.

• EXCLUSIVE Welcome to New Granada by DRATS!!! (27:01) - a complete "rock operetta" inspired by Over the Edge. It was written, performed, and released by the art rock group DRATS!!! in 2006.

• Destruction: Fun or Dumb? (12:47, 1080p) - the full educational short excerpted within Over the Edge, remastered in HD. The footage appears to have been shot in Philadelphia. In English, not subtitled.

• US Theatrical Trailer (1:48, 1080p) - Orion's official trailer for Over the Edge, which is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital 1.0 (160 kbps). It has been fully restored and sports only a few age-related artifacts.

• US TV Spots (1:05, upscaled to 1080i) - two unrestored TV spots that are packaged like mini-teaser trailers.

• UK VHS promo (0:58, upscaled to 1080p) - a little promo that's in good condition considering it's from an old tape.

• German Theatrical Trailer (3:01, upscaled to 1080p) - this longer trailer for Over the Edge (known in Germany as Anger in the Belly) is presented in 1.33:1. The actors are dubbed in German and their dialogue is subtitled in English!

• EXCLUSIVE Original Screenplay - this is the full script for Mousepacks with an introduction by Tim Hunter. To read each page, you will need to hit the Skip button on your remote.

• EXCLUSIVE Production Stills and Lobby Cards - a collection of approximately 195 production photos in both black and white and color. These essentially depict the narrative of Over the Edge from almost beginning to end. The film's still photographer Wynn Hammer lent these snapshots to Arrow. After the production snapshots end, lobby cards from the US and foreign markets begin. There are about 22 in all. These galleries, as well as the other two on the disc, are not moving slideshows so you will need to press the Skip button on your remote to advance to the next still.

• EXCLUSIVE Behind the Scenes - Hammer, Haas, Hunter, and Pamela Ludwig-Dreyfuss lent their photos of Over the Edge's shoot to Arrow. The stills show the crew working on location and the actors up close. There are 45 in all.

• EXCLUSIVE Poster & Video Art - the first set of stills are taken from a sales brochure by design agency B.D. Fox & Friends when the movie was initially known as Mousepacks. In addition, there are images from an exhibitor's manual, pages about the film in Variety, newspaper adverts, and covers scanned from the VHS and DVD covers (American and international releases). There are 45 in all.

Over the Edge Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Arrow's Blu-ray of Over the Edge redefines what a "special edition" of a film is and should be. The video and sound presentations are film-like and authentic. The supplementary materials are both bountiful and comprehensive. This is a MUST OWN that earns my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION.