THE MOVIE

Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, The Producers was met with generally tepid reception upon its Christmas 2005 release - soon fading into the background with the release of other major titles. That is a real shame, for this is the most delightful musical treat to come along in quite a while. Always entertaining and toe-tapping, this film is a complete blast from beginning to end.

The plot follows a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer named Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) who, with the help of his shy accountant Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick) concocts a simple yet genius plot to make a lot of money. Get people to invest in a new show, get more money than you need, choose the worst one ever written, wait for it to flop and take the investment. They find their show in the form of "Springtime For Hitler" a neo-Nazi musical that praises the famed dictator. The screenwriter Franz Liebkind (Will Ferrell) is hesistant to give them the rights, but he is soon won over and agrees to participate. But when the show unexpectedly becomes an overnight sensation, Bialystock and Bloom must come up with a fast plan to avoid an encounter with the authorities.

The direction by Susan Stroman, a first-time filmmaker, is impeccable and really draws upon the charm of older movie musicals. The sets are colorful and musical sequences are always vibrant. It almost feels as if you aren't watching a film, but a live performance complete with extravagant set pieces. The screenplay, co-written by comedy genius Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, is hilarious and gives the actors a lot of material to work with. It isn't afraid to hold back and proves to be a winning satire of the Broadway industry.

Performances are spectacular here for the most part. Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane, who originated the roles of Bloom and Bialystock on the Broadway stage, have great chemsitry together and deliver excellent comedic performances. The standout is Lane, who manages to charm audiences with his sly and deceitful smile even when you know he is up to no good. Uma Thurman is memorable playing against type here as an aspiring Swedish actress. She also proves that she has a fantastic singing voice in a showstopping number entitled "When You Got It, Flaunt It." But the scene-stealer here is Will Ferrell, who delves so deep into his role that he creates one of the most hilarious characters to come along in quite a while. Everything he does is completely outrageous and borderline offensive, but you can't help but love this bumbling idiot.

This is a fantastic film that is easily one of 2005's very best. Highly recommended for any fan of musicals or comedies in general. You're sure to have a ball with these Producers!

The DVD, released by Universal Studios, boasts a rich 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that looks great. The bright colors are well-reflected and everything seems pitch-perfect. The audio unfortunately doesn't offer a DTS track (which would have been great due to the film's genre), but the one provided here is still good, with the show-stopping musical numbers sounding incredibly clear and vibrant.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Due to its mediocre reception in theaters, The Producers only features a few extras. While one can't help but wish for more, what is provided here proves to be a very decent selection.

The best is the batch of deleted scenes and musical numbers. Running for about twenty minutes, it is comprised of many new scenes of dialogue, alternate takes of scenes already present, and entirely new sequences. The song and dance number "The King Of Broadway," performed by Nathan Lane and the ensemble, is the best and should have remained in the film. It's a fun and catchy song that goes with the tone of the main feature. Some short musical vignettes featuring Will Ferrell are also quite memorable. All of these scenes are presented in the same quality as the film itself, looking and sounding great.

The outtakes here are also very funny and show quite a bit of behind-the-scenes material. For about 15 minutes, we are treated to more hilarity with these actors - whether it is them hamming it up or messing up musical numbers. Everyone seems to be having a very good time here, and it is a real pleasure to watch.

The "Analysis Of A Scene" feature, a 16-minute documentary focusing on the film's musical number "I Wanna Be A Producer," is quite solid, but it would have been better to see a feature on the making of the entire film. One of the best scenes in the movie, this delves deep into the preparation for the shoot and provides interviews with both Stroman and Brooks. It is very interesting to watch for the most part.

The final bonus feature is a feature length audio commentary from Susan Stroman. This track is almost hard to listen to, for while it is packed with information, it feels almost scripted. It is quite obvious that Stroman had a list of notes in front of her while recording this. Nonetheless, fans of the film should check it out.

THE VERDICT

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