HOT FUZZ (3 disc) Collector's Edition
DVD Review by David Blackwell

DETAILS: 121 minutes, 5 audio commentaries, outtakes, deleted scenes, making of documentary, 8 featurettes, VFX comparisons, plothole featurettes, various video blogs, Dead Right short film, uncut Fuzzball Rally, trailers, and photo galleries

VIDEO: 2.35:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
AUDIO: English, French, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Surround EX
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

STUDIO: Rogue Pictures/ Studiocanal/ Working Title/ Big Talk Productions
RELEASE DATE: 11-27-2007

(Reviewer's note- this review contains content from the one disc HOT FUZZ DVD Review and it is mixed with review of the extras exclusive to the 3 disc Collector's Edition.) I love HOT FUZZ. It is the type of movie where you will have to see it more than once to absorb the details. Simon Pegg came to my attention first with SHAUN OF THE DEAD (which gets better as it goes on). He and director Edgar Wright are back with another script where they tackle the cop and action genre in one film. You have super cop Nicholas Angel (Pegg) who gets forced to transfer to small village because he is making the London police force look bad (because he is so good at his job). The village life seems nice and quiet until Angel and his bumbling partner (Nick Frost)- an action/ cop movie junkie- investigate a series of accidents that might just be murders.

HOT FUZZ attack all of the action movie cliches and the absurd things that happen in them like the cop who lives for the job and the over-the-top action. Cultural references, in-jokes, and refs to SHAUN OF THE DEAD are in this film. Also watch out for the cameos. A fantastic cast make this fun even more fun like Edward Woodward (I wish THE EQUALIZER would get released to DVD) and Timothy Dalton (as a supermarket manager). I also can't get the word Yarp out of my head. I just wish they weren't so in love with POINT BREAK and BAD BOYS 2 to make fun of them. Definitely I would love to see a HOT FUZZ 2.

SPECIAL FEATURES: The 10 minutes of outtakes are a hoot while Pegg and Frost play Michael Caine and Sean Connery for an outtake known as THE MAN WHO WOULD BE FUZZ. The 22 deleted scenes (with optional commentary by director Edgar Wright) have some gems including the lost hoodie subplot.

The audio commentary for the film is by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright. If you loved the audio commentary for SHAUN OF THE DEAD by Wright and Pegg, you'll love this one too. With the 3 disc Collector's Edition, you get four new tracks including one with special guest Quentin Taratinio.

A few fun extras are on the the first disc like HOT FUNK (censored scenes for TV use, DANNY'S NOTEBOOK, and the trailers (theatrical trailer, two UK TV spots, the director's cut ad). Also on disc are storyboard and Fuzz-O-Meter (Trivia) tracks.

Disc 2 has the behind-the-scenes featurettes. THE MAKING OF HOT FUZZ is an insightful and funny behind-the-scenes documentaries. Out of the eight behind-the-scenes featurettes, the best one to check out is Simon and Edgar's notepad charts that give all of the character and plot elements before they actually write the script.

PLOT HOLES AND COMPARISONS explain and fill in the gaps of three possible plot holes.

DEAD RIGHT was the first cop film Edgar directed (at 18). One of the two audio commentaries (the first by director Edgar Wright and the second with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) can be played over it without missing anything. Simon and Nick's commentary enhances the viewing experience of DEAD RIGHT.

Poster and photo galleries, 13 online Video blogs, and a few SPECIAL EFFECTS: BEFORE AND AFTER featurettes (shiowing what went into various VFX shots) ROUND OUT THE DISC 2 EXTRAS.

Disc 3 features the 70 muniute THE FUZZBALL RALLY (as Simon, Nick, and the director tour the USA) uncut. Simon, Nick, and director Edgar Wright actually provide a funny audio commentary that is even more fun than THE FUZBALL RALLY. You get variour R rated stories, more info on the tour, and even a reference to OLDBOY.

Also included on the disc are 4 VW blogs and 4 iTunes blogs. Simon, Nick, and Edgar give reports from the international press tour. Too bad the VW blogs don't fill the frame.

FINAL ANALYSIS: The 3 disc Collector's Edition is a must-own for fans of HOT FUZZ. The extras are very entertaining and worth the upgrade.

this DVD review is (c)12-4-2007 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com  


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