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Dom Robinson reviews
Paramount
- Cert:
- Cat.no: PHE 8036
- Running time: 99 minutes
- Year: 1999
- Pressing: 2000
- Region(s): 2, PAL
- Chapters: 18 plus extras
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround
- Languages: 6 languages available
- Subtitles: 11 languages available
- Widescreen: 2.35:1 (Super 35)
- 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: Yes
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £19.99
- Extras: Director’s Commentary
Director:
- Alexander Payne
(About Schmidt, Citizen Ruth, Election, Inside Out, The Passion of Martin, Sideways)
Producers:
- Richard Donner and Art Linson
Screenplay:
- Mitch Glazer and Michael O’Donoghue
Music:
- Danny Elfman
Cast:
- Jim McAllister: Matthew Broderick
Tracey Flick: Reese Witherspoon
Paul Metzler: Chris Klein
Walt Hendricks: Phil Reeves
Dave Novotny: Mark Harelik
Linda Novotny: Delaney Driscoll
Diane McAllister: Molly Hagan
Tammy Metzler: Jessica Campbell
Lisa Flanagan: Frankie Ingrassia
Everyone at school knew a do-gooder.Someone who they’d love to see take a tumble and knock them off their smugperch just for once. Everyone’s tired of Tracey Flick (Reese Witherspoon),the Christian girly swot who’s trying her best to win the forthcoming electionfor student president.
She got teacher Dave Novotny (Mark Harelik) into trouble after a briefkiss-and-tell fling which resulted in him losing his job, but now JimMcAllister (Matthew Broderick) is also finding his head being turned,not only by Tracy, but his best mate Dave’s now-ex-wife Linda (DelaneyDriscoll). With his attentions divided his wife Diane (Molly Hagan)is pressurising him into doing his bit for them to have a child.
Fearing Tracy’s potential landslide victory Jim persuades dim high-schooljock Paul Metzler (Chris Klein) to run for president, but Paul findsfurther competition in the form of his lesbian sister Tammy (JessicaCampbell) after he inadvertently steals who she thought was her new loveLisa (Frankie Ingrassia).
Confused? It’s a fairly complex set-up from the outset, but one with manypotential comic possibilities, all of which get fulfilled resulting inElection turning into one of those comedies which should’ve been amonster hit. Broderick is certainly starting to show his age now though.
Presented in an anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen ratio, it looks mostly verygood with just a few small constant artifacts that are only visible close-up.Alas, after around half-an-hour in, the sound goes ever so slightly out withthe picture, but it’s just enough to prove annoying for the next 45 minutesor so.The average bitrate is fairly steady 7.71Mb/s.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound soundtrack is available in English andGerman only, with Hungarian and Czech in plain Dolby surround. It’s all veryclear, but doesn’t get a chance to shine.
Extras :Just the one again, but this time it’s a feature-length Director’sCommentary. The disc could also use at least a few more than 18 chapters.
Subtitles are available in English (and hard of hearing), Bulgarian,Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish andTurkish.
The disc also contains a basic static and silent menu with a shot of thefront cover and the usual options.
Overall, as alighted to earlier, this film is one of those hidden delightsthat rarely gets a look-in, but I’d recommend a rental first to see if thescant extras will still encourage a purchase.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALL
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.