The Producers 50th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray – The DVDfever Review

The Producers is one of those films I’ve never seen before, but now is getting a Blu-ray 50th Anniversary Edition release and as with a number of recent titles such as Birdman of Alcatraz and The Defiant Ones, it’s good to use this moment to catch up with what has been deemed a classic over the years. I won’t be able to comment on the quality of the Blu-ray presentation, as there was just a screener link for this film, but let’s just get into the film, anyway.

Theatrical producer Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) is playing ‘hide the sausage’ with rich old women in order to con them into funding his dire plays, but he’s more Marty Feldman than Brad Pitt, so it does make you wonder what they see in him. Then again, maybe their eyesight has gone and they didn’t notice his dodgy comb-over?

Thanks to some fraud issues, he needs accountant Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder) to cook the books, and together, they figure out that if Max raises more money than he needs for his next production, then makes a terrible show, no-one will come to see it, there’ll be no money expected for the backers and Max can abscond with all the dosh.

However, they come across “Springtime for Hitler”, described as a “gay romp with Adolf and Eva”, but contray to their expectations, it’s massive, and then they’re in deep trouble because they’ve promised far more in returns than they can manage.

There are a few decent gags where people are NOT shouting to deliver them, but that doesn’t happen often. I know this a huge film, and one that led to a 2005 remake with Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane, as well as countless stage productions, but I really didn’t get this since everyone’s just shouting at each other!

I said – EVERYONE’S JUST SHOUTING AT EACH OTHER!!!!

NOTE: This review is for the film only, but the extras include:

• Q&A with Mel Brooks and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz from the TCM Classic Film Festival 2018
  
• Tempo episode with Zero Mostel
  
• Making of The Producers
  
• Paul Mazursky reads Peter Sellers ad
  
• Sketch gallery slideshow
  
• Deleted Scenes
  
• Soundtrack Spoofs
  
• New The Producers trailer

The Producers 50th Anniversary Edition is released today on Blu-ray and DVD, as well as being available on Amazon Video.

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Kenneth Mars, Gene Wilder, Zero Mostel and Lee Meredith

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Detailed specs:

Cert:
Running time: 88 minutes
Studio: Vertigo Releasing
Year: 2018
Format: 1.85:1 (35mm)
Released: September 10th 2018
Score: 2/10

Director: Mel Brooks
Producer: Sidney Glazier
Screenplay: Mel Brooks
Music: John Morris

Cast:
Leo Bloom: Gene Wilder
Max Bialystock: Zero Mostel
Hold Me Touch Me: Estelle Winwood
Ulla: Lee Meredith
Franz Liebkind: Kenneth Mars
L.S.D. – Lorenzo St. DuBois: Dick Shawn
Eva Braun: Renee Taylor
Goebbels: David Patch
The Drunk: Bill Hickey
Göring: Barney Martin
The Landlord: Shimen Ruskin