There’s Something More About Mary

It’s nice that this audience favorite finally gets the treatment many would say it deserves, especially since the original version wasn’t even anamorphic.

The picture in this two-disc set is, thankfully, anamorphic, but the overall quality doesn’t seem to have been improved that much. Colors look a bit sharper and it’s not as soft, but that’s about it. The audio track (5.1 Dolby Digital) sounds exactly the same, which is perfectly fine.

This new two-disc set of There’s Something About Mary features the extras included on the original version, plus a whole crapload more. The feature itself has 15 minutes of added footage (and also features the original theatrical version), but having only seen the theatrical version once, a few years ago, we’re not sure exactly what footage is added.

We can speculate, however, that a lot of the really gross stuff in the new version is part of the new footage. Aside from the commentary by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, there is a second commentary by writers Ed Decter and John J. Strauss. The two discuss the history of the project, the involvement of the Farrelly brothers, and how perfect they feel the cast members are for their roles. Also on disc one is an alternate clay-animated opening title sequence.

Pop in disc two and we’re treated to more features than you would imagine would be available for a low-budget comedy. There is a 43-minute “Getting Behind Mary” diary that features plenty of behind-the-scenes footage and gives you a glimpse into what the shoot would have been like. It’s amusing for a few minutes, but gets really old really fast.

Possibly the best new extra is the AMC Backstory. It tells the entire history of the project, from its original conception 10 years before it was made, to its enormous, very surprising box office success. There are some cast interviews featuring Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Chris Elliot, all reflecting on their experience (but Elliot is trying too hard to be funny and just comes across as irritating. He should learn fes on certain aspects of the production, “Best Fight” award footage, foreign language clips (probably more amusing than they should be), a music video, outtakes, and the promotional clips and posters.

It’s a fabulous two-disc set that will surely appease fans of the film.

There’s Something About Mary, from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
119 minutes, anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) 16X9 enhanced, 5.1 Dolby Digital
Starring Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Lee Evans, Chris Elliot
Produced by Frank Beddor & Michael Steinberg and Charles B. Wessler & Bradley Thomas
Screenplay by Ed Decter & John J. Strauss and Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly
Directed by Peter Farrelly & Bobby Farrelly

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