In addition to the recent theatrical releases now on DVD (listed below), October offers some great comedy classics. Watch for the 1964 musical My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison, on October 6 in a remastered widescreen edition, and the 1971 musical Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder and Jack Albertson, on October 20 in a Blu-ray version. In addition, the delightful 1987 Thanksgiving comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles, starring Steve Martin and John Candy, comes out in a special “Those Aren’t Pillows Edition” October 20.
October 6 Comedy DVD Release: Year One
Year One (2009) Rated Widescreen, Unrated Widescreen, and Unrated Blu-ray
Two cavemen (one hunter, one gatherer) wander through the history of the Bible, generating chaos and potty humor everywhere they go. With this much talent behind it (director Harold Ramis and screenwriters Ramis [Ghostbusters, Analyze This], Gene Stupnitsky [The Office], and Lee Eisenberg [The Office], plus an exceptional cast of comedic actors), the movie could have been much funnier. Judge for yourself if the disgruntled critics were right when the PG-13 version of the film was released earlier this summer in most countries.
- Starring Jack Black, Michael Cera, Oliver Platt, David Cross, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Vinnie Jones, Hank Azaria, Juno Temple, Olivia Wilde, Harold Ramis, Kyle Gass, Bill Hader, Paul Rudd, Rick Overton
- Genre: Comedy
- Run Time: 97 minutes
- Rating: PG-13 (for crude and sexual content throughout, brief strong language and comic violence); unrated versions contain additional sexual content and language that originally earned an R-rating before editing.
- Additional Information: In Year One, modern-day New Mexico and Louisiana serve as locations for ancient times.
October 13 Comedy DVD Release: Land of the Lost
Land of the Lost (2009) Widescreen and Blu-ray
Based on the 1970’s television show, this raunchier version of the story features a disgraced scientist and his mismatched assistants who wind up in a parallel universe where all timelines converge. Generally panned by reviewers for its meandering plotline, this film has a couple of things going for it nonetheless: The comedy stars accomplished funnymen Will Ferrell and Danny McBride, and features outstanding special effects from an enormous team of artists and craftspeople.
- Starring Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride, Jorma Taccone, John Boylan, Matt Lauer, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Sierra McCormick, Shannon Lemke, Steve Wash, Jr.
- Director: Brad Silberling
- Writers: Chris Henchy and Dennis McNicholas, based on a television series by Sid Krofft and Marty Krofft
- Genre: Science Fiction Adventure Comedy
- Run Time: 102 minutes
- Rating: PG-13 (for crude and sexual content, and for language including a drug reference)
- Additional Information: Although much of this film shot on soundstages at Universal Studios in California, location filming includes scenes at Dumont Dunes in San Bernadino County, California, and La Brea Tar Pits at Hancock Park in Los Angeles, California.
October 27 Comedy DVD Releases: Nothing Like the Holidays and Stan Helsing
Nothing Like the Holidays (2008) Widescreen and Blu-ray
During the Christmas holiday, two adult sons and a daughter return home to see their family. Amid a flurry of Puerto Rican customs and celebrations, conflicts arise and secrets are revealed that threaten to destroy this once close-knit family. The location, Chicago’s Humboldt Park, reached record-low temperatures during the winter shoot to coincidentally accommodate the holiday season depicted in the movie.
- Starring Alfred Molina, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Luis Guzman, Freddy Rodriguez, Elizabeth Pena, Jay Hernandez, Vanessa Ferlito, Melonie Diaz
- Director: Alfredo De Villa
- Writers: Alison Swan and Rick Najera (screenplay); Robert Teitel and Rene M. Rigal (story)
- Genre: Dramatic Comedy
- Run Time: 98 minutes
- Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements, including some sexual dialogue and brief drug references)
- Additional Information: This film includes English and Spanish with subtitles.
Stan Helsing (2009) Widescreen and Blu-ray
In this raunchy spoof of scary movies, a video store clerk named Stan Helsing (Steve Howey) sets off to deliver a video on Halloween night, but unexpectedly learns that he’s a descendent from the famous Van Helsing line of monster hunters. He must then fight some of the scariest monsters from the silver screen. Among the fiends that he encounters: Fweddy, Bride of Dracula, Pleather Face, Count Fistula, Pinhead, and Michael Criers.
- Also starring Leslie Nielson, Diora Baird, Kenan Thompson, Ben Cotton, Holly Eglington, Tara Wilson, Zorianna Kit
- Director: Bon Zenga
- Writer: Bo Zenga
- Genre: Comedy Horror
- Run Time: 90 minutes
- Rating: R
- Additional Information: Bo Zenga, who also produced Stan Helsing, worked as executive producer on the 2000 horror spoof, Scary Movie.
For more information about scary spoofs like Stan Helsing, read New Releases of Comic Horror Movies on DVD.
Leslie C. Halpern - Leslie C. Halpern, Romantic Films/Comedies Topic Editor, authored Passionate About Their Work, Reel Romance, & Dreams on Film.
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