Neighbors (1981) [Blu-ray]

Having learned so much about the behind the scenes to this movie(from the rejected score, the Fear song, fights with the director who had no comedic background, rampant cocaine abuse among some of the cast and crew because of the long night shoots, the several disastrous test screenings that influenced the direction of the score used and led to a new ending being shot), I felt compelled to buy the DVD just to have it.On paper it all seemed like it would be great. The producers of Jaws, the director of Rocky and Saturday Night Fever, script by the man behind the massive hit show M.A.S.H, Belushi and Aykroyd's first movie together since the Blues Brothers and all based around a best selling darkly comic novel. All seemed great, right? Problems were Gelbart expected actors to stick to the script like they did on the MASH show, something Belushi and Aykroyd balked at from the start, director had little to no experience directing comedy lacking the instincts a good comedy director would have and frankly, this movie was such a monumental professional failure that one could argue it sent Belushi off the deep end for the last time with his drug use. That followed a strong nine month period when he avoided those binges before working on this movie.So much went wrong that it was clear to the producers that they had a terrible turkey of a film on their hands by the time post production was done. The movie is famous for being John Belushi's last and he proved again that he could act beyond Bluto at college or Bluto at war or Jake Blues. He plays the reserved, tightly controlled (and constrained) Earl Keese. Belushi doesn't play him as someone who is forced into living the way he is which makes the characterization believable. Ackroyd was suitably like a cartoon character which is what Vic was supposed to be like. The best performances were Cathy Moriarity as Romana, and the pair of Second City alumni Tim Kazurinsky as Pa Greavy and Tino Insana as his son. Kazurinsky managed to steal with ease what few scenes he had as the grizzled, drunken, easily irritated mechanic.I haven't read the novel but I've heard the movie mostly follows the same darkly humorous plot with a very different ending. The movie tested so poorly that they reshot the last couple scenes and Belushi was stuck again doing a little Bluto impression. I guess he never was going to escape that even if he did live.Anyway, Neighbors is available on DVD now. Written by the guy behind MASH, Directed by the guy who did Rocky who was never known for directing comedies (it shows), produced by the guys who produced Jaws and starring the Blues Brothers. The Bill Conti score is annoying and cheesy. The plot twists twist for no clear reason like when exactly does Earl seem to change his mind about the new neighbors and why? He just does I guess. There's that plothole and the disappearing pet German Shepherd, Baby. I know comedies shouldn't be too concerned with stuff like that but comedies should be a lot funnier too, even black comedies.

I'm glad to see so many people love this film. It truly is brilliant. I have loved it since first seeing it on HBO in the early 80's. I remember when it first came out, all my friends were so disappointed that it wasn't like Animal House. In fact, it got so many bad reviews that I never went to the theater to see it.It has since become my most loved film; I know every line. The reviews I have read here already expound beautifully on the movie's brilliance as a Black Comedy, so I won't try to elaborate any further.Rather, my main reason for writing is because no one has mentioned Bill Conti's wonderful musical score. (Bill Conti wrote the theme from "Rocky," among many other things) This is some of the most brilliant and creative film music I've ever heard. When I was a student at Berklee College of Music in the 1980's, this score was used as a "textbook" case study by the Film Scoring department. The masterful use of leit motifs and "Mickey Mousing" (taken from cartoon scoring of the 40's and 50's where the music mimicks the on-screen action), along with the multitude of original melodic and harmonic compositions, makes it, in my opinion, one of the finest and most ambitious film scoring efforts of its time.In fact, I would go so far as to say that the score for Neighbors IS cartoon music. It was probably intended to be as such.This is the classic film scoring "style," if you will - played in orchestral form, usually conducted "to picture" by the composer. This means that the entire orchestra is seated in a big recording studio with a screen behind them on which the movie is played. The composer then conducts the ensemble by watching the "live" action.There is so much going on musically here, that I would really need part of a semester to disseminate it, but next time you watch the movie, listen to all the incredible detail in the music. I especially love the minor-key reharmonization of "No Place Like Home," and all the other themes and leit motifs he created, often with 2 or more variations of each. (A leit motif is essentially a character's own theme music - Earl's is always played with a trombone to impart the feeling that he's a chubby, hapless victim, while Vic's is played with a creepy Theremin sound).I also love the scene where Earl comes out of "The Swamp" - this is classic 1950's Sci-Fi thriller music - maybe even borrowed from "The Creature From the Black Lagoon" or some other film of that era.While watching this film recently, I realized just how important Mr. Conti's music really is to the film. It wouldn't be the same movie without it, and that is the film composer's ultimate goal - to create a score that becomes as much a part of the film as the visual elements, while also supporting character development and providing continuity that binds the whole story together.Bill Conti achieved that and so much more in spades here.

The 1981 R rated comedy "Neighbors" was an interesting experiment in that John Belushi played the straight man while Dan Akroyd played the zany comic relief. Audiences at the time were expecting the opposite to a certain extent. It also was John Belishu's last film role as he would tragically die about two and a half months after the film's theatrical release. I think that the key to the film's success was casting the two leads against type. It is very funny throughout and underrated in my opinion. While not a truly great film overall, it delivers where it needs to in the laughs department.Mill Creek Entertainment finally brings the film to blu-ray featuring a transfer utilizing the AVC codec featuring a solid bit rate hovering between the upper 20's and lower 30's. Presented in its original 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio, the film overall looks pretty good. Detail is solid along with good color saturation and natural looking contrast and black levels. While more than likely an older HD master, all things considered fans should be pleased considering this is a budget priced release.Audio is in 2 channel DVD audio which is a bit of a disappointment. As is the case with most Mill Creek blu-ray releases, no English subtitles are included. No extras were included, not even a trailer. The 95 minute film is broken up into 9 chapter stops.For a budget priced release going for a bit less than 9 dollars, fans should be happy that "Neighbors" is finally available on blu-ray. While the film looks good, the lack of lossless audio and English subtitles is a bit of a disappointment. While I would have preferred to have gotten a special edition release of this film, beggars can't be choosers and I am just happy to finally own it on disc in HD.

John Belushi was a legend. He was hilarious, straight to the point, and unpredictable. So why on earth cast him as the straight guy next to Ackroyds 'crazy' titular character?This is where the film fails, it's not believable one iota. Imagine Nicolas Cage playing straight next to Tom Hanks who is in cuckoo mode? It just doesn't stick.So we go through the same old motions of Ackroyd antagonising Belushi, taking his money, taking his car, and generally being a complete moron.of course, this falls on death ears for the rest of his family, believing that he is too highly strung. And then we have an unfunny subplot involving Moriarty trying to bed Belushi.It's supposed to carry the message 'Love thy Neighbour' with a comic twist, but it's never funny, never as awkward for Belushi that it should be, and it leaves you feeling pretty redundant come the end.It was a risk for the two leads to change their atypical roles, but it doesn't pay off sadly.

People complain about this film but John Belushi was a true genius, and he sadly got to make very few films so I appreciate this film.It is twisted, dark and not the film you would expect from the DVD cover.I found it genuinely funny, well paced and with great performances from all involved.Neighbors is a truly unique film - ruined only by Bill Conti's ridiculous in your face/ears score that tries to destroy the film.Overall, a true original that I'm glad I finally got round to seeing, I purchased it on DVD straight after!

A great release of a rare film from 1981. This film was unavailable in the U.S. for years (except as a VHS tape). The film is in widescreen, sound is good (including the goofy cartoon-ish soundtrack by Bill Conti). There are no film extras here, but just having the film in clear color and sound is quite enough.

This just shows how Belushi & Ackroyd would have become the greatest double act since Laurel & Hardy. This is a pretty weird film, dark, odd characters, crazy situations, bizarre ending but nevertheless a very funny film.

Much wanted present for my other half. Very happy