Product Description

Fall under the delightful spell of Moonstruck, the mesmerizing romantic comedy from director Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof) and OscarÂ(r) winner* John Patrick Shanley. Academy AwardÂ(r) winners** Cher, Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis excel in this explosively funny tale which also features flawless performances by Danny Aiello, Vincent Gardenia and Frasier's John Mahoney. Cher is "devastatingly funny, sinuous and beautiful" (Pauline Kael) as Loretta, an unlucky in love Italian widow who finds romance through the intervention of the Manhattan moon. With her wedding to a close friend just weeks away, she meets and falls hopelessly in love with his younger brother (Cage)! Her dilemma and her equally passionate and hilariously eccentric family make for an unforgettable film you'll find "beguiling" (Time), "enchanting" (Newsweek) and "irresistible" ("Today Show").

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1771 in DVD
• Brand: CHER
• Released on: 2006-04-18
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .30 pounds
• Running time: 102 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Remember the outfit Cher wore to the Oscars when she won an Academy Award for her performance in this 1987 film? Ay-yi-yi. The actress' more retiring character in this infectious comedy leaps several psychological hurdles just giving her hair a permanent. But then the original screenplay by John Patrick Shanley (Joe Versus the Volcano) is a wonderful, gently satirical tale of an Italian-American family dealing with repression and dissatisfaction against a backdrop of cultural expectations. Cher is focused and funny as a widow who feels she should marry an older fellow (Danny Aiello), but then falls for his black-sheep brother (Nicolas Cage). Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia are perfect as her parents, and John Mahoney (of TV's Frasier) has a memorable, small role as a middle-aged man on the make who gets a lecture from Dukakis's character. Shanley's dialogue is comically stylized in a way that makes one appreciate how much words can inform an actor's performance. Taking its cues from him and director Norman Jewison (And Justice for All), the cast immerse themselves in a pool of hilariously operatic emotion. The special-edition DVD release has a full-screen presentation, Dolby sound, commentary by Cher, Jewison, and Shanley, theatrical trailer, closed captioning, booklet, optional French soundtrack, and optional subtitles in English, French, or Spanish. --Tom Keogh

Amazon.com
This is a "Deluxe Edition" and not an "Extended Cut," so while there are no deleted scenes added back into the movie for fans of Moonstruck to feast on, there are some fun extras, the most extensive of which is the non-stop audio commentaries featuring Cher, director Norman Jewison, and writer John Patrick Shanley. The three commentators were not recorded together so there is no dialog among them, but the insights they bring are interesting and will open up some new perspectives for fans. Case in point: Cher divulges that she campaigned for Nicolas Cage for the role of Ronny against the wishes of the studio, and threatened to leave the role if they didn’t agree; it’s impossible to imagine Moonstruck working without their shared chemistry. Less essential is the 25-minute documentary featurette Moonstruck: At the Heart of an Italian Family, which examines Italian family culture and its place in the movie, though some viewers will find it interesting. One other short featurette takes a brief look at the music used in the movie and how it’s used to create a thematic link to opera.

As an added bonus, this edition features three recipes (printed up and inserted into the DVD case) from Restaurant Grotta Azzurra, in New York’s Little Italy. In one part of the featurette The Art of Fine Italian Food, chef Elvin Molina demonstrates how to prepare the meal, and while it looks very good, including the recipes for the meals actually served in the movie would have been more enticing. The rest of the featurette takes a virtual stroll through some of the bakeries and shops of New York’s Little Italy. It doesn’t add much to the movie, but it’s a fun value-add to the DVD and might delight fans who want to know more about the film’s setting, or just about Italian food in general. In the end, if you haven’t yet purchased Moonstruck, this is the edition to buy, but current owners won’t feel compelled to upgrade. --Daniel Vancini

Customer Reviews

A rich meal of a DVD!
When MGM first released Moonstruck on DVD they inexplicably did so with an inferior pan and scan transfer. They've rectified this situation with a new deluxe edition that restores its proper aspect ratio and with a collection of new extras. Moonstruck was the My Big Fat Geek Wedding of its day only infinitely better and about an Italian family as opposed to a Greek one. Watching Norman Jewison's film again, you realize just how much Nia Vardalos' film is heavily indebted to it. If Moonstruck is La Boheme than Greek Wedding is Tony and Tina's Wedding.

It's time to use your old disc as a coaster as this edition is definitely worth the double dip. MGM has taken TBS' dinner and a movie to the next level by including three recipe cards with fine Italian meals so that you can do your own cooking and eat it while watching the movie.

Carried over from the previous edition is the audio commentary by Cher, director Norman Jewison and screenwriter John Patrick Shanley. Both Jewison and Shanley talk about their fascination with death while Cher talks about the importance of costume and how it helps her get into character. This is a solid commentary with smart observations and excellent anecdotes from everyone.

"Moonstruck: At the Heart of an Italian Family" takes us through the genesis of the film mixing interviews done at the time of filming (Cage and Cher) and new ones (Aiello and Dukakis). There is great, behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage as Jewison and Shanley take us through the film telling several entertaining anecdotes.

"Pastas to Pastries: The Art of Fine Italian Food" is a tour of some of the best restaurants in Little Italy, in particular on Mulberry Street. You have six different places to choose from and their chefs demonstrate how to make a few choice foods guaranteed to make you hungry. If you love to cook and eat than this extra is for you.

Finally there is the "Music of Moonstruck" that examines the role that music plays in the movie. The first screening went badly because the music was all wrong.

Top 5 Best Romantic/Comedy Movies - EVER
A great flick. Five stars is not enough. Cher & Cage are awesome together. Gardenia & Dukakis (as Cher's parents) are almost as brilliant. The backdrops of Manhattan and Brooklyn look terrific. Some great & memorable scenes... 1. Cher meeting Cage for the first time in the bakery basement, 2. Cage expressing his love for her the morning after, 3. Dukakis & Mahoney having dinner together & walking home, 4. Cher & Cage, (and her father and his "date") at the opera, and 5. The family sitting around the kitchen table when husband to-be Aiello shows up. Six Oscar nominations - and three awards. Cher & Dukakis were very deserving and this was easily the best screenplay of the year. How director Norman Jewison didn't win the Oscar is beyond me. I ran out and bought the delux '06 edition the week it was released. Slight picture upgrade - the widescreen is definitely better than the full frame, but there's no impprovement on the sound... dare I say it's worse. The music and most of the dialogue sounds like it is standard stereo (perhaps even mono at some points)... but the real kicker is the background music is so loud at times you can't hear the character talking. Great movie, but I feel it deserved better treament on the re-release.

To widescreen, or not to widescreen?
(formerly a THREE-STAR review)

GOOD NEWS AND ALTERED COMMENTS!! BUY IT, BUY IT, BUY IT!!! "Moonstruck" is a fabulous modern comedy/romance, a classic!! I LOVE this film, and you will, too!

I had complained in my previous comment about the lack of widescreen theatrical release format in the previous release of this film, but I have just received word straight from the horse's mouth (MGM, via e-mail at their website) that the re-release of 'Moonstruck' on DVD (Nov.) will be available in either full-frame or (finally!) widescreen. AND they told me, in answer to my direct question, that 'Moonstruck' was shot in a full-frame 1.33:1 aspect ratio; theatrical presentation was 1.85:1. (Huh?)

I found out that most 1.85:1 aspect ratio movies are actually shot in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, with the intention that the top and bottom of the frames will be trimmed (matted) for 1.85:1 widescreen theatrical presentation. The cinematograper and director frame the shots with this in mind. The result of this is that the movie can be transferred easily to video without doing a pan-and-scan treatment of the photography for full-framed TV presentation. In other words, you're not missing anything in the full-screen framing. This is much preferred by the director, but still not ideal.

In fact, you get MORE than the director and cinematographer intended you to see, so the framing of the shots is a bit tall, less subject-focused than intended for cinematic presentation. This is by far a better compromise than a pan-and-scan transfer: rather than losing portions of the picture and ruining the framing, you just get some extra film that the director considers superfluous. It's still a compromise, and as you watch the film, it could mean the difference between a great shot and merely a good one.

So I personally still prefer theatrical release format, but I don't begrudge those who dislike widescreen their full-frame option, especially if they're not missing parts of the picture. I must say though that it surprises me how many people out there are bothered by widescreen movies on the normal 1.33:1 television. You get used to it quickly, unless you LET it bother you. (Have you noticed all the commercials and TV programs shot in widescreen recently? You probably haven't, so look for them!) As an owner of only a 27" TV (new), and a 20" before that, I say you can enjoy widescreen on TV!

I would now buy this DVD even if it were only full frame. GEORGE'S RECIPE FOR INCREASED DVD AND VHS SALES: the movie studios should inform us on the back of all video releases as to what alterations have been made for the video release. If it says it's pan-and-scan, I won't touch it, but if it's this other method, I might. Many feel the same as I.

I have many DVDs with widescreen on one side and full-screen on the other: the perfect compromise!