Fletch [DVD]

A comedy mystery, adapted from Gregory McDonald's novel, but very much a vehicle for Saturday Night Live comedian Chevy Chase.Ace undercover investigative reporter Irwin M. Fletcher adopts numerous disguises and personæ to get to the bottom of two different cases which actually turn out to be part of the same scam, involving fraud, bigamy, narcotics and police corruption. Along with the disguises comes a variety of deadpan noms de jours that poke fun at, presumably, certain types of Californians in general - eg. "Nugent. Ted Nugent", "Igor Strawinsky" and "Don Corleone."The film's slow pace and Chase's comic manner may be an irritant to some, but the film has moments when it simply tickles the funny-bone. Such as the aero-engineers discussing the by-pass valve, the roller-skating rabbi on the beach, and the near-cringeing evading the cops during a Veterans' meet (Fred 'the Dorf' Dorffler). A nice Hollywood in-joke is squeaky-clean 'Jim-Bob Walton' (yes, 't is he!) as the teenage car-thief with dental braces. Fletch's penchant for the Los Angeles Lakers is rewarded with a nice cameo from then-larger-than-life popular basketball-player Kareem Abdul-Jabar.Director Michael Ritchie's lightness of touch, along with understated support from Richard Libertini, Tim Matheson, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Joe Don Baker and an early-in-their-careers Geena Davis and George Wendt, allow Chase's style of comedy to never become either too overbearing or too quirky (although Ted Underhill's credit card must have helped ...). However, four years later, both Ritchie and Chase conspired to lose that quite successful touch with the irredeemably dire Fletch Lives.During the mid-1980s Austrian muso Harald Faltermeyer needed two attempts to Get It Right: his Fletch Theme was the 'dry run' for, following a little tweaking, the more popular Axel F. of Beverley Hills Cop fame.... Would still like to know how that small story on off-track betting in the Himalayas went ...

Old film that I watched for the first time many years ago. Still a very funny and entertaining film

great film, one of those i remember enjoying as a kid, but rarely seen on tv these days so was worth the purchase

Now the price has come down a bit a worthwhile purchase. Probably as good as this film will ever look and sound; the picture is pretty good for a 32 year old film and the music score has some good weight and presence.

Escapist humour

is a 1985 American neo-noir comedy thriller film directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Andrew Bergman. Based on Gregory Mcdonald's popular Fletch novels, the film stars Chevy Chase as the eponymous character. It co-stars Tim Matheson, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Geena Davis and Joe Don Baker.The film revolves around Los Angeles Times reporter Irwin M. "Fletch" Fletcher, who is offered a large sum of money to kill a millionaire (by the millionaire himself) who supposedly has a terminal cancer prognosis. Fletch becomes suspicious when he discovers the man is not ill; when he continues to investigate, his life is threatened.Fletch did well with critics and at the box office – it was among the top 50 grossing domestic films in its first year of release. It has since developed an enormous cult following and was followed by a 1989 sequel, Fletch Lives. A reboot has been in development for over two decades.One of Chevy Chases better films along with Vacation series and Caddy Shack a pretty by the numbers comedy thriller with a few laughs and a reminder how simple films were in the 80s before the arrival of the CGI gorefest of mondern times.

Brilliant

It's dry, it's ridiculous yet intelligent. If you like that combination then you'll find this film hilariously entertaining. The deadpan delivery of Chevy Chase reaches new heights here.DVD was delivered within 48 hours by Amazon.

Some of you might be wondering why Chevy Chase ever got to be in movies. Well Fletch is the answer! Chevy Chase knocks it out of the park as an investigative reporter in this classic comedy from 1985. Nothing could be better than owning an anamorphic widescreen copy of this classic film. I bought this editon of the movie used from a reseller and it came in mint condition. I saved a bit of money but still get to own a copy of one of the most entertaining movies of all time.

muy buena pelicula, pero la segunda parte la compre en alemania y de segunda mano, con version en español, claro esta. porque tarda tanto en llegar.

Bon, Fletch, c'est Fletch. Et c'est culte. Du moins aux États-Unis car en France les aventures de Louloupe Par Intérim, tant en poche qu'en pellicule se sont toujours échangées sous le manteau. N'ayant que peu de choses en commun avec son modèle littéraire, ce Fletch est avant tout la réponse directe d'Universal au Beverly Hills Cop de la Paramount. Une star du SNL contre une autre et un objectif similaire : faire entrer la comédie dans un film policier raisonnablement sérieux. Grosse différence : l'action. Fletch ne tire pas et ne court pas. Il parle. Beaucoup. Et se déguise, façon Peter Pink Panther Sellers. Mais le jean reste toujours aussi serré aux cuisses et l'intrigue (corruption policière, bigamie, tentative de meurtre, traffic de poudre) finalement assez sombre. Pour des millions de fans, Fletch, ce sont surtout des dizaines de tirades inoubliables toutes plus potaches et régressives les une que les autres, des mimiques improbables de l'inoubliable Chevy Griswald Chase et un scénario de polar en béton mine de rien pas aussi loufoque que son héros. Avec cette série B sans prétention, c'est tout le SNL (le vrai des années 80/90) qui s'invitait ainsi dans un vrai roman noir. Depuis plus de vingt ans et un second opus en demi teinte, les studios tentent de relancer l'idée d'un remake. En vain car Fletch c'est Chevy Chase. Meilleure que la version zone 1 d'il y a quatre ans environ, cette galette propose une assez bonne version française même si les dialogues s'apprécient mieux en vo. L'image, parfois un peu granuleuse, est dans l'ensemble excellente. Parmi les trois bonus sans aucun intérêt, l'entretien avec le journaliste du Monde est des plus inutiles. Où sont les bonus de la version US avec interview trente ans après? Une bande annonce et une interview d'un pékin inconnu, c'est pas du maigre, c'est du Sveltesse 0% sans yaourt. Pour le prix, on aurait aimé au moins le "Fletc Lives" en plus pour un "double feature" comme au bon vieux temps. Mais bon, la réédition en blue ray de bonne qualité c'est déjà pas mal. La bonne surprise de la rentrée donc. À acheter en payant avec la CB des Underhill bien entendu.

Chevy Chase at his best!

Ein schöner Film aus den Achtzigern, mal lustig, mal ernst, auf jeden Fall spannend und für die ganze Familie. Sehr schön!