What’s a fast-talking, under-employed New York free spirit to do when she’s jailed for throwing an illegal house party? Mary (Parker Posey, Dazed and Confused and The House of Yes) cajoles her librarian godmother (Sasha von Scherler, Network) into bailing her out and giving her a job as a clerk at the public library. What follows is Mary’s screwball-like journey from a life of late nights and hangovers to romance with a falafel vendor (Omar Townsend) and a potential long-term career as a librarian. Daisy von Scherler Mayer’s Party Girl is a charming and energetic throwback to ’30s and ’40s comedies, set amidst the thriving and vibrant club culture of ’90s Lower Manhattan.
Parker Posey became “the new queen of the art house” (Michael Musto, Vanity Fair) with her hilarious and captivating lead performance in what has become one of the most iconic characters and films of the ’90s indie filmmaking boom. Supporting her are Guillermo Diaz (Scandal), Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), Donna Mitchell (The Ice Storm) and Anthony DeSando (Kiss Me, Guido). In addition to its witty and quotable screenplay by von Scherler Mayer and Harry Birckmayer, Party Girl is rightfully beloved for its stacked soundtrack, which includes Tom Tom Club, Run-DMC, Deee-lite, Carl Craig and Ultra-Naté, as well as Mary’s stacked wardrobe, which includes pieces by Vivienne Westwood, Todd Oldham, Jean Paul Gaultier and Chanel. Party Girl had its finger on the pulse when released in 1995 and, decades later, it’s revered as a loving and effervescent cinematic record of a very special time and place in New York City’s history. Previously only available in aged standard definition masters, Party Girl has now been restored in 4K from its original 16mm camera negative.
For thoughts on Party Girl, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Party Girl debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Fun City Editions with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that is derived from a brand new 4K restoration of the 16mm Original Camera Negative. This cult favorite has long been a more under-the-radar film that mostly existed for indie film enthusiasts, and it is a tremendous joy to have this looking so amazing in high definition. The presentation rightfully maintains the natural gritty film aesthetic throughout with image stability and delineation being quite strong. The grain of the presentation is often thick but with a refined look rather than a clumpy or frozen mess.
Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches have pretty much been eradicated with clarity and detail never failing to impress. There are still very fleeting minor blemishes that have made it through the restoration gauntlet, but it does not impact enjoyment in the slightest as this is by far the best the film has looked. The picture can run slightly soft in a handful of shots, but this is likely due to the nature of how it was originally captured. Colors are faithfully saturated with rich, natural hues coming through in notable ways. Skin tones are natural and consistent with distinct features such as makeup and facial hair easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with no major instances of crush or banding that we observed. This special film has finally been given the A+ treatment. `
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that cannot live up to the quality of the video side of the equation. Due to the enterprising way in which this film was shot, the audio setup was not always the most ideal, which means that there is a lack of prominence and finesse in some instances. Dialogue mostly wins out over background noises, but there are moments that struggle to come through clearly in more bustling locations such as some of the clubs or parties. There is also the occasional sibilance issue which can rear its head. The age-related wear and tear does not come in the form of hissing or popping, but more so the quality of the original capture. All of the sound effects and music appear to be faithful to the original intent. The music is an important part of the film’s DNA, and it holds its own as it permeates the room. Even with some small limitations, this audio track does deliver the movie fairly clearly when you are ready to experience it. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Writer and Party Girl enthusiast Jake Fogelnest provides a very thoughtful and informative commentary track in which he uses his experiences as a native New Yorker around this period of time to discuss how this film portrays the city life, the details that many audiences might overlook specific to the city, the themes of the feature and much more that is worthwhile.
- Like An Old Movie – Interview with Parker Posey: A new 24-minute interview with the star in which she discusses the throwback tone of the feature, being a southerner in New York, her career leading up to Party Girl, inspirations for her character, preparations for the production, her focus on the physicality of her character, memories of her co-stars, her feelings about her early work and more.
- Designing A Character – Interview with Director/Co-Writer Daisy von Scherler Mayer: A 36-minute conversation with the creative force behind the film in which she discusses her background, her history with Party Girl, how the idea evolved, working with her mother on the film, where she got the “smart lingo” for the final scene, her experiences with the performers, what Parker Posey brought to the role, how New York factors into the narrative and more.
- DJ’ing To Picture – Interview with Music Supervisor Bill Coleman: A new 16-minute interview with Coleman who discusses his background in music, getting involved with Party Girl, collaborating with the creative team, specific scenes he was passionate about getting certain music to complement, his work with Guillermo Diaz and more.
- Power To The Librarians – Interview with Co-Producer/Co-Writer Harry Birckmayer: A new 18-minute interview with the creative in which he discusses his early work in film, his love of screwball comedies, inspirations for the narrative, working with Daisy von Scherler, the soundtrack, the legacy of the film and more.
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided for Party Girl.
- Image Gallery: A five-minute collection of images, marketing materials, behind the scenes stills and more from the personal collection of Daisy von Scherler.
- Booklet: This release comes with a multi-page booklet featuring the essay “The Beat Goes On: How Dance Music Drives Party Girl” by author Margaret Barton-Fumo.
Final Thoughts
Party Girl made a cultural splash upon its release in the ‘90s for a reason, and it is a feature that has not lost a step when it comes to representing the challenges faced when trying to mature into responsibility. Parker Posey is an independent North Star who guides you towards quality, and this effort is no different as you see what stemmed from her collaboration with director Daisy von Scherler Mayer. There is some dated language and content, but by and large this holds up as an important part of New York indie filmmaking history. Fun City Editions has helped rescue this one for a new generation with a Blu-Ray featuring a solid A/V presentation and an impressive selection of special features. If you are in the market for an amiable slice of independent cinema, do not pass this by. Recommended
Party Girl will be available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray on July 11, 2023.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Fun City Editions has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.