There was a time before cable when the local anchorman reigned supreme….Enter the hard-hitting world of the 1970s local TV news, where Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and his loyal Channel 3 News Team (Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner) are San Diego’s #1 rated news source. All is well in their male-dominated world of news until beautiful, rising-star reporter Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) turns it all upside down. Sparks don’t just fly, they ignite an all-out war between the two perfectly coiffed anchorpersons. In a job where it pays to keep a straight face, Anchorman is the comedy that makes it almost impossible to stop laughing.

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Video Quality

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy makes its hotly anticipated 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut with a terrific 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer of the Theatrical Cut that improves upon the previous Blu-Ray release. That Paramount release from 2010 was impressive for the time, but technology has progressed quite a bit in the interim. The film has at last been given the remaster it deserves and served up on 4K UHD. Fans of the film will be thrilled by the care taken here.

The implementation of Dolby Vision is one of the greatest improvements in this presentation as it expedites this to fantastic new heights. Black levels tap into a much greater depth and finesse than the Blu-Ray release. Highlights likewise wield distinct control for a luminous experience that does not succumb to blooming. The natural lighting thrives under these parameters with many colorful environments delivering more nuance than ever before. From the San Diego locale to the flashy period clothing, hues dance off the screen. The picture retains the perfect amount of detail in shadowy environments. Any potential print damage has been banished for a clean and consistent viewing experience.

This new 4K UHD Blu-Ray showcases the natural film grain which allows a world of texture and detail to shine through. This transfer does not have any scenes that are soft or suffer from DNR. We are thankful Paramount allowed this one to have an organic appearance. Distinct aspects of the production design and articles of clothing are crystal clear for the first time on physical media. The clarity of the transfer brings forth a greater amount of facial detail including the mustaches so pivotal to key characters. The performers appear more textured and natural than ever before. This transfer is a welcome improvement for fans who have been hoping for this release.

Audio Quality

Paramount Home Entertainment brings us this 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix that was previously found on the Blu-Ray release. While it may not get a tremendous upgrade like the video side of things, it holds up as a formidable track for the material. From the opening moments, the voiceover narration along with a cavalcade of other sounds brings robust life to the speakers. The movie features a light throwback score along with an array of tunes that weave into the narrative,

Dialogue holds up impeccably, coming through crisp and clear without being pushed around by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects like Baxter’s barking or motorcycle engines are delineated effectively and given ideal placement throughout the speakers. The film is rarely action-oriented outside of the reporter brawl, but the low end gets to show off when it comes to weapons being wielded. This film could theoretically be opened up quite nicely with a Dolby Atmos track, but there are no complaints about what we have. Paramount has delivered in full.

Special Features

Disc Two (Blu-Ray)

Theatrical Version (1:34:06) and Extended Version (1:37:24)

Audio Commentary: Director/Writer Adam McKay; Actor/Writer Will Ferrell; Musicians Lou Rawls and Kyle Gass; Entertainer Andy Richter; and Actors Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Christina Applegate

Deleted & Extended Scenes: There are 36 unused scenes totaling 54 minutes provided here. There are some really amusing moments in here, but you can understand why they were cut for pacing or better takes.

Bloopers: A nearly eight-minute collection of flubbed lines, laughing fits, goofing around, malfunctioning props, and more.

“Afternoon Delight” Music Video: A four-minute music video is provided featuring characters from the film.

ESPN SportsCenter Audition Ron Burgundy: A two-minute mock audition is provided featuring Ron not understanding the assignment.

Disc Three (Blu-Ray)

Wake Up, Ron Burgundy (1:32:55): A “lost movie” is provided made up of unused footage from the production featuring unused subplots and more that is also very entertaining. This is presented in HD with DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio.

Intro Commentary: A 12-minute introductory commentary track with Will Ferrell and “third credited Executive Producer” Aaron Zimmerman

PSA: High On Life (1:01), Hippies 1 (0:40), Hippies 2 (0:43), Our Leaders 1 (0:43), and Our Leaders 2 (0:32)

Award Speech: A three-minute award speech from Ron Burgundy.

Raw Footage “Good Takes”: Nearly 40 minutes of raw unused takes are provided.

“Afternoon Delight” Recording Session: A three-minute look at the cover recording with our four main performers and Adam McKay.

Happy Birthday AMC Loews: A three-minute birthday shoutout from Ron Burgundy to a theater chain.

Interviews: Rebecca Romijn (3:37), Jim Caviezel (3:24), and Burt Reynolds (3:12)

Specials

- Cinemax: The Making of Anchorman (9:29)

- Comedy Central Reel Comedy: Anchorman (8:31)

- A Conversation with Ron Burgundy (10:41)

Cast Auditions (13:03)

Table Read 6/2/03 (18:37)

Rehearsals (9:09)

Playback Video (5:10)

Commercial Break (2:04)

Trailers & TV Spot: This disc provides the Teaser Trailer (1:50), Trailer (2:32), and Trounced Spiderman TV Spot (0:17)

Final Thoughts

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy features the hilarious Will Ferrell as one of his greatest comedic creations. The titular character alone delivers nonstop laughs, but the supporting ensemble may just be one of the most formidable we have seen in a modern comedy. Even the quick cameos are amazing and add to the loony nature of this tale. We have seen this one more times than we can count and it still makes us uproariously laugh quite often. Paramount Home Entertainment has released a spectacular new 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a dazzling A/V presentation and an astounding array of archival special features. If you have been waiting for this movie to get a worthy release, get prepared to celebrate. Highly Recommended

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment 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.