Danny DeVito takes the rhino by the horn to direct and co-star in this gleefully twisted skewering of children’s television. Robin Williams, his famed wit set at warp, plays ranting Randolph. Edward Norton is the high-minded goodnik whose righteous rhino creation, Smoochy, becomes a sensation, and Catherine Keener portrays a jaded TV exec who likes kid-show hosts in, let’s say, a grown-up way. Say nite-nite, rhino!

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Video Quality

Death To Smoochy debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Shout! Studios with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that is an exceptional upgrade from the ancient DVD from over 20 years ago. The new release is sourced from a 2K remaster of the Interpositive that provides a dazzling viewing experience. The release is natural, stable, and detailed in all respects thanks to the preservation of the natural film grain. There is thankfully no ugly digital manipulation deployed. The film unveils unique details in the playful production design, clothing, and makeup effects.

There is a world of texture that was missing when it was stuck on DVD, and now the picture looks more clear and robust than ever. There are still hints of underlying softness within the cinematography, but the transfer represents this as faithfully as desired. Skin tones are natural, and the vibrant, hypersaturated color palette is rendered perfectly. The environments, lighting, and costumes radiate off the screen. Black levels hold up favorably with some notable depth to the image. There is no egregious damage to be found with this master. Shout! Studios has rescued a title that has been MIA in HD for too long.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a stellar DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that handles this material with the utmost care. Given the presence of singing and dancing in this narrative, the soundtrack needs to pack a punch. Thankfully, the experience is bombastic and immersive in every way that counts. The music is powerful without being abrasive as every tune maintains its fidelity throughout with no shrill high notes or distortion. The biting dialogue is the other primary element of this track, and every line comes through crisp and clear without overshadowing parallel elements.

The surround channels provide some playful ambient details to many environments which helps the world feel more alive and bustling. All of the various sounds in the mix seem carefully placed so that nothing ever feels inauthentic. Moments of bickering between characters are deployed in the appropriate channels in the front and rear. The subwoofer is mostly used when it comes to the music and to give a few moments such as gunshots some extra texture. Overall, this is a terrific track that does everything it needs to do well. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director/Actor Danny DeVito and Cinematographer Anastas Michos provide an informative archival commentary track recorded a few months after the release of the film, which DeVito lightheartedly refers to as the “end of the mourning period.” On this track, he discusses the production of the film in great depth with tons of anecdotes given for each scene including technical execution, funny moments on set, details of shooting locations, the evolution of sequences, subtle elements of the production design, and much more.

Magic Moments – Interview with Actor Danny Woodburn: A new 13-minute interview with the actor in which he discusses his appreciation for this major opportunity in his career, his love of working with Danny DeVito, improvised lines that made it into the film, the joy of working with Robin Williams, memorable moments he experienced off the set, the influence he had on his character, and more.

Rainbow Stitch – Interview with Costume Designer Jane Ruhm: A new nearly eight-minute interview with the costume designer in which she discusses her history with Danny DeVito, collaborating on the design for Smoochy, guiding the look of this world, memories of the performers, and more.

Symphony of Chaos – Interview with Composer David Newman: A new seven-minute interview with the composer in which he discusses his history with composing, collaborating with Danny DeVito, composing key pieces of music and songs for the film, songs that were not used in the film, and more.

Behind The Scenes Featurette: An eight-minute archival piece that gives you a fly-on-the-wall look at the production of various moments along with on-set interviews with the creative team.

Extended and Deleted Scenes: A nearly seven-minute selection of unused material is provided in DVD quality with text introductions to each scene explaining why they didn’t make the final cut.

Bloopers and Outtakes: A nearly six-minute selection of flubbed lines, goofing around, malfunctioning props, and more.

Theatrical Trailers: A selection of trailers totaling four-and-a-half minutes is provided.

Image Galleries: There are photo galleries for Behind the Scenes, Production Design, Costume Design, Art Materials, Production Stills, and Smoochy’s Summer Vacation.