Steve Guttenberg (Police Academy, Three Men and a Baby) teams with Jami Gertz (The Lost Boys, Less Than Zero) and Shelley Long (The Money Pit, TV’s Cheers) in this funny story about true love and false identity! Painfully boring Gus (Guttenberg) isn’t exactly ladies’ man material—at least not until his meddling romance-writer sister (Long) gets hold of him. Going from geek to chic in a few easy steps, he becomes “Lobo”—a long-haired, leather-clad hunk ripped from the erotic fantasies of his dream girl, Emily (Gertz)! But can true love be truly true…if it’s based on fiction? Co-starring Kyle MacLachlan (Blue Velvet, The Hidden) and Mädchen Amick (TV’s Twin Peaks and I’m Dangerous Tonight), Don’t Tell Her It’s Me (also known as The Boyfriend School) is a sparkling romantic comedy chock-full of charm!
For thoughts on Don’t Tell Her It’s Me, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Don’t Tell Her It’s Me comes to Blu-Ray from Kino Classics and Code Red with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 derived from a brand-new 2K master that looks terrific. The presentation is pretty amazing throughout the runtime with image stability and delineation being top notch. It is so rewarding to see this transfer maintain the natural film grain of the presentation with it resolving well and never seeming especially clumpy. Minor instances of print damage do occasionally pop up in the smallest moments, but overall clarity and detail is excellent. Skin tones are natural with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Overall, the picture stays sharp even in long shots, and colors are well saturated in a visually pleasing way. Black levels remain solid with almost nothing in the way of crush. This presentation is a pleasant surprise and should please any fan of the film. This is probably better than most ever expected.
Audio Quality
This new Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that presents this content flawlessly. Dialogue is strong, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely from the roar of the motorcycle to sounds on the waterfront. All of the period-appropriate music maintains a pleasing fidelity as it comes through the room to help establish a mood. The track avoids any instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. This is a track that represents the film exactly how you would want. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Alternate Opening Title: A 48-second alternate version of the opening credits which presents the title as The Boyfriend School.
- Trailers: The two-minute trailer for Don’t Tell Her It’s Me is provided here. There are also trailers provided for C.H.O.M.P.S., Pufntstuf, Mass Appeal, La Cage Aux Folles II and The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Final Thoughts
Don’t Tell Her It’s Me has some foundational issues with the plot which do not completely sit right, but the performances go a long way towards alleviating some of these elements. This is especially true of Jami Gertz and Shelley Long, who give the film a real sense of energy. Despite being released in 1990, this film is carrying the style of the ‘80s, so if you have a soft spot for the era, you will probably enjoy this well enough. Kino Classics and Code Red have released a new Blu-Ray featuring a top-notch A/V presentation but not much in the way of special features. If you are a fan of the talent involved, it is worth a look.
Don’t Tell Her It’s Me is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics and Code Red have 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.