‘Fletch’ (Special Edition) Blu-Ray Review – Chevy Chase Is At His Straight-Faced Best

Comedy legend Chevy Chase (Foul Play) is at his fetching best in this suspense-packed and laugh-stacked thriller based on Gregory Mcdonald’s bestseller. Irwin Fletcher, a.k.a. Fletch (Chase), is an investigative reporter who changes his identity more often than his underwear. While working on a drug exposé, Fletch attracts the attention of a strange businessman (Tim Matheson, Up the Creek) who wants to be killed so his wife will inherit more insurance. The wily Fletch senses a scam, and soon he’s up to his byline in frame-ups, murder, police corruption and forbidden romance. It’ll be the story of the year, if he can stay alive to meet his deadline! Take fast-paced direction by Michael Ritchie (Prime Cut, Diggstown), add an uproarious screenplay by Andrew Bergman (The In-Laws), sprinkle in a spicy cast with Joe Don Baker, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Richard Libertini, M. Emmet Walsh, George Wendt, George Wyner, Kenneth Mars, Geena Davis and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and you’ve got the makings of Chevy’s funniest chase ever!

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Video Quality

Kino Classics presents Fletch with a significant upgrade in the form of a new 1080p master transfer in 1.85:1 sourced from a 2K scan of the 35mm Interpositive that looks great. When this new release was announced, many fans were dismayed to learn this would not be getting a proper 4K UHD Blu-Ray release given the film’s cult popularity. This is a disappointment, but given the garbage fire of the previous Blu-Ray from Universal first seen in 2009, this upgrade is still a major win for fans. 

Where the previous release was plagued with DNR and edge enhancement, this new transfer retains the sumptuous natural film grain free of any compression artifacts or other such damage. The grain always resolves impeccably without becoming noisy or clumpy. The film is now practically blemish-free with no egregious signs of damage or dirt detected here. The film features some memorable colors within the costumes and locations that radiate off the screen with the desired vibrancy. Skin tones appear to be natural, and the presentation offers deep black levels that stay strong even in shadow. There is a considerable uptick in fine detail that should please longtime fans. Subtle details in the environments, clothing, and production design stand out more than ever before, often revealing new facets you may have previously missed. Kino Classics has done swell work here. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with both a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that brings this one to life without issue. The iconic score is a standout element that never shows any weakness. Despite the strength of this element, nothing ever overshadows the dialogue or other pertinent information. This disc maintains agreeable fidelity that is appreciated at every turn. Dialogue and background noises are balanced to perfection with all competing elements. The surround sound presentation is not terribly immersive, but it adds a bit more depth to the music and sounds of the city. This track shows no discernible age-related wear and tear such as hissing or popping. All of the sound effects and music appear to be organic to the original intent of the creative team. You really could not ask for better from Kino Classics. There are also optional English SDH subtitles included.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Entertainment Journalists/Authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry provide a pretty informative commentary track in which they delve into the production history of the film, how it compares to the source material, the career of director Michael Ritchie, the background of the performers, the gags you might overlook, the legacy of the feature since its release, and more. 

• Just Charge It To The Underhills – Making and Remembering Fletch: A 27-minute featurette from 2007 which includes interviews with Actor M. Emmet Walsh, Actor Richard Libertini, Actor Tim Matheson, Screenwriter Andrew Bergman, Actor George Wyner, Actor Larry Flash Jenkins, Actress Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Producer Alan Greisman, Producer Peter Douglas, Editor Richard Harris, First Assistant Director Wolfgang Glattes, and Associate Producer/Production Manager Gordon Webb. There is some good information in here, but the framing device that includes a large focus on the featurette producer is very annoying. 

• From John Cocktoastin to Harry S. Truman – The Disguises: A five-minute piece that takes a look at the various identities inhabited by Fletch throughout the film. There are some interviews with Makeup Artist Ken Chase, Hair Stylist Bunny Parker, Screenwriter Andrew Bergman, Actress Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Actor Tim Matheson, Actor Larry Flash Jenkins, Producer Peter Douglas, Producer Alan Greisman, and Associate Producer/Production Manager Gordon Webb. 

• Favorite Fletch Moments: A two-and-a-half-minute montage of some of the best lines in the film. 

• Chevy Chase – Reba Merrill Profile: A nearly four-minute vintage news piece in which Chase discusses his early career and his path to Fletch. 

• TV Spots: A two-minute collection of TV Spots is provided here. 

• Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided for Fletch. There are also trailers provided for Fletch Lives, Running Scared, The Experts, The Hard Way, and The Couch Trip. 

Final Thoughts

Fletch is a beloved comedy classic that actually puts some care into providing a compelling story to go along with the acerbic line deliveries. Chevy Chase is in top form as the sarcastic and straight-faced reporter who proves to be better at his job than many would imagine. With a very talented supporting ensemble and a spry sense of editing, this effort works very well. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and a fine assortment of supplemental features. If you are a fan of the film, this release far outpaces anything that has come before. Recommended 

Fletch 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 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.