In a recent review of Amazon Women On The Moon, we took a look at what happened when key figures from the 80s were brought together to share their comedic sensibilities in an unhinged sketch movie. Fast-forward over thirty years to the latest directorial from Jack Henry Robbins, and you will see how much the times have changed. Whereas Amazon was boundary pushing in its own broad way, VHYes showcases what happens when you tackle a similar concept through the lens of a generation who has grown up with Adult Swim. This humorous, and occasionally horrific, love letter to/cautionary tale of the heyday of VHS technology is grounded with a narrative throughline. When young Ralph (Mason McNulty) receives a video camera for Christmas 1987, he grabs what he thinks is a blank tape – in actuality his parent’s wedding video – and goes to town recording anything and everything in his life. You have the typical stunted footage with his parents as they indulge in his interviews, as well as glimpses of his adventures with his best friend Josh (Rahm Braslaw).
Ralph soon learns that he can also hook his camera up to the television where he can record any number of the bonkers late night programming that you might find in the 80s. This can range from benign children’s programming to censored softcore pornography, and the assembled talent appear to be having a blast with the concept. Thomas Lennon excels as the co-host on a TV shopping network hawking increasingly peculiar items. It is something of a Reno 911! reunion a Kerri Kenney pops up in pure Bob Ross mode as the gentle Joan, who just wants to share the joys of painting. Breakout favorite from What We Do In The Shadows Mark Proksch uses his understated timing to be the gentle guide of an Antiques Roadshow-esque program that attempts to explore the origins of seemingly benign objects. The film has a frenzied quality about it, bouncing back-and-forth between segments with an eye towards the bizarre rather than easily accessible humor.
One’s appreciation for the film will largely depend on your tolerance for truly offbeat humor. When the movie is funny, it can be really funny. A standout bit is a true crime show that recounts a tragic killing stemming from an inability to understand the concept of a magic trick. But there are also a fair amount of segments that feel as if they are rejected Adult Swim shorts. An aerobic exercise video “Blastoff” fails to really bring anything noteworthy to the table, and the censored pornos feel like a concept that has been done to death. The project keeps things relatively reigned in at a brief 72 minutes, but it still feels a bit arduous during the moments that do not connect as much. Indie music fans will appreciate the detours to Charlyne Yi hosting a music show from her parent’s basement, which results in a really moving performance from critical darling Weyes Blood. The entire experience feels like something of a drug trip, or at least something that would be enhanced by one.
The only truly unexpected part of this whole outlandish experience is the way in which Robbins attempts to make this more than just a collection of hit-and-miss bits. Throughout the journey, he sprinkles in some pointed commentary which takes aim at the narcissistic nature of the social media age. What is presented as an outlandish theory about the perils of self-documentation on a current-events talk show is what we know as everyday life. Ralph’s story is also not abandoned once the bits start rolling in, as you get a glimpse of his parent’s deteriorating marriage in the “current day” juxtaposed with snippets of their wedding video that managed not to be recorded over. The film ultimately goes to some pretty unexpected places that will have general audiences scratching their heads or feeling out of sorts by the shift in tone. But those with a foot firmly in the world of bizarro comedy will feel right at home. VHYes is not as consistent as you might want it to be, but it is a bold project that will really hit home with the right audience.
Video Quality
VHYes heads to Blu-Ray courtesy of Oscilloscope Films with a 1080p transfer in the original 1.33:1. It should be stated right up front that this film is not pretty. It was shot on VHS and Betamax, which results in some very harsh looking images throughout. Despite this, the Blu-Ray is still the way to go as you get the film exactly how it is supposed to look without any unintentional damage. The transfer does not present with any noticeable compression artifacts or other such nuisances. Detail is intentionally muddy from setting to setting, although you do get some fun close-ups of Joan’s painting. Colors are washed out, highlights are overblown, skin tones look very unnatural, and black levels offer almost no detail – just like a VHS. After living in the 4K age, it might be rough to look backwards to this type of presentation, but it really does look quite nice for what it needs to do.
Audio Quality
Oscilloscope Films brings this Blu-Ray to consumers with both a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 and 5.1 Master Audio mix that is very strong in its execution. Much like the visuals, the audio is often presented to sound like a worn out VHS tape with instances of humming and occasional audio drop outs. This is not an issue with the track, which captures the spirit of the film perfectly. The stereo track sounds the most natural with the aesthetic of the film, but the 5.1 track provides some nice depth to the sound that is more suited to modern ears. The dialogue holds up quite nicely, coming though clearly without being unintentionally stepped on by the music or sound effects. As this is a throwback to a bygone era, the track is able to nicely incorporate some subtle environmental activity based on each program. The performance from Weyes Blood near the end of the film serves as an audio stand out on the disc. This is a track that represents the film in a very satisfying way. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Sundance Film Festival Shorts
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- Hot Winter: The full nearly eighteen-minute parody film shown in clips throughout VHYes is provided here. The editing and purposefully-missing footage make this one really amusing.
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- Painting With Joan: A four-minute uninterrupted version of the painting show featured in the film is provided here. Kerri Kenney is perfect in the role.
- Extended Scene – Sexy Swedish Aliens: An eleven-minute complete version of the “sexy” sci-fi film featured throughout the movie.
- Theatrical Trailer: A minute-and-a-half-long trailer that establishes the basic aesthetic and conceit of the film well.
Final Thoughts
VHYes is a bizarre but fun throwback to VHS culture that offers more hits than misses in its various frenetic settings. The film is packed with hilarious comedians who offer many laughs but are not always used to their full potential. Even at a scant 72 minutes the film drags in a few places, but overall it provides a solid return on your time invested. Oscilloscope Films has delivered a Blu-Ray with a good A/V presentation and some nice special features to round out the package. The film will not be for everyone, but those who respond to it will really love it. Recommended
VHYes is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Limited Edition VHS.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Oscilloscope Films 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.
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