Teaching Mrs. Tingle was never my favorite film but with some biting dialogue and an amazing performance from Helen Mirren, challenging Meryl Streep in The Devil Wars Prada, this teen dark comedy has gathered a following over the years, far more than when it was released back in 1999.
Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)
Genre(s): Comedy, Crime, Suspense
Echo Bridge Home Entertainment | PG13 – 95 min. – $14.99 | May 7, 2013
MOVIE INFO:
Directed by: Kevin Williamson
Writer(s): Kevin Williamson (written by)
Cast: Helen Mirren, Katie Holmes, Barry Watson, Marisa Coughlan, Liz Stauber, Jeffrey Tambor, Molly Ringwald, Vivica A. Fox, Michael McKean
Theatrical Release Date: August 20, 1999
DISC INFO:
Features: None
Number of Discs: 1
Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 5.1), English (DTS-HD MA 2.0)
Video: 1080i/Widescreen 1.85
Subtitles: None
Disc Size: 22.8 GB
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Region(s): A
THE MOVIE
Plot Outline: Leigh Ann Watson (KATE HOLMES) is the brightest girl at Grandsboro High… but her dreams of a much-needed college scholarship are sabotaged when her history teacher, the dreaded Mrs. Tingle (HELEN MIRREN), falsely accuses her of cheating. Desperate to prove her innocence, Leigh Ann conspires with her friends Luke (BARRY WATSON) and Jo Lynn (MARISA COUGHLAN) on a scheme that will teach Mrs. Tingle a lesson of her own. But before they know it, their plan spins out of control.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 0/5
Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, no features have been included given the DVD release didn’t have any either, aside from a theatrical trailer.
VIDEO – 1.5/5
Awful. That’s the only word I can use to describe this transfer. Despite the back cover, the video has been upgraded to 1080i HD but it seems Echo Bridge, via Miramax, merely transferred the DVD version to Blu-ray and calling it good. The biggest issue is the clarity is not there and is terribly soft throughout. The other problem is there’s a fair amount of dust marks, especially noticeable in darker scenes. It’s a good thing this Blu-ray only costs $5.99 because any more and it would be highway robbery but EBHE.
AUDIO – 3.75/5
On the positive front, and it’s not too much to go from that video, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is serviceable if not average. The lossless track does spark to life during the timely pop/rock songs (of the late ‘90s) while dialogue levels are nice and clear. The rear channels also come to life with ambient noises such as rain, side action and the like.
OVERALL – 2.5/5
Overall, Teaching Mrs. Tingle was never my favorite film but with some biting dialogue and an amazing performance from Helen Mirren, challenging Meryl Streep in The Devil Wars Prada, this teen dark comedy has gathered a following over the years, far more than when it was released back in 1999. The Blu-ray release sadly has one of the worst video transfers while the audio is only adequate.
Published: 05/05/2013