Trading Places still holds up after all this time and following several viewings both on disc and on television over the years. It’s a bit on the nose at times and especially some clichés, yet the dynamic between Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd was wonderful.
Trading Places
— Paramount Presents —
(1983)
Genre(s): Comedy
Paramount | R – 116 min. – $24.99 | December 1, 2020
Date Published: 11/26/2020 | Author: The Movieman
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Paramount provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
THE MOVIE — 4/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: Upper-crust executive Louis Winthorpe III (DAN AYKROYD) and down-and-out hustler Billy Ray Valentine (EDDIE MURPHY) are the subjects of a bet by successful brokers Mortimer (DON AMECHE) and Randolph Duke (RALPH BELLAMY). An employee of the Dukes, Winthorpe is framed by the brothers for a crime he didn’t commit, with the siblings then installing the street-smart Valentine in his position. When Winthorpe and Valentine uncover the scheme, they set out to turn the tables on the Dukes. Quick Hit Review: Trading Places is yet another comedy classic from the 1980s featuring a few terrific performances, primarily by Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy showcasing their comedic talents, alongside the gorgeous Jamie Lee Curtis. The finale alone makes it a standout. I can’t help but to stop and watch it every time it airs on TV. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3/5 |
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This is #12 in the Paramount Present line and comes with a slip cover where the front opens to reveal the original poster artwork. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. Filmmaker Focus (8:46) is a new interview with director John Landis giving a brief look back at the movie from the casting choices, story and other little elements. Nothing all that revealing but I suppose nice to have anything new from a catalog title. Insider Trading: The Making of Trading Places (18:38) takes viewers behind-the-scenes with archive interviews by the cast and crew. Trading Stories (7:59) is a collection of old interviews compiled from a publicity tour. Deleted Scene (3:09) includes an optional commentary with Executive Producer George Folsey Jr. Dressing the Part (6:31) looks at the costume designs. The Trade in Trading Places (5:25) breaks down about the stock market. Industry Promotional Piece (4:18) Theatrical Trailer (2:50) |
VIDEO – 4.75/5 |
| As part of “Paramount Presents”, Trading Places received a remastered transfer, supervised by director John Landis, from a 4K scan, and presented with a 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio. I will admit, while this is still in 1080p, the picture here looks terrific. Detail is incredibly sharp throughout, colors fairly vibrant, black levels well balanced and the original film grain and noise nicely retained giving it what I assume is as close to the theatrical experience to date for the movie. Really impressive. |
AUDIO – 4/5 |
| The previous Blu-ray releases featured a Dolby Digital 5.1 track so this too gets an upgrade with a more evenhanded and well rounded Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio. Being this is strictly is a comedy, the bulk of the audio is dialogue driven or Elmer Bernstein’s great score, the former taking root from the center speaker, the latter giving the film a tad more depth making use of the front and rear channels. |
OVERALL – 3.5/5 |
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Overall, Trading Places still holds up after all this time and following several viewings both on disc and on television over the years. It’s a bit on the nose with the social commentary and especially some clichés, yet the dynamic between Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd was wonderful with the inclusions of Jamie Lee Curtis, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche and Denholm Elliott takes the film over the top. This latest Blu-ray release from Paramount is probably as definitive as it will ever get with upgraded video and audio transfers alongside most of the bonus material (a pop-up trivia is missing, but not a big deal IMO), making this a worthwhile pick-up. |
Check out some more 1080p screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.