Distributed by
VCI

Cat.no: VCD 0007

Cert: PG

Running time: 125 minutes

Year: 1991

Pressing: 1999

Region(s): 2, PAL

Chapters: 25 plus extras

Sound: Dolby Surround (Dolby Digital 2.0)

Languages: English

Subtitles: None

Widescreen: 16:9

16:9-enhanced: Yes

Macrovision: Yes

Price: £19.99

Extras : Scene index, Theatrical trailer, Featurette.

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Director:

Jon Avnet (Up Close And Personal)

Producer:

Jon Avnet and Jordan Kerner

Screenplay:

Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski

Music:

Thomas Newman

Cast:

Evelyn Couch: Kathy Bates (Amy Foster, Dolores Claiborne, Misery, Prelude To A Kiss, Titanic, White Palace)
Idgie Threadgoode: Mary Stuart Masterson (Bad Girls, Bed Of Roses, Benny And Joon, Catholic Boys, Heaven's Prisoners, Some Kind Of Wonderful)
Ruth: Mary-Louise Parker (Boys On The Side, Bullets Over Broadway, The Client, Grand Canyon, Portrait Of A Lady)
Ninny Threadgoode: Jessica Tandy (The Birds, Camilla, Cocoon, Driving Miss Daisy)
Big George: Stan Shaw (Cutthroat Island, TV: "Roots")
Sipsey: Cicely Tyson (Acceptable Risks, House Of Secrets, TV: "Roots")
Buddy: Chris O'Donnell (Batman And Robin, Batman Forever, The Chamber, Circle Of Friends, In Love And War, Scent Of A Woman, The Three Musketeers (1994))

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Ninny tells an absorbing story of two very different women who lived half a century ago in the town of Whistle Stop, Alabama: the dare-devilish tomboy Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and the demure and good-hearted Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker). Together they ran the Whistle Stop Cafe - a railside eatery serving good old southern food, as well as a good helping of friendship and laughter, although things turned sour when Ruth's violent estranged husband returned to take away their child. The events that followed led to his death and Idgie was the prime suspect, but always remember that the secret's in the sauce...

The picture quality is mostly very good on this disc although it's a little grainy in places although the average bitrate is a high 7.84Mb/s. On the plus side, the widescreen 16:9 transfer is anamorphic, thus allowing for extra resolution on widescreen televisions.

The Dolby Digital 2.0 (Dolby Surround) sound doesn't get used for anything that will make you jump out of your seat, but the score is pleasing and there's a good surround-sound moment in chapter 5 when Idgie steals some honey from a beehive.

Extras :

Chapters/Trailer :

Languages/Subtitles :

There's just the one language on this disc - English - and there are no subtitles, nor is there a commentary track.

Other extras :

Menu :

The interactive menu is fine with a small amount of background animation. Note that on playing the disc you can't skip past the VCI logo and copyright info.

Overall, this is a fine film to have on DVD and quite an entertaining one at that as you watch the friendship grow between the two female leads. It's a shame that there wasn't much else in the way of extras and it's confusing why the disc box states "Extra features - 4:3", indicating that there is a fullscreen version of the film, as there isn't...not that that's a particular minus.

What I'd really like to know is what was cut to get this film down from its original theatrical 12-certificate to the PG-certificate version that has already been released on video, albeit in pan-and-scan form.

FILM	 		: ****
PICTURE QUALITY		: ****
SOUND QUALITY		: ***
EXTRAS			: **
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OVERALL			: ***

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1999.