DVD Review: Matinee

Joe Dante has had a long and varied career behind the camera despite not exactly being prolific when it comes to feature films. Whilst he’ll always be best known for the Gremlins films, it’s unfortunate that the rest of his back catalogue are often overlooked. With The Howling, Hollywood Boulevard, Piranha and The Explorers in his armoury, Dante’s clearly has a good understanding and love of cinema. No film sums this up more than Matinee.

As the Cuba Missile Crisis plays itself out, in Key West Gene Loomis (Simon Fenton) is a teenage boy living on an airforce base. Whilst everyone is talking about the impending nuclear apocalypse, Gene is more excited about the impending visit of horror maestro Lawrence Woolsey (John Goodman) to preview his new film Mant!. Lawrence is concentrating all his efforts on making the screening at a local cinema an evening to remember.

Matinee is Dante’s love letter to cinema. He channels his own childhood fascination through the eyes of Gene. There are lots of beautiful stylistic touches and Goodman delivers a pitch perfect performance. It’s a cross between an old-school ‘B’ Movie and a director paying tribute to Roger Corman and others who thrived within low budget film-making. Matinee is bonkers and great fun. The perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Special Edition Contents:

High definition digital transfer supplied by NBC Universal
Lossless stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Paranoia in Ant Vision, a discussion with director Joe Dante about the making of the film
Mant!, the full length version of the film-within-a-film
Discussion with Joe Dante on the effects of Mant!
Vintage ‘making of’ featurette
Rare on-set footage, sourced from Joe Dante’s personal collection
Original theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys