MVD Entertainment Group has a new addition to its popular “Rewind Collection” of Blu-ray releases heading home on Dec. 12.
This would be actor-turned-director (his only feature film) Anthony Michael Hall’s 1994 comedy, Hail Caesar, which features a bunch of familiar faces and a slew of music written, produced and sang by Hall and his group Hall of Mirrors — in the film the band is called Hail Caesar.
The film is a perfect for MVD’s “Rewind” series — “cult classics … from the video store.” Not only does Hall, who had scored with Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science in the mid-80s, showcase is musical talents (actually released the soundtrack, some 13-cuts), but he tried his hand as a director.
Along the way he made friends in the industry and was able to get them on board, which adds to the “star” luster of Hail Caesar. Included in the mix are Robert Downey, Jr. (the same year he did Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers … Hall and Downey had worked together on Weird Science), Judd Nelson (The Breakfast Club), Samuel L. Jackson (the same year he did Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction) and “The Riddler” himself, Frank Gorshin.
The story, which is used to showcase the various musical numbers, has Julius (Hall) trying to land a recording contract (after being kicked out of college for lack of effort) … all this while in love with Buffer Bidwell (played by Bobbie Phillips — as Dee in Showgirls), the daughter of eraser factory owner “Mr. Bidwell” (Nicholas Prior), who tries buy Julius off, but ends up making a bet with him involving his daughter.
There’s some deadly side dealing involving “Mr. Bidwell” and his factory, which puts Julius in danger of being the patsy. Hail Caesar is a comedy, so not to worry about the fate of this Julius Caesar … who finds true love by film’s end (Annie, played by Leslie Danon), a recording contract and a little “something” else.
Check Hail Caesar out as a “Rewind Collection” Blu-ray from MVD Entertainment Group on Dec. 12 … lots of goofy fun and music too!
