Fever Pitch appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.35:1 on this single-sided, double-layered DVD; the image has been enhanced for 16X9 televisions. The film offered a transfer with a mix of positives and only a few negatives.
Sharpness seemed slightly erratic. Most of the film appeared reasonably distinct and well defined, but some mild softness interfered on occasion. However, those concerns appeared modest, as the majority of it came across as acceptably crisp. Jagged edges and moiré effects presented no issues, but I did notice some light edge enhancement on a few occasions. I noticed no print flaws, as the movie stayed clean.
Colors usually came across as acceptably clear and accurate, but they occasionally appeared just a little muddy. Interiors sometimes seemed a bit flat and murky; exterior shots displayed stronger and more intense hues. Still, the colors generally worked well.. Black levels appeared reasonably dense and distinct, while shadow detail was appropriately heavy without excessive opacity. Despite some minor complaints, the transfer was usually quite good.
If you expect a slam-bang Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack from Fever Pitch, you’ll end up disappointed. The film offered a mix typical of comedies, as the soundfield remained largely oriented toward the front speakers. That domain showed very solid stereo presence for music, and it also offered some modest sense of atmosphere. Elements blended together reasonably well, though the film rarely offered a very involving setting.
Surround usage usually tended toward general reinforcement of the music and effects. A few segments displayed greater activity, but the surrounds mainly remained fairly passive. Even shots at ballgames usually stayed with modest crowd ambience and little more.
Audio quality seemed fine. Speech appeared natural and warm, with no problems related to intelligibility or edginess. Effects came across as distinct and accurate, and they displayed good low-end response when appropriate. Music also demonstrated solid dynamics and fidelity. The score and songs showed bright highs and fairly rich bass, and the track seemed to replicate the source material well. While you’ll never use Fever Pitch to show off your system, the audio seemed adequate for the subject matter.
As we head to the extras, we open with an audio commentary with directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly. Both sit together for their running, screen-specific discussion. Past Farrelly commentaries have been tedious due to their obsession with naming names. Often they do little more than just tell us the identities of cast and crewmembers. This trend continues here, though perhaps not as badly as in the past.
One of the reasons for that is because the Farrellys didn’t do all the casting themselves; they came onto the project as semi-hired hands and those issues were handled by Drew Barrymore’s production company. That’s one issue discussed in he commentary, along with adaptation issues and modifications to the script, changing things on the set, working with the actors, shooting in Toronto, filming Sox games and working with the team, and the use of Boston accents. As always, the naming of participants gets tiresome at times, but the Farrellys offer enough decent information to make this a generally useful piece. They also sprinkle some humor in the mix, so count this as a flawed but mostly entertaining track.
13 Deleted Scenes appear. We see a lot more of Ben’s first trip to Fenway as well as a longer take on the first trip Ben and Lindsey take together and the fallout after his initial meeting with her parents. The rest of the clips mostly flesh out existing concepts. We see some interesting stuff, and some of it helps expand things. For instance, the scene in which they argue after he meets her parents makes sense. Overall, the clips are good to see.
The standard Gag Reel comes next. In this five-minute and 59-second compilation, we find a lot of the usual flubs and giggles. A few moderately amusing bits emerge, but don’t expect much out of the ordinary here.
Next comes a featurette called Love Triangle. The two-minute and 10-second short includes movie clips and comments from actor Drew Barrymore. She discusses the story and her character. It’s just a promotional piece with no information on display.
Break the Curse offers a two-minute and 42-second featurette. We hear from Bobby Farrelly, Drew Barrymore, Peter Farrelly, producer Bradley Thomas, and actor Jimmy Fallon. They talk about shooting the scenes at the World Series. It’s not a substantial program, but it offers a few decent tidbits.
In Making a Scene, we get an eight-minute and two-second look at the same subject in a little more depth. We find notes from Bradley Thomas, Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon, Red Sox players Johnny Damon, Kevin Youkilis, and David Ortiz, and producer Nancy Juvonen. They rip through a few basics but mostly chat about filming the victory in St. Louis. Inevitably, this repeats some elements. However, it gives us a reasonably interesting look at things and digs into the topic better than “Curse”.
The DVD ends with some ads. We find the trailer for Fever Pitch along with an Inside Look. That area provides a preview for In Her Shoes that features comments from actors Cameron Diaz, Toni Colette, and Shirley MacLaine,
At no point does Fever Pitch threaten to turn into something inventive or memorable. That said, it manages its own easy-going charm, and it serves as a pleasant diversion. The DVD offers pretty good picture and sound along with a few decent extras. This one makes for a nice date night rental.
