When game designer, Milton Parker (Vincent Price), passes away, his $200 million fortune is left to be distributed between his family. At least that’s what they expect to happen. Being the game player that he is and invoking his motto of “Play to Win,” his last will and testament states that the person or persons to receive his entire fortune will be whoever collects the most points in a scavenger hunt. The items that need to be collected are written in riddle format, and the only rule is that they cannot purchase the items, but must obtain them by any other means.
From that moment on, the insanity ensues as five teams head out in a panicked search of the 100 items on the list that include such things as a toilet, false teeth, a suit of armor, an ostrich, and bonus points for the team with the heaviest person. They not only have to decipher the clues given but also have to find a way of stealing the items without being caught. While it’s a tossup for most of the film at who could be the winner, it’s not until the team headed by Milton’s sister Mildred (Cloris Leachman) decides to steal the items from their fellow rivals that the contest truly kicks into high gear.
The Blu-ray is presented in 1920 x 1080P with a 1.85:1 ratio. The video is of decent quality for a film recorded in the late ‘70s. The audio is also of good quality, but nothing exceptional stands out.
The Blu-ray has three special features, an “Audio Commentary by Director Michael Schultz,” an “Interview with Star Richard Benjamin,” and an “Interview with Actor Richard Masur.” The interviews are quite entertaining and leave you wishing that there were more features and interviews to go along with this release.
I remember seeing this film as a kid and being a big fan. There are many memorable scenes that have stuck in my mind over the years like Marvin Dummitz’ (Richard Mulligan) distraction so (Scatman Crothers) can sneak out a suit of armor from a museum, the death of Montclare (a toilet), and Stuart (Richard Benjamin) doing a Wyle E. Coyote impression as he is smashed by a safe and beaten up by a biker gang. The cast also includes Willie Aames, Dirk Benedcit, James Coco, Cleavon Little, Roddy Mcdowell, Meat Loaf, Tony Randall, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Having been eagerly awaiting this release for many years, the only concern I had was if it would stand the test of time. And for the most part, it holds up well. I knew some of the jokes that were coming and it took some of the freshness away, but there was a lot I didn’t remember as well. Overall, it’s good old-fashioned slapstick comedy filled with silliness that is just fun to watch. It’s clean comedy that anyone can enjoy. If you have not seen it, you will be pleasantly surprised at this release and if you have seen it, then you’ll enjoy watching it again.
