Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Kiefer Sutherland
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Video: 1.85:1 Widescreen Enhanced for 16:9
Audio: Dolby Digital Mono – French, Spanish, Portuguese, plus Isolated Music Score
Extras: Director’s Commentary, Stand by Me Music Video, Talent
Files (7), Trailers (Fly Away Home, The Karate Kid), Featurette (36 min)
Length: 90 minutes
Rating: ****1/2
This wonderful coming-of-age film tells the tale of four pre-teenage
boys who spend Labor Day weekend together on a journey outside their
home town to look for a dead body. The story is narrated by one
of the kids (as an adult) who details their travels over the two
days. When Vern overhears his older brother talking with his
friend about a dead boy that they had discovered out in the woods
(while stealing a car), he can’t wait to tell his friends so they can
be heroes when they find him. The boys head out walking what they
believe to be a 20-30 mile journey only to discover more about
themselves and each other than they had ever imagined. From
leeches, to disagreements, to a confrontation with a bully, the band of
boys manages to stick it out. An unforgettable tale of friendship
and growing up, Stand by Me is sure to make a long-lasting impression.
Stand by Me came from a novella written by Stephen King called “The
Body.” King is normally associated with horror and the
supernatural, but some of his best stories are dramas and have been
made into films like The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile.
Rob Reiner directed the film and speaks highly of its impact on his
life even while making it. The featurette has interviews with the
main members of the cast and writer and director—unfortunately Phoenix
is dead. They speak about certain scenes, acting, and
preparation, the importance of Reiner to the project, and elements that
helped to make the picture as special as it is. In addition to a
soundtrack CD that contains eight songs in the film, there is a
32 page booklet with bios, pictures, and posters from the film.
Highly recommended.
-Brian Bloom
