Movie Info:
Writer: Karen McCullah Lutz, Kirsten Smith
Director: Gil Junger
Cast: Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholtz, Andrew Keegan, Susan May Pratt, Gabrielle Union, Larry Miller
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Touchstone
Release Info:
Original Theatrical Release Date: March 31, 1999
DVD Release Date: January 5, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $
It’s hard to believe it has been over ten years since 10 Things I Hate About You was released in theaters. I remember actually going to the theater and seeing this movie. I was 18 years old and while my older brother took my niece and nephew to Cedar Point every year, being in a wheelchair and having no car/ability to drive, I was forced to take them to a movie as our “bonding” time. He got the amusement park. I got movie time, and it was always their decision as to what movie we would see.
I’m only 4 1/2 years older than my niece and 6 1/2 years older than my nephew. While that does not seem to matter much now that we are all in our 20s, it does make a difference to be 18 and hanging out with a 13 and 11 year old. This means I never was particularly happy about the movie choices they picked. I saw Titanic (I admit, it grew on me) with my niece 4 times in the theater when it came out because she kept wanting to go back and see it again, and my nephew often wanted to see stupid comedies.
I fully admit when my niece wanted to see 10 Things I Hate About You, I scoffed at the idea. She was 13, and teen comedies are all the rage when you are a young teen. I confess, I have not been fond of teen-geared flicks since John Hughes left the game. I knew I was going to hate this film and went into the theater ready to throw popcorn at the screen. Alas, the talent and acting of a guy I’d never heard of before, who would go on to make Jack Nicholson’s Joker look like a pansy, saved this movie for me.
I actually liked 10 Things I Hate About You. It was funny. The story was pretty good. The acting was great. Both Joseph Gordon Levitt and Heath Ledger went on to be in some really great movies that are some of my favorite films. I even liked Julia Stiles in this. For an actress around my own age, I respect the work she has done. It wasn’t really a lame teen movie, and I am glad I was able to enjoy this movie with my niece. It makes me look like the great uncle I am if I can appreciate the movies she likes.
Well, here it is ten years later. Sadly, Heath has left all too soon, but his legacy remains in the films he made. 10 Things I Hate About You was his first crossover movie; an introduction to the American audience that came to love and respect his work. Though nobody had any clue how great he’d become after 10 Things I Hate About You, this film showed promise in a great career that ended way too soon.
10 Things I Hate About You Plot
AV geek, Michael Eckman (David Krumholtz) shows new student, Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) around Padua High School. Michael is kind enough to explain to Cameron how the school’s hierarchy of cliques works. Cameron sees popular, Bianca Strattford (Larisa Oleynik) and it is love at first sight, but Michael does not believe the two are a match made in heaven, especially since Bianca is rather pompous and all the other stereotypical things popular girls are. Besides, her father does not let her date. When Cameron finds out Bianca needs a French tutor, he sees a window of opportunity to get to know her.
Bianca’s older sister, Katerina “Kat” (Julia Stiles) is her complete opposite. Kat doesn’t conform for anyone or anything. She’s an opinionated feminist who dresses how she wants and relishes in her social outcast status. Kat receives an acceptance letter to Sarah Lawrence College, something that makes her overprotective, single father, Walter (Larry Miller), very upset. Kat changes the subject by telling her father that Bianca rode home from school with Joey Donner (Andrew Keegan), a sleaze that wants only to bed Bianca. Oblivious to this, Bianca begs her father to change his mind about her dating, but he won’t let her date if Kat won’t date, causing tension between the sisters.
When Cameron finds out about the no dating rule, he and Michael attempt to set Kat up with Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), who is just as big an outcast as Kat is. After the two fail to ask Patrick to take on the mission of wooing Kat, Michael suggests that Joey, who wants in Bianca’s pants, proposition Patrick, not revealing his true intentions in helping Cameron. Joey decides to offer Patrick cash to date Kat, but Kat finds little interest in the prospect of dating a mutual outcast. Patrick realizes he has his hands full, but the more he attempts to win Kat over, the more he realizes he might actually like her.
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Audio/Visual:
When you consider the fact that 10 Things I Hate About You is a lower budget film, seeing what they have done to it is nothing short of amazing. There are still some issues here, but nothing like you would expect considering the age and budget that the film had to deal with. The 1080p transfer has one main issue and that is overactive sharpness. The coloring is good and the blacks are strong. Backgrounds are natural in appearance and though there are some white washed skintones at times, the coloring is nothing to complain about. The detail is fair, especially for being cleaned up. Like I previously mentioned the biggest problem is the sharp glare that occasionally occurs at random moments.
The audio is available courtesy of a DTS HD-MA 5.1 surround sound track. Nothing here is going to rock your socks, but it’s definitely a step above the previous release that fans might be familiar with. The sad part is that the surround sound does not get a lot of action. The party scenes, for example, do not offer a lot of excitement. Dialogue is clear though and the basic sound is nothing to complain about. It could have been better, though I would have loved for it to be more exciting, if only in the Ledger scenes. French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks are also included. Subtitles are available in all aforementioned languages as well as in Portuguese.
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Bonus Features:
I have to say, I was expecting an anniversary edition of a Blu-Ray to contain more than just two special features. There is a new commentary track, which is pretty cool and some other new features, but on the whole there really isn’t a whole lot here. It was surprising to find so little. Other than trailers for When in Rome, Surrogates, and Extract there are only two main features.
The audio commentary is a new track for this special edition. There are a number of cast and crew on this commentary including Andrew Keegan, David Krumholtz, Susan May Pratt, Larisa Oleynik, Kristen Smith, and Karen McCullah Lutz. There are a lot of things that are talked about on this track. Seeing Ledger on screen is sad, but like other topics, this too is addressed. Otherwise, it is an entertaining listen with insightful points rattled off throughout the movie.
The only other feature is entitled “10 Things I Love about 10 Things I Hate About You” – This is a huge featurette that lasts for close to 40 minutes. The idea is that it serves as the making of for the film, in a sense. The featurette takes a look back at the production now that it’s been ten years. You will hear from Gil Junger the most and randomly from cast and crew as the time and situation permits. Junger claims that he knew even then that Ledger was going to be a superstar. He also points out that as far as directing goes, this is one of the best times he’s ever had doing his job.
Interviews from the cast when the movie was first released, are included, as are some deleted scenes. However, the quality for these items leaves a lot to be desired. If you’re looking to watch these and are hoping for something that looks new, you won’t be getting it. They look awful in all honesty. Avoiding that issue, this featurette isn’t so bad even if it doesn’t feel like they put too much work into this section of the Blu-ray.
Bonus Features:
Bottom Line:
10 Things I Hate About You is one of those movies that you may not think about until a special edition like this one comes out. While the bonus features section pretty much stinks and the Blu-Ray quality for this isn’t worthy of the Blu-Ray name, this movie is worth seeing and owning. I suggest you purchase this in DVD to save yourself a few bucks. 10 Things I Hate About You is a nice addition to nearly any DVD collection.
Overall Rating:
Technorati Tags: BD Review, 10 Things I Hate About You, Special Edition, Comedy, Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, 10th Anniversary, Film, Movie
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Written by Dominick - Visit Website
Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics, his religion (Hellenic Reconstructionism) and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.
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