Quick Change : The Warner Archive Collection

Talk about a CLOWN DAY AFTERNOON!

Coming straight at you from the weird and wacky center of 1990s Forgotten Gems aisle comes Bill Murray, Geena Davis, Randy Quaid, and Jason Robards in Quick Change, a comedic heist film in which Murray appears as a clown in the film’s opening and, thanks to the reliable subway system and a mess of passengers, finds himself running a bit late to his own planned bank heist . . . or is it the oversized shoes which slows him down?

"funny, highly quotable, and witty as hell"


 

Either way, the opening sequence - in which Nat King Cole croons “L-O-V-E” as Murray (dressed in that clown regalia) looks all sorts of put out - leads to Grimm robbing a bank, taking hostages, and making his demands for a helicopter and a monster truck before disappearing with the ill gotten gains.  But the escape plan - hoping to hop a flight to Fiji - is where the whole thing falls apart.  In fact, nothing goes as planned as Grimm finds himself stuck in the city which he hates.

With New York as yet another character in the movie, Quick Change begins with lots of visual gags as we mistake a photo for Central Park on the subway for an actual aerial shot of the park and Murray, in clown disguise, has to beat departing passengers away from him with his balloons. But this is no love letter to the Big Apple. 

Quick Change, directed by Howard Franklin (The Private Eye, Larger Than Life) and Murray (the only movie he’s co-directed), has become a cult classic in its own right thanks to its cast, its ongoing quirk, and a tightly-wound script which sees a very sardonic Murray pulling off an ingenious bank heist with simplicity, but running into a series of complications as he tries to get away with his girlfriend Phyllis (Geena Davis) and best friend Loomis (Randy Quaid).

All they want is the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, but they end up lost in a part of Brooklyn that no one is familiar with.  The short journey to the airport is doomed and, as a result of the delay, so enters wacky characters played by Tony Shaloub, Stanley Tucci, Phil Hartman, and Kurtwood Smith as yet another crazy character to further complicate their escape.  You see, this is a movie about a man who hates New York City and he can’t get out.Quick Change : The Warner Archive Collection

Like Into the Night before it, Quick Change is a fun-filled romp through a night where everything goes wrong.  It shares similar territory with what Michael Douglas explores in Falling Down but it does so with a more pronounced smile on its face thanks to the dry reactions from Murray and his chemistry with Davis.  

Quick Change is funny, highly quotable, and witty as hell as Murray tries to remain calm while waiting for old ladies to buy their groceries or clerks to break open new rolls of coins.  It was unfairly dismissed at the time of its release (with only the critics gobbling it up) and features a great performance from Robards who definitely does NOT phone in his performance here.

Quick Change is now available on blu-ray thanks to the Warner Archive Collection with a brand new transfer.  For once, the critics got their reviews right!

5/5 beers

Quick Change : The Warner Archive Collection

Blu-ray Details

Home Video Distributor: Warner Bros.
Available on Blu-ray
- April 27, 2021
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: English SDH
Audio:
DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

The star of Caddyshack, Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day headlines and co-directs this uproarious Big Apple heist-and-pursuit caper. Bill Murray plays Grimm, a frazzled urbanite who disguises himself as a clown and sets out to rob a bank. Geena Davis and Randy Quaid play accomplices in Grimm's daring scheme and Jason Robards is the blustery cop caught up in Grimm's Clown Day Afternoon. Swiping a million bucks is a snap compared to getting out of town. Grimm and cohorts commandeer a car, a cab, a bus, a baggage tram and a plane (and encounter future stars Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub in hilarious supporting roles) to make what becomes a less-than-merry escape. But for comedy lovers, Quick Change is a ticket to ride! 

Video:

With grain still intact, Warner Bros finally gets around to giving fans of this comedy gem a new transfer!  The film is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and looks breathtaking on this release with warm and eye popping colors, a solid contrast, and accurate flesh tones.  The black levels are dark and hold their edges well and there is superb detail throughout the presentation.  This is yeat another solid release from the Warner Archive Collection!

Audio:

The 2.0 DTS master audio is also incredible here, too.  Heavy on dialogue and with a great use of music, this soundtrack doesn’t disappoint.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

There is only the film’s original theatrical trailer included as a bonus.

    • Theatrical Trailer

Blu-ray Rating

  Movie 5/5 stars
  Video  5/5 stars
  Audio 4/5 stars
  Extras 1/5 stars

Composite Blu-ray Grade

5/5 stars


Film Details

Quick Change : The Warner Archive Collection

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime:
89 mins
Director
: Howard Franklin; Bill Murray
Writer:
Howard Franklin
Cast:
Bill Murray; Geena Davis; Randy Quaidr
Genre
: Comedy | Crime
Tagline:
The bank robbery was easy. But getting out of New York was a nightmare.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Listen, I've had just about enough of your comedy, clown. We're coming in through the plate glass."
Theatrical Distributor:
Warner Bros.
Official Site:
Release Date:
July 13, 1990
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
April 27, 2021.
Synopsis: The star of Caddyshack, Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day headlines and codirects this uproarious Big Apple heist-and-pursuit caper. Bill Murray plays Grimm, a frazzled urbanite who disguises himself as a clown – and sets out to rob a bank.

Art

Quick Change : The Warner Archive Collection