Dragnet

Summary

“We don’t want any non-pagans around here. Especially tonight!”

Recently I purchased the Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of Dragnet released by Shout! Factory. Directed by Tom Mankiewicz and starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks, Dragnet was a staple of cable television when I was growing up. I also watched hours and hours of the original television series on Nick at Nite growing up. It had been years since I had revisited the film, but I have always been fond of the comedic performances of Tom Hanks from the Eighties, so I decided last night to see the film for the first time in roughly twenty years.

At a distribution center for Caesar Publishing, men disguised as firemen light a molotov cocktail. They toss the burning bottle on top of the numerous stacks of pornographic magazines called “Bait” published by Caesar. The impostors leave behind a card emblazoned with a logo that says P.A.G.A.N. Captain Gannon (Harry Morgan) asks Joe Friday (Dan Aykroyd) to investigate the case. Gannon also informs Joe that his partner has quit to finally achieve his dream of owning a goat farm. The partner has been replaced by former narcotics officer Streebek (Tom Hanks.) Whereas Joe is completely buttoned up, Streebek is much more laid back. Joe is completely by the book to the point of actually driving under the speed limit, whereas Streebek is not as interested in following all protocols to perform his duties. The partners are called to the L.A. County Zoo. An anaconda has gone missing and a lion’s mane has been inexplicably shaved into a mohawk. More P.A.G.A.N. cards are found on the scene. The detectives visit pornography king Jerry Caesar (Dabney Coleman) who lets the detectives know that he wants the men responsible for the fire held responsible. The city has recently found itself under the spell of televangelist Reverend Jonathon Whirley (Christopher Plummer) who wants to push forward his movement against indecency. Jerry Caesar is one of his main targets of his outrage. When the two detectives track down a limousine driver for Caesar named Emil Muzz that happens to be part of the P.A.G.A.N. cult, they get a hot tip that leads them to a rally for the  People Against Goodness And Normalcy. On the scene, disguised as cult members, they note that there are several stolen police vehicles and ambulances. The rally gathered stares up to a podium where a man wearing a mask of a goat’s head holds a ceremony. He leads them all into a frenzy and then brings out a virgin (Alexandra Paul.) The virgin is thrown into a water-filled pit along with the lion’s mane. Inside the pit is the zoo’s stolen anaconda. Streebek and Joe jump in and through comedic ingenuity save her from the animal. After escaping the pit, the officers and the virgin – named Connie Swail – run through the crowd and break it up by firing shots. In the fracas, Connie bumps into the leader of the cult and she sees his face. The officers must keep Connie safe while also proving the identity of the cult leader.

Dragnet is a good example of the exact type of comedy that I enjoy from the Eighties. I find the action-comedy films from the Eighties are great popcorn movies. It is a shame that we don’t see much of the buddy-cop genre done correctly these days. We are living in the era of the blockbuster superhero film and, while I enjoy some of those films, they fail to connect with me in any grounded sort of way. It is funny to think that the ridiculous comedies of yesteryear are actually much less fantastic than most pictures being made today. I don’t have any friends with superpowers, but I do know people that follow rules too closely like Joe Friday. I know boyish thirty somethings like Streebek. We all know of morally trepidatious televangelists like Jonathon Whirley. The comedy in the movie comes from a place that is grounded in stereotypes that exist in the world. The film just takes those stereotypes to heightened levels.

The acting in the film sells the picture. Dan Aykroyd turns in one of his best performances as Joe Friday. Approaching the character of Joe utilizing nearly robotic movements and a zeal for following the law, Aykroyd is very funny in the film. He plays the role straight and allows the comedy to come from the ridiculousness of Joe’s convictions and dialogue. Tom Hanks is a perfect foil to Aykroyd. I loved Tom Hanks when he was a comedic actor. He doesn’t do as many comedies anymore, but he was one of my favorite comedic actors. My personal favorite role of Hanks was in Joe Dante’s The ‘Burbs, but Dragnet gives Hanks plenty of screen time to do his thing. Best of all, the film features the late great Christopher Plummer as Jonathan Whirley. Plummer passed away recently, and rewatching him in this role made me very happy. He always elevated the material he was given and this is no exception. Dabney Coleman also has an enjoyable role in the film. Director and writer Tom Mankiewicz drew solid comedic performances from those involved in his film.

In Roger Ebert’s review of the film he discussed how the first hour is great and that the last thirty minutes of the film can’t quite maintain the comedic quality of the prior hour. I think that this is a fair evaluation. The first hour is really on target as both an homage and a satire of the television series. The last third is still enjoyable but not as novel or as focused as the beginning of the film.

Comedies of that time were free to not take themselves too seriously and to be a little silly. The writing was allowed to be more loose. When I watch a movie like Dragnet or Turner and Hootch, I am not seeking a true reflection of a day in the life of a policeman. I am not looking for some grand insight into life in general, but purely seeking a light entertainment with a few good jokes. Fans of these types of popcorn films from the Eighties will find a lot to enjoy about Dragnet. 

Video

Shout!Factory have done a solid job on the new transfer of the film using an MPEG 4 AVC codec of what appears to be a 2K scan. The film looks like many buddy-cop pictures from the Eighties thanks to cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti who worked on films including Commando, Red Heat, and Hard to Kill during that era. This is not Leonetti’s most visually striking film – that would come eight years later with Strange Days – but the film does have the correct look for what it is. There are some colorful moments that take place at the estate of Jimmy Caesar and on muscle beach that have that Eighties Budweiser commercial vibe, while most of the film is fairly restrained. The transfer is without many issues and has a fine level of grain. Fine detail is the best that one could expect from the film. Fans should be pleased!

Audio

Shout! Factory have provided a DTS-HD MA 2.0 track that serves the film well. For a 2.0 track, the sound field felt more robust than I expected. It would have been great if the film had received a 5.0 surround remix, but fans should be more than happy with the quality of the provided track. Clarity is solid and there are no real issues to report.

Supplements:

• Audio Commentary with Pop Culture Historian Russell Dyball
• A Quiet Evening in the Company of Connie Swail: An Interview with Co-star Alexandra Paul – the actress discusses working on the film and her memories of her costars. 
• Just the Facts!: A Promotional Look at Dragnet with Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks – this television special hosted by Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd explores the history of the classic television series and then focuses on the making of the Dragnet film.
• Original Theatrical Trailer & Promos

Overall Scores:

Video – 4.5/5

Audio – 4.5/5

Supplements – 3.5/5

Overall – 4/5

Dragnet was a staple on cable television when I was growing up. While the film loses some steam in its final act, there is still a lot to enjoy about the comedy. It serves as both a solid homage and satire of the original television series. Tom Hanks was always great in comedic roles in the Eighties and he performs well as Streebek.  Dan Aykroyd absolutely nailed the role of Joe Friday. The late great Christopher Plummer is a lot of fun to watch in the film as a power hungry televangelist. The new Collector’s Edition of Dragnet by Shout!Factory features a good looking scan of the film and some worthwhile supplements. Fans of the film will surely want to upgrade from their DVD copies to this version. Recommended!