When you get as old as dirt like I am, you just might have some wild stories to tell, like the time I traveled across country with John Hughes, John Candy and Steve Martin juggling complete chaos on a classic film-in-the-making, titled Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Working with a 145 page script and daily revisions, Hughes shot an untold amount of footage and countless scenes that never made it to the final cut. The film’s editor Paul Hirsch struggled to bring the film in under 2 hours at the studio’s request.
“It’s easy to edit a bad film. The difficulty is editing a good film, where every scene is priceless. It’s like cutting off an arm,” said Hirsh. “John shot a lot of film on this picture. The first cut was three hours and 45 minutes. It was the longest first cut of any picture I had ever done.”
Hirsch said, “When we sat through the first screening I asked John, ‘So what scenes do you want to keep?’ John just looked at me and said, ‘all of it.'”
So I am thrilled to hear that 75 minutes of newly uncovered footage has been added to this restored 4K Blu-ray release.
On November 22, just in time for Thanksgiving, Paramount Home Media Distribution will release the 4K Blu-ray Planes, Trains and Automobiles that was originally released on November 25, 1987.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, with comedy greats Steve Martin and John Candy, and Laila Robins, Michael McKean, and Kevin Bacon. The heartwarming buddy film has become a beloved holiday classic.
Newly restored in 4K with Dolby Vision/HDR the film looks better than ever and is packaged with a bonus “LOST LUGGAGE” Blu-ray, containing over an hour of never-before-seen deleted and extended scenes that were recently discovered in the archives of writer, producer and director John Hughes. The newly uncovered footage offers a unique glimpse into the filmmaking and editing process and features even more hilarious moments between Steve Martin and John Candy.
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Synopsis: Steve Martin and John Candy star in this hysterical tale of travel gone awry. Neal Page (Steve Martin) is an uptight ad exec trying to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving with his family. When rerouted to Wichita, Neal reluctantly partners with Del Griffith (John Candy), an obnoxious yet loveable salesman. Together, they embark on a cross-country adventure filled with outrageously funny situations and a generous helping of warmth.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- BRAND NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
- DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
- NEW Over an hour of never-before-seen deleted and extended scenes
- Getting There is Half the Fun: The Story of Planes, Trains and Automobiles
- John Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast (2-Part Documentary):
- John Hughes: The Voice of a Generation
- Heartbreak and Triumph: The Legacy of John Hughes
- John Hughes for Adults
- A Tribute to John Candy
- Optional English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish subtitles for the main feature
It is a tradition for me, at some point during every Thanksgiving weekend, to watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Yes, I have placed my pre-order.
