Fried Green Tomatoes Extended Anniversary Edition DVD Review
Posted by Chad Webb on 07.11.2006
I don’t really like tomatoes, and I don’t wanna try fried green tomatoes, but the movie is still good.
Kathy Bates: Evelyn Couch
Jessica Tandy: Ninny Threadgoode
Mary Stuart Masterson: Idgie Threadgoode
Mary Louise Parker: Ruth Jamison
Cicely Tyson: Sipsey
Chris O’ Donnell: Buddy Threadgoode
Stan Shaw: Big George
Gailard Sartain: Ed Couch
Timothy Scott: Smokey Lonesome
Gary Basaraba: Grady Kilgore
Directed By: Jon Avnet
Release Date: December 21, 1991
DVD Release Date: June 6, 2006
DVD Running Time: 137 minutes
Rated PG-13
The Film
Ten years ago I would have been in middle school, and if someone had asked me back then if I enjoyed watching the film Fried Green Tomatoes, I probably would have lied and said no. In truth, I seem to get hypnotized by the television whenever this film is on. This film has aired on TV countless times since its initial release. In fact, it was on TV so much, you probably thought about buying it, but never did because it always seemed to be on. Trust me; it is worth owning as a part of your collection. Many will make the statement that this is a “chick flick”, but that is simply not true. Upon telling friends that I was reviewing this DVD, I received an equal number of compliments about Fried Green Tomatoes from guys and girls. This is a story that is geared towards women, but its messages can be absorbed by everyone for a lifetime.
Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates) is in the mid stages of her life, and she is very unhappy with the way things are going. She doesn’t look the way she wants, her marriage has fallen into a boring routine, and she is constantly taken advantage of in her daily life. While visiting relatives of her husband Ed (Gailard Sartain) at a nursing home, she meets a sociable old woman named Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy). After just sitting with Ninny for a couple of minutes, Ninny proceeds to tell her a story of friendship, murder, and tasty food that revolves around the lives of Idgie Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Ruth Jamison (Mary Louise Parker). Through her meetings with Ninny, Evelyn has been given a new chance to transform her life.
Fried Green Tomatoes is a film that one cannot describe to another person that knows nothing about it, or has not had the pleasure of being under its spell. In that way, it is very similar to 2005’s An Unfinished Life. The plots of these films are so basic, and to be honest, lackluster sounding that it would hardly gain a newcomers attention. The best advice to give that person, is to just watch the movie. Two reasons stand above the rest as to why this film is so wonderful and genuine. Firstly, the performances by the four main stars are quite remarkable. Mary Stuart Masterson’s career never took off after this film, but at least she has this tremendous achievement on her resume. She is completely different from Idgie in real life, but she slips into the tomboy role as “The Bee Charmer” as if it were written especially for her. Idgie is a woman with a rough exterior, and a spontaneous sense of life, and Masterson exhibits those qualities beautifully. Her best friend Ruth Jamison is portrayed by Mary Louise Parker. Her career also never quite got the boost it deserved. She has had some small parts in films like Red Dragon since then, but Ruth was always her shining moment. Ruth is an overly kind and caring woman, but she is also naïve and fragile. Parker made this part her own, and after the natural chemistry between she and Masterson settled in, the result was pure magic on screen.
The remaining stars were firmly established at the time this movie began filming with paramount skill. Kathy Bates mesmerized audience with her frightening Oscar winning role in Misery, while Jessica Tandy won an Oscar for her magnificent role in Driving Miss Daisy. Jessica Tandy plays an outgoing and comical old coot superbly here. As the story unravels further, it is obvious who Ninny really is, but that does not take away from the emotion that is felt at the end. Kathy Bates is just a exceptional actress who can play any part she wants. Her behavior as a depressed housewife is incredibly authentic that is “too young to be old, and too old to be young”, and I am sure it was effortless for female viewers to connect with her. The rest of the supporting cast deserves just as much credit. Cicely Tyson as Sipsey, Chris O’ Donnell as Buddy Threadgoode, and of course Stan Shaw as Big George all step up to the plate and deliver terrific performances in their respective roles.
The process of filming Fried Green Tomatoes was long and strenuous for director Jon Avnet, but he did finally complete it, and I am certain he was pleased with the way it turned out. Avnet was relentless in wanting to film this screenplay, which was based on the novel by Fannie Flagg called Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. Finding a person to finish the script was the worst aspect of this project. Carol Sobieski wanted to write it as a musical, but after that idea was scrapped, Fannie Flagg herself was brought on to contribute, and she quit writing the screenplay at page 70. Finally it was Avnet himself who helped complete the screenplay. His camera work is graceful, elegant, and sincere. He captures the essence and passion of each time period brilliantly, and the flashback transitions are handled exceptionally considering the difficulty. It is haunting to watch the camera pan across the deserted town, and the worn windows of the Café.
The outstanding production design by Barbara Ling presented the film with an unaffected homegrown atmosphere. One particular facet that provided the film with the essential background it required was the unforgettable score by Thomas Newman. It is because of the themes of friendship that this film has lasted so long through the years. No matter how much the world changes, friendship will continue to be an important part of our lives. My biggest problem with the film is the lack of development of any male character at all such as Smokey Lonesome or Gailard Sartain as Evelyn’s husband Ed.
This DVD states that this is the extended version of the film. About 15 minutes of footage is inserted, and while some of it makes a difference, none of them are significant. The most notable sequence involves Ninny and Evelyn visiting a Baptist church and listening to a gospel singer (Marion Williams) perform “Listen to the Rain.” Other segments one might not remember concern the character of Grady Kilgore. There is a conversation between him and Idgie that proves he is not a member of the KKK. Other portions are pretty minor such as Idgie watching Ruth teach Sunday school, or Evelyn giving Ninny a makeover. In my opinion, these scenes further confirm the friendship between the women. The gospel sequence was the only one I felt was unnecessary for this DVD.
Fried Green Tomatoes carries with a special power that encircles us every time we watch it. In ways, it is such a silly and melodramatic tale, bunt in other ways it is a compelling and charming treasure that has not been tainted by time. This is undoubtedly a tearjerker, but it does not go overboard on schmaltziness like one might think. It cements that feel of Southern nostalgia, and tells us all that it is ok to shed a tear or two, even 20 minutes into the movie. Many criticisms stem from the absence of the original novels lesbian love story. This was a wise decision in my book, and it caused the film to have a much more appropriate attitude as a whole. To my surprise, I adored Fried Green Tomatoes just as much as I did when I first saw it. It is an enduring, old-fashioned, and delightfully crafted gem.
The Audio
The sound is not very memorable, but it is not that bad either. The gentle sounds of rain, the lively vibrations of the bees, and the powerful noise generated by the trains all come across as sharp and clear just as they should. As each actor speaks, their accents and tone are all lucid, simple, and unaffected. This DVD has a Dolby Digital 5.1 track that doesn’t receive that much work because the film itself is relatively quiet. This also has French, Spanish, and English subtitles for the hearing impaired.
The Video
Overall, the colors of nature like the greens of the trees and the browns of the homes are exposed pleasantly, even though they appear muted and soft on occasion. I did notice some grain in some areas of the picture, but the quality is more than sufficient. This DVD has an anamorphic widescreen ration of 1.85:1, and it seems reasonably nice. The contrast seems dedicated, and it has first rate margins of light and dark.
The Extras
Ok, so this film was released on DVD way back in 1999, and you’ll find just about all the extras on that disc as well. A few special features are added here, but if you own the original DVD, I wouldn’t see a reason to buy this unless you want those couple extras, and of course, the slip sleeve case.
Deleted Scenes (1:17) – This is one of the new extras. The deleted scenes don’t last very long, and they clumsily run all together with no specific titles. The first one shows Evelyn getting surprised by a stretcher with clothes on it that she thinks is a dead body. The second scene shows Buddy Jr. getting rushed to the hospital, and just before they go in, Big George is not allowed to enter because he is black. This scene also shows Idgie outside the hospital praying with Big George. The last scene is quite startling to be honest. It shows Big George and Idgie many years later when Buddy Jr. has graduated high school. That would have dramatically changed the film. These are very short, and it is obvious why they were left out.
Outtakes (2:43) – These particular outtakes aren’t that funny, but they are interesting to watch at least. The funniest ones involve Mary Stuart Masterson, who is so different from the character she portrays.
The Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes (65:38) – I was shocked that this mini-documentary lasted as long as it did. It was very well structured, and it provided a lot of information. The interviews with various members of the cast and crew are very informative and exciting. We hear from Director Jon Avnet, Producers, Author Fannie Flagg, Chairman Tom Pollack of MCA Motion Pictures, and the four lead stars. It begins by discussing the script writing process, which was obviously a pain for Jon Avnet. He said each movie he does, he writes it with a star in mind, and for Fried Green Tomatoes he wrote it for Jessica Tandy. Next they chat about the relationship and chemistry between the two pairs of women. On a humorous note, the cast and crew share stories on the taste of fried green tomatoes. The documentary follows Jon Avnet as he travels to different set locations (such as the actual Whistle Stop Café inspired by the film) and they educate us on how they transformed the town. The interviews also cover some key scenes in the film. This was a great little featurette that really does enlighten viewers to different aspects of the filming.
Sipsey’s Recipes - This is just an extra in which you scroll through about 20 recipes, and some are very hard to read. They give you recipes for Skillet Cornbread, Coconut Cream Pie, Pecan Pie, Southern Fried Chicken, and Fried Green Tomatoes. I suppose this is kind of neat if your family wanted to have a Fried Green Tomatoes night where you cook dishes from the film while watching it.
Jon Avnet’s Director’s Notes - This is another scroll through feature which is just as it says it is. It is notes from the director, and it is pointless to read in my opinion. It covers some of the more impressive scenes like the death of Buddy, the bee tree, and the food fight.
Production Photographs - I have always enjoyed these, and I fear that it goes overlooked by many on DVD’s. It is fascinating to look at some of the superb photography displaying Jon Avnet, the cast, the sets, and the crew.
Poster Campaigns - I loved this because I am a big fan of movie posters. It was great to be able to see all the different posters they thought about using. Some look really good, and others are rather sloppy.
Feature Commentary with Director Jon Avnet - Thankfully there is a commentary track on this disc. One way this “Anniversary Edition” could have been improved is if they had included a commentary track with the actresses. Anyway, this includes Avnet talking about the train Evelyn hears in the beginning, and he proceeds to converse about various themes and portions of the filmmaking like production, and so on. As always, I don’t like to spoil too much with commentary tracks. If you are a fan of the film, these are filled with education facts and tidbits.
The Film: 9.0/10.0
The Audio: 7.0/10.0
The Video: 7.0/10.0
The Extras: 8.0/10.0
The 411: If you have done your research on the DVD history of Fried Green Tomatoes, then this will make your eyes roll because it clearly just thrown out there for money. On the other hand, the cover has been spruced up a bit with a nifty slip sleeve case. A couple of the extras were disappointing, and some exceeded my expectations, but one part of this DVD that has remained magnificent is the film itself, which remains one of America’s most beloved jewels. This is highly recommended to pick up. It is well worth your time and money.
