by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
Funny man Jack Black has garnered a lot of attention lately. The larger than life comedian will appear in a total of four films this year and served as star, composer and co-writer in his most recent release Tenacious D in “The Pick of Destiny” which premieres this week. While older fans will be thrilled with his newest film, those who aren’t quite old enough to get access to the obscenity-laced flick will be left out in the cold (or, at the very least, watching something else). Luckily, fans of Black can delight in his unique comedic stylings in their very own home as Nacho Libre makes its way to DVD.
Ignacio (Black) became an orphan at a young age and was sent to live in a poor monastery. He grew up loving two things: cooking and Mexican masked wrestling or lucha libre. Now all grown up, Ignacio is the chef for the monastery, which is so poor it lacks money for fresh ingredients. The other orphans and the strict monks are convinced his skills in the kitchen are to blame for their terrible meals, but Ignacio knows that with better ingredients he can prove to them all that he is not a failure in the kitchen or in life. With the help of a new friend, the wiry but spry Esqueleto (Héctor Jiménez), Ignacio decides to don a mask and cape and compete in a local lucha libre tournament under the name Nacho. If they win, the duo will get enough money to buy the orphans better food, win the respect of those around him and possibly the hand of the muy caliente new nun Sister Encarnación (Ana de la Reguera), who thinks wrestling is sinful.
Nacho Libre is the brainchild of Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess. He and his wife Jerusha came up with the story along with frequent Jack Black collaborator Mike White. Believe it or not, the film is based on actual events, however loosely. Reverend Sergio Gutierrez Benitez, a Mexican priest, had a secret 23-year career as a masked luchador under the name Fray Tormenta (or “Brother Tempest”). He competed to financially support the orphanage he directed. Nacho Libre was highly anticipated by fans of Hess’ first film and ended up doing well at the box office, despite mixed reviews from national critics. With a budget of approximately $32 million, the movie grossed over $80 million in the United States during its theatrical run. The film is now available on DVD in both full- and wide-screen editions.
Thankfully for those interested in picking up Nacho Libre on DVD, the single-disc release has been packed to the gills with bonus features that will keep you busy for quite some time. A fun, albeit slightly misguided, audio commentary track has Black, Hess and White chowing down on Mexican food while chatting about the film. If you can get past all the crunching, the commentary offers quite a few laughs and some interesting tidbits about the making of the film. Three deleted scenes made their way onto the disc along with a photo gallery and a DVD-ROM comic book creator (which is admittedly not as cool as it sounds). Next up are a myriad of behind the scenes featurettes that touch on nearly every aspect of the film’s production. First is “Detras de la Camera” (“Behind the Camera”) which focuses on the production as a whole, complete with interviews from the cast and crew. Next is “Jack Black Unmasked,” a 12-minute look at Black’s approach to comedy with interviews featuring Black, Jared and Jerusha Hess, Darius Rose (who plays one of the orphans) and stunt coordinator Nick Powell. The third featurette is all about Mexican masked wrestling and is aptly titled “Lucha Libre”. “Hecho en Mexico” (“Made in Mexico”) talks about what it was like to film on location in Mexico. Finally, the making-of featurettes are rounded out by a 9-minute “Moviephone Unscripted” featuring Black and co-star Héctor Jiménez. Last, but certainly not least, is “Jack Black Sings,” where the funny man practices his songs in the film and gives us a special treat: alternate versions of the two tunes.
For those who haven’t already seen the film, I found Nacho Libre quite amusing. This, I’m sure, comes as no surprise given that I am a fan of Jack Black’s work and can most likely quote Napoleon Dynamite backwards and forwards while standing on my head. The film will appeal to those who, like me, enjoy quirky, off the wall comedies. There’s a bit more slapstick than I would have liked and fart jokes that were cringe-worthy, but it’s, for the most part, a solid second film for the talented young filmmaker. By and large, the Nacho Libre DVD is a strong release, giving fans exactly what they crave: more Jack Black and more Jared Hess.
|
