November 1999

Mouse Hunt (DTS)
Reviewed by Roger Kanno
DVD Format

Overall Enjoyment:
Picture Quality:
Sound Quality:
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Starring Nathan Lane, Lee Evans, Christopher Walken

Directed by Gore Verbinski

Theatrical Release: 1998
DVD Release: 1999
DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital Surround
Widescreen (Anamorphic)

While many have been anxiously awaiting the impending release of Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, Dreamworks has quietly been building a library (albeit a small one) of other quality releases on DVD over these past few months. Although, titles such as Antz, Small Soldiers, and Prince of Egypt have garnered most of the attention, Mouse Hunt is a disc that should not be overlooked. It is a dark comedy that is well acted and cleverly written and directed. Moreover, it is a DVD of excellent technical quality.

The look of Mouse Hunt is as dark as its comedy. Interior shots are dimly lit and there are many night scenes. These scenes exhibit excellent shadow detail and have a very film-like look to them which contributes to the somber atmosphere of the film. The rain soaked umbrellas and clothing of the opening funeral scene shimmer in the fleeting light, while much of the remainder of the scene is comprised of subtle shades of gray and solid blacks. Exterior daylight shots are breathtakingly clear with incredible detail and vibrant natural colors. The video transfer of this disc is exemplary in its rendition of the wonderful cinematography and art direction of this film.

The sound design of Mouse Hunt may lack explosions and whiz-bang surround effects, but it features a beautifully recorded musical score, natural and well-integrated dialogue, and a lot of ambience. The orchestral score is used to effectively heighten the drama and is integral to the development of the film. In one particular scene, the mischievous mouse is lurking about and a singular bassoon wonderfully underscores the playfulness of the situation. A full orchestra is also used to good effect and the score (which was written by Alan Silvestri) is one of the most involving and interesting scores in recent memory. The ambience of interior locations, crowd and street scenes is very refined and dialogue often takes on the character of the recorded space. The opening funeral scene is also notable for the dialogue which is clearly intelligible and natural sounding even through the enveloping rainstorm and through the bass which is incredibly deep and powerful.

Mouse Hunt is not only a DVD of exceptional technical quality, but it is also a fine film. However, because of its dark comedy and adult themes, it may not be suited to especially young children. The story centers around two brothers who are trying to rid a house that they have inherited of a particularly pesky mouse. The director, Gore Verbinski, uses clever camera angles and a mix of animatronics, computer animation, and live action shots of actual "stunt" mice to give the film a unique visual perspective and to create some very engaging action sequences. The art direction and set designs of locations such as the dilapidated house and string factory are wonderfully detailed and atmospheric.

Nathan Lane and Lee Evans play the two brothers and the superb cast also includes Vicki Lewis, Maury Chaykin, and the late William Hickey. However, it is Christopher Walken who plays against type as Caesar, the outrageous exterminator who is by far the most memorable character. Although he is onscreen for only a few minutes, Walken's performance is a comic masterpiece that had me in stitches and wishing that his character had a more prominent role in the film.

Unlike most of the DTS DVDs from Universal, Mouse Hunt from Dreamworks includes a few extras such as cast and crew biographies, production notes, and English and Spanish subtitles. However, the DTS version lacks the deleted scenes and theatrical trailers that are present on the Dolby Digital version. Direct comparisons were not made between the soundtracks of the DTS and Dolby Digital discs, but the DTS version utilized for this review was notable for its beautifully recorded music score, well-integrated dialogue, and believable surround ambience. The exceptional sound combined with the film-like quality of the video transfer make Mouse Hunt a refreshing alternative reference disc to the usual explosion filled mega blockbusters that we are all so accustomed to.

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