Everyone has favorite films from their childhood that linger on as favorites throughout their years. My main two were Weird Science and Joe's Apartment(yeah... I was a weird kid). Since Weird Science has yet to get a decent DVD treatment after two attempts, I'll have to suffice with reviewing Joe's Apartment. I can remember being in 2nd grade and watching the MTV VMAs that year. A trailer for what was going to be MTV's first movie played, complete with a guy being beaten to a pulp from the camera's POV and singing cockroaches. After seeing about two more specials that MTV played about the film, I was certain that it was going to be the best movie ever. I went the 2nd day it was in the theater with one of my friends and my mother. I loved the film so much and called The Wall, which was the only record store in my town at the time, several times inquiring about the soundtrack and waited anxiously for at least two years for it to make it to video (for the record, I never did end up buying the video release). Okay, I know when reviewing a film, it's a bad idea to bring personal stories into it. But I feel obligated to with this film, as it's one of my all-time favorite films. Not many would say that, since the dismal reviews and box office performance cause most people who actually enjoy the film to file it under their guilty pleasures. But anyway, on with the review.

The film is written and directed by Jim Payson, who directed the original MTV short film that inspired this feature length film. Jerry O' Connell stars as Joe, a college graduate who comes to New York City to start his live. But unfortunately, he doesn't find New York as glamourous as he expected. In fact, it's pretty horrible. He's mugged as soon as he steps off of his bus from Iowa to New York and can't afford even the shabbiest of apartments. He meets up with an artist named Walter Shit(Jim Turner) who informs him that the only way he could get an apartment for the price he's asking is if his mother lived in one and died. A few minutes later, they're walking down the street, where an old woman who happens to live in a cheap apartment falls over dead. Joe poses as her son back from college and gets the apartment. However, inhabiting the same living quarters are thousands of cockroaches. But these aren't your average cockroaches - they can talk. Not only can they talk, but they can sing and there are several cockroach themed musical numbers throughout the film. The cockroaches save Joe from his evil landlords, who are in cahoots with New York Senator Doherty(Robert Vaughn) who has plans to turn the East Village into a maximum security prison. However, they also don't help his luck with his dream girl Lily(Megan Ward).

I can somewhat understand the distaste for the film. Cockroaches are pests and not really meant to be cuddly creatures singing songs that could make Disney characters jealous. However, the film doesn't entirely focus on the cockroaches. The trailers completely ignored the human characters of the film, turning away weak stomached viewers who thought they'd be seeings 80 minutes of bugs. In fact, all of the 1996-era trailers I saw featured cockroaches and constant plugs of "MTV's First Movie!" Those two things didn't prove to be enough box office drawl (but it certainly worked on my 8 year old mind) But once the film hit video, several people began to discover it and it became somewhat of a cult classic. Hey, the film was featured on Joe Bob Briggs's MonsterVision... isn't that enough to classify it as a cult classic? Another thing that's sadly overlooked about Joe's Apartment are the special effects. The CGI cockroaches look great (and this is coming from someone who despises most CGI/live action integration) and seeing some of the live action roach stunts makes you wonder how much the film's roach wranglers went through to make the film. It may not be high art, but Joe's Apartment still delivers laughs and sillyness. It's an entertaining and highly underrated film. Most people I've talked to seem to enjoy it, though those that hate it really hate it. Unfortunately, Warner didn't feel the need to give it anything more than a budget DVD release (though that makes it perfect for those who want to pick it up, since you can find it in the $5.88 bin at most Wal Marts and Targets).

Warner didn't put much effort into the DVD release of Joe's Apartment. The video transfer is the same one featured on the VHS release, meaning it's a 1:33:1 open matte presentation. The film's original aspect ratio of 1:85:1 was preserved on the Image LaserDisc back in 1996, so why they didn't choose to just use that transfer is beyond me. However, at 39:19, there's a superimposed bubble that would've been slightly obscured had it been matted at 1:85:1, so maybe 1:33:1 is the intended aspect ratio. Overall, image quality is pleasing. There's a few traces of grain here and there and some scratches pop up at about 1:07:08, but other than that, it's a decent looking full frame transfer. The audio is what really shines about the transfer. This Dolby Pro Logic track really packs a punch. There's plenty of whizzing that goes from speaker to speaker and very bouncy sound effects. The original music comes out sounding crystal clear. Bass is used little, except for in some of the rock music used in the soundtrack. The track almost makes up for the full frame transfer.

Warner didn't supply any extras for the disc at all. Even the lamest of extras, such as trailers, text biographies, and Filmographies are not present on the disc. The menu isn't even themed to the film. This is weak, because Warner could've placed the original Joe's Apartment short film(which I thankfully own on the I Want My MTV video compilation) or the two music videos that were released (from The Rentals and De La Soul). What I'm angry about is the fact that MTV played two different specials to promote the film back in 1996. I don't remember what one of them was titled and it featured behind the scenes footage of the special effects being created and the other was called "Unbugged" and had Jerry O' Connell along with the film's central roaches - Ralph and Rodney - plugging the film with music videos and clips from the film. I could understand where rights to the music videos could've been a problem, but over the end credits of the Unbugged special, they played a deleted song sequence. I would kill to have a copy of these specials, especially that deleted scene, but alas, I'll probably never see them. Warner definitely disappointed me with this release.

Though it's not one of Warner's strongest titles, it's a shame they chose to release it early in the DVD game and features no extras whatsoever. Joe's Apartment isn't a film for everyone, but since the DVD can be picked up for a meager $5 in some stores, I'd recommend it. Also, a forewarning: my first copy of the DVD appeared to be poorly authored, since the disc showed a bit of discoloring and bubbles(!!?) on the bottom of the disc. It eventually wouldn't play without locking up every few minutes. I bought a new copy and it's working fine, with none of the aforementioned physical problems.

-  Justin Channell