Fishing with John [Criterion Collection]

"Uber-cool John Lurie's existential fishing escapades, part of six made-for-television episodes, are a joy to behold on this Criterion Collection DVD. The lustrous cinematography is beautifully portrayed here, betraying the fact that the episodes were shot on video, not filmed. There's a great deal of outdoorsy nature imagery that the DVD must convey, and it's an impressive feat that everything looks so good. You'll almost feel that you're there with Lurie and his guests (including Willem Dafoe, Jim Jarmusch, Tom Waits, Matt Dillon, and Dennis Hopper) as they goof around, traversing exotic locales around the world and pretending that they have the slightest idea what they're doing. The sound quality is excellent, with narrator Robb Webb's hilarious comments crystal clear in Dolby Digital. John Lurie's minimalist, art-jazz score also sounds pristine, and Lurie's commentary, available as a second audio track, is as funny as the episodes themselves. Rounding out the package is ""Big Heart,"" a blast from the past in the form of a Lounge Lizards music video. Fishing with John is a must-see cult classic, and this DVD collection is a worthy packaging of every episode of one of the coolest television programs around."