Blu Ray Review: The Linguini Incident (1991)

Aaron ConnMovies, ReviewsLeave a Comment

The Linguini Incident cover

The Linguini Incident coverWhile best remembered for his music, the late David Bowie was also a talented actor. Whether he was Jareth in Labyrinth or Thomas Newton in The Man Who Fell To Earth, the man was a good actor. There is, however, a genre of film Bowie barely explored: comedy. In 1991, Bowie co-starred in a quirky comedy alongside Rosanna Arquette. The movie, The Linguini Incident, has recently received an official DVD and Blu-Ray release via the MVD Marquee Collection. After decades of being out of print, the Richard Shepard directed has finally gotten the release it deserves.

The Movie
The Linguini Incident follows the lives of waitress Lucy (Arquette) and bartender Monte (Bowie), who both work at a restaurant called Dali. Lucy is a aspiring magician/escape artist low on cash while Monte needs to marry someone in order to keep his green card.  With the help of Lucy’s lingerie designing friend Viv (Eszter Balint), the two set out to rob the restaurant. Along the way, the two co-workers get to know each other all while trying to make ends meet in New York City.

linguini incident bowie arquetteWhile a simple plot for a movie, The Linguini Incident delivers in its unique qualities. First off, the cast is wonderfully diverse. Bowie and Arquette have great onscreen chemistry while Balint stands out with her unique lingerie designs. Seriously: it’s amazing that no one has made any self defense bras in the three decades of this movie’s existence. While Bowie and Arquette are at the center of the movie, the rest of the cast gets a chance to shine. Andre Gregory and Buck Henry get some laughs as the owners while Marlee Matlin has a cute side role as a deaf pretzel-haired cashier.

The Linguini Incident also excels at its quirky aspects. The screenplay is fill with great one liners, with highlights including Lucy lamenting about not getting laid or Monte questioning if marshmallows are one of the food groups. The movie also has a splendid color palette, which looks gorgeous on the Blu ray. The scenes taking place at the Dali are a visual delight while Lucy’s apartment looks like the typical early 90’s apartment, complete with wooden flooring.

If the movie had any downsides, it would be the pacing and plot points. In some parts of the movie, some plot points aren’t acknowledged again while some things are never explained. It’s worth mentioning that this is a new cut of the movie. Prior to watching this, the one version of movie that lurks online amongst Bowie fans is the UK cut of the movie. Director Richard Shepard cuts down on both versions of the movie, with this new 93 minute version, which isn’t too different from previous versions. If anything, it seems the beginning is shorter in this new version.  The Linguini Incident might not be a great movie but it’s solid nevertheless.

Bonus Features
linguini incident gun sceneAs to be expected with a MVD releases, The Linguini Incident blu ray contains several bonus features.

– Audio commentary from  Richard Shepard, Rosanna Arquette, Eszter Balint, Sarah Jackson and Tamar Brott
– A documentary, The Making of the Linguini Incident
– Photo gallery, with Richard Shepard commentary
– the original cut of the movie
– the original trailer
– the 2024 trailer

The first three listed are all new features. Of them, the documentary on the making of the movie stands out the most with its 100+ minute runtime. Almost all of the surviving actors and actresses were interviewed for it, with most of the interviews looking like they were done over Zoom calls. For a movie that’s basically been under-the-radar for three decades, this documentary is filled with new information that should leave cinephiles happy. The original cut of the movie is included but some might be disappointed: it’s presented in standard definition and has a 4:3 aspect ratio. Compared to other version of the original cut out there, this looks pretty good.

Conclusion
MVD’s release of The Linguini Incident is a strong entry in their ongoing Marquee Collection. It’s also nice to have this movie back in print, looking better than ever. While some purists might be disappointed in some elements of the new cut, this new release finally makes in easier for people to have access to this movie.

Movie Rating: 7/10
Blu ray rating: 7/10

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Aaron ConnBlu Ray Review: The Linguini Incident (1991)