On the heels of Dumb and Dumber, the Farrelly Brothers brought their unique mix of slapstick and toilet humor to the tale of another ‘loser’ with Kingpin. Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson) is a washed-up pro bowler, who lost his game hand and most of his hair in 1979 thanks to a scheming rival—the creepy Ernie “Big Ern” McCracken (Bill Murray). His dreams shattered, Roy spends his time hawking bowling supplies to regional lanes that don’t want them and avoiding his emphysemic landlady (Lin Shaye).
One night, while hanging out at the local lanes, Roy stumbles on to a young Amish man, Ishmael (Randy Quaid), who appears to be a better-than-average bowler. Roy decides to take the naïve young man under his wing, building him into a skillful hustler. Roy persuades Ishmael to accompany him to Reno, Nevada, where he figures the two will shock the national bowling championships. Along the way, they hook up with some interesting characters including the gorgeous and streetwise Claudia (Vanessa Angel) who just so happens to be running away from her abusive bowler boyfriend and Ishmael is introduced to several vices. Once the trio arrives in Sin City, they run into the infamous “Big Ern” McCracken at a huge bowling match. Ridiculous? Without a doubt.
However, the surprisingly good script by Barry Fanaro and Mort Nathan makes Kinpin a lot more fun than it probably has a right to be. While the talents of Harrelson and Quaid are undeniable, the real star here is Bill Murray. Though he has a limited amount of screen time, he commands the audience’s attention, stealing every scene he’s in. Ernie is proud of his standing as a complete slime. He revels in the fact that his actions have left Roy willing to stoop to his level for one more moment in the spotlight. Now, Ernie is the man to beat!
While there are long stretches that fall rather flat and jokes that go awry, it still puts a smile on my face throughout. The humor derives from one-liners and sight gags, the kinds of things the ZAZ team of Airplane! fame would appreciate. An Amish grandmother with whiskers is funny. The film’s use of hairpieces is hilarious. No one is immune. Since this is a Farrelly Brothers film, lots of jokes are made at the expense of Roy and his prosthetic hand. Naturally, some jokes and gags work better than others, but the general tone of the story is pleasing. Kingpin is worth watching at least once, for no other reason than to check out the genius that is Bill Murray.
Kino Lorber’s new HDR/Dolby Vision Master from a 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative is an improvement over previous releases. Colors are vivid throughout. Details are improved (we can now see each strand of the various hairpieces). Minimal grain gives things a nice filmic appearance. There is no evidence of scratches, dirt or other anomalies. Fans of the film will be happy with this 4K.
The DTS HD Master Audio track is standard stuff. Dialogue is clear throughout, and music is nicely spaced. While there is a bit of surround support throughout, it’s never particularly powerful. The soundtrack includes an array of 1970’s disco hits. I can’t help but wonder what a Dolby Atmos track would have sounded like.
English SDH subtitles are available.
The following extras are included:
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
- NEW!! Audio Commentary by Entertainment Journalists/Authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
- HD Masters of the Theatrical Cut (NEW) and Extended Cut – From 4K Scan of the Original 35mm Elements
- Audio Commentary by Directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly (Extended Cut)
- NEW!! Audio Commentary by Entertainment Journalists/Authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry (Theatrical Cut)
- Kingpins – Extra Frames with the Farrelly Brothers: Featurette (19:14)
- Theatrical Trailer