American Pie [Blu-Ray]

In 1999, when American Pie was released, the comedy landscape was filled mostly with Adam Sandler and Farrelly Brothers movies geared towards a slightly older audience, leaving only self-conscious Kevin Williamson horror movies and PG comedies with Jennifer Love Hewitt or Freddie Prinze Jr. to fill the teen void. It was the tail end of a decade filled with introspective conversation movies and genre deconstructions, which is why this raunchy, explicit, R-rated tale of teen hormones, wherein four meathead friends make a pact to lose their virginity before graduation, was received with such enthused aplomb. Beyond being Porky's for a new generation, it was like a shining emblem of things to come, ostensibly chanting: "Fuck '90s introspection! We want '80s capitalism and big tits!" And studio chiefs heard this chant loud and clear, releasing movies like Road Trip, with an entire marketing campaign surrounding the promise of seeing Amy Smart's breasts. Sure, there was still teen garbage like Loser and Boys and Girls hitting multiplexes, but the big money-makers all featured female nudity, interference with animals or some sort of inappropriate use of pubic hair or ejaculate. Regardless of these many copycat films trying to up the ante in shock value and perversion, the only things still culturally ubiquitous 13 years later come from American Pie. Surely everyone over the age of 25 can recall Jason Biggs fucking a pie, Alyson Hannigan talking of placing her flute somewhere provocative and, sadly, the term MILF (surely to the amusement of Jennifer Coolidge). This film was a shock to the system at the time, even though the glee club romance between Chris Klein and Mena Suvari, and the wholesome portrayal of Tara Reid as a virgin come off as cheesy and awkward now. This context is examined throughout the absurdly protracted three-and-a-half-hour "American Pie Revealed" Blu-Ray exclusive, which discusses the surprise success of the film, along with casting, shooting, writing, on-set antics and actor interviews, broken up by introductions from Eugene Levy. Oddly enough, they talk about how fresh-faced the cast of unknowns was, which is a little misleading since Natasha Lyonne had just come off the critically acclaimed Slums of Beverly Hills and Alyson Hannigan had been on Buffy for two seasons. And, to a lesser degree, Tara Reid was already known for Urban Legend and The Big Lebowski. Also included with the Blu-Ray are casting tapes, a commentary track, a spotlight on location and some outtakes, which just add to the HD excitement of Shannon Elizabeth wandering around topless and masturbating for five minutes. Speaking of which, did no one find it problematic that a sexual offense committed by four interchangeable dipshits, wherein they film an Eastern European girl in the nude without her knowledge, was played as comedy? I guess it's funny because attractive women exist only to titillate slack-jawed, moronic boys.