The Birdcage

Director: Mike Nichols

Overview

Mike Nichols' comedy The Birdcage comes to DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround, while Spanish and French soundtracks have been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. Subtitles are available in all three of these languages as well. Supplemental materials include a theatrical trailer. This is a fine release of an entertaining film that will please most everybody, but thrill very few.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/26/1997
UPC:	0027616603395
Original Release:	1996
Rating:	R
Source:	Mgm (Video & Dvd)
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame, Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital, stereo]
Time:	1:59:00
Sales rank:	801

Special Features

Closed Caption; Eight-page booklet with trivia, production notes, and the making of the film; Original theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Robin Williams	Armand Goldman
Gene Hackman	Senator Keeley
Nathan Lane	Albert Goldman / Starina
Dianne Wiest	Louise Keeley
Hank Azaria	Agador
Dan Futterman	Val Goldman
Calista Flockhart	Barbara Keeley
Christine Baranski	Katharine
Tom McGowan	Harry Radman
Grant Heslov	Photographer
Kirby Mitchell	Chauffeur
James Lally	Cyril
Luis Camacho	Goldman Girl
Scott Kaske	Goldman Girl
Tim Kelleher	Waiter in Club
Ann Cusack	TV Woman in Van
Stanley de Santis	TV Man in Van
J. Roy Helland	Club Hostess
Anthony Giaimo	Fishmonger
Lee Delano	Bakery Man
Barry Nolan	TV Reporter
Herschel Sparber	Big Guy in Park
Brian Reddy	TV Editor
Jim Jansen	TV Editor
Marjorie Lovett	Matron
Sylvia Short	Matron
Rabbi Robert K. Baruch	Rabbi
Dorothy Constantine	Keeley's Maid
Francesca Cruz	Katharine's Secretary
Andres Fuentes	Goldman Girls
Anthony Richard Gonzalez	Goldman Girls
Dante Lamar Henderson	Goldman Girls
James Hill	TV Reporter
Mike Kinsley	TV Host
Mary Major	TV Reporter
Trina McGee-Davis	Black Girl On TV
James H. Morrison	Pastor
Ronald Pitts	TV Reporter
John Pontrelli	Waiter In Cafe
Steven Porfido	State Trooper
Amy Powell	TV Reporter
Al Rodrigo	Latino Man In Club
David Sage	Senator Eli Jackson
Tony Snow	TV Host
Kevin Stea	Goldman Girls
Luca Tommassini	Celsius
Madeleine Lee Gilford	Actor

Technical Credits

Mike Nichols	Director,Producer
Arthur Schmidt	Editor
Cheryl Carasik	Set Decoration/Design
Marcello Danon	Executive Producer
Thomas A. Duffield	Art Director
Syd Dutton	Special Effects
Rodrigo García	Camera Operator
Sean Haworth	Set Decoration/Design
J. Roy Helland	Makeup
Michele Imperato	Associate Producer
Ellen Lewis	Casting
Emmanuel Lubezki	Cinematographer
Neil Machlis	Executive Producer
Elaine May	Screenwriter
James McCoy	Makeup
Mark Mothersbaugh	Score Composer
Peter Owen	Makeup
Vincent Paterson	Choreography
Ann Roth	Costumes/Costume Designer
Juliet Taylor	Casting
Bill Taylor	Special Effects
Joel Tuber	Asst. Director
Jonathan Tunick	Score Composer
Robert W. Welch	Production Designer

Scene Index

Chapter List
0. Chapter List
1. Main Title-WE ARE FAMILY [4:58]
2. Victoria Page Is Dead [5:45]
3. The Incomparable Starina [3:06]
4. The Other Man [3:34]
5. Barbara's Encouragement [3:24]
6. The Next Morning [3:53]
7. The Senator's Scandal [5:44]
8. Albert's Rehearsal [3:35]
9. The Favor [3:57]
10. Meet The Press [3:18]
11. Armand's Decision [2:37]
12. Getting Respectable [3:41]
13. Straightening Albert Out [7:07]
14. Ask Your Mother [6:43]
15. Caught In The Act [4:07]
16. Partners For Life [3:32]
17. Just A Guy [5:38]
18. The Moment Of Truth [9:28]
19. Mrs. Coleman [7:01]
20. Dinner Is Served [11:18]
21. Too Many Mothers [4:50]
22. No Way Out [3:08]
23. Queen For A Day [3:04]
24. End Credits. [5:09]
Chapter List
0. Chapter List
1. Main Title-WE ARE FAMILY [4:58]
2. Victoria Page Is Dead [5:45]
3. The Incomparable Starina [3:06]
4. The Other Man [3:34]
5. Barbara's Encouragement [3:24]
6. The Next Morning [3:53]
7. The Senator's Scandal [5:44]
8. Albert's Rehearsal [3:35]
9. The Favor [3:57]
10. Meet The Press [3:18]
11. Armand's Decision [2:37]
12. Getting Respectable [3:41]
13. Straightening Albert Out [7:07]
14. Ask Your Mother [6:43]
15. Caught In The Act [4:07]
16. Partners For Life [3:32]
17. Just A Guy [5:38]
18. The Moment Of Truth [9:28]
19. Mrs. Coleman [7:01]
20. Dinner Is Served [11:18]
21. Too Many Mothers [4:50]
22. No Way Out [3:08]
23. Queen For A Day [3:04]
24. End Credits. [5:09]

Menu

Side A-- 16 X 9
   Menu Group #1 with 24 chapter(s) covering 01:58:47
Language Selections
   Spoken Languages
   Captions & Subtitles
Play
Theatrical Trailer
Side B-- PAN & SCAN
   Menu Group #1 with 24 chapter(s) covering 01:58:47
Language Selections
   Spoken Languges
   Captions & Subtitles
Play
Theatrical Trailer

Editorial Reviews

Mike Nichols' The Birdcage is a funny, slapstick, but ultimately slight farce, notable as a forerunner in the movement to make gay characters mainstream and profitable at the box office. It succeeded bigtime, winning a broad audience and raking in close to $125 million. It's rare that another actor gets to upstage Robin Williams, but Nathan Lane does so wonderfully, playing an ungracefully aging drag queen who performs at the Miami nightclub owned by Williams, his subdued life partner. It's the role that catapulted Lane into the American popular consciousness, if also typecasting him in the process. His swishy hysterics never get tiresome, but it's even funnier watching him try to learn machismo from Williams, who can "pass" for heterosexual. Williams' treacly scenes connecting with his son are the weakest parts of the movie, which hits a more comfortable stride during its brilliantly staged, elaborate cover-ups aimed at hoodwinking Gene Hackman's right-wing politician. Almost as funny as Lane, in a supporting role, is the scantily clad Hank Azaria, as the couple's flamboyant housekeeper who loves dancing to Gloria Estefan. The Birdcage is also notable for a pre-Ally McBeal appearance by Calista Flockhart, who plays the son's fiancée.

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