Diner [Blu-ray]

Overview

Writer-director Barry Levinson's autobiographical first feature fondly remembers his Baltimore youth. It's late 1959, and six guys in their early twenties are stumbling into adulthood, alternating responsibility with carefree time at their local diner. The story centers on the return from college of Billy (Tim Daly) to serve as best man at the wedding of his pal Eddie (Steve Guttenberg). Billy is consumed by a confusing relationship with a close female friend, while Eddie still lives at home, preparing a football trivia test for his fiancée and vowing to cancel the wedding if she fails. Other characters woven into the narrative include Boogie (Mickey Rourke), a womanizer with a gambling problem, and Shrevie (Daniel Stern), a music addict with a troubled marriage. Diner became known for its bittersweet comic screenplay and its remarkable cast, which also included Paul Reiser, Kevin Bacon, and Ellen Barkin. In order to capture the loose, laid-back dialogue of the diner scenes, Levinson directed them last, so that the actors would be more comfortable with each other. Diner was the first part of Levinson's "Baltimore Trilogy," followed by Tin Men (1987) and Avalon (1990).

Product Details

Release Date:	02/03/2015
UPC:	0883929444182
Original Release:	1982
Rating:	R
Source:	Warner Home Video
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:50:00
Sales rank:	24,521

Special Features

Behind-the-scenes documentary Diner: On the Flip Side and introduction featuring writer/director Barry Levinson and the film's stars

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Steve Guttenberg	Edward 'Eddie' Simmons
Daniel Stern	Laurence 'Shrevie' Schreiber
Mickey Rourke	Robert 'Boogie' Sheftell
Kevin Bacon	Timothy Fenwick Jr.
Tim Daly	William 'Billy' Howard,Actor
Ellen Barkin	Beth
Paul Reiser	Modell
Kathryn Dowling	Barbara
Michael Tucker	Bagel
Jessica James	Mrs. Simmons
Colette Blonigan	Carol Heathrow
Ellen Chenoweth	Actor
Kelle Kipp	Diane
Arnold Mazer	Gripper
John Aquino	Tank
Richard Pierson	David Frazer
Claudia Cron	Jane Chisholm
Pam Gail	Stripper
Lauren Zaganas	Stripper
Frank Stoegerer	TV Director
Nat Benchley	Technical Director
Tom Tammi	Howard,Howard Fenwick
Frank Hennessy	Audio Man
Marvin Hunter	Newscaster
Steve Smith	Announcer
Lee Case	Billy's Father
Clement Fowler	Eddie's Father
Howard 'Chip' Silverman	Clothing Hustler
Barney Cohen	Knocks
Bruce Kluger	Guy at Pool Hall
Carole Copeland	Soap Opera Woman
Aryeh Cooperstock	Rabbi
Brian Costantini	Drunk at Wedding
Brian Constantini	Drunk at Wedding
Florence Moody	Waitress,Waitress
Alan Kaplan	Bagel's Friend
Beverly Sheehan	Beautician
Allison Caine	Voices
Ted Bafaloukos	George
Mary Lou Vukov	Waitress
Tait Ruppert	Methan
Sharon Ziman	Elyse
Mark Margolis	Earl Mager
Ralph Tabakin	TV Customer

Technical Credits

Barry Levinson

Barry Levinson	Director,Screenwriter
Jerry Weintraub	Producer
Charles R. Schulthies	Special Effects
Mark Johnson	Executive Producer

Editorial Reviews

This talk-heavy comedy, set in 1950s Baltimore, marked Barry Levinson's directorial debut. Filled with excellent dialogue (the screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award) and star-making performances, the largely-unknown-at-the-time cast includes Kevin Bacon, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Paul Reiser, and Ellen Barkin (it marked the big screen debuts of the latter two performers). The rampant immaturity of the male quintet of friends is amusingly lampooned in Levinson's clever and cutting script, a refreshingly honest depiction of an era often bathed in sepia-toned nostalgia. The male bonding rituals that tie together these aimless protagonists are presented as both childish and endearing, allowing the audience to laugh both with and at the protagonists. The setting is an immaculate and loving recreation of Levinson's childhood haunts, and the wonderful soundtrack makes the retro-experience complete and fulfilling. Diner was the first of Levinson's so-called Baltimore trilogy, which includes Tin Men (1987) and Avalon (1990). His television series of the mid-1990's, Homicide, was likewise set in his beloved Baltimore.

All Movie Guide - Dan Jardine