Blu-ray Review – Scavenger Hunt

Released during the 1963 holiday season, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" broke several comedy rules, making it a filmgoing event. Besides achieving an absurd length, the feature collected a wealth of funny people to participate in a madcap adventure, making it a must-see during its theatrical release, triggering the envy of producers around town. Knock-offs weren't immediate, but they eventually arrived, including 1979's "Scavenger Hunt," which is a rather bold photocopy of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," only without the sterling cast and widescreen expanse. While it retains a lack of editorial control, "Scavenger Hunt" attempts the same manic energy, boosted here with pronounced "Looney Tunes" inspiration, finding director Michael Schultz more of a manager than a director, trying to juggle groups of actors who are here to play, delivering extremely broad performances in a movie that welcomes any and all forms of goofballery. It's a silly endeavor, but it's also exhausting to watch, with its inherent harmlessness evolving into a threat as the one-dimensional picture is stretched over nearly two hours of screen time. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com