Melvin And Howard

Jonathan Demme, who unfortunately passed away just over two years ago, had a knack for showing the good that can come out of being human. Strip away commodities, like money, from the human ego, and you may even find what it means to be happy - to have nothing, but still have everything.

Such is one of the many, many things that "Melvin and Howard" was, and still is, able to get across during its 95-minute runtime. And while it's sad that there aren't (and won't be) many filmmakers like Demme until the end of time, you can find a bounty of solace and good-heartedness in his works - works that may be specific in characterization, but remain universal in their thematic content.

Down-on-his-luck do-gooder Melvin Dummar (Paul Le Mat) picks up an old man on the side of the road, only years later discovering that the man was Howard Hughes (Jason Robards). During that chance encounter and ensuing drive to Las Vegas, the two share a very offbeat connection and bond over the way the desert smells after a hard rain. Those small moments can be what dictate the kind of people we become. Demme knew that and no matter the trials life put him through, Melvin takes it all in stride.

At its core, "Melvin and Howard" follows Melvin and his first wife Lynda (Mary Steenburgen) as they struggle with achieving the American Dream. (Or, whatever the American Dream means to them.) Lynda is a go-go dancer with a heart of gold who dreams of winning big on a game show that judges its contestants on their tap-dancing abilities. Melvin, on the other hand, wants the big house, the big car, the big boat, and a big bundle of cash. To him, money could set him on the path to happiness.

Demme and Director of Photography Tak Fujimoto pull off the nearly impossible task on showcasing these two lovelorn people without looking down upon their ties to the capitalism that entombs them. Again, strip away the commodities and you have a whole world of people that are severely misunderstood. "Melvin and Howard" is more than just a chapter in American life, littered with nods to the predilections that can dictate our economic and social success; it's an all-encompassing warm hug to the dreamers who struggle in a system that they're just not able to navigate.

Twilight Time has done an incredible thing by releasing this unsung masterpiece on Blu-ray. Like many of Demme's earlier films, "Melvin and Howard" is vibrant not because of the visual aesthetic, but because it has a deep understanding of the lower class without looking down upon those who inhabit it. The audio and visual presentation does a great job at upholding that. There's a great audio commentary with Demme and Production Designer Toby Rafelson that you'd be remiss not to check out, especially if you're interested in Demme's motivation to make this story.

Other special features include:

� Original Theatrical Trailer
� Isolated Music Track
� Booklet Essay by Julie Kirgo

"Melvin and Howard"
Twilight Time Blu-ray
$29.95
https://www.twilighttimemovies.com/melvin-and-howard-blu-ray/