Ernest Goes to Camp / Ernest Goes to Jail (Double Feature) (2011)

This weekend I was happy to receive from Amazon the 2 for 1 Ernest BluRay of Ernest Goes to Camp and Ernest Goes to Jail. For anyone who has ever been an Ernest fan, this is definitely a MUST OWN.

The people of Mill Creek Entertainment (the company that now owns the rights to the Ernest Franchise with the exception of Ernest Saves Christmas, still owned by Disney) have done a stellar remastering of the films. Ernest Goes to Camp is presented as it was when it came out on DVD in its original scop widescreen presentation of 2.35:1 but on BluRay, the colors and sound have been given a complete overhaul. It truly is like watching a film released in theaters only yesterday. You have the option of viewing the film with either Dolby Digital, Dolby Surround, and newly created Dolby True HD sound. The music is crystal clear (I LOVE the composition Brave Hearts performed by Gary Chapman), the picture is incredibly vibrant (the opening shot of the moon is truly beautiful and shots at the camp are bright enough to make it feel like it really is Summer), and while there may be no extras included, the fact that the company took the time to go through each frame and remaster is for the ultimate home viewing experience is an amazing honor for one of the most recognizable characters of the 80s. Jim Varney (may he Rest in Peace) would be pleased.

Moving on to Ernest Goes To Jail, the newest treat for fans of this one (it's my personal favorite in the Ernest franchise and I was lucky enough to see it in the theater back in 1990 when I was 6 years old!) is that for the first time, it is presented in its WIDESCREEN presentation of 1.85:1. Definitely a big reason for me to smile when I watched it! The picture is also presented in 16:9 format so it fits perfectly to widescreen TVs. Another great picture and sound presentation here right from its innovative opening sequence which relies heavily on a light blue background. It's a flawless presentation, really. The remastering process is at work again as the blue background is bright and alive. While many scenes take place on interior soundstages, there's still a wonderful presentation to enjoy. Many scenes that take place in the actual jail appear a bit darker, but are often illuminated by what looks like blacklights or floodlights using gels. The sound is once again reverberated in the ultimate way. Ernest Goes to Jail is in the basic sense of the word, louder than Ernest Goes to Camp. There are gunshots, doors slamming, electric crackles, and explosions. All more extreme with the Dolby True HD sound. Not that it's a bad thing! I was once again enjoying watching the film as it made me feel like I was right back in that theater when I first saw it in 1990! It really made me smile.

Alas, there are still no other bonuses for this film, and it would have been nice to see the famous deleted scenes integrated into Ernest Goes to Jail when it was shown on NBC in the Summer of 1994. I was fortunate enough to tape that presentation and I still have the VHS back home in a box somewhere!

The bottom line, this is easily one of the most inexpensive BluRay titles available right now that gives you 2 movies all on 1 disc and as I mentioned earlier, if you are an Ernest fan like me (I've seen them all and I even went so far as to purchase Hey Vern, It's Ernest! The Complete Series on DVD, track down the VHS tapes Ernest's Greatest Hits Vols. 1 & 2 on Ebay, the Ernest Book of Knawledge, and am currently working on creating an Unofficial Ernest Soundtrack), then you should definitely consider adding this to your collection. It is a stunning tribute to an amazing talented man and his love for goofiness.

RIP Jim Varney and long live the legacy of Ernest P. Worrell!

These are both classic movies that I really liked when I was growing up. They're still probably the best movies that Jim Varney has done as Ernest P. Worrell. I still really enjoyed watching them again, even if they are some of the silliest movies ever made.

As for the quality of the audio/video; it's pretty good overall. There are some areas in the movies that are really sharp and others that are just plain bad. But overall, it works just fine. I wasn't expecting the highest quality digital transfer or anything. As for the audio, it works well enough, with options for PCM Uncompressed 2.0, DTS HD 2.0, and Dolby Digital 2.0. I had hoped there would be options for 5.1 surround as well, but there is only stereo... at least we have the best option available (PCM Uncompressed).

Both movies are contained on 1 disc, which is kind of nice as it's a little more convenient. It's probably possible to fit both movies onto 1 disc because there are no extras at all. This was a little disappointing, but not a big deal. Considering the low price of the package, it's hard to be upset with any of the missing features I mentioned. If you're an Ernest fan, there's no reason not to get this set.

Buy Ernest Goes to Camp / Ernest Goes to Jail (Double Feature) (2011) Now

I actually like the comedy of the late Jim Varney, and this Mill Creek double feature Ernest blu-ray will surely please Ernest/Jim Varney fans.

The PQ in it's original widescreen presntations looks superb (2.35:1 for Ernest Goes To Camp and 1.85:1 for Goes To Jail, and each film has 3 audio options.

and it's an affordable too.

I'm a big fan of Mill Creek Entertainment, as they release stuff no studio will release these days, a godsend for us who like obscure hard to find movies and TV shows!

Read Best Reviews of Ernest Goes to Camp / Ernest Goes to Jail (Double Feature) (2011) Here

These are hard movies to review, since, if you weren't around when they were new, and Jim Varneys schtick was fresh, these will seem like silly affairs, and will leave you scratching your head as to why anyone would enjoy them. However, that is the bane of any movie that thrives in nostalgia. So here's a heads up: You will need rose colored glasses to enjoy thoroughly.

The overall movies are great, "Ernest Goes to Camp" being the highlight of the two, but what I found most disappointing was the lack of features and extras. These movies have been released and re-released over and over again, and I find it hard to believe that no one has taken an interest to enlighten us with some commentary, behind the scenes footage, pictures or even the original movie posters. Many of the actors and directors from these movies are still around, but it appears that the production company has no interest or desire to make contact with any of them. With these films migrating to bluray, you'd think (by now) they might try to put a little more effort into them, but alas, it isn't going to happen, and if you were hoping for something new here, well, forget it. The very best they could do was give us (drum-roll) wide screen! For the first time in years! Well done...well done. Welcome to 1998.

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Jim Varneys and Coke Sams death recently makes me treasure this even more.Simple morality plays in low comedy hijinks Wow

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