Pauly Shore Is Dead (DVD)

I first head about Pauly Shore Is Dead about 3 years ago, back then the cheapest I could find it on DVD was £14.99 (Almost $30); being a little tight fisted I decided to wait. Roll forward to 2007 and I could still only get the DVD for around the same price. However as luck would have it I stumbled across the DVD for £2 ($4) on Ebay, I lunged at this chance in a lifetime offer.

The synopsis on the back of the DVD case is a little misleading. ...
...being told the news that Pauly Shore had died; the reality was a lot further from this.

In the 1990’s Pauly Shore hit MTV screens best known as the Weasle or “The Weeeazzzel” to use his pronunciation; a comedy style VJ. As is the case with so many of these sort of presenters/comedians Hollywood came calling and before you knew it he was the lead in the movie Son In Law. After several movies Jury Duty, Encino Man, In The Army Now, and ... more

I first head about Pauly Shore Is Dead about 3 years ago, back then the cheapest I could find it on DVD was £14.99 (Almost $30); being a little tight fisted I decided to wait. Roll forward to 2007 and I could still only get the DVD for around the same price. However as luck would have it I stumbled across the DVD for £2 ($4) on Ebay, I lunged at this chance in a lifetime offer.

The synopsis on the back of the DVD case is a little misleading. It portrays the DVD as being about celebrities and fans reactions upon being told the news that Pauly Shore had died; the reality was a lot further from this.

In the 1990’s Pauly Shore hit MTV screens best known as the Weasle or “The Weeeazzzel” to use his pronunciation; a comedy style VJ. As is the case with so many of these sort of presenters/comedians Hollywood came calling and before you knew it he was the lead in the movie Son In Law. After several movies Jury Duty, Encino Man, In The Army Now, and Bio-Dome; Shore pretty much disappeared. This disappearance was caused by his Fox sitcom Pauly, a show so awful it was axed no sooner had it begun.

Based in 2004 Pauly misses the fame, and the respect that he got in the early days and jumps at anything to get work. When this fails there is no alternative for Pauly, the best way for him to get respect is to die. Having faked his own death Pauly sits back and watches America mourn his demise, but when he is rumbled by a young girl how will America feel about the way he deceived them.

You cant mention this movie without bringing up the cameo’s that took part: Ben Stiller, Tom Sizemore, Michael Madsen, Paris Hilton, Chris Rock, Charlie Sheen, Jerry Springer, Heidi Fleiss, Dr Dre, Sean Penn, Vince Vaughn Adam Sandler; the list goes on and on. All of these actors play themselves in the movie, either as friends of Shore or as talking heads in the intercut reflection shows. Whether you like or dislike the actor there can be no disputing that the guy is popular as believe me when you assess the production values of the movie its obvious that money was not something that was in great supply.

Onto the plot, the idea is not a bad one; its execution however needs an awful lot to be desired. The story goes from being well structured to all over the place, then shortly after back into a structure again. Its 82 minute runtime is far too long, and the movie could have been far more entertaining at 70 minutes. The filming is erratic, shot on video it comes off as looking like an HBO special, except HBO specials have a certain amount of class about them; Pauly Shore Is Dead certainly lacks that. The humour within the movie is in short supply, playing on stupidity to cause the laughs rather than the well written script, well written is not a term you would use in association with this production.
At times the movies silliness goes one step to far and you realise it has got to the stage where it’s so stupid that’s its really not funny. If you compare Tom Green to Pauly Shore, Green can still generate laughs even after he has pushed the envelope that touch to far. Shore cannot and as a result the movie comes out not dissimilar to having your teeth pulled without aesthetic. While initially up to the apparent death of Shore the movie seems to hold great promise, the actions after this point defy “normal reason”.
I would dearly like to say I like this movie, as I rather like Paul Shore as a person; but after several years waiting and the deceit behind the cover synopsis I feel like I have been robbed.

Special Features:

A section of deleted scenes introduced and co-presented in two sections the first with Nicki & Paris Hilton, the second with Charlie Sheen. These awful deleted scenes look like they were deliberately made to be deleted scenes, the sets etc. were dramatically reduced in quality, and to be honest with you its an indication of further deceit on the buying customer.

An Audio Commentary has Shore talking about the movie, playing the weasel and at times laughing incoherently. His conversational skills need a lot to be desired as he trails off into nothingness, murmuring plain “drivel”.

A Teaser & Theatrical trailer add a bit of honesty that the cover does not, from seeing these it’s obvious that all involved are aware that this is a spoof. I cannot point out enough the DVD case and publicity material make out it’s a kind of Punk’d situation.

A Q & A section which in honesty answers little you have not already heard or figured out by previous material.

A parody of a music video “Staind Song” by Aaron Lewis.

I cannot recommend Pauly Shore Is Dead, I feel its value may be served to the viewer as and when it appears on television, make sure nothing better is on like a re-run of Dallas for example. Sorry Pauly but you don’t impress me on this occasion. 

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