Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, the comedic dynamos that gave the world “Hot Fuzz” and “Shaun of the Dead,” joined forces again back in 2011 to lovingly and sometimes hilariously pay homage to unidentified flying objects and extraterrestrial films in Paul (Kino Lorber, rated R, 2.39:1 aspect ratio, 104 minutes, $49.95).
Now available in the ultra-high definition disc format, the adventure introduces best British buddies Graeme Willy (Mr. Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Mr. Frost).
After attending the San Diego Comic Con, the pair of hardcore sci-fi and comic book geeks go on a road trip in their rented RV across the U.S. to visit some famous historical UFO hotspots.
On a dark night in the desert, they investigate a car crash and find a bulbous-headed, pint-sized, hairless and foul-mouthed alien named Paul (Seth Rogen’s voice and motion-captured body) in need of a ride to escape a covert U.S. government agency that has kidnapped him for the last four decades and refused to let him go back to his planet.
The boys need to get Paul home. With help from new friend and former religious fanatic Ruth Buggs (Kristen Wiig), they will need to avoid a couple of rednecks and Ruth’s shotgun-wielding father, as well as some hostile men in black-style agents and their boss, the Big Guy.
Fans of Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi films will appreciate Mr. Pegg and Mr. Frost’s sometimes raunchy script, and nerds of the genre will embrace moments such as a bar bluegrass band playing the Cantina music from “Star Wars”; Paul giving story ideas to a legendary director; the alien asking for Reese’s Pieces; and the surprise appearance of iconic “Alien” heroine Sigourney Weaver.
The strong supporting cast helps add to the laughs and is led by Jason Bateman as Special Agent Lorenzo Zoil, Bill Hader as Agent Haggard, John Carroll Lynch as Ruth’s father Moses, David Koechner and Jesse Plemons as the rednecks and even Jane Lynch as waitress Pat Stevens.
Viewers get two cuts of the film, the theatrical cut and an extended cut (roughly five minutes longer) on its own Blu-ray disc that adds some additional exposition and profanity.
4K in action: The 2160p presentation, derived from a 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative and approved by director Greg Mottola, first and foremost highlights the seamless details of the more than 200 artisans needed to bring the computer-generated Paul to life.
He looks great, especially when admiring his wide, glassy, blinking eyes that can reflect everything from a flame to the cosmos, pale green and wrinkled skin texture variations, undulating rib cage, the slight veins in the cranial area and pinkish nose slits and lips.
Additionally, Paul’s psychedelic-colored memory trip when sharing his collective knowledge with other humans (reference Spock’s mind meld) shines as well as getting some widescreen views of his mothership.
The too-crisp visuals and more vivid colors also highlight pretty spectacular views of the Southwest parts of the U.S., as well as an eventual spotlight more north with a fireworks display next to Devil’s Tower mountain in Wyoming.
Best extras: The three-disc set includes all of the digital supplements duplicated from the high definition release from 2011.
Start with an optional commentary track with the director, producer Nira Park, and three comedic dynamos, Mr. Pegg, Mr. Frost and Mr. Hader.
As expected, the laidback conversation goes hilariously early and often thanks to the extreme wit from the three veteran funny men, especially the Brits. At points, the laughs overshadow any of the interesting notes on the production.
Next, a 40-minute, very conversational documentary on making the film initially explores sending the writers on a 10-day trip across America and writing the script based on their experiences.
Topics covered include discussing the making of an indie road movie with a computer-generated alien, the story, visual effects with examples of Mr. Rogen’s motion-capture character, the destruction of a house, cinematography, and the musical score, all complemented by behind-the-scenes footage and interviews on set.
Also worth a look is a 15-minute dive into generating Paul that touches on design choices and more motion-capture magic as discussed by some of the lead creators and animators involved in the time-consuming process.
Extras also offer a 10-minute gag reel and an hour’s worth of behind-the-scenes footage.
• Joseph Szadkowski can be reached at jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com.
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