'Jackass' Stars Mark Blu-ray Release

8 Mar, 2011 By: Chris Tribbey

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HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Two men stripping down to briefs on the red carpet. An actor riding a tricycle between reporters. Another actor making several attempts to lodge a ball between the legs of a foreign female reporter. A raucous celebration featuring a red carpet backdrop breaking in half. And, of course, adult toys were given away to all guests.

Nobody does a Hollywood movie release party quite like the cast and crew of Jackass 3.

The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack ($29.99) out March 8 from Paramount Home Entertainment includes a digital copy of the film, unrated and theatrical versions of the film, an MTV making-of special, 11 deleted scenes, 29 outtakes and a trailer. The DVD included can be watched in 3D, with four pairs of anaglyph glasses included.

“We’re used to running around and breaking the rules,” said director Jeff Tremaine, at the event on the Paramount Studios lot. “This is the best movie of 2010 you haven’t seen. The Academy Awards snubbed us again.”

The film sees random urination, tetherball with a beehive, smoking cigarettes that were just lodged in another man’s anus, various abuses of genitalia, purposefully throwing oneself in front of the exhaust of a jet, and, of course, allowing oneself to be launched high in the air in a portable “full” toilet.

What was the Academy thinking?

“I know we all got it pretty bad,” said actor Ehren McGhehey, who was sporting a metal tooth in place of the one he had ripped out by co-star Bam Margera’s Lamborghini. “The mental stress of taking a break for a couple weeks and then doing it again can be the worst.”

Johnny Knoxville, co-creator of the franchise and its principal star, noted that more than one actor broke down in tears during the filming of Jackass 3. As for himself: “I’ve been totally lucky. Happy to be walking.”

“I haven’t been in the hospital in three months,” he said. Knoxville took a second to think about it. “Two months.”

More than one of the “friends of the show” has been asked to join in on the Jackass stunts, with mixed responses.

“Absolutely not, not for a second,” said actor Omar Sharif Jr., known recently for playfully tussling on stage at the 83rd Academy Awards with actor Kirk Douglas (Sharif Jr.’s own self-proclaimed “Jackass moment”). He took his grandfather, famed actor Omar Sharif (Doctor Zhivago), to see Jackass 3 in 3D, and “he was less than thrilled to see this.”

Pro skateboarder Tony Hawk said he was asked but passed on anything having to do with “naked dudes,” a claim that wasn’t backed up by some on the carpet (“Tony Hawk has no problem with male nudity. He lied to you,” someone could be overheard saying).

For Jackass 3, the crew managed to snag Rip Taylor, Mike Judge, NFL players Jared Allen, Josh Brown and Erik Ainge, and actors Seann William Scott and Edward Barbanell. And for all the self-abuse the cast managed to fit in the 99 minutes in the unrated version of the film, there was just as much they shot that didn’t make the film. Paramount Digital Entertainment will turn other footage shot during the film into Jackass 3.5, available starting April 1. The 85-minute feature will be available exclusively at Joost.com via weekly installments, with the entire feature available there eventually. Paramount will follow Joost’s release with VOD, DVD, TV and download-to-own releases.

“It’s scary, but it’s a lot more organized than people know,” said actor Preston Lacy. “We’ve got more ideas than we’ve got time.”

“Once we learned how to do it, [3D] was a huge part [of the story],” said executive producer Derek Freda. “If it was already funny; it was funnier in 3D. If it wasn’t funny to begin with, 3D wasn’t going to save it.”

And Knoxville, while hopeful a 3D Blu-ray version will eventual be released, explained why anaglyph was the way to go for now.

“With anaglyph you can watch it on any TV,” he said.
 

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