Coneheads - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

An alien spacecraft containing two extraterrestrials is shot down, and the two peculiar creatures, Beldar (Dan Aykroyd) and Prymaat (June Curtin), must disguise themselves and pass themselves off as humans while stranded light-years away from home. They mostly look human, except for their giant, conical heads and sharp, pointy teeth. And if they act strangely, they excuse their odd, alien behavior by explaining that they originally come from France. Most Americans will accept this as a reasonable explanation.

Beldar and Prymaat were originally on a mission to conquer the Earth, but as they await rescue, which takes decades, their mission settles into “Just live life among humans and make the best of it.” Beldar has a series of jobs, where he’s generally well-liked by his bosses because he works hard and never complains. He and Prymaat even have a daughter during this time: Conjaab, also known as "Connie". Meanwhile, as an undocumented alien/immigrant, he’s being pursued by a dedicated investigator from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), who seeks to arrest Beldar for taking jobs away from American citizens.

Coneheads features an all-star cast, loaded with enough celebrity cameos that you’d think you’re watching a Muppets movie. Phil Hartman, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, Parker Posey, Adam Sandler, Jan Hooks, and about a dozen others. And in an inspired bit of casting, Connie’s love interest is a rebellious (but ultimately sweet) bad boy played by Chris Farley.

As a movie, Coneheads shouldn’t work, but somehow, it does. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a classic comedy, and as a film based on a recurring SNL skit, it never captures that “lightning in a bottle” quality that Wayne’s World had. But for a movie that’s basically a one-joke premise, it’s surprisingly pleasant and wholesome. The aliens talk funny and use a variety of ten-dollar-word synonyms, they eat things they shouldn’t eat, and they just generally get into trouble at every turn. Every movie of this type uses its story in order to hold a mirror up to society, and we take a good look at ourselves. While Coneheads does reflect back some of the darker elements of this world we live in, we mostly see ourselves in a positive, accepting light. Humanity embraces the Coneheads, and the Coneheads love us right back. There’s a sweetness to the story that’s unexpected.

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Coneheads crash-lands onto 4K UHD Blu-ray from Kino Lorber in a two-disc release, containing the film on both a 4K disc and 1080p Blu-ray disc. Both the standard case that houses the disc, along with its removable slipcover, contains classic artwork from the film’s original release. The case’s artwork is reversible, with a small poster on the other side.

For its 4K release, Kino Lorber has scanned Coneheads from its original 35mm camera negative and graded it in Dolby Vision HDR. Like so many comedies of the era that have gotten the 4K/Dolby Vision treatment lately, my first thought was, “Really?” I should probably stop being so cynical, because time and time again, I’m wowed by the results. Coneheads likely isn’t the first movie you think of when it comes to impressive transfers, but at the end of the day, it looks great. Cinematographer Francis Kenny has a field day with moody, exaggerated lighting and framing ridiculous subjects with bright, candy-colored costuming. Sharply detailed and realized, it has an unmistakably filmic look, with a fine layer of grain throughout its presentation.

Coneheads comes equipped with two audio options for listeners: A 2.0 stereo option and a 5.1 surround option, both encoded in DTS-HD MA. Coneheads was originally mixed in stereo, and for all of you audio purists out there, it’s an excellent mix. Busy, loud, super active, it balances all of its various effects terrifically. The surround mix is no slouch, either. I’ve listened to a number of surround remixes, and we all know they’re not all created equally. Whoever was in charge of the 5.1 remix for Coneheads deserves a raise, because it’s one of the better tracks I’ve heard. Surround/rear activity is at a nearly constant level, whether through zany sci-fi effects, ambient effects, or David Newman’s wacky score. The mix is also very deliberate about which effects are coded to appear on the rear of the soundstage; it all feels very intentional in how it comes together.

While some of Kino Lorber’s 4K/Blu-ray releases (particularly their comedies) may be lacking on the special features front, Coneheads packs a fair amount. We get to see some new interviews with the cast and crew, along with archival supplements from previous releases.

4K Disc

• Audio Commentary - Director Steve Barron and Film Historian Michael Felsher

Blu-ray Disc

• Audio Commentary - Director Steve Barron and Film Historian Michael Felsher
• Interview (HD 21:41) - Actress Michelle Burke
• Interview (HD 17:03) - Monster Creator Phil Tippett
• Vintage EPK (Electronic Press Kit) (SD 5:56)
• Featurette (SD 8:32) – Featuring vintage interview clips with Dan Akyroyd, Jane Curtin, Michelle Burke, Lorne Michaels, and Steve Barron
• Behind-the-Scenes Footage (SD 5:35)
• Theatrical Trailer

Coneheads isn’t the very best of the SNL-based movie adaptations, but it’s not the worst. In a strange way, it almost feels like a fever dream. Steve Barron (who directed the first Ninja Turtles movie) handles a lot in a very busy narrative. The effects look great, the sound design is fantastic, and while it’s not uproariously funny throughout, the movie is disarming in how innocent it is. It’s an odd duck of a film that uses a pair of alien observers into our earthly culture, and more often than not, they like what they see. And they, too, are liked, for their sincerity and for their general neighborliness. It’s not often that a movie so deftly avoids cynical cliches. Coneheads from Kino Lorber on 4K UHD is Recommended.