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The doggy bag will never catch on in Paris Life Mais non! The doggy bag will never catch on in Paris Cycling trip a great way to see Vietnam and Cambodia Life Cycling trip a great way to see Vietnam and Cambodia Sections * Film * Music * Books * Pipe Band Digest * Stage * Irish language Stories Tá bliain chorraitheach chinniúnach roimh Fhorbairt Feirste Irish language Tá bliain chorraitheach chinniúnach roimh Fhorbairt Feirste Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level Arts Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level Cult Movie: Day Of The Outlaw as much noir as Western Film Cult Movie: Day Of The Outlaw as much noir as Western Oscars 2016 - Ten great Irish Oscar moments Film Oscars 2016 - Ten great Irish Oscar moments Sections * Family Notices * Lives Remembered Stories Cocktail king Joe Gilmore, Belfast's barman to the stars Lives Remembered Cocktail king Joe Gilmore, Belfast's barman to the stars Lord Erne of Crom Castle was popular figure in Fermanagh Lives Remembered Lord Erne of Crom Castle was popular figure in Fermanagh ‘My brother loved to entertain with his music' Lives Remembered ‘My brother loved to entertain with his music' Falls Road artist was grand old man of sci-fi's golden age Notices Falls Road artist was grand old man of sci-fi's golden age Sections * Letters to the Editor * Leading article * Cartoons * Columnists Stories Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme Columnists Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme Election-mode Arlene Foster in old-school reshuffle Columnists Election-mode Arlene Foster in old-school reshuffle Cologne attacks highlight push to extremes Columnists Cologne attacks highlight push to extremes Time for a genuine Fresh Start at Stormont Leading article Time for a genuine Fresh Start at Stormont Sections * Photo of the Day * Graduation pictures * Picture galleries * Video diaries Stories Belfast Zoo animals enjoy the snow Picture Galleries Belfast Zoo animals enjoy the snow New Year celebrations from around the world Picture Galleries New Year celebrations from around the world Storm Frank lashes Ireland Picture Galleries Storm Frank lashes Ireland Harland & Wolff Welders win the Steel & Sons Cup 2015 Picture Galleries Harland & Wolff Welders win the Steel & Sons Cup 2015 (BUTTON) Irishnews Logo (BUTTON) * Login User / Logout * Subscriptions * Home * Today's paper * News Sections + Back + Northern Ireland news + UK News + Republic of Ireland news + World news + Political news + Education news + Healthcare news + Nama + Refugee Crisis * Sport Sections + Back + GAA Football + GAA Fixtures + Club Call + Hurling and camogie + Soccer + Boxing + Rugby + Golf + Athletics + Off The Fence + Racing + Opinion + Other Sports * Business Sections + Back + July Budget + Business news + Economics + Personal finance + Business columnists + Business Insight + Markets * Life Sections + Back + Family and Parenting + Property + Holidays & Travel + Fashion & Beauty + Motors/drive + Food & drink + Celebrity + Gardening + Environment + Health + Faith Matters + TV and Radio * Arts Sections + Back + Film + Music + Books + Pipe Band Digest + Stage + Irish language * Notices Sections + Back + Family Notices + Lives Remembered * Opinion Sections + Back + Letters to the Editor + Leading article + Cartoons + Columnists * Puzzles * Photos Sections + Back + Photo of the Day + Graduation pictures + Picture galleries + Video diaries * Our journalists * Horoscopes ____________________ (BUTTON) Search (BUTTON) Life Lots of laughs in creepy comedy * * * * * The 'Burbs RALPH McLEAN 31 October, 2014 00:00 SUBURBIA has always offered rich pickings to those wishing to shine a comical light on American society and its well hidden underbelly. All those perfect white picket fences, neat and tidy cul-de-sacs full of big houses peopled with aspirational neighbours desperate to show off their fancy cars and neatly trimmed hedgerows just screams out for satirical re-invention. The 'Burbs first arrived on cinema screens in 1989 but a brand new Blu-ray release from Arrow Video proves how much quality comedy material can be squeezed out of that middle class world. The cul-de-sac in question here is Mayfield Place and the seemingly all American residents are the focus of a satire that is both very much of its time yet oddly still relevant today. At the forefront of these characters are hard working everyman Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks), his dim-witted friend Art (Rick Ducommun) and their war veteran neighbour Lt Rumsfield (Bruce Dern). All seems hunky dory in the residents' world, bar a huge Gothic mansion that looms large over their cheery surroundings. Inhabited by the mysterious Klopeks - three oddball outsiders who are forever digging up their garden in the dead of night and generally behaving suspiciously - the house is bringing down the neighbourhood and the good citizens of the area make it their business to find out why. Joe Dante knows how to make a quality comedy and imbues our trips into the gloomy mansion with a kind of 1930s creepiness that's both fresh and funny. Shadows loom at windows, horrible creaking noises emanate from basements and blokes in dungarees lope clumsily along just like Leatherface in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. If the mood is Abbot and Costello Meet The Monster then much of the comedy on offer is of a similarly simple nature. Good oldfashioned slapstick is the name of the game here and barely a minute of screen time passes without a traditional pratfall, comedy explosion or cartoon-like chase taking place. Al the cast have tons of fun here with Tom Hanks in particular proving himself to be a natural for this sort of comic capering. While everything plays out with a good-natured cartoonish attitude - so much so that you can easily imagine a feature length Tex Avery animation of the film - there are a few pertinent points being made here as well. Ray is essentially a coward whose life around the house is clearly forced upon him when he loses his job (something he doesn't get round to telling his family), Art is a traditional bully forcing his will on others and Rumfield is a blustering military type who's incapable of listening to anyone else's viewpoint bar his own. The witch-hunt they instigate seems sadly relevant today as well. There are excellent extras on offer in this re-issue including a full length Making Of documentary that is genuinely funny and revealing at the same time. There are commentaries, Dante's original working cut of the film and much more besides but, as always, it's the film that really matters. As a dark, mirth making satire on American middle class values The 'Burbs delivers. * * * * * 31 October, 2014 00:00 Life More in Life Eating Out: The goodness is in the food at Goodness Rocks Eating Out: The goodness is in the food at Goodness Rocks TV Review: Cold War spy thriller Deutschland 83 TV Review: Cold War spy thriller Deutschland 83 Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level Most Read * Beware of tax on gifting property to family members * Increase in babies born with 'tongue-tie' * Diagnosing Dyspraxia in your child * Irishman in breastfeeding London Underground row Today's horoscope Horoscope __________________________________________________________________ See a different horoscope: [Select sign] Stay connected Get the day's headlines delivered directly to your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Sign Up __________________________________________________________________ Sections News PSNI 'hasn't acted on Lisa Dorrian burial information' 1. PSNI 'hasn't acted on Lisa Dorrian burial information' 2. Families question delays in charging 'Stakeknife' Life Cycling trip a great way to see Vietnam and Cambodia 1. Cycling trip a great way to see Vietnam and Cambodia 2. Cairn Wood: Battle to save amenity from being sold off Business ‘The Jungle' named ‘thrilling' at Outdoor NI Awards 1. ‘The Jungle' named ‘thrilling' at Outdoor NI Awards 2. Northern Ireland's top buildings come under the spotlight Arts Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level 1. Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level 2. Catch up with: The X-Files on Amazon Prime Columnists Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme 1. Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme 2. Election-mode Arlene Foster in old-school reshuffle Sport Ross McGowan leads Joburg Open at the halfway point 1. Ross McGowan leads Joburg Open at the halfway point 2. 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