| | | Family Isn't A Word, Its A Sentence.
Features: DVD, Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2.40:1, Dolby Digital Stereo
The Tenenbaum kids were all once child prodigies, despite growing up with an ineffective father. Determined to make things right with his estranged family, Royal Tenenbaum announces years later that he has a terminal illness and moves back into his wife’s house where their children are also boarding. Together again under one roof, the family deals with their dysfunctional past and the new problems spawned by their unusual upbringing.
"...a prime contender when it comes to choosing the crown jewel among the films of 2001." Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"Sweet and funny, doggedly oddball..." J. Hoberman, The Village Voice
"A wonderfully loopy fable..." Joe Leydon, San Francisco Examiner
"...Anderson and Wilson have delivered the year's best comedy." Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune
"Funny, touching, intelligent, strange..." Ben Falk, BBC News
Editor's Note
In their youth, the Tenenbaums--an eccentric New York family--were extraordinary. They were all geniuses. Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) was a successful litigator. His wife Etheline (Angelica Huston) raised their children to be ambitious, entrepreneurial, and creative--then published an acclaimed book about her child-rearing techniques. Adopted daughter Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) was a gifted playwright. Son Chas (Ben Stiller) was a masterful businessman with a taste for real estate. And the other son, Richie (Luke Wilson), was a natural tennis champ. However, when Royal packed up his life and left his wife and his family in a cloud of betrayal, everything fell apart. Twenty years later, the Tenenbaums are a dejected and alienated bunch, each having found that their early successes did not carry over into adulthood. When washed-up Royal learns that his distant wife Etheline, who has become an archaeologist, may remarry, he feigns illness as an excuse to reunite with his estranged family.From Wes Anderson, director of RUSHMORE, this film is full of quirky comedy that will have audiences reeling and reflecting simultaneously. The brilliant script is impeccable with choppy, intentionally awkward language delivered with dry wit by the well-appointed (almost too good to be true) cast. Dramatic sets are emphasized by the film's masterful orchestration of scene changes and chapter separations. The photography beautifully captures a faded, vintage 1980s New York. And the eclectic soundtrack features much-loved tunes by Nico, The Velvet Underground, The Clash, and the Vince Guaraldi Trio.
| Features | Scene Access | | Theatrical Trailer | | Collectible Insert Including Eric Anderson's Drawings | | Interactive Menus | | Outtakes | | "The Peter Bradley Show" Featuring Cast Member Interviews | | "The Art Of The Movie" Includes Young Richie's Murals And Paintings, Still Photographs By Set Photographer James Hamilton, Book And Magazine Covers, Studio 360 Radio Segment On Painter Miguel Calderon, Storyboards | | Audio: English DTS 5.1 Digital Surround Sound & Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Commentary By Director Wes Anderson | | Exclusive Video Interviews And Behind-The-Scenes Footage Of Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray And Danny Glover | | Optimal Image Quality: RSDL Dual-Layer Edition | | English Subtitles For The Deaf And Hearing Impaired | | Widescreen Version Enhanced For 16x9 TVs |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Buena Vista |
| Release Date: 9/7/2004 |
| Running Time: 110 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2001 | | Catalog ID: 2402203 | | UPC: 00786936165425 | | Number of Discs: 2 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 2.40:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
AFI Film Award (2002) |  | Gene Hackman, Winner, Featured Male Actor Of The Year--Movies | |
Oscar (2002) | | | Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson, Nominee, Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly For The Screen | |
British Academy Awards (2002) | | | Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson, Nominee, Best Original Screenplay | |
Golden Globe (2002) | | Gene Hackman, Winner, Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture-Comedy/Musical |
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| | Professional Reviews | New York Times
"...Endearing....Mr. Anderson presents each of these characters -- and several more -- with the fastidious care of a collector arranging prize specimens on a shelf..." 12/14/2001 p.E31USA Today
"...[Wilson] has a funny turn as a macho, adventure-seeking author. The film grows on you..." 12/14/2001 p.5E Box Office
"...Nuanced, multilayered and oftentimes most poignant when its humor is at is darkest, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS is one of those rare Hollywood products that assumes a mature intelligence among its audience..." 02/01/2002 p.59 Total Film
"...The script is rich with subtle humour and the cast deliver it with deadpan, borderline camp elan....Anderson keeps things moving with a stylish simplicity that catches every glance, sigh and gesture..." 04/01/2002 p.94 Sight and Sound
"...The rivalry between the three siblings is particularly well caught....The split-second connections, meanwhile, are intensely moving....The tracks here knead the emotion into your brain and become inseparable from it..." 04/01/2002 p.59-60 Chicago Sun-Times
"...There are big laughs, quiet moments when we're touched, and then the rug gets pulled out with deadpan audacity....Funny....With unexpected emotional twists..." 03/31/2002 p.5 Entertainment Weekly
"...TENENBAUMS is intricate, fine-stitched, embroidered with sumptuous details..." 01/11/2002 p.46-7 Chicago Sun-Times 9 of 10
Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums exists on a knife edge between comedy and sadness. There are big laughs, and then quiet moments when we're touched. Sometimes we grin at the movie's deadpan audacity... And it's proof that Anderson and his writing partner, the actor Owen Wilson, have a gift of cockeyed genius. - Roger Ebert
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| Customer Reviews | ![]() | | Cinematography |  4 | | Plot |  3 | | Acting | 4 | | Overall Satisfaction |  3.5 |
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1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
5 of 5 Very dark, very funny Monday, August 02, 2004
A Viewer from Huntsville, AL
If you're a big fan of the Adam Sandler school of comedy, you might want to pass this one by. But if you like your comedy dark, dry and subtle, the Royal Tenenbaums is a must-own DVD. Was this review helpful?  
0 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
1 of 5 This sucks Saturday, August 02, 2003
Travis from sacto, ca.
This " movie " is a complete waste of time. I would rather sit in a classroom and have the whole class run their nails down the chalkboard than watch this!!!! I hope this saves some of you the experience. Was this review helpful?
0 of 7 customers found this review helpful.
1 of 5 Beagle Fans stay away.... Saturday, July 27, 2002
Larry Fisk from New Jersey
I sat there for 90 minutes trying to find something redeeming in this story and something to care about in the characters. I sat there with my 2 beagles on my lap and thrilled in finding a fellow beagle (Buckley) in a featured role. When he is then struck down and senselessly run over and killed by the drug addict character of Eli Cash, the death is treated with the same cold indifference with which the characters treat each other. I wish PETA or other dog lovers would speak out about another horrible exploitation of animals (remember the poor dog in the cast in "There's something about Mary", or the electrocuted cat in "Christmas Vacation"?). This just further serves to promote animals as cheap disposable commodities, undeserving of the respect they require as loving, loyal sentient beings.
I'm glad I only rented this and did not buy it. I only wish I had turned it off after the first hour as I was tempted to, because even without this awful scene, and despite the stellar cast, this is a perfectly awful movie."
Was this review helpful?
3 of 7 customers found this review helpful.
3 of 5 Quirky for the Sake of Being Quirky Wednesday, May 22, 2002
A Viewer from Chicago, IL
Wes Anderson presents another over-stylized, not completely successful, but still interesting to watch film. The acting by Gene Hackman and Anjelica Huston is amazing--subtle and outrageous--and conveys the perfect tone for the script. The other actors never manage to get beyond the caricatures created for them to create characters. The look of the film is intentionally ugly, with (purposely) hideous costumes and makeup and odd camera angles adding to the mix. The script is too self-concious to keep the movie from transcending from quirky to truly funny. So you know, I felt the same way about Rushmore but less so about Bottle Rocket. Was this review helpful?
2 of 7 customers found this review helpful.
5 of 5 Royal Success Tuesday, April 16, 2002
A Viewer from iowa
Outrageously funny! Was this review helpful?
4 of 7 customers found this review helpful.
5 of 5 Anderson's Best Yet Tuesday, April 09, 2002
Dave from East Lansing, MI
Great Movie - if you liked Rushmore and/or Bottle Rocket, you'll like this. Was this review helpful?
3 of 8 customers found this review helpful.
5 of 5 A Modern Day 'Addam's Family' Wednesday, March 20, 2002
Chris from Austin, Texas
"They're creepy and they're cooky, mysteriously spooky!". Wes Anderson hits another homerun with 'The Royal Tenebaums'. Was this review helpful?
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