Where The Hudsucker Proxy falls glaringly short of cinema perfection is in the performance of Jennifer Jason Leigh, playing a reporter sniffing out the suspicious financial shenanigans brewing at Hudsucker Industries. Leigh chooses to affect an accent crafted after Katherine Hepburn's madcap comic screen appearances and it dominates her performance with a long, insufferable, sour note. That it doesn't totally topple the Hudsucker tower is a tribute to the overall strength of the material. While kids might enjoy this delightful fantasy from the Coen brothers, it is truly a feast for film lovers and an ode to movie making. Warners has delivered The Hudsucker Proxy with consistently sharp images.
Color depth is fine, though some slight bleeding of reds occurs in a few instances.
The outstanding production design is really showcased by the DVD format. Shadow details are outstanding and all the delights of the Hudsucker world are revealed with delight. Contrast has good pop except for the very opening skyline moments, which seem slightly over-bright. A group of down and dirty crooks take out a nest of drug dealers absconding with the money and the white stuff. Director Carl Franklin's noirish film is non-stop from start to finish.