Splash: 20th Anniversary Edition

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

You can search for a girlfriend anywhere—Internet dating services, the unemployment line, Boston—but Tom Hanks outdid us all when he landed a primo babe and launched a career by courting a mermaid in Splash. The 20th anniversary celebrates his interspecies relationship with Daryl Hannah and, somewhat surprisingly, boasts a full return from the crew. Unlike most “anniversary editions”—which cobble together brief, clipped reunions—Splash reminisces through new interviews with director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer, and stars Hanks, Hannah, and Eugene Levy, with vintage footage of John Candy. Commentary from Howard, Grazer, and the two screenplay writers reveal how nervous Touchstone was about its maiden release and, in a rare display of Hollywood humility, Hanks’ and Hannah’s original audition tapes are on full display—right along with their equally historical ’80s hair.

Share