Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Director:

Adam McKay

Writers (WGA):

Will Ferrell (written by) &
Adam McKay (written by)

Release Date:

9 July 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

His news is bigger than your news.

Plot:

Ron Burgundy is San Diego's top rated newsman in the male dominated broadcasting of the 1970's, but that's all about to change when a new female employee with ambition to burn arrives in his office.

Plot Keywords:

Anchorman | 1970s | Fashion Show | Sexism | Newsroom

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Will Ferrell	...	Ron Burgundy
Christina Applegate	...	Veronica Corningstone
Paul Rudd	...	Brian Fantana
Steve Carell	...	Brick Tamland
David Koechner	...	Champ Kind
Fred Willard	...	Ed Harken
Chris Parnell	...	Garth Holliday
Kathryn Hahn	...	Helen
Fred Armisen	...	Tino
Seth Rogen	...	Eager Cameraman
Paul F. Tompkins	...	MC
Danny Trejo	...	Bartender
Scot Robinson	...	Waiter at Tino's
Ian Roberts	...	Stage Manager
Darcy Donavan	...	Hot Blonde

Also Known As:

Action News (USA) (working title)
Action News! With Ron Burgundy (USA) (original script title)
Action Newsman (USA) (working title)
Anchorman (USA) (short title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual humor, language and comic violence. (edited for re-rating)

Runtime:

94 min | USA:104 min (extended version) | Canada:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14A (DVD rating) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Netherlands:6 | Malaysia:U (DVD) | Sweden:11 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Ireland:12 | Norway:11 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:12A | USA:R (original rating) | USA:Unrated (uncut DVD version) | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating) (certificate no. 40782)

Filming Locations:

Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

In the scene in which Brian Fantana hits on Veronica in the news office while wearing Panther cologne; Judd Apatow makes a cameo as the man who says that the cologne smells like: "A turd covered in burnt hair".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When at the Panda exhibit on Panda Watch: Day 5, while reporting, a man walks through the background wearing a US Military Camouflage Jacket. These were not issued until 1982, replacing a standard solid green utility uniform that was worn during the 1970s - the time frame for the movie.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bill Lawson: [narration] There was a time, a time before cable. When the local anchorman reigned supreme. When people believed everything they heard on TV. This was an age when only men were allowed to read the news. And in San Diego, one anchorman was more man then the rest. His name was Ron Burgundy. He was like a god walking amongst mere mortals. He had a voice that could make a wolverine purr and suits so fine they made Sinatra look like a hobo. In other words, Ron Burgundy was the balls.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Duplicity/Knowing/I Love You, Man (#1.4)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

El Paso

This absurd comedy had to convince me...and somehow it did

When Anchorman came into theaters, I avoided it like a dead sewer rat. When it came onto HBO, I pretended it didn't exist. In fact, I would not have even LOOKED at it had my remote control not stuck on the stupid channel. So I watched a few minutes. I didn't laugh. I wasn't surprised.

Then one day, surfing the premium movie channels, I was thoroughly unimpressed by the offerings. So I turned on Anchorman, about 5 minutes in. For the next hour and a half, I proceeded to laugh hysterically. Scene after scene, line after line, I found new reasons to laugh. By the end, I could hardly breathe.

Unconvinced that I had stumbled upon a a re-watchable movie, I tested and retested it over and over. And over. Result confirmed.

Anchorman tells a simple story: acclaimed (and consequently arrogant) news anchor Ron Burgundy is forced to adapt when an attractive new female member of the Channel 4 news team (Applegate) begins changing the way he and his quirky news team work. That's it. This story is predictable, prescription-esquire, boring. But Anchorman does not draw it's strength from story. It draws from the hilarious situations. It draws from randomness. It draws from brief--but memorable--cameos. It draws from those 100 or so unforgettable one-liners.

That is, if you're looking for cinema, for a fine work of craftsmanship, a eloquent script, and an Oscar nomination, go watch a FILM. If you find randomness hilarious, then watch this MOVIE.