If you enjoyed the television show Everybody Loves Raymond or even if you did not watch the show and are just interested how cultures differ, check out the documentary Exporting Raymond now on DVD and Blu-ray
Most everyone is familiar with television shows that have been remade for other countries, such as the American version of the British hit, The Office. While shows like The Office may morph into something a little different than the excellent original, it is interesting how different cultural concepts can change a television series when it travels across borders.
In Exporting Raymond, we see Rosenthal’s frustration as he tries to convince his new colleagues to stay true to his original vision of the television show while also watching them incorporate changes to make the show successful in their own country. For example, Rosenthal must debate why the characters should not be dressed in the latest fashions when they are lounging around the house, as the Russian costume designer argues to make the show more attractive to viewers.
There is not a lot of drama in the movie, as it is just about a TV show, but it is interesting to see the process of creating a new version of a successful television show in another country. One of the cool extras is that the DVD includes a couple American shows of Everybody Loves Raymond along with the Russian Everybody Loves Kostya version of the same stories. Like the half-hour television shows, we are happy to report that Exporting Raymond also has a happy ending and the two countries did not have to go to war to resolve their differences about the television show.
The movie has also been reviewed by the NY Times and Leonard Maltin.
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