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Tightrope
Warner Bros. // R // August 1, 2000
List Price: $19.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
THE MOVIE
Clint Eastwood isn't just a cop, he's a cop "on the edge" (one of the taglines of the film, which got parodied in a famous David Letterman/Bruno Kirby bit) in Tightrope, a movie that is probably one of Clint's best, yet rarely gets mentioned when people discuss his greatest movies.
Set in New Orleans, Clint plays detective Wes Block, a divorced father who is trying to raise two daughters (the older of the two is played by Clint's own daughter, Alison), and, unlike his Dirty Harry persona, seems to be a pretty level headed guy. But a serial killer is stalking the city, murdering prostitutes and women who are promiscuous, and Wes gets assigned the case.
We've all seen Clint in other movies where he's tracking down a bad guy, so that part isn't new here…but what is new is the fact that Wes Block has a dark side – his investigation leads him into the seedy side of town, and he finds himself drawn to the kind of kinky action that goes on there. Meanwhile the relationship between Wes and his two daughters may be the most interesting part of the film. As viewers, we actually care about Wes and his family…which, of course, provides more tension for the audience as his family is threatened later in the movie.
What doesn't quite work in Tightrope is Wes' relationship with a woman named Beryl Thibodeaux (Genevieve Bujold), who is a rape counselor for the city. While Bujold is a fine actress, there is no real chemistry between her and Clint, and she seems simply put into the storyline so Wes can have a romantic relationship that contrasts with his kinkier side.
But overall, Tightrope is interesting, well-written and tense, and one of the better crime-dramas of Eastwood's career.
THE DVD
Video:
Given the fact that this movie was made in 1984, I was hoping for a little sharper transfer than the one we get here. There's a lot of dirt evident on the print, and the overall picture has a very soft look to it. Were it not for the fact that the video is presented in anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen, I'm not sure the quality here is all that much better than a good VHS copy. A disappointing transfer, but not a horrible one.
Audio:
The audio has a crispness to it, but it's not very active for a 5.1 track. The only time I really noticed the sound really kicking in was during the opening and end credits. Still, the audio doesn't provide the kind of disappointment the video does. This is a serviceable track, but far from an outstanding one.
Extras:
It's really kind of a shame more effort didn't go into these "Eastwood Collection" releases from Warners. Once again, all we get here is the Theatrical Trailer (which contains that great "cop on the edge" line!) and a Cast List that includes a filmography for Eastwood.
THE BOTTOM LINE
On other "Eastwood Collection" reviews, I have only recommended a rental because I felt that the lack of extras really didn't warrant a purchase of the movie. However, since Tightrope is such an outstanding movie for Clint, I'm going to give this one a recommendation on the basis of how good the film is, rather than the overall quality of the DVD. And, of course, it goes without saying this one's a must-have for Eastwood fans!
Clint Eastwood isn't just a cop, he's a cop "on the edge" (one of the taglines of the film, which got parodied in a famous David Letterman/Bruno Kirby bit) in Tightrope, a movie that is probably one of Clint's best, yet rarely gets mentioned when people discuss his greatest movies.
Set in New Orleans, Clint plays detective Wes Block, a divorced father who is trying to raise two daughters (the older of the two is played by Clint's own daughter, Alison), and, unlike his Dirty Harry persona, seems to be a pretty level headed guy. But a serial killer is stalking the city, murdering prostitutes and women who are promiscuous, and Wes gets assigned the case.
We've all seen Clint in other movies where he's tracking down a bad guy, so that part isn't new here…but what is new is the fact that Wes Block has a dark side – his investigation leads him into the seedy side of town, and he finds himself drawn to the kind of kinky action that goes on there. Meanwhile the relationship between Wes and his two daughters may be the most interesting part of the film. As viewers, we actually care about Wes and his family…which, of course, provides more tension for the audience as his family is threatened later in the movie.
What doesn't quite work in Tightrope is Wes' relationship with a woman named Beryl Thibodeaux (Genevieve Bujold), who is a rape counselor for the city. While Bujold is a fine actress, there is no real chemistry between her and Clint, and she seems simply put into the storyline so Wes can have a romantic relationship that contrasts with his kinkier side.
But overall, Tightrope is interesting, well-written and tense, and one of the better crime-dramas of Eastwood's career.
THE DVD
Video:
Given the fact that this movie was made in 1984, I was hoping for a little sharper transfer than the one we get here. There's a lot of dirt evident on the print, and the overall picture has a very soft look to it. Were it not for the fact that the video is presented in anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen, I'm not sure the quality here is all that much better than a good VHS copy. A disappointing transfer, but not a horrible one.
Audio:
The audio has a crispness to it, but it's not very active for a 5.1 track. The only time I really noticed the sound really kicking in was during the opening and end credits. Still, the audio doesn't provide the kind of disappointment the video does. This is a serviceable track, but far from an outstanding one.
Extras:
It's really kind of a shame more effort didn't go into these "Eastwood Collection" releases from Warners. Once again, all we get here is the Theatrical Trailer (which contains that great "cop on the edge" line!) and a Cast List that includes a filmography for Eastwood.
THE BOTTOM LINE
On other "Eastwood Collection" reviews, I have only recommended a rental because I felt that the lack of extras really didn't warrant a purchase of the movie. However, since Tightrope is such an outstanding movie for Clint, I'm going to give this one a recommendation on the basis of how good the film is, rather than the overall quality of the DVD. And, of course, it goes without saying this one's a must-have for Eastwood fans!
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