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Hollywood Knights, The
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
From a glance at the packaging, "The Hollywood Knights" would seem like a love story between Tony Danza and Michelle Pfeiffer (or, well, the characters they play), taking place in the '50s. Actually, the film takes place on Halloween 1965, and there's much more to it than a single relationship. The Danza/Pfeiffer romance is one of many stories told in "The Hollywood Knights"; so many stories are told, in fact, that in the commentary track, the writer/director states that he wishes that there was less going on. The stories center around a mischievous gang of hot rodders and a drive-in diner on its way out, as the rampant happiness that had carried over from the '50s was coming to a close. "The Hollywood Knights" isn't a film for everyone; it's very vulgar, for instance...but I found it tremendously entertaining and feel that it holds up remarkably well.
Video: "The Hollywood Knights" includes both fullscreen and widescreen versions of the film. The widescreen image (which, though not listed on the packaging, is anamorphic) looks spectacular for a relatively obscure film shot over twenty years ago. I've been using Anchor Bay's restored release of "Halloween" as the benchmark by which to judge discs from this period, but "The Hollywood Knights" blows even "Halloween" out of the water. Grain is barely present (and even then, confined to just a handful of shots), and the amount of dust and various imperfections is lower than most discs of films produced even a few years ago. The video is incredibly clear, razor-sharp, and the colors are perfectly balanced. As would be expected from a movie featuring hot rods and such, "The Hollywood Knights" is very colorful, but the colors still seem natural and not too oversaturated. I'm not sure if the original elements were remarkably well preserved or if Columbia has figured out something other studios haven't, but "The Hollywood Knights" looks incredible, and I'm glad the studio is treating their catalog titles with such respect.
Audio: Three different audio tracks are included -- the original mono soundtrack, a Dolby Surround track, and a 5.1 mix. After listening to the 5.1 mix, its mono origins are clear; most of the action is front and center, without extensive use of the rears. The dialogue sounds a bit distorted at times, particularly during some of the exterior scenes, but not to the point of annoyance. Overall, the audio is satisfactory. Columbia deserves a big thumbs-up for including the original mono soundtrack along with the remixed tracks. I wish more studios would do the same...
Extras: Along with the traditional talent bios and a pair of trailers for other Columbia releases starring Michelle Pfeiffer, "The Hollywood Knights" features a decent commentary track with writer/director Floyd Mutrux. Quite a bit of background information on the project is provided early on, but most of the track is spent pointing out trivia, where the actors are now, information about the set-ups...generally just responding to what's on-screen. I found some of Mutrux' criticisms of the film particularly interesting. An above-average booklet is included, with additional information, most notably information on some of the cars used in the film.
Conclusion: This is a great movie to watch with a group, and the commentary makes the disc an even more worthwhile addition to any library. With an MSRP of $24.95 and easily found online for right around $20, I highly recommend "The Hollywood Knights" as a purchase.
Video: "The Hollywood Knights" includes both fullscreen and widescreen versions of the film. The widescreen image (which, though not listed on the packaging, is anamorphic) looks spectacular for a relatively obscure film shot over twenty years ago. I've been using Anchor Bay's restored release of "Halloween" as the benchmark by which to judge discs from this period, but "The Hollywood Knights" blows even "Halloween" out of the water. Grain is barely present (and even then, confined to just a handful of shots), and the amount of dust and various imperfections is lower than most discs of films produced even a few years ago. The video is incredibly clear, razor-sharp, and the colors are perfectly balanced. As would be expected from a movie featuring hot rods and such, "The Hollywood Knights" is very colorful, but the colors still seem natural and not too oversaturated. I'm not sure if the original elements were remarkably well preserved or if Columbia has figured out something other studios haven't, but "The Hollywood Knights" looks incredible, and I'm glad the studio is treating their catalog titles with such respect.
Audio: Three different audio tracks are included -- the original mono soundtrack, a Dolby Surround track, and a 5.1 mix. After listening to the 5.1 mix, its mono origins are clear; most of the action is front and center, without extensive use of the rears. The dialogue sounds a bit distorted at times, particularly during some of the exterior scenes, but not to the point of annoyance. Overall, the audio is satisfactory. Columbia deserves a big thumbs-up for including the original mono soundtrack along with the remixed tracks. I wish more studios would do the same...
Extras: Along with the traditional talent bios and a pair of trailers for other Columbia releases starring Michelle Pfeiffer, "The Hollywood Knights" features a decent commentary track with writer/director Floyd Mutrux. Quite a bit of background information on the project is provided early on, but most of the track is spent pointing out trivia, where the actors are now, information about the set-ups...generally just responding to what's on-screen. I found some of Mutrux' criticisms of the film particularly interesting. An above-average booklet is included, with additional information, most notably information on some of the cars used in the film.
Conclusion: This is a great movie to watch with a group, and the commentary makes the disc an even more worthwhile addition to any library. With an MSRP of $24.95 and easily found online for right around $20, I highly recommend "The Hollywood Knights" as a purchase.
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