6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A god-fearing Ohio boy dodging the Civil War draft arrives in Jefferson City where he joins up with a hardscrabble group of like runaways heading west
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Barry Brown (I), Jim Davis (I), David Huddleston, John SavageWestern | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
For his screenwriting debut, Robert Benton made waves with his work on 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde,” going deep into psychology, relationships, and violence to help detail the recklessness of criminals on the run. For his directorial debut, Benton sticks with the formula for 1972’s “Bad Company,” which also explores troubled people trying to escape from all sorts of dangers. Going the western route, Benton (joined by “Bonnie and Clyde” collaborator David Newman) looks to explore the ways of survival and perceived freedom in the open world, using the pressurized experience of the Civil War to examine men on the move to a better life, not fully realizing the dangers and labor of such a vision. In a career that would eventually turn to more defined acts of dramatic engagement (including “Kramer vs. Kramer” and “Places in the Heart”), Benton shows some level of grit and surprise with “Bad Company,” which is always interested in the impulsive ways of inexperienced men taking on an incredible challenge of self-preservation.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as "restored in 4K from its original 35mm camera negative." There's an extremely film-like look for "Bad Company," which retains heavy, well-resolved grain. Detail does well with such cinematography, providing an appreciation of rough skin particulars and period costuming, especially with heavier cold-weather gear. Exteriors retain deep distances, providing a sense of the open world, and periodic interiors deliver an appreciation of decorative additions and woodsy construction. Color is intentionally drained to deliver an evocative sense of the west, with the look of the movie secured, doing especially well with greenery and cooler hues on clothing. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory, working with deep blacks. Source is in good condition.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers a crisp understanding of scoring cues, with the piano moods of the feature distinct throughout the listening experience. Dialogue exchanges are as clear as the original recording allows, maintaining emotionality. Sound effects are understood.
More direct trouble emerges in the form of Big Joe and his team of brutes, with the seasoned man of crime working to make sure Jake doesn't become a threat to his livelihood. "Bad Company" loses some focus as it enters its final act, with Newman and Benton running out of steam when it comes to dealing with Drew and Jake's combustible relationship, which weaves in and out of partnership. There's not much of an ending to the movie, but the ride to a conclusion is plenty compelling, especially with strong turns from the cast. Bridges is especially alert as Jake, portraying a complicated man of impulse and idiocy striving to achieve ill-defined dreams. "Bad Company" is a revisionist western, detailing the harshness of outlaw glory and the fatigue of travel, with Benton capably handling an arc of disillusionment, which eventually explodes into more traditional acts of genre violence. Some potent stuff remains in the endeavor, keeping viewers involved in a display of increasing danger sold with a defined cinematic approach, retaining a distinct mood from the filmmaking era.
(Still not reliable for this title)
Arrow Academy
1971
1950
1946
2019
1973
1982
2019
1993
Out Of Rosenheim
1987
Standard Edition
1980
1956
Warner Archive Collection
1960
1974
1970
Fox Studio Classics
1939
Un fiume di dollari
1966
1962
Warner Archive Collection
1952
Limited Edition - 1,500 copies
1979
2011