6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.3 |
A former Green Beret fights to protect a school for runaways in the desert.
Starring: Tom Laughlin, Dolores Taylor, Clark Howat, Victor Izay, Howard HessemanDrama | 100% |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Before Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris squared off in Return of the Dragon, and way before everybody was kung fu fighting, Tom Laughlin was using hapkido karate moves to dispatch redneck bigots as Billy Jack, the “half-breed” Cherokee war hero and ass-kicking protector of pacifist hippies. In many ways, Billy Jack is the prototype for Walker, Texas Ranger, sporting a black hat, scuffed up cowboy boots, and using violence as a last but oh-so-satisfying resort. I’m convinced that, had the internet existed in the early 1970s, hipsters would’ve been quick to ironically venerate Billy Jack with lists of supposed Tom Laughlin “facts.” Did you know: When the boogeyman goes to sleep at night he checks his closet for Tom Laughlin? Or that there’s no such thing as evolution—only a list of species that Tom Laughlin has allowed to live? I’ve even heard that Tom Laughlin can lead a horse to water and make it drink. Isn’t Billy Jack awesome (wink, wink)?
Billy Jack receives a better-than-ever 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer on Blu-ray, thanks to a careful restoration overseen by Tom Laughlin's son, Frank Laughlin. The print has been fastidiously cleaned up, displaying very few specks, scratches, or debris, and the film's grain structure has been left entirely intact. Though grain-haters may smirk at the occasionally splotchy skies and blotchy skin textures, purists will nod their heads knowingly, well aware that these so-called imperfections have been present ever since the film first rolled through the gate of a 35mm camera. That said, limitations in the source material do a play a part in the film's objective appearance, and you'll notice a few overexposed scenes, some contrast wavering, and the intermittent rough patch of soft focus. The film's color palette isn't exactly cohesive, but it jives with the realistic, late 1960s look. The students' psychedelic clothing pops cleanly off the screen, but it does look to me like some of the hues are slightly overheated, particularly oranges. Skin tones can be a bit ruddy at times, and there are one or two instances when faces take on an overly jaundiced cast. Black levels are nicely adjusted, however, and when the film doesn't look overexposed, contrast is spot on. In terms of clarity, the film looks as good here as the source material allows, showing plenty of facial detail in close-ups, though longer shots have a softer look. This certainly isn't the best catalog restoration I've ever seen, but considering Billy Jack's shoestring budget, this Blu-ray release is the closest the film has come to its original theatrical intentions.
Here's on Blu-ray, Billy Jack receives a newly minted DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that does its best with the lo-fi tech of the original masters. I'll get the negatives out of the way first, and don't worry, there are few. First of all, some of the ADR work is a little too noticeable, having a distinctly "patched in" quality. Secondly, there are some bizarre audio choices, including choppy editing during the town hall meeting and sound effects that don't exactly hold up today. Billy Jack's blows sound like they should be accompanied with onomatopoeic title cards, like the "Pow!" and "Bang!" of the Batman TV show, and the bullets that whiz through the rear channels have a distinctly cartoonish quality. On the plus side, the score sounds fantastic—if a little brash at times—and the title song, "One Tin Soldier," is big and bold. Dialogue is easily discernable in the mix, and when ADR hiss isn't apparent, the voices sound clean and natural. Directionally, there really isn't much going on, but you will hear some quiet, environment-establishing ambience from time to time, like rushing water, crickets, helicopters, and sirens. This isn't the most exciting track, but it certainly suits the nature of the film.
Commentary Tracks
Tom Laughlin and Delores Taylor offer up two commentaries on this disc—one recorded in 2000
and the other in 2005—but there's way too much overlap between the two to make them both
essential listening, especially since Tom has a habit of repeating the same stories at the exact
same spots. I preferred the second track, as Frank Laughlin—Tom's son and the producer of this
Blu-ray disc—joins in to add his considerable insights. He was only 13 at the time of shooting, but
in the process of producing the film's high definition transfer, he has obviously scoured the film
numerous times. Tom and Delores are frequently in awe of their own creation, but they definitely
have some crazy tales to tell.
Mini Documentary (SD, 14:00)
This narrated "mini-doc" traces Billy Jack's unlikely path to box office success, from Tom
Laughlin's first awareness of how poorly Indians were (and are) treated in the U.S., to his
unheard-of bargaining with Warner Brothers to re-release the film. It's informative, but the
narrator sounds like he was recorded using an onboard laptop microphone and the graphics are a
bit on the annoying side. A glance at the film's wikipedia page will give you all this info and more,
but it's worth watching, if only for a kooky story about a mystical owl on an airport
runway.
TV Commercials (SD, 7:50)
Billy Jack was one of very few films at the time to be advertised using nationwide
television commercials. Several spots are included here, but the best is the now-typical "audience
reaction" clip, featuring overjoyed recent viewers saying things like, "I came four times and cried
each time!" Um…that's what she said?
While Billy Jack can no longer be taken seriously, the film is a fun precedent for the kung-fu mania that would sweep the nation later in the decade. Fans will be glad to see that the film has received a decent restoration, and for them, this is an obvious must-have release. For all others, Billy Jack makes for a decent night's worth of entertainment if you're up for some campy, 1970s cult-classic cinema.
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