Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Blue Collar Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 26, 2018

Paul Schrader's "Blue Collar" (1978) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; archival interview with Paul Schrader and new introduction by critic Tony Rayns; audio recording of archival screenwriting masterclass; and more. The release also arrives with a 40-page illustrated booklet featuring new essay by critic Brad Stevens, archival interviews with Paul Schrader, and technical specs. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Union boys

Paul Schrader’s directorial debut functions like a medical report. It carefully identifies all the key factors that have caused the cancer that would eventually destroy the Motor City -- the big unions and their phony leaders, the rampant corruption, and the nasty identity politics promoted by local labor and political leaders. At the end it even sums up its findings precisely like medical reports do.

The main characters are three good friends who work together in one of the city’s auto plants. The gig is tough -- they are frequently pushed hard by their supervisors in an environment that is far from perfect -- but it is the only one in the area that they could do to put food on the table, so they try to stay out of trouble and just do what they are told. All three are also members of the union because everyone else in the plant is.

A series of unexpected events, however, force the three out of their bubble and then test the strength of their friendship. The first occurs shortly after Zeke (Richard Pryor) clashes with one of his supervisors who has repeatedly lied to him that his locker will get fixed. While trying hard to contain his anger, Zeke is visited by an IRS agent who informs him that the government knows that he has cheated on his tax returns and serves him a bill for a little over two grand. Around the same time Jerry (Harvey Keitel) is also told by his wife that their daughter needs a set of brand new braces, which they can’t afford. Feeling under pressure to help their families, Zeke and Jerry decide to bet everything on a risky plan conceived by Smokey (Yaphet Kotto), which requires that they break into the local union office, crack its safe, and then walk away with a supposedly guaranteed large sum of money. But the plan does not work as intended and the friends end up pocketing only a couple of hundred bucks as well as a worn out ledger with some seemingly unimportant descriptions of routine financial transactions. A few days later, however, Zeke realizes that the transactions actually link the union bosses with all sorts of shady players across the country, and when their lap dogs begin looking for it he and his pals find themselves in some serious trouble.

The crime element is just a pretext to cut open the belly of a disgustingly corrupt system that demolished the Rust Belt states and then mutated in other parts of the country. Without flinching, the film makes it painfully obvious that even during the '70s a lot of people knew exactly how the unions and their lackeys operated but kept quiet because their livelihood depended on them.

What is astonishing, however, is that the film also has the courage to spell out the clear goal of identity politics, which was, and still is, to divide and ultimately transform into enemies ordinary people like Zeke, Jerry, and Smokey. It also shows how the ideologues behind it are carefully shielded by hypocrites and real crooks when someone threatens to expose them and their game.

The acting is excellent. There is an abundance of pure anger that oozes from it that allows the message of the film to resonate the right way. As it is the case with so many good American films from the ‘70s, political correctness is also completely wiped out from the narrative. In the current environment, this is undoubtedly Schrader’s most relevant film.

Blue Collar Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Paul Schrader's Blue Collar arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from a remaster of some sort -- not one of those dreaded masters from the DVD era that Universal typically offers to licensors -- which has some native limitations but is very healthy. The most obvious limitations can be seen during the indoor/nighttime footage where shadow definition isn't optimal and density tends to fluctuate a bit. In the same areas there are also some minor dark(er) color nuances that are missing. This being said, the rest of the film actually boasts very pleasing depth and clarity, and the daylight footage in particular can look very convincing. The best news is that there are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening adjustments, so even though there are area where the visuals could be better overall the film has a strong organic appearance. So the basic here are very strong. Image stability is excellent. There are no distracting large debris, cuts, damage marks, warped or torn frames to report. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Blue Collar Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

There are no technical anomalies to report. The audio is crystal clear, stable, and nicely balanced. Dynamic intensity is also very nice for a film of this caliber, though you should expect a soundtrack that also incorporates a fair amount of organic sounds and noises.

Blue Collar Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original U.S. trailer for Blue Collar. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Josh Olson Trailer Commentary - presented here is an episode of Trailers From Hell with screenwriter Josh Olson (A History of Violence). In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Keith Gordon on Blue Collar - in this new video interview, director/writer/producer Keith Gordon (Waking the Dead) explains why he likes Blue Collar and why the film is relevant today. The interview was conducted exclusively for Indicator/Powerhouse Films. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Visions: Interview with Paul Schrader - presented here is an archival interview, in two versions, with Paul Schrader in which he discusses his early work as a writer and director and some of the key themes that defined it. The interview was conducted by critic Tony Rayns in 1982. In English, not subtitled. The interview was conducted in 1982.
  
  1. Original broadcast version. (21 min).
  2. Full interview with new introduction by Tony Rayns. (58 min).

• Paul Schrader BFI Masterclass - presented here is an audio recording of a screenwriting masterclass that was offered by Paul Schrader at the National Film Theatre in London in September 1982. The masterclass addresses the many creative ideas and goals that defined the acclaimed writer/director's signature style and work. In English, not subtitled. (106 min).

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary features Paul Schrader and critic Maitland McDonagh and previously appeared on Starz/Anchor Bay's North American release of the film.

• Stills - a collection of original promotional materials for the film.

• Booklet - a 40-page illustrated booklet featuring new essay by critic Brad Stevens, archival interviews with Paul Schrader, and technical specs.

Blue Collar Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Currently, Blue Collar is perhaps the most relevant political film to come out of the '70s because it correctly identifies all of the key factors that more than four decades ago initiated the destruction of large parts of America's Heartland. However, what is truly remarkable about this film is that, perhaps somewhat unintentionally, it also points a finger at the ideological hypocrites that willingly directed the destruction while pretending to defend the interests of those that suffered the most. Indicator/Powerhouse Films' new Blu-ray release is sourced from a solid master, but if you reside outside of the UK keep in mind that it is Region-B "locked". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.