6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The time is the future and youth gang violence is so high that the areas around some schools have become "free fire zones," into which not even the police will venture. When Miles Langford, the principal of Kennedy High School, decides to take his school back from the gangs, robotics specialist Dr. Robert Forrest provides "tactical education units." These human-like androids have been programmed to teach and are supplied with weapons to discipline problems. These kids will get a lesson... in staying alive!
Starring: Stacy Keach, Malcolm McDowell, Bradley Gregg, Traci Lind, Patrick KilpatrickHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Action | 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 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
What a difference fifteen years, or perhaps more appropriately eight years, can make. In 1982, co-writer and director Mark L. Lester gave the world Class of 1984, a rather prescient drama detailing the breakdown of order at an urban high school, a film which perhaps slyly suggested that the teachers tasked with keeping their students in line were a little out of control themselves. The film plied a certain hyperbolic ambience and for some viewers may have flirted dangerously with camp territory, but it’s a rather fascinating look at what happens in an insular environment when things start spiraling toward chaos. Eight years after Class of 1984, Lester returned with a film set fifteen years further down the line from that first film, and while Class of 1999 once again dealt with teachers trying to control unruly students, in this case the film has been filtered through a certain sensibility which combines elements from RoboCop and even perhaps Mad Max (at least in terms of some of the vehicles on display) and Westworld (in terms of robots taking matters into their own hands). It’s an odd hybrid, to say the least, but it has a certain gonzo energy, not the least of which is the pairing of Stacy Keach and Malcolm McDowell, and it provides a few requisite thrills even if its underlying plot conceit is definitely on the silly side.
Class of 1999 is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Film's Vestron Video imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. While this release touts the same "digitally restored" and "newly remastered" verbiage that many (maybe even all of) Vestron's Blu-ray releases have, this is a somewhat rougher looking presentation than other releases in Vestron's Collector's Edition line. Some of the roughest moments occur in the early going, so fans are encouraged to take a deep breath, because after the credits and a couple of interstitial scenes, things improve markedly, though the roughness of the less pleasing moments may lead some to think this may deserve a lesser score than I've given it. There are still quite a few nicks, scratches and other blemishes that dot the proceedings, but overall things look reasonably intact. The palette is generally accurate looking as well, though saturation is a bit anemic. Detail levels vary considerably depending on light sources and range from the camera, but close-ups often offer good to very good levels of fine detail. I personally found contrast a little "undercooked", something that tends to give some of the darker material a bit of a hazy appearance. Grain generally looks very natural, though it has a tendency to clump slightly at times. My hunch is fans of this film will almost certainly be pleased by the general look of this transfer, despite some occasional issues.
Class of 1999 features a fairly boisterous sounding DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix. The fact that this film ventures into more of an urban combat ambience at times, including explosions and the like, gives the track an opportunity to exploit a nice sounding low end, though unlike the first film, this entry isn't stuffed with source cues (there are a few, which sound fine). Dialogue and effects are rendered with clarity and excellent fidelity, along with rather considerable dynamic range.
Class of 1999 is a resolutely different "animal" than Class of 1984, and I'd argue that the two shouldn't even be thought of as linked in any substantial way. With that out of the way, Class of 1999 offers some solid fun if accepted on its own patently ridiculous terms, and it's kind of a hoot to see this (shall we say) eclectic cast working together. Video encounters a few rough spots, but audio is fine and the supplemental interviews quite appealing. Recommended.
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