Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		3.5

Fast Company Blu-ray Movie Review

Strap in for another quality release from Blue Underground.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 1, 2009

If you want to win, you can't stand still.

Apparently funny cars really do exist outside the realm of some random races shown on ESPN2. In fact, they come alive in the straightforward 1979 B-movie Fast Company, the film directed by oddball Horror maestro David Cronenberg (The Fly). A departure from the sort of films he's known for, Fast Company delivers neither the extreme gore nor deeply-rooted psychological underpinnings that mark typical Cronenberg fare. Quite the opposite, in fact, Fast Company thrives on its meaninglessness, the film a formula picture through-and-through with one-dimensional characters and a stale plot, though it does enjoy sure-handed direction, good editing, and decent performances from character actors William Smith and John Saxon.

It's all about the sponsorships in the world of drag racing.

Lonnie "Lucky Man" Johnson (Smith), a popular "fueler" racer across the Northwest, runs into a bit of bad luck when his car blows up underneath him during a race. Living up to his name and escaping unscathed, Johnson is eager to get back on the track just as soon as his unscrupulous and penny-pinching manager and FastCo product-pusher Phil Adamson (Saxon) orders up the new vehicle. Unfortunately, Adamson believes the price of the car cannot be made up in FastCo oil sales and, unbeknownst to Johnson, he pulls the plug on the new car. Instead, Adamson orders Johnson to drive the team's Funny Car in place of the younger and far less popular Billy "The Kid" Brocker (Nicholas Campbell). Although Johnson wins the race in an unfamiliar car and against FastCo arch rival Gary "The Blacksmith" Black (Cederic Smith), he turns his back on his manager and humiliates himself and his FastCo sponsor when he learns through secondary channels that his car is not to be rebuilt. Johnson finds himself fired and replaced by Black, the two destined for a 1/4 mile showdown that may prove more costly than lost money, sponsorships, or even wounded dignity.

A racing move on the surface but primarily a Drama on the inner-workings of the mid-level professional racing circuit, Fast Company falls in line with most of the typical racing movies with themes that primarily focus on off-the-track hardships and romance. A tale as old as sports, the film plays witness to the clash between a money-first manager and a racer who not only wants to win but be treated fairly in the process. It's a wholly generic and interchangeable plot that would work with the confines of most any sports-related picture, and Fast Company never shies away even momentarily from reveling in one cliché after another. In the film's favor, it does so without sacrificing watchability. Though certainly no great shakes of a movie, Fast Company features strong direction and editing that keeps up a nice pace. The actors never falter under the routine nature of the script, playing the parts seriously and, generally, with a bit of flair that adds importance and drama to an otherwise throwaway plot line. Last, not least, and perhaps most importantly, Fast Company delivers entertaining racing sequences, some shot with a unique perspective, that highlight the excitement of the sport and add some much-needed thrills to the film.

Fast Company Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Fast Company pulls onto Blu-ray with a handsome 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer. The film features a rather vibrant color palette, and the disc excels in showcasing each color naturally and pleasingly, with the reds, whites, and blues of the FastCo-themed products, vehicles, and uniforms dominating the screen. Green vegetation, gray pavement, and blue skies also impress. Generally sharp, the transfer exhibits only the occasional soft shot. Detail impresses; both foreground and background objects appear well defined throughout, particularly the many objects scattered about Johnson's trailer. In addition, the transfer allows for a nice sense of visible depth in many scenes. A generally heavy layer of grain is retained over the image, lending to the presentation a very nice film-like appearance. Blacks levels generally retain a dark, "true black" appearance, and flesh tones remain stable and natural throughout. Fast Company is one good-looking catalogue title from Blue Underground.

Fast Company Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Fast Company zooms onto Blu-ray with both DTS-HD MA 7.1 and Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtracks. For the purpose of the review, the film was screened in its entirety with the DTS track selected, and comparisons between several scenes with each lossless track yielded no perceptible differences. Overall, Fast Company on Blu-ray offers up a sometimes robust presentation that fills up the soundstage despite little in the way of discernible rear-channel activity. Popular music that plays throughout the film delivers a strong, front-heavy, and center-focused performance that features a rather crisp presentation marked by solid lows and strong guitar riffs that manage to create the subtlest of reverberations throughout the listening area. The rattling engines of the cars often sound like machine gun fire and make for the strongest -- and loudest -- segments of the film. The track features little in the way of ambience. Dialogue reproduction, though, never falters, the clear delivery of the spoken word the strongest aspect of the track. Though nothing to become overly excited about, this Blu-ray release of Fast Company serves up a solid listen that supports the film nicely enough.

Fast Company Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Fast Company rolls onto Blu-ray with several impressive bonus features. First among them is a commentary track with Co-Writer/Director David Cronenberg. Viewing the picture for the first time in a quarter-century, Croneberg discusses a broad range of topics, including the film's music, shooting locations, the process of writing the script and incorporating real-life events into it, the history of the picture, its lack of distribution and limited screenings, the importance of the picture and its influence on his career, and more. Cronenberg's track makes for an intriguing listen, the director serving up not only a large quantity of comments but framed in a quality delivery that enhances the feel of the track considerably. This is a must-listen track. Inside the Actor's Studio -- Interviews with Stars William Smith and John Saxon (480p, 10:48) features the duo discussing a broad range of topics, including the art of acting, the style of characters they enjoy portraying, and several Fast Company-specific observations. Shooting Cronenberg -- Interview with Director of Photography Mark Irwin (480p, 13:34) contains the cinematographer recalling his career and work with the famed Canadian director with particular attention paid to Fast Company. The best feature on the disc comes in the form of a pair of early films directed by David Cronenberg, Stereo (480p, Dolby Digital Stereo, 1:02:44) and Crimes of the Future (480p, Dolby Digital Stereo, 1:02:39). Also included is the Fast Company theatrical trailer (480p, 1:02). Finally, this disc is also D-Box enabled.

Fast Company Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

With Blu-ray still a burgeoning format, the release of a film like Fast Company might come as a bit of a surprise, but it is nevertheless a welcome addition to the list of available titles. Though a film with a limited audience and, most likely, an even more limited cross-section of Blu-patrons willing to shell out the cash for the title, the disc will likely be passed over by the mainstream in favor of more popular new release and catalogue titles. Still, adding a film like Fast Company to any Blu-ray collection, whether one pushing 1,000 titles or hovering around 50, does a few things. First, the disc demonstrates the ability of the format to revitalize an otherwise forgotten picture and allow it to sparkle for home consumption, the film probably not looking quite this good in every limited screening even back in 1979. While it may not look or sound perfect, the disc recreates the charm and intended look of the film splendidly. Second, it supports everyone's favorite little cult studio, Blue Underground, and paves the way for what will, hopefully, be a longtime love affair between Blue and Blu. Lastly, Fast Company adds a nice bit of diversity to the collection; though films like Iron Man and The Dark Knight are certainly nice to have, smaller cult and otherwise forgotten films make for curiosities and conversation starters, opening up a whole new world to film fans that embrace only mainstream entertainment at the local multiplex or on Pay-Per-View. Fast Company may not be everyone's cup of tea, and the film certainly does next to nothing outside of straight formula, but it's an entertaining ride that holds up well, and Blue Underground's release impresses in all areas. Recommended.