Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Flashdance Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 17, 2020

Paramount has released 1983's 'Flashdance' to Blu-ray, the fourth film in its 'Paramount Presents' line. The film was previously released to Blu-ray by Warner Brothers in 2013. This new release includes a fresh 4K scan, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, and a new supplement while omitting several others from the WB disc. It is also packaged to appeal to collectors, even if the packaging is rather straightforward in total.

For a full film review, please see Michael Reuben's comprehensive breakdown here.

Flashdance Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

This Blu-ray release of 'Flashdance' arrives on Blu-ray sourced, per Paramount, from a new 4K remaster of the film. This review will focus entirely on the new presentation. I did not review, nor do I have access to a copy of, the original 2013 release put onto the market under the Warner Brothers label.

Flashdance's new 1080p transfer is gorgeous through-and-through. The opening title sequence looks terrific, portending great things to come. The interplay between shadow and light at the plant finds superb balance, reinforced by a genuine filmic front and supported by organically red titles. The picture continues through with a firm, high yield presentation that is dramatically excellent. Grain holds steady for the duration. It's fine and filmic, organic and flattering, a capable field that props up the image's textures and allows it to breathe within its source structure. It's beautiful and the underlying textures are a delight. Object sharpness impresses in most every shot, including big tires and dusty, rocky terrain at the worksite seen early in the film. Later, worn and weathered Pittsburgh exteriors dazzle, defining "Rust Belt" but also demonstrating the Blu-ray's remarkable command of the textures on hand, which are many and diverse, also including fine skin and clothing elements. There is a mild inherent softness to the occasional shot but nothing of scene-breaking concern. Colors are pleasing, certainly never so bold and brilliant as might be found on flashier, particularly more modern and digitally shot, productions, but the beat-down Pittsburgh tones and dreary weather certainly translate quite well onto film and onto the disc. The palette is as aggressive as it can be but it's just as much at home featuring those downtrodden tones. But it's the film-like screen command that bolsters this presentation, and while a 4K release would have assuredly taken it to another level, there's no mistaking the Blu-ray format's capabilities in bringing the film to life like never before for home consumption.

Flashdance Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Though this disc and the Warner Brothers pressing both include primary DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtracks, I cannot say whether they are identical; below is a fresh take on the presentation included here.

The enthusiastic, energetic 1980s musical beats define the track and dance out of the speakers with impressive positioning and beautiful fidelity. The track lives within the construct of its tunes and the 5.1 track is up to the challenge of breathing newfound life and vitality into several now vintage, classic songs. But it's not all about Pop; big, bold score enters the stage at the 27-minute mark with startling orchestral dazzle. Clarity is wonderful, front width is terrific, and while the music dominates across the front there's just enough rear side support to help fully immerse the listener in the moment. City and workplace atmospherics flow freely as necessary and always at proper positional placement and pinpoint volume for natural immersion. Dialogue is generally clear with only a few hiccups where it loses that organic edge for a more compressed, digital sounding output, such as at a quiet dialogue scene in the 10- and 11-minute mark. These are relatively few and far between; the track is commanding, musically invigorating, and a pleasure from beginning to end.

Flashdance Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Flashdance arrives on this new Blu-ray release as part of the studio's "Paramount Presents" line which includes unique packaging beyond standard Blu-ray case and slipcover components. Find below a brief text overview as well as some photographs in the "screenshots" tab above. The disc does include some new supplemental content which is marked as such below and reviewed. Coverage of the carryover content from the Warner Brothers release can be found here. Note that several supplements are not included with this release. These include The History of 'Flashdance,' 'Flashdance The Choreography,' 'Flashdance:' Music and Songs, and a teaser trailer.

• NEW! Filmmaker Focus: Director Adrian Lyne Discusses Flashdance (1080p, 5:51): The director remembers the film's story and themes, its influence, the style, crafting the "wet dance," music, casting, and legacy.
• The Look of Flashdance (1080p, 9:12).
• Releasing the Flashdance Phenomenon (1080p, 8:52).
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 1:58).

The packaging is just unique enough to stand apart but not so unique to draw attention towards it. It's basically a slipcover over a transparent, rather than blue, case, all the same essential dimensions as any other case plus slipcover presentation. The outer slipcover is unique in that the front half folds open to reveal an additional image, which is oriented 90 degrees from the front panel, making, essentially, a two-panel vertical that for Flashdance shows original poster artwork in a larger format. The interior image depicts Alex sitting on a stool, her legs exposed, her shoulder peeking out from her sweater. Its a very "80s" pose and it's the same image used on the slipcover's front, but here with warmer tones and a slightly larger frame. The title is positioned at the top rather than in the middle as it is on the front. There are a couple of framing lines of text and a billing block at the bottom. The slip's front artwork is mimicked on the case inside, including a "Paramount Presents" logo top left and the year the film was released bottom right. There are some alterations between slip and case on the rear panels; the latter includes more photos while the former a blurb about the Paramount Presents line. The Blu-ray case is clear and there's an inner print inside that includes stills running along left and right hand sides, a larger shot in the middle (the "wet dance"), and an Adrian Lyne quote top center. It's nothing fancy but it is at least a little meatier than the run-of-the-mill slipcover that adds almost no additional value. Both the slipcover and the case artwork depict the number "4" at the bottom of the spine, denoting the fourth film in the line, clearly an effort to entice completists to gradually buy the entire series.

Flashdance Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Flashdance has earned A-list 1080p treatment for this new release. The picture quality is exceptional and very true to the picture's filmic roots and accentuating of its sublime cinematography. The audio track is strong, too. Fans will lament the absence of the full suite of supplements but collectors may find value in the packaging. Highly recommended.