Gator Blu-ray Movie

Home

Gator Blu-ray Movie United States

Kino Lorber | 1976 | 115 min | Rated PG | Nov 11, 2014

Gator (Blu-ray Movie), temporary cover art

Price

List price: $29.95
Third party: $38.75
Listed on Amazon marketplace
Buy Gator on Blu-ray Movie

Movie rating

6.3
 / 10

Blu-ray rating

Users4.2 of 54.2
Reviewer3.5 of 53.5
Overall3.8 of 53.8

Overview

Gator (1976)

Gator McKlusky had been just released from prison following the events of White Lightning and is living in the Okefenokee Swamp with his father and daughter. Federal agents know that he is still making moonshine with his father and Suzie and use this information to coerce him into assisting them to catch a corrupt politician.

Starring: Burt Reynolds, Jack Weston, Jerry Reed, Alice Ghostley, Dub Taylor
Director: Burt Reynolds

CrimeInsignificant
DramaInsignificant
ActionInsignificant

Specifications

  • Video

    Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
    Video resolution: 1080p
    Aspect ratio: 2.33:1
    Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

  • Audio

    English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

  • Subtitles

    English SDH

  • Discs

    25GB Blu-ray Disc
    Single disc (1 BD)

  • Playback

    Region A (C untested)

Review

Rating summary

Movie3.0 of 53.0
Video4.0 of 54.0
Audio4.0 of 54.0
Extras3.0 of 53.0
Overall3.5 of 53.5

Gator Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 16, 2014

A sequel to 1973’s “White Lightning,” 1976’s “Gator” arrives with full confidence that the audience is ready to accept the franchise’s brand of violence and southern-tinged comedy. However, “White Lightning” was raw and hungry to please viewers, presenting a nimble version of Reynolds, still in the infancy of his massive fame. “Gator” arrives in the midst of the actor’s heyday, and while it isn’t a lazy performance, the Reynolds (who also directs) featured here is a bit too comfortable, failing to reignite the flame of machismo that served the character so well before. Aggressive in fits, but in desperate need of a tighter edit, “Gator” fails to build on the achievements of its predecessor.


Free from prison and suddenly in charge of his daughter, Gator is older and wiser in the sequel, with Reynolds dialing down the impish behavior that made the character so compelling in the previous picture. “Gator” follows this lead, trying to make something out of a tepid plot when all anyone really wants to see is stuntman Hal Needham wreck cars and boats in big chase sequences. To this extent, “Gator” is successful, presenting harrowing action scenes that showcase a few near-misses, adding genuine thrills to the effort. At nearly two hours in length, there’s not enough of the rough stuff to keep blood pumping throughout the film, but Reynolds at least makes an attempt to rile up the work, possibly understanding that the screenplay is devoid of interesting conflict.


Gator Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality  4.0 of 5

The AVC encoded image (2.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation carries a different vibe than "White Lightning." The viewing experience here is crisper and brighter, though the BD retains a cinematic feel, capturing fine detail on faces and decorated interiors, even through inherent cinematographic softness. Colors are appealing, offering a nice read of reds and period-appropriate shades of browns, and skintones keep their natural look. Blacks offer agreeable delineation. Aside from some mild speckling, no overt damage is detected.


Gator Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality  4.0 of 5

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix handles surges in screen chaos with adequate comfort, finding encounters with helicopters and cars blunt but manageable. Dialogue exchanges are clean and crisp, exploring accents and tempers with care. Scoring is fresh and supportive, while soundtrack cuts offer satisfactory instrumentation.


Gator Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras  3.0 of 5

  • "Back to the Bayou: Part 2" (10:22, HD) returns to Burt Reynolds, who chats up his directorial debut. Sharing his love for Georgia and the cast, the star is quite enamored with "Gator," also offering some interesting anecdotes concerning Laruen Hutton's desire to flash the crew any chance she could get. Reynolds is joined briefly by actors Dudley Remus and Patrick Moody.
  • And a Theatrical Trailer (1:09, HD) is included, though it suffers from transfer issues.


Gator Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation  3.5 of 5

Jerry Reed makes for a passable villain, and the conclusion of the picture is refreshingly bittersweet, daring to leave the audience on a down note. However, "Gator" doesn't match the fury of "White Lightning," missing edge and timing. Moments of comedy fail, darkness isn't all that threatening, but when "Gator" sets off on a chase, that's where the real pleasures of the series come alive.


Other editions

Gator: Other Editions