6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Henry Moon is captured for a capital offense by a posse when his horse quits while trying to escape to Mexico. He finds that there is a post-Civil War law in the small town that any single or widowed woman can save him from the gallows by marrying him. Julia Tate needs a man to help her work her mine and marries him. The sheriff makes it very clear to Moon what the consequences of his leaving Julia will be. The two begin to try to form a relationship based on necessity in which they have nothing in common.
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Mary Steenburgen, Christopher Lloyd, John Belushi, Veronica CartwrightWestern | 100% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
1978’s “Goin’ South” represents the last gasp of the 1970s for Jack Nicholson. It was a decade that solidified his reputation as a quality actor and electrifying screen presence, building a resume with achievements such as “The Last Detail,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” and “Chinatown.” Nicholson was riding high, using his industry reputation to mount another directorial offering, following up his time on 1971’s “Drive, He Said.” “Goin’ South” returns Nicholson to the realm of western entertainment, recently participating in a genre outing in 1976’s “The Missouri Breaks.” He takes control of the endeavor, working with four screenwriters (including Charles Shyer, who contributed to “Smokey and the Bandit” and would go on to make audience-pleasers with his then-wife, Nancy Meyers) to explore some relationship messiness in the Old West. The feature is often indescribable, supplying such a slack screen energy, it also seems like Nicholson just filmed rehearsals and moved on. Elements of story do occasionally surface, and the cast is strong, with everyone seemingly on their own to generate a little chaos for Nicholson. It’s a playtime movie for the professionals, but only offers limited satisfaction for viewers, tasked with making sense of the writing’s many moods and short attention span.
Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray
"Goin' South" comes to UHD courtesy of Cinematographe, with the release sourced from a "brand new 4K restoration of its original camera negative."
The 1978 feature looks alive here, with a rich sense of color. Blue skies and greenery are striking, inspiring appreciation for the remote locations.
Costuming is also alert, exploring period hues on dresses, while deeper grays and leathery browns are secure. Skin tones are natural. While working
with softer cinematography, detail remains intact, displaying rough skin particulars on the western scoundrels and their levels of griminess. Clothing
choices are fibrous. Exteriors are dimensional, following the characters into the open world at times. Household and saloon interiors remain textured.
Highlights are tasteful and blacks are deep, preserving interactions in small spaces without much in the way of light. Grain is nicely resolved, remaining
film-like throughout the viewing experience. Source is in good condition, with either some mild damage at the 42:00 mark, or a brief cinematographic
hiccup.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix handles dialogue well, with clear performances from the cast. Argumentative encounters stay balanced, without slipping into distortion. Scoring supports with crispness, providing sharp instrumentation and dramatic support. Sound effects are basic but appreciable.
"Goin' South" comes alive intermittently, often while enjoying the conventions of western moviemaking, including gunfights and brief stunt work. It's fun to see Steenburgen in her acting debut as well, with her unpolished state working for the picture, creating some inviting chemistry with Nicholson, who turns feral for the most part, also dealing with a nasal issue that comes and goes during the feature (perhaps a character choice?). "Goin' South" is unruly and easily sidetracked, but it's boosted by the cast and their buffet of choices, often doing whatever they can to bring color to the endeavor. One certainly misses the power of storytelling here, finding Nicholson more of a tease when it comes to structure and momentum. But he certainly seems to love the genre.
Il mercenario / A Professional Gun
1968
La resa dei conti
1966
1948
Standard Edition
1975
Goodbye Texas
1966
1986
1975
1940
1985
Il grande duello / The Big Showdown
1972
1974
1968
1971
Ballad of Death Valley / The Angry Gun / Ringo the Killer / Una Pistola per Ringo
1965
Special Edition
1966
1968
Faccia a faccia
1967
¿Quien sabe?
1967
1942
I quattro dell'apocalisse
1975