6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A former First Lady of the US wants a particular Secret Service agent to head her bodyguard detail, even though he can't stand her.
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Nicolas Cage, Austin Pendleton, Edward Albert, James RebhornDrama | Insignificant |
Comedy | 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 5.1
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In some sweet, chewy, nougaty center of 1990s cinema came a string of heartfelt presidential dramedies that, for whatever reason, captured my imagination, even though when most of 'em came out, I was a kid. Con-man comedy The Distinguished Gentleman (1992), the exceedingly optimistic The American President (1995), the snarky My Fellow Americans, manchild romp The Black Sheep (1996) and, my personal favorite, the utterly wholesome yet disarming Dave (1993), which I watch at least twice a year. (As my tastes darkened post-adolescence and my take on politics grew more cynical, I would also discover Bullworth, Dick, Election, Bob Roberts, and a little all-but-forgotten classic you'll thank me for recommending later, Barry Levinson and David Mamet's Wag the Dog.) But my goodness, how had I forgotten about Guarding Tess (1994) all these years later? The story of a young secret service agent and an elderly presidential widow who unearth their buried hearts of gold is a pure '90s delight. It doesn't soar its flag as high as The American President or earn its stars, stripes and hearts as masterfully as Dave, but it's still a lovely little unlikely duo dramedy that's worth a look.
"You should know I intend to do my job, by the book, which means we don't run errands, we don't make snacks and we don't check our guns at the door. If you don't like any of this, I suggest you call Washington and get a new man."
Guarding Tess may not withstand the test of time but its 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation certainly does. I suspect Sony is working with a slightly dated master (telltale signs of one-generation-past artificial sharpening are visible in a few thankfully infrequent shots) but the results largely make for a very good, dare I say terrific transfer I didn't expect to find with a lesser catalog title. Colors are bold and vibrant. Skin tones are thoroughly lifelike, bordering on lovely. Primaries pop, black levels are rich, delineation is excellent, and the photography's faint but consistent veneer of grain is filmic, consistent and unobtrusive. Detail is top notch too. Edge definition is almost entirely crisp and clean -- minus a handful of minor edge halos here and there -- and fine textures are nicely resolved and revealing. I also didn't spot any instances of notable banding, artifacting or other anomalies. This is a refined and faithful presentation that for all intents and purposes makes the thirty-year-old comedy look brand new.
Sony's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track isn't the surprise its video transfer may be -- it sounds decidedly stuck in a world of '90s sound design -- but I can't imagine anyone expecting something different than what we're given. Dialogue is intelligible and carefully prioritized, without anything in the way of lost lines (though ADR is quite apparent when it's utilized). The film is almost entirely a front-heavy, conversation-driven affair, until, that is, intrigue, kidnapping and a race against time suddenly switch on the low-end/rear speaker heat. Roaring helicopters, throaty car engines and shouts from agents swarming in from every direction make the third act a more engaging and immersive sonic experience than the bulk of the movie, but that's Guarding Tess. Uneven. Still, the front-heavy portions of the track do a fine job with banter and light, playful music scoring (which does frequent the rear speakers) and the more aggressive portions do an equally fine job with assertive directional effects, more noticeably whiplash pans and boomier LFE support. All told, I doubt Guarding Tess could sound much better without a fuller overhaul. And I'm not exactly sure why the film would ever require such a thing.
Sadly, there are no extras of significance to report.
Love the warmth and world of 1990s family friendly political comedies? Then you're probably more than familiar with Guarding Tess. Or you've forgotten it, like me, until merely seeing Cage and MacLaine together sparked a dozen memories. Whatever the case, Sony's Blu-ray release is for you thanks to a striking video transfer and a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. No special features here, I'm afraid. But so it goes.
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