Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Hickey & Boggs Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 9, 2015

In a post-“Dirty Harry” world, moviegoers were hungry for screen heroes with limited patience for evildoing, fulfilling a shoot-first-ask-questions-later attitude for the 1970s. 1972’s “Hickey & Boggs” attempts to butch up with charismatic stars, sending old “I Spy” pals Robert Culp (who also directs) and Bill Cosby into the heart of Los Angeles as two private detectives on a missing persons case who end up in too deep with criminals and a pile of cash. Downplaying frisky banter for a harder edge of investigation, “Hickey & Boggs” surprises with its severity, taking a grim view of crooks and cops, while keeping the interplay between Cosby and Culp regulated to wry exchanges and knowing looks.

Offering a screenplay credited to Walter Hill, “Hickey & Boggs” displays surprisingly little interest in the details of the crime, watching supporting players wander in and out of the movie without much purpose. Culp would rather keep his camera on the titular characters and their specific way of business, tracking the pair as they gather clues around the city (making good use of a football stadium and apartment buildings) and work on their personal problems, digging into a private side of the private eyes that allows for a more in-depth understanding of detachment. The men aren’t stone, but Cosby and Culp don’t spark up during the picture, playing cool and direct in an interesting manner, trying their best to distance “Hickey & Boggs” away from their television partnership.

Hickey & Boggs Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Looking refreshed for its HD debut, "Hickey & Boggs" arrives with an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation that embraces the fresh L.A. vibe Culp seeks to communicate. Colors are bright and clean, with true primaries and pure skintones, finding outdoor excursions bold with oceanic blues and golden sunlight. It's a fairly sharp viewing experience, with satisfactory detail emerging from the pained faces of the film's stars, and location particulars also stand out with inviting texture. Blacks are generally capable, retaining frame information. Grain is tastefully managed, and the print only displays mild speckling.

Hickey & Boggs Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix has been amplified to a certain degree, with dialogue exchanges arriving loud and fresh, hitting a few crispy moments when emotions flare up. Hiss fluctuates rather wildly at times, making its presence known throughout the movie. Scoring keeps up the pace, with passable instrumentation and force, supporting chase scenes as imagined. Urban atmospherics are tastefully presented, along with various elements of beach life.

Hickey & Boggs Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Hickey & Boggs Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The mystery aspects of "Hickey & Boggs" never gel to satisfaction, but it's a visually stimulating feature. Culp spends quality time on his compositions, working to communicate ideas with framing and movement, keeping away from dialogue as much as he can. It's this attention to the cinematic possibilities of the effort that helps "Hickey & Boggs" escape cliché and delay disinterest, remaining just patient enough to capture an enticingly odd dynamic between the protagonists and a peculiar rhythm to the movie.