5.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
When the entire royal family is electrocuted in a freak accident, it leaves Las Vegas lounge singer Ralph Jones the lone heir to the English throne. Aided by a family servant, boorish slob Ralph does his best to rise to the occasion.
Starring: John Goodman, Peter O'Toole, John Hurt, Camille Coduri, Richard GriffithsComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.84:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Many Americans may not fully grasp the majesty and grandeur of the English throne, but its stature, and rigidness, are given a cavalier and very American spin in King Ralph, a kingly comedy about a Vegas lounge singer who suddenly finds himself enthroned as the King of England. The film is jovial and light but with the expected serious touch to ground the comedy. Hardly a classic but in no way a disappointment, the film serves as a prime example of lighthearted fare that casts a good idea and reels in an agreeable, and rewatchable, little jaunt in the classic "fish out of water" style that ultimately leads king and country to find a middle ground between rigid adherence to custom and the footloose flamboyance of its new head of state.
King Ralph arrives on Blu-ray with the usual stable of issues generally associated with budget catalogue releases from Mill Creek. Fortunately, the image is nowhere near so problematic as some of the studio's worst efforts, but there is certainly room for improvement. The picture deals with a smorgasbord of common ailments, including, but not limited to, black crush, compression issues, sloppy and chunky grain, and some print pops and other signs of wear. None of these reach into the "egregious" category, but they do hinder the image. There are some signs of de-graining as well, leaving the picture somewhat flat and inorganic, but again not to a completely debilitating extent (one can still see the potential and original filmic roots within the flaws). Details are adequate, with Ralph's shabby appearance clear and the transformation into a royal revealing decent clarity to complex garments and regal furnishings within the palace. Colors are serviceable, lacking nuance and real depth but finding decent contrast and realism.
Mill Creek brings King Ralph to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack, which is more or less standard issue for the studio and movies hailing from this era. The presentation is adequate if not a little underwhelming, lacking any real muscle or depth and simply conveying audio essentials into a passably satisfying presentation. Music offers decent front end stretch and really only ever comes alive during the "Good Golly Miss Molly" number partway through the film. Otherwise, this one is fairly bland, which is mostly due to the straightforward an unimaginative nature of the sound design itself. The film is primarily driven by dialogue, which is always intelligible and grounded in a center-imaged area.
No supplements are included. The main menu screen offers only options to play the film and toggle subtitles on and off. This release does ship with the studio's popular "retro VHS"-style slipcover that mimics the look of a rental box and video tape from the 1980s.
This is a fun little film and one of my personal favorite "guilty pleasures." It's simple minded but it plays well and holds up decades after its release. It's too bad that the Blu-ray is so-so. The absence of supplements is no surprise, and neither are the middling audio and video presentations a surprise. Still, this one comes recommended on the strength of the film and the affordable price point.
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