Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

King of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 6, 2020

1981’s “King of the Mountain” is based on a magazine article about the racing subculture in California, with young drivers using the curves and isolation of Mulholland Dr. to engage in reckless antics for cheap thrills and a sense of superiority. The movie avoids any real-world specifics, preferring to offer thinly sliced drama featuring friends coming to the end of their extended adolescence. Director Noel Nosseck and screenwriters Leigh Chapman and H.R. Christian don’t scratch below the surface when it comes to growing pains, and they don’t actually make much of a car racing feature, as “King of the Mountain” is as much about the dangers of the record industry as it is about roaring engines and displays of masculinity.

A young man who prides himself on being the finest street racer in L.A., Steve (Harry Hamlin) is struggling with his place in the night, watching as his longtime pals, Buddy (Joseph Bottoms) and Roger (Richard Cox), chase their dream of rock stardom, creating songs with help from vocalist Tina (Deborah Van Valkenburgh). Overseeing Steve’s domination is his car garage boss, Cal (Dennis Hopper), who was once the main man on the scene, derailed by a horrible accident. As Steve connects romantically with Tina, Roger and Buddy encounter the predators of the music business, testing their relationship. And Cal makes moves to reconnect with his past, studying Steve closely as the driver begins to consider his future and lose his nerve.

While racing fades away from “King of the Mountain” for extended periods of screen time, the feature does commence with a display of Steve’s capabilities behind the wheel. He’s an arrogant guy, priding himself on Mulholland authority, and Nosseck delivers a sequence where he defends his title against newcomers, with subculture participants gathering to watch the fun and help shut down outside interference. Editing is surprisingly snappy in “King of the Mountain,” with the production attentive to speed and scene transitions, and the writing doesn’t make a hero out of the lead character, who’s soon arrested for his stunt, wearing jail time like a badge of honor (the writing doesn’t pursue Steve’s legal issues). The picture provides a compelling introduction to the scene and the man behind the wheel, who’s been raised on risk, loving the reputation it’s gifted him, clinging to a feeling that’s beginning to lose its potency.

“King of the Mountain” offers a vivid understanding of Steve’s realm, where his bravery only comes out at night, feeling indestructible before the sun rises. The screenplay soon introduces the life Buddy and Roger share, with the men trying to make a name for themselves in music production and songwriting, finding a voice in Tina. While Steve makes a play for Tina, with the singer responding to his animal magnetism, difficulties arrive for Steve’s pals, finding a deal with a record label devil (played Seymour Cassel) coming between them. Again, this is a movie about car racing, but the writing doesn’t understand that, spending time on the three friends as they grow apart. However, some cuts to the story have rendered the divide between Roger and Buddy a little confusing, losing clarity as contractual differences arrive and secrets are revealed.

More direct is menace from Cal, a damaged man played by an actual damaged man, with Hopper in the throes of chemical and alcohol abuse at the time of filming, and boy howdy does it ever show in his performance. Instead of matching his co-stars in dramatic intensity, Hopper often stops the picture to visit alternate dimensions with his rambling monologues and mutterings, giving “King of the Mountain” plenty of cringe-worthy moments (Hamlin doesn’t look particularly thrilled to be sharing the frame with him). Hopper is barely there in the feature, with Cal’s arc reduced to screenplay formula just to offer the endeavor some type of ending.

King of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "King of the Mountain" brings the movie to Blu-ray after a home video history that ended during the VHS era. It's a decent, seemingly recent scan for the release, with the viewing experience mostly coming through as intended, dealing with limited lighting for race sequences, which retain a passable amount of frame information without slipping into solidification. Detail emerges with household and recording studio interiors, which offer plenty of decorative and mechanical additions to explore. Facial surfaces are acceptable. Colors are inviting, with period outfits delivering primaries, along with car paint jobs. Wood paneled rooms sustain precise hues. Skintones are natural. Grain is slightly fine and film-like. Source is in good condition.

King of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA provides enough power with racing sequences, capturing roaring engines and squealing tires without triggering issues with distortion. Dialogue exchanges are clear, as are group activities with parties and roadside gatherings, offering a sense of community bustle. Scoring cues are crisp, along with soundtrack selections, presenting a full sound for recording studio sequences.

King of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (10:31, HD) with Harry Hamlin is primarily devoted to his highly amusing casting story, where the actor was pulled from a shopping trip at Fedco by his agent, sent to meet one of the producers who offered him the job on the spot, demanding he begin shooting later that day. Matching the look of the stuntman, Hamlin was put behind the wheel of a car right away, and he explores the reckless nature of the shoot, with the production skipping permits to create crazy stunts when necessary. Co-stars are recalled, including Dennis Hopper, who was blitzed on cocaine and alcohol during filming. He was so zonked, he often forgot his lines, necessitating a two-camera setup for his big monologue in the movie, which was mostly made up in the moment.

• Interview (12:46, HD) is a video conference chat with director Noel Nosseck, who recounts his early years in the industry, finally landing a directorial opportunity with 1975's "Best Friends." Offered "King of the Mountain," Nosseck recalls the sorry state of the script, accepting a promise from the producers that he would have the chance to fix the film along the way. Faced with a Japanese release date, the production rushed to completion, battling bad writing and numerous professionals more interested in drugs than moviemaking. Not helping the substance abuse situation was a schedule of night shoots, complicating stunts. Casting is detailed, with Nosseck praising Hamlin for keeping it together while co-stars, such as Hopper, failed him, showing up drunk and forgetting his lines. Additional issues with cast and crew are explored, and editing woes are remembered, with "King of the Mountain" pulled out of Nosseck's hands at the last minute, recut without his participation, though he's made peace with the theatrical version.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:24, HD) is included.

King of the Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"King of the Mountain" tries to offer ideas on extended adolescence and the trials of friendship, but there's little interest in developing subplots that explore the inner workings of the characters. The effort becomes more about melodrama, which isn't exciting or illuminating, but there are moments early in "King of the Mountain" that hint at the feature it wants to be. It just never quite gets there dramatically, but it does connect as car racing escapism from the early eighties, giving off a little L.A. style to go with all the speed.