L.A. Wars Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.0

L.A. Wars Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 13, 2023

Lovers of limited editions which often come with proscribed market availability may have a lifeline of sorts due to the vagaries of licensing deals, which often run for about three years, meaning if you missed a release the first (or second, or third) time around, chances are you might get another crack at grabbing the brass ring and/or polycarbonate disc, as L.A. Wars itself proves rather handily. A Vinegar Syndrome release of L.A. Wars came out almost three years ago to the day of this particular release, and evidently quickly or otherwise sold out, and according to our typically fairly reliable database is now fetching what I consider to be absurd amounts of money on the secondary market. If you don't mind not having the same supplements as the Vinegar Syndrome release, this MVD Rewind Collection outing should probably suffice more than handily enough for any fans of this lo-fi action film.

As mentioned above, L.A. Wars had a previous release on Blu-ray courtesy of Vinegar Syndrome. Those interested in a plot recap are encouraged to read Brian Orndorf's L.A. Wars Blu-ray review of that version. As I am probably notorious for saying at this point, "different reviewers means different opinions", and so scorekeepers will note my reaction to the film and its technical presentation on Blu-ray may differ from Brian's.

L.A. Wars Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

L.A. Wars is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of MVD Visual's MVD Rewind Collection imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1. The back cover of this release states this was "scanned and restored in 2K in 2020 from 16mm archival elements", which echoes the verbiage Brian quotes in his review of the Vinegar Syndrome release. I've tried to come close to mimicking some of the screenshots Brian uploaded to accompany his review, and while there are some broad similarities between the two presentations, to my eyes this MVD Rewind version looks at least a bit brighter than the Vinegar Syndrome version, something that can affect at least perception of an already thick (and I'd argue at times somewhat noisy looking) grainfield, as well as some nuances in color temperature. In that regard, note, for example, the kind of reddish shirt in screenshot 2 in this review and Brian's and how the differing brightness plays with the warmth (or lack thereof) between the versions may be apparent. On the other hand, I could see some actually preferring the brighter look in some of the darkest moments, as in screenshot 3 in both reviews, where I think fleshtones may be a bit better suffused here than on the Vinegar Syndrome release. All of that niggling aside and playing into my score just as much, I'm evidently a bit more of a curmudgeon as to the recurrent damage on display here, which I'm assuming is more or less the same as what Brian saw, and which he actually seemed to like as it added to the "grindhouse" experience. Parsing through some of the screenshots I've included here, you can make out some of the often impossible to ignore vertical and horizontal scratches, which tend to come in varieties of bright green, as well as any number of other blemishes and nicks. As Brian mentions in his review, there's also considerable image instability at times and noticeable wobble during the credits.

L.A. Wars Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

L.A. Wars definitely ups the ante in the audio department, at least from the specs perspective when comparing the two releases. This release substitutes an LPCM 2.0 Mono track for the Vinegar Syndrome's DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono version (do other audiophiles ever wonder, as I do, why different releases feature different audio codecs?). But this release then adds a true stereo LPCM 2.0 track, one which is considerably more energetic, with increased amplitude and a noticeably more vibrant midrange and especially low end. For good measure, there are also fun French and Italian tracks in LPCM 2.0 (I toggled between, and they're both fine, though the French is definitely nowhere near as bright as the Italian). Dialogue, effects and score are all rendered without any issues. Optional English subtitles are included.

L.A. Wars Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary with Tony Kandah & Heath Holland is the "audio only" version of the video commentary detailed next.


• Video Commentary with Heath Holland & Tony Kandah (HD*; 1:31:58) is a rather quirky supplement and the first time in my memory that a so-called "audio commentary" has been included in a video form. This is more or less a Zoom like video call between Holland and Kandah which evidently was recorded as they watched the film, and the audio of this "interview" is what comprises the actual audio commentary listed directly above.
• Starting a War (HD; 17:26) is an interview with Tony Kandah.


• Shoot First (HD; 23:00) is a rather cheekily titled interview with cinematographer Mark Morris.


• Photo Gallery (HD; 2:04)


• Original Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:51)

Additionally, the keepcase insert features reversible art, and the keepcase itself houses a folded mini poster. Finally, packaging features a slipcover.

*720

L.A. Wars Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you're a fan of this movie, you'll probably appreciate Brian's reaction more than mine, since the more cliché ridden aspects of this story (and I'd argue there are a lot of them) kind of left me waiting for the next outbreak of carnage to relieve the tedium. In that regard, L.A. Wars delivers pretty handily. One way or the other, those who like this movie and who didn't pick up the Vinegar Syndrome release and who don't want to fork out a Benjamin or two for it at this point should find this version a reasonably suitable replacement. Technical merits are generally solid, though I'd recommend those interested parse through the screenshots here. The audio options on this disc offer more variety than the Vinegar Syndrome disc, and while some of the supplements are different between the two releases, the ones on this disc shared or otherwise are very enjoyable, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.