Little Big Man Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Little Big Man Blu-ray Movie Review

Does this Dustin Hoffman Western come up big on Blu-ray?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 7, 2011

I am the sole white survivor of the Battle of Little Bighorn, popularly known as Custer’s Last Stand.

Director Arthur Penn's Little Big Man may be seen as social commentary wrapped in an enigmatic style that combines sometimes absurd humor and equally awkward characters with elements of injustice and despair. The result is a movie that superficially doesn't always seem to know where it's going or what it's doing, but leaves itself open to multiple interpretation or, should the viewer so choose, acceptance at face value as a farcical look at a decidedly unique life. Either way, the movie is both enjoyable and well made. It's perhaps a little overlong and lacking the pacing and "machismo" aura normally associated with the Western genre, but then again this isn't granddad's Western, even if it does proverbially "walk" and "talk" like granddad's Western. It may be absorbed superficially or more deeply and profoundly, and therein lies its value as a movie that's overtly "this" but easily digestible as "that," transcending its place and time and style as a Western that can be whatever the viewer wants it to be, either in a vacuum or viewed contextually in consideration of that different place and time from whence it comes.

Oh the places he'll go, the people he'll meet...

Young Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman) and his sister Caroline (Carole Androsky) are in a caravan attacked by Pawnee Indians. They survive and are retrieved by the kindly Cheyenne. Caroline successfully escapes, but Jack stays behind, slowly becomes a member of the tribe, and is given the title "Little Big Man." Unfortunately, the tribe's settlement is attacked by U.S. Cavalry and, to save his life, Jack reveals to the attackers that he is white, not a native. He's returned to white civilization where he encounters through the years all sorts of people and experiences many different tastes of what life has to offer. He's tempted by a married woman (Faye Dunaway) who doesn't practice the sexual chastity she preaches. He finds himself entangled with a snake oil salesman (Martin Balsam), reunites with his sister, gets caught up with a famous gunslinger (Jeff Corey), and marries a Swedish girl (Kelly Jean Peters) while attempting to start his own business. His road will lead him full circle, however, and as fate would have it, the sometimes confused Jack will find himself playing a critical role in one of history's most infamous moments.

Little Big Man is a wild and crazy movie; it's humorously playful and focused on something of a naive, uncertain character. It's also tragic, serious, and profound, a picture that contextualizes the era in which it was made by satirizing, displaying, and not-so-subtly commenting on the era it depicts. It is perhaps a very fine example of just how the world keeps on spinning but never really changes. Time moves, people live and die, even attitudes and ideas form and shape the world in which they are realized, but the world spins on and for as much as things change, they still stay the same. Cliché yes but also, arguably, true, and seemingly the point made by Little Big Man. The film contrasts two distinct classes of people, depicting relatively simple Native Americans and more complex but more confused white people, the latter of whom engage in sexual sin, violence, and deceit, all experienced through Jack's eyes and ultimately rejected as a result of his own conscience and first-hand experiences. Jack rejects the ways of his own people, but the movie dismisses these ways with perhaps more humor than condemnation. That eases the film's burden and levels its trajectory, allowing it to comment on the world around it without necessarily isolating or even angering its audience as would surely happen with a more blunt-force-trauma approach.

But Little Big Man is also a movie that may be seen as a mere roller coaster ride of a life lived in a unique time frame and from an equally unique series of perspectives. It's the story of a life that's sometimes complicated and sometimes simple, made of experiences that engender confusion, uncertainty, pleasure, and pain, all shaping a man who doesn't always seem quite sure how to live or, more importantly, why to live. Jack's existence is one worthy of song and story, for it is a life perhaps not always understood but certainly experienced. Whatever that experience yields is up for debate, but part of the film's beauty is watching a life as it encounters the ways of the world through the eyes of a character who doesn't always know what to make of what's happening around him. Still, there's a definite belief system and set of core values in place by film's end; where they lie isn't a surprise, but the beauty of Little Big Man lies in the journey and not the destination. It's a beautifully crafted film, well acted, and smartly scripted. It's off the beaten path to be sure, but sometimes a little unexpected adventure can go a very long way.

Little Big Man Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Little Big Man rides onto Blu-ray with a nice-looking 1080p transfer. Although presented with an unending barrage of dirt, debris, and scratches, the image impresses with quality colors and wonderful details. The palette is nicely balanced and capable, no matter the time or place. Earthen landscapes, snowy backdrops, or warm interiors alike yield good, natural hues, the latter of which truly shines on Blu-ray, particularly in those scenes featuring the Faye Dunaway character in lavish clothes and appearing in equally lavish locales. Fine detail borders on the superb; Hoffman's makeup as seen in the film's bookends yields extraordinarily complex textures. General facial and clothing textures are strong, and the image is also accomplished in depicting the many wooden structures and objects seen through the film's middle stretch and offering well-defined grasses and plains areas elsewhere. Black levels are generally strong, never brightening up and rarely crushing out details. The image retains a light grain structure, providing both a film-like texture and allowing the fine detailing to really shine. Clarity is strong, and the image yields a fair amount of natural depth. This is a quality catalogue offering from Paramount.

Little Big Man Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Little Big Man features a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack, but rarely does it make use of the back channels. Indeed, this is a front heavy listen, but not necessarily to the detriment of the overall experience. Light ambience, no matter the place, time, or circumstances, is generally limited to a light sprinkling across the front three channels, though on occasion chirping insects and the like do find their way into the rears. The track does offer some distinct directional effects across the front, particularly during gunfights and scenes featuring running horses that move from side to side at high speed. Music does enjoy some good, positive energy and spacing, though it, too, remains almost the sole property of the front speakers. Heavier sound effects are otherwise limited to gunshots, which ring out with a fair bit volume but no real body or power. Generally, the track is fairly clear and precise, with dialogue remaining firm, focused, and crisp through the center channel. It's certainly not a system-pusher, but this is an adequate listen.

Little Big Man Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only included supplement is the Little Big Man trailer (1080p, 4:21).

Little Big Man Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Little Big Man is a unique cinematic experience that's maybe best personified by its own contrarian Young Bear character who does everything backwards, saying "goodbye" when he means "hello" and whatnot. The movie isn't necessarily backwards, but it joyously goes in unexpected directions, both superficially and emotionally. It's social commentary in the guise of a sometimes zany, sometimes tragic Western; it doesn't get much more contrarian than that, but fortunately, it works. Fine direction and a solid performance from Dustin Hoffman -- playing a character of various ages, attitudes, and experiences -- seals the deal and makes the movie a winner. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Little Big Man is unfortunately lacking extras, but it does offer strong 1080p video and a fair lossless soundtrack. Recommended.