Local Hero Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Local Hero Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 26, 2019

Bill Forsyth's "Local Hero" (1983) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplementao features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; exclusive new video interview with the director; archival documentary with cinematographer Chris Menges; additional archival programs; and more. The release also arrives with an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by film scholar Jonny Murray as well as technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The deal maker from Houston

I have to give Bill Forsyth a lot of credit for being so honest. There is a new interview that was conducted with him for this upcoming release and halfway through it he confesses that over the years he shot a lot of different footage but kept making the same film. I think that this is mostly true. The other bit in this interview that caught my attention was his take on storytelling. Forsyth admits that he did not particularly care about telling a conventional story in his films -- which is why they are so fluid and tend to begin and end abruptly -- and instead aimed to engage the audience in a very particular way. I think that this is a very accurate description as well, because all of his films that I have seen over the years are essentially about temporary friendships. What I mean by this is that they do very specific things -- always involving a certain dose of quirky humor -- that make it easy for the audience to befriend their characters and then get comfortable in their company. This cinematic friendship is what usually passes for story in Forsyth’s films. By the way, this is precisely the reason why opinions of Forsyth’s films are all over the place. If the chemistry between the two sides is great, then people argue that his films are fantastic; if it isn’t, they get confused by them and wonder what all the (critical) fuss is about.

In Local Hero, Forsyth’s first big international project, Houston-based oil magnate Felix Happer (Burt Lancaster) dispatches ambitious executive Mac (Peter Riegert) to a remote Scottish village to negotiate a very important deal that will transform the place into a giant refinery with a distribution hub. Shortly after, Mac, who is supposed to have Scottish blood running in his veins but is actually of Hungarian descent, arrives in the area and hooks up with Danny Oldsen (Peter Capaldi), the company’s liaison, who promptly introduces him to Gordon Urquhart (Denis Lawson), a part-time lawyer and inn owner representing the villagers. While soaking up the local atmosphere, Mac begins negotiating with Urquhart, but faces some unorthodox resistance and in the process realizes that his deal-making skills are not particularly helpful in the small village. However, instead of getting frustrated with the lack of progress, Mac gradually falls in love with the area and then even begins pondering whether it might be a good idea to walk away from his hectic office job in Huston. Before he can make a final decision, however, his boss arrives and begins exploring the place where the refinery is is to be built.

Even though Local Hero does tell a conventional story it very much strives to create the type of friendship that I highlighted earlier. Indeed, as soon as Mac is placed in the exotic area that his boss plans to permanently remodel, Forsyth pushes the deal aside and begins crafting the crucial relationship between the main characters and the audience. In other words, the unique personalities of the locals with their quirky sense of humor and Mac’s transformation become far more important than the ongoing negotiations that are supposed to determine the fate of the village. This is what makes -- and brakes -- the entire film.

The concept did not surprise me at all, and I actually think that it is the right one for the film, but I have mixed feelings about the end result. Chris Menges’ cinematography produces some quite striking visuals and gives the film a very interesting exotic vibe, and together they are one of the best cinematic promotions that Scotland has enjoyed over the years. The quirky humor that Forsyth uses as the glue that holds everything in the film together, however, is very much an acquired taste -- and I did not care much about it. For example, I felt that a lot of the awkward situations throughout the film lack the organic progression that they need to be effective, which is why I saw many of the key characters emerging as exotic imposters that are trying to outdo each other in peculiar ways. Lancaster’s slightly loony stargazer is the biggest and most transparent offender, but there is plenty of material with Riegert and Lawson that makes their characters look equally disappointing. Then there is the odd sense of melancholy that permeates the village which seems like it was meant for an entirely different type of film, like The Wicker Man where it gradually becomes obvious that people carry a dark secret in their hearts, while what was probably needed was plenty of the atmosphere that is present in Whisky Galore!. It just feels like there is plenty that is mismanaged and preventing the quirky humor from flourishing as it does in Forsyth’s other films. (One of the main reasons I enjoyed That Sinking Feeling so much is precisely because the awkward material that produces the humor in it is entirely genuine. Needless to say, the all-important cinematic friendship that becomes possible because of it is quite wonderful).

The film's soundtrack uses original music by Dire Straits co-founder and record producer Mark Knopfler.

Local Hero Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Bill Forsyth's Local Hero arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The release is sourced from an impressive new 2K restoration that makes Chris Menges work shine in all the right ways. Lighting and color management, in particular, are quite striking, so revisiting the film in high-definition after all these years is really quite a treat. Depth, clarity, and fluidity are also predictably solid, so on a larger screen the strength of the new master are very easy to recognize and appreciate. There are no traces of problematic digital adjustments. Image stability is outstanding. The entire film also looks very, very healthy. There are no debris, scratches, stains, specks, or other similar age-related imperfections to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Local Hero Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio has been fully remastered and there are absolutely no traces of aging. The dialog is crisp and clear, plus the music has a very nice range of fine dynamic nuances. However, I still had to turn on the optional subtitles to get all of the exchanges in the village because some come with pretty thick accents. (This is hardly surprising, though, particularly in Bill Forsyth's earlier films). There are no audio dropouts, pops, cracks, or distortions to report.

Local Hero Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - an original U.S. trailer for Local Hero. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

• Bill Forsyth - in this exclusive new video interview, director Bill Forsyth discusses the production of Local Hero, its key themes and stylistic appearance, and its placement in his body of work. The interview is conducted by critic David Cairns. In English, not subtitled. (17 min, 1080p).

• Shooting From the Heart - in this vintage documentary, cinematographer Chris Menges discusses his vision and preparation for Local Hero as well as his work with Bill Forsyth during the shooting of the film. There are additional comments by Alec McKenzie, Bill Forsyth, and Bill Paterson (Comfort and Joy), amongst others. The documentary was produced in 1985. In English, not subtitled. (53 min, 1080i).

• The South Bank Show - presented here is an archival episode of The South Bank Show in which Bill Forsyth and producer David Puttnam discuss the conception and production of Local Hero. The episode was broadcast on British TV in 1983. In English, not subtitled. (53 min, 1080i).

• The Making of Local Hero - in this archival program, produced for Scottish Television in 1983, actors Burt Lancaster and Peter Riegert and Bill Forsyth discuss their work on Local Hero. The program also contains a great deal of raw footage from the shooting of the film. In English, not subtitled. (53 min, 1080i).

• I Thought Maybe I'd Get to Meet Alan Whicker - in this archival program, Bill Forsyth remembers how he began his career as a filmmaker/documentarian and the impact that the critical success of Local Hero had on it. The program was produced in 1983. In English, not subtitled. (27 min, 1080i).

• Commentary - this recent audio commentary features director Bill Forsyth and critic Mark Kermode. It was recorded in 2018.

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by film scholar Jonny Murray as well as technical credits.

Local Hero Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have seen all of Scottish director Bill Forsyth's feature films and in my opinion his best work is in That Sinking Feeling and Gregory's Girl. The bigger films he made with Hollywood stars like Burt Lancaster and Burt Reynolds lose a lot of the casual atmosphere that is needed for the quirky humor that typically defines his work to appear authentic. This is certainly the major flaw that I see in Local Hero -- there is a great deal of awareness here as to how and when the funny ought to occur, which is ultimately what makes a lot of it look too artificial. If your take on this film is different and you agree with the many critics that praised it when it was released, do not miss this upcoming release because it is sourced from an outstanding new 2K restoration that makes Chris Menges's cinematography shine in all the right ways. RECOMMENDED to fans of the film. Otherwise, RENT IT.