Lucky Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Lucky Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 18, 2019

John Carroll Lynch's "Lucky" (2017) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include Sophie Huber's documentary "Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction"; video interview with director John Carroll Lynch; and video interview with writer/producer Logan Sparks and writer/producer Drago Sumonja. The release also arrives with a collector's booklet featuring a new essay by Jason Wood, exclusive behind-the-scenes stills, and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The old man

Consider the following scenario: You are over ninety years old. Each morning you stretch, you put your clothes on, you take a walk, you have a cup of coffee at your favorite diner. At night, you spend time in front of your TV, or occasionally have a Bloody Mary at your favorite bar. You don’t have a family. The only real friend you have is that annoying voice in your head that keeps reminding you that each day you are getting older. Then one day you collapse in front of your mirror, later on visit the doctor, and he tells you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. He even clarifies that your genes are some of the best that Mother Nature offers to the mortals. But then the doctor explains that you feel miserable because your body is starting to break down. You have nearly reached the end, and there is nothing that you, or he, can do about it. You just have to wait until your number comes up.

Do you consider yourself lucky? And do you want to keep going? Or do you want out because you’ve had enough already?

In John Carroll Lynch's directorial debut, Lucky, Harry Dean Stanton considers both options and his thoughts on mortality become its story. It is a serene and at times strikingly beautiful film, but also a bit disturbing. Or maybe sobering is a better word to use because the film only recognizes the inevitable end, the closure of a cycle that eventually all of us will reach. Still, there is just something about the casual recognition that feels a tad more real than usual.

Stanton passed away at the age of ninety-one shortly after he completed the film, which is another reason why viewing it can be a very unique experience. Indeed, it is hard to tell precisely how much of what he does is acting, and how much is actually him being himself in front of the camera. There are multiple sequences for instance in which he genuinely looks frustrated with his body, and a few moments where the camera catches him contemplating the time that he has left that appear incredibly authentic.

What defines the film, however, is a heavy sense of sadness that is very difficult to suppress. On one hand there is the old man, Lucky, who has come to terms with the fact that his days are numbered and feels so alone in this world that it can be painful to watch him wait for his time to run out. His existence is a repetitive string of activities, each so simple and so utterly pointless, that his ‘luck’ actually begins to feel a lot like an odd punishment that he was doomed to endure. On the other hand, there is the actor whose real life is also coming to an end, and this is something that you just can’t isolate and forget. You have to acknowledge it, and as soon as you do, the realization that this talented man will be lost makes everything that he says and does in the film look awfully sad.

A few famous old-timers stop by and bid farewell to Stanton. David Lynch meets him in his favorite bar, Tom Skerritt chats with him, and Ed Begley Jr. plays the knowledgeable doctor.

*Lynch shot the film in a little over two weeks, on location in Arizona and California. Stanton had seen a final edit of it, but he passed away before its official theatrical premiere in the United States.

Lucky Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, John Carroll Lynch's Lucky arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.

The technical presentation is flawless. The entire film boast terrific clarity, delineation, and sharpness, and when project the depth that some the panoramic vistas convey is simply breathtaking. The indoor footage has wonderful nuances as well, with some equally impressive highlights and shadows. There is some obvious stylization that favors certain primaries and nuances, but the visuals look very healthy, which is why there is no doubt in my mind this is exactly the type of balance and temperature that the creators of the film envisioned. Image stability is excellent. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Lucky Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I viewed the film with the 5.1 track and then did a few quick comparisons with the 2.0 track. To be honest, I did not hear a noticeable difference with the scenes that I tested. It is possible that there is some footage where the 2.0 track does not perform as well, but in terms of separation and dynamic movement I am actually not convinced that the 5.1 track offers some improvements. The dialog is crystal clear, stable, and always easy to follow.

Lucky Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction (2012) - this documentary film, directed by Sophie Huber, offers a unique journey into the spiritual world of the late actor and examines his artistic persona. Included in it are clips from interviews with David Lynch, Wim Wenders, Kris Kristofferson, and Sam Shepard, amongst others. In English. (77 min).

• John Carroll Lynch Interview - in this new video interview, director John Carroll Lynch explains how Lucky came to exist, and discusses his work with Harry Dean Stanton during the production process. In English. (14 min).

• Logan Sparks and Drago Sumonja Interview - in this new video interview, writer/producer Logan Sparks and writer/producer Drago Sumonja discuss their involvement with Lucky and appreciation of Harry Dean Stanton and his work. In English. (28 min).

• Booklet - a collector's booklet featuring a new essay by Jason Wood, exclusive behind-the-scenes stills, Headin' North at 110 per. - a personal memory of Harry Dean Stanton by co-writer Logan Sparks and the transcript of a Q&A with director John Carroll Lynch.

Lucky Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lucky was not an easy film for me to endure. It was impossible for me to ignore the fact that with it Harry Dean Stanton was saying goodbye to this world and adding one final piece to an incredible legacy. It is so, so obvious that he knew that the end was near, and I don't know if I wanted to see him like this. I know a lot of people like the film, and I agree that it is well-made, but it is so sad that I actually can't say that I enjoyed viewing it. However, Eureka Entertainment has also included Sophie Huber's excellent documentary Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction as a bonus feature, so this makes it extremely easy to recommend this release. RECOMMENDED.