Mutiny on the Buses Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Mutiny on the Buses Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 1, 2024

Harry Booth's "Mutiny on the Buses" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include program with author and film historian Morris Bright; archival interviews with cast members; vintage promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The new bus

It took less than a year for Harry Booth to deliver Mutiny on the Buses, a straightforward sequel that offered an identical dose of what made On the Buses successful. For obvious reasons, the blueprint for both films (as well as the third film in the trilogy, Holiday on the Buses) remained the hit TV series On the Buses that premiered in the United Kingdom in 1969.

Mutiny on the Buses opens with an earth-shattering announcement -- Stan Butler (Reg Varney) has found the Special One a.k.a. Susy (Janet Mahoney) and promised to marry her. Good ol’ Stan has also promised Susy a posh new nest, for which he does not yet have the money, but the future bride has refused to grasp the complexity of his problem. Nevertheless, to prove that his intentions are serious, Stan declares before his Mom (Doris Hare), sister Olive (Anna Karen), and her husband Arthur (Michael Robbins) that he has decided to move out of the home they share and stop contributing to their budget so that he can begin saving for Susy’s dream nest. Stan is immediately accused of being a soulless son, brother, and brother-in-law because Arthur has just been fired and has no idea where to look for a new job. But the bus company is always looking for great new drivers, so Stan helps Arthur get in and he immediately begins training. The “training” costs the town a few bus stations and a couple of bus bumpers, and nearly costs Stan and his partner Jack (Bob Grant) their jobs. After the chaos, Inspector Blakey (Stephen Lewis) introduces a new radio transmitter to better control the drivers in the bus company, but when Jack resets its frequencies and various cops across the town begin receiving strange orders, he nearly loses his job, too. Eventually, Lady Luck gives Stan a legit opportunity to start making the money he needs to marry Susy. He is asked to operate a special bus in the Windsor Safari Park, where wild animals dramatically outnumber the type of clients he is used to greeting while driving a regular bus across town.

Excluding a few bits from the Windsor Safari Park, Mutiny on the Buses produces entirely predictable material that easily could have been fitted into the first feature film. It is a collection of vignettes filled with typical jokes that help each of its characters maintain a unique but familiar identity. All of these vignettes are glued together by the same excellent improvisational work and chemistry that made the first feature film worth seeing.

Yes, Mutiny on the Buses looks very, very dated, too. However, this is arguably the biggest reason the jokes and fireworks in it frequently feel rather remarkably witty and bold. (The popular U.S. TV series Married with Children remains the gold standard for dated yet fearless and brilliant humor, but there is plenty in Mutiny in the Buses that is of similar quality). For example, the two sexes repeatedly fire at will, and even when they do not hit their chosen targets with impeccable precision, the unfiltered enthusiasm with which they dispatch their jabs is very attractive. As in the first feature film, the great chemistry between the stars easily creates and sustains a great atmosphere, too.

A few transitions could have been edited better, so if there is one area where the first feature film feels superior, this is it. All of them are in the second half, where there is an obvious intent to produce more visual rather than verbal comedy. However, at least some of these uneven transitions were probably unavoidable because here the wild animals compete for the camera’s attention as well.

Booth did not return to direct the third and final feature film, Holiday on the Buses. This film was completed by Bryan Izzard, who had worked on several episodes of the hit TV series.

Mutiny on the Buses Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Mutiny on the Buses arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

Mutiny on the Buses looks better in high-definition than On the Buses. Not dramatically better, but it boasts healthier visuals with frequently noticeably better delineation, clarity, and depth. Grain exposure is better as well. Color balance is stable and convincing. However, saturation levels can be improved and several primaries and supporting nuances can be further retuned. If they are, select darker and brighter outdoor footage will reveal superior depth. Image stability is very good. While viewing the film, I did not encounter any distracting age-related imperfections to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Mutiny on the Buses Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless track is very healthy. While viewing the film, I had the volume of my system turned up quite a bit and did not notice any anomalies to report in our review. Clarity and sharpness were very good. Stability was excellent as well. Dynamic intensity was very good for a film from the early 1970s that does not have any large-scale action material.

Mutiny on the Buses Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "On the Buses Archival Interviews Revisited" - in this new program, author and film historian Morris Bright discusses an unfinished documentary project that gathered interviews with many of the stars and producer of the On the Buses TV series and three feature films. Presented here are some of these archival interviews. In English, not subtitled. (31 min).

• Interviews - in these archival interviews, Reg Varney, Anna Karen, and Stephen Lewis recall how they were cast to play play their characters in the On the Buses TV series and three feature films, as well as the working environment during the production process. In English, not subtitled.
  
  1. Reg Varney. (10 min).
  2. Anna Karen. (9 min).
  3. Stephen Lewis. (11 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage theatrical trailer for Mutiny on the Buses. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Photo Gallery - a collection of vintage promotional materials for Mutiny on the Buses. Presented with music. (6 min).

• Booklet - 40-page illustrated booklet featuring reproductions of the original press books from all three films in the On the Buses box set.

Mutiny on the Buses Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mutiny on the Buses offers more of everything that makes On the Buses worth seeing. The great irony is that all of it is dated yet enormously refreshing because the humor in it is completely unsanitized, which of course does not feel right but makes perfect sense. I had a wonderful time with Mutiny on the Buses. All three On the Buses feature films are included in this three-disc, Region-Free box set from Australian label Imprint Films. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.