Nighthawks Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Nighthawks Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Stephen Larson January 20, 2017

The production of Nighthawks offers an illustrative example of how a movie's stars, screenwriters, and directors vie for creative control of a project and send it spinning in different directions. Nighthawks originally had a different title(s) and a story treatment initially intended for a third installment of The French Connection. But after Gene Hackman professed that he didn't want to do any more sequels, the project was moved from Fox to Universal. As he details in an interview included on this disc, the late writer/production designer Paul Sylbert wrote a first- draft script about international terrorism that focused on the exploits of the notorious Hispanic gangster, Carlos the Jackal. Universal deemed the screenplay too topical and hot for contemporary audiences and brought in David Shaber (The Warriors) for a rewrite. The new script centered on two NYC street cops and their pursuit of a (fictional) European terrorist. The material attracted not only Sylvester Stallone, but also Dutch actor Rutger Hauer, who made his American debut in Nighthawks. The problem was that Stallone and Hauer each thought that the movie should be seen centrally through their own character's perspective. Though Stallone's Deke DaSilva can be called the main character, the editing that formed the final cut reflects the tension between both stars. The narrative consistently cross-cuts between DaSilva and Hauer's Heymar 'Wulfgar' Reinhardt (to indicate simultaneous action) or alternates scenes between the two characters. There also was a tension palpable on the set. Original director Gary Nelson, a prolific director of various TV series and telefilms, simply did not get along with Stallone as the two failed to see eye-to-eye on the film's overall direction. After he was a no-show on set, Nelson was fired and the producers appeased Stallone by bringing in Bruce Malmuth through John Avildsen's (Rocky) recommendation. Nighthawks underwent more changes in post-production after Universal eliminated most of DaSilva's on/off romance with Irene (Lindsay Wagner).

DaSilva and Fox prepare for a raid.

In spite of all the mutations that Nighthawks went through, it turned out to be (and remains) a very good crime thriller. One of the eighties' first biracial buddy cop films, it features Billy Dee Williams (fresh off The Empire Strikes Back) as Sgt. Matthew Fox, who partners with Stallone's DaSilva to thwart organized crime. Playing opposite this pair is the dangerous duo of Wulfgar (Hauer) and Shakka Holland (Persis Khambatta), the latter a pretty but deadly accomplice. It seems suitable that Nighthawks was originally meant to be part of The French Connection franchise. The NYC scenes, especially the raid early in the film, possess the same raw grittiness as William Friedkin's 1971 classic. Bruce Malmuth proves himself an able and competent action director. The chase sequence through the mill and underground subway is visually striking, well-plotted, and even influenced the action films that followed it. The editing by Stanford C. Allen and Christopher Holmes, however, is too pedestrian and clockwork as DaSilva and Fox listen to a extensive lecture on international crime-fighting techniques while Wulfgar makes his next move. Granted, the scenes between DaSilva and head instructor Peter Hartman (Nigel Davenport) establish the anti-authoritarian characters Stallone would go on to play throughout the decade. The first act does perhaps too ample of a job in establishing all the characters and giving the audience exposition compared to the second and third acts, which seem both disjointed and formulaic. The opening main titles sequence and the ending work but juxtaposed next to each other, look rather predictable. These quibbles aside, Nighthawks is an effective intercontinental thriller traversing London, Paris, and the Big Apple.

Nighthawks Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Nighthawks makes its US debut on Blu-ray courtesy of Shout! Factory's imprint, Shout Select. The label presents the film in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 on this AVC-encoded BD-50. The transfer has been struck from a dated master in Universal's vault. Colors are reasonably well-defined and thankfully, Shout has not applied any instances of DNR that I can spot. During the first part of the film, the grain structure is fairly unbalanced; there are patches and lumps of grain in individual portions of the frame that stand out during both interior and exterior scenes. One can see trails of it on shots with overcast skies. However, during the last two-thirds or so, grain is more evenly spaced out and looks film-like. Some print damage appears sporadically or in spurts. (See a few scratches in Screenshot #18 and a thin tramline toward the left side in #19.) There is also a sprinkling of white flecks from time to time. In spite of these print flaws, this is still an above-average transfer. Shout doesn't engage in any post-processing to smooth out the image and seems to maintain the integrity of the original theatrical appearance.

Please note that in addition to English, there is also spoken dialogue in German, French, and Swedish. In the original theatrical prints, there were English subtitles burned into the image where necessary (see #20). Shout has also provided optional English subtitles for the English dialogue.

Nighthawks Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Shout has incorporated the movie's original monaural recording as a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. The master is in good shape as there is no audible hiss or audio dropouts. Composer Keith Emerson's electronic score is given the widest dispersal on the fronts. Sound f/x during action scenes are limited in range but deliver an adequate rendition of their intended effect. Dialogue, tone, and pitch vary between actors but are discernible for the most part in the center channel.

Please note that Shout has restored The Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar" and Emerson's The Spencer Davis Group cover of "I'm A Man," which are performed during the discotheque scene. On Universal's American and international DVDs of the film, these songs were replaced with generic music due to licensing issues.

Nighthawks Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• NEW Lights, Camera, Action! An Audio Interview with Producer Herb Nanas (16:10, 1080p) - Shout! conducted this audio-only interview with producer Nanas, apparently over the phone. Nanas recalls his working relationship with Sylvester Stallone on Rocky II, the inception of Nighthawks, how Universal re-branded the film, among other topics. As with the other interviews, there is musical underscore from composer Keith Emerson. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW Nighthawks: The First Draft – An Interview with Writer Paul Sylbert (9:49, 1080p) - Sylbert, who received a story credit on Nighthawks, explains how the project began with a very different conception. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW We Gotta Shoot This! – An Interview with Director of Photography James A. Contner (24:37, 1080p) - probably the best overall interview on the disc, although DP Conter does repeat himself. Contner covers a wide range of subjects as they pertain to Nighthawks. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW A Sign of the Times – An Interview with Actress Lindsay Wagner (10:29, 1080p)- the lovely Lindsay Wagner recollects how her role as Irene was substantially bigger in the original cut in the film. She articulates why she believes it was trimmed down and recalls scenes that were omitted from the final theatrical version. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW Not the Other Girls – An Interview with Actress Catherine Mary Stewart (4:24, 1080p) - Stewart, who has a bit part as a department store clerk in the movie, reminisces about how she won the role and her early impressions of Stallone. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW It Was Hell – An Interview with Technical Adviser Randy Jurgensen (10:50, 1080p) - Jurgensen delves into his memories of being on the set of Nighthawks as a technical adviser. He tends to mumble so you'll want to have the volume turned up. In English, not subtitled.

• Theatrical Trailer (1:43, upconverted to 1080p) - an unrestored, full-frame theatrical trailer accompanied by a voice- over. In English, not subtitled.

• Radio Spots (1:35) - three radio spots promoting Nighthawks when it was in theaters.

• Stills Gallery (6:41, 1080p) - a montage of seventy-seven images containing publicity shots and US/international posters of Nighthawks.

Nighthawks Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Given the smorgasbord of alterations throughout the making of Nighthawks, the ball would seem poised to strike against it. But the performances by Stallone, Williams, Hauer, and Khambatta make it a gripping and compelling watch. Nighthawks could use a new remastered digital intermediate but Shout Select's transfer appears pretty good. The interviews are the best part of the disc and a guide to the film's troubled production history. Currently, it is the best edition of the film out there and earns a SOLID RECOMMENDATION.