Pick-Up Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Pick-Up Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 17, 2017

1975’s “Pick-Up” gives off the impression that it’s going to follow the sexploitation rulebook, opening with a flirty standoff between a motor home driver and two young women who would do anything for a free ride. And, for a few moments, the picture maintains the B-movie allure, offering teasing glimpses of nudity and bad behavior, lubricated by marijuana and the liberation of the open road, shadowed somewhat by reminders of mysticism and strangeness to come. And holy moly, does “Pick-Up” ever get weird.

Director Bernard Hirschenson isn’t interested in making just another skin flick, soon transforming “Pick-Up” into a surreal vision of sex and spiritualism, abuse and empowerment, and swampland enigmas. It’s a counterculture rocket ride with pit stops in Fellini-esque oddity and Lynchian distortion, largely doing away with a traditional plot to experience the wilds of impulse and fear in the middle of Florida. “Pick-Up” plays more like an art installation than a feature, and for some, that type of experimentation quickly grows tedious, especially when so much of the picture is padded with extended scenes of frolicking, working on a celebratory vibe that’s eventually chopped down by esoteric interests, with Hirschenson making a puzzle he has no intention of solving.

Pick-Up Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as "Newly scanned and restored in 2K from the 35mm original camera negative." It's an impressive undertaking for such an obscure film, and it allows "Pick-Up" (titled "Pazuzu" on the print) to look the best it will ever look on home video, enjoying a refreshed life for HD exhibition. Low-budget cinematography maintains graininess and softness (whites are a tad bloomy), but clarity is adequate, handling textures on costuming and the Floridian locations, which retain depth. Colors are secure, with agreeable primaries and slightly reddish skintones. Greenery is also sustained, retaining the natural appeal of the swampland. Delineation is acceptable. Source has a few single-frame points of damage, and some speckling.

Pick-Up Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA mix isn't built for clarity, and the track does what it can to dig into the often chaotic blending of sounds that make up most of the listening experience. Highs are often blown out, but much of this seems intentional, perhaps to add to the surreal atmosphere of the movie. Dialogue exchanges are preserved, handling performances adequately. Music isn't always defined, but scoring and soundtrack selections are appreciable, contributing to the funky vibe of the film. Mild hiss is present.

Pick-Up Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Bernard Hirschenson.

• Interview (23:24, HD) returns to Hirschenson, who delivers a career overview instead of a deeper inspection of "Pick-Up," though film clips help to break up and focus the conversation. The director explores his early moviemaking interests and entry into the business, working on documentaries as a cameraman, experiencing wars and the personal company of various presidents as he built his professional reputation, eventually achieving success in the commercial world, including the creation of the "Crying Indian" ad, featuring Iron Eyes Cody.

• Audio Interview features actress Gini Eastwood.

• Alternate Crown International Opening and Ending Credits (6:41, SD) are presented.

• Bonus Feature delivers "Orgy at Lil's Place" (77:14, HD), a 1963 picture co-produced and shot by Hirschenson.

• Promo Gallery supplies four images from "Orgy at Lil's Place."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:25, HD) and Teaser (1:00, SD) are included.

Pick-Up Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Pick-Up" is an acquired taste, created for those who enjoy their cinema impenetrable but very active with symbolism and ideas. There's material here that satirizes politicians, condemns the Catholic Church, and plays up the fantasy of a willing women peppered across the interstates of America. It's a nightmare and a dream all rolled into one defiantly incoherent film, and one that adds a touch of "The Twilight Zone" to leave viewers with a sense of accomplishment, even if nothing's been achieved. Hirschenson goes for it with "Pick-Up," and there's charm in the way the production has no regard for its audience, creating a screen commotion just to make some noise. It's not the easiest movie to sit through, but it would make a brain-melting double-feature with Darren Aronofsky's "Mother," as both production share an interest in summoning the apocalypse, even if there's no one around to watch it.