Pit Stop Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Pit Stop Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 12, 2015

Jack Hill's "Pit Stop" (1969) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; audio commentary with the American director; video interview with Roger Corman; video interview with actor Sid Haig; restoration demonstration; and more. The release also arrives with a collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Glenn Kenny and musicologist and writer Gray Newell on the film's soundtrack, illustrated with original stills and artwork. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The driver and his girl

Wild wheelman Rick Bowman (Richard Davalos, East of Eden, Cool Hand Luke) ends up in jail after an illegal street race, but quickly gets out after ambitious businessman Grant Willard (Brian Donlevy, Hangmen Also Die, Kiss of Death) pays his bond. Willard then asks Bowman to drive one of his custom sports cars in a dangerous figure-eight race. Initially Bowman rejects the offer, but after he meets Willard’s best man, a cocky driver named Hawk Sidney (Sid Haig, The Big Bird Cage), he changes his mind.

Bowman fails miserably in the first two races. An old-timer then teaches him how to beat Sidney. Sensing that Bowman could become Willard’s top choice in the figure-eight races, Sidney confronts the newcomer and nearly breaks his left arm. After the confrontation, the two men warm up to each other. Bowman also steals Sidney’s on-again, off-again girlfriend (Beverly Washburn, Spider Baby).

Around the same time Bowman is introduced to veteran driver Ed McLeod (George Washburn), who spends far more time playing with engines than with his frustrated wife (a very beautiful Ellen Burstyn, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore). Bowman begins visiting McLeod’s garage and after a series of meaningless conversations and inviting looks eventually makes love to his wife.

Meanwhile, Willard decides to beat Sonny Simpson, the hottest driver in California. Bowman comes up with a brilliant plan that will make Willard a happy man. There is only one small problem -- for the plan to work Bowman, Sidney and McLeod will have to work as a team.

There are a couple of reasons why this early film directed by Jack Hill works really well. First, it oozes raw energy which can exist only in low-budget films that do not attempt to follow the conventional rules big-budget films do. What this means is that there are hardly any clichés in it -- or at least not the type that can easily turn off the viewer.

Second, Pit Stop has a superb retro-psychedelic atmosphere that actually makes it look like a much bigger film. The beautiful soundtrack -- created by a little known but apparently very good psychedelic rock band from Seattle named The Daily Flash and John Fridge -- effectively transforms large parts of the film that otherwise would have looked quite ordinary. (See the various sequences where Davalos and Burstyn exchange inviting looks).

The chemistry between the principal actors is also surprisingly good. (If any compromises were made during the editing process because of the small budget the filmmakers had to work with, it is absolutely impossible to tell). Davalos, Haig, Burstyn, Donlevy and Washburn all look very remarkably comfortable with each other in front of the camera.

The raw footage from the figure-eight races used in the film is extraordinary. There are massive crashes and many of them look incredibly dangerous. There is one in particular where a small car is flipped over but then the camera moves away from it too quickly. It is hard to believe that the driver was not hurt.

Pit Stop was lensed by Austin McKinney, who worked with John Carpenter on Escape from New York (visual effects/director of photography) and James Cameron on The Terminator (process photography). It was produced by Lee Strosnider.

Pit Stop has been exclusively restored for Arrow Video’s Blu-ray release. Because the film's original negative no longer exists, the restorers worked with Hill’s own 35mm answer print.

Pit Stop Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Jack Hill's Pit Stop arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group.

The release has been sourced from the same restoration Arrow Video completed last year and I cannot see any discrepancies to address in our review (you can see our review of the UK release here). Detail and clarity remain pleasing throughout the entire film, though some minor fluctuations are easy to spot. For example, grain can be slightly over/underexposed in different parts of the film. However, as previously mentioned, it is very easy to tell that reasonable efforts were made to balance it as best as possible (screencaptures #2 and 5 demonstrate what type of fluctuations you should expect to see). There are no traces of recent compromising sharpening adjustments. The blacks, grays, and whites appear natural. Overall image stability is very good. It is easy to tell that debris, cuts, stains, and flecks have been removed as best as possible, but some light damage marks and vertical lines remain (see screencapture #11). All in all, this is good organic presentation of Jack Hill's Pit Stop. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your Blu-ray player regardless of your geographical location).

Pit Stop 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.

Pit Stop was shot with a small budget, but it has a surprisingly effective psychedelic score that benefits greatly from the lossless treatment. Obviously, dynamic intensity is rather limited, but depth and clarity are very good. During the races, separation also impresses. The dialog is clean, stable, and easy to follow.

Pit Stop Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - in this exclusive audio commentary, director Jack Hill recalls how Pit Stop came to exist, and discusses its production process, the script, the editing process, the make-ups and hairstyles, the rumored remake of Spider Baby, etc. There is also some interesting information about an old dispute between Roger Corman and famous Swiss producer Erwin C. Dietrich. The audio commentary is moderated by biographer Calum Waddell.

• Roger Corman on the Genesis of Pit Stop - in this video interview, Roger Corman explains what inspired him to start his own production company (New World Pictures) and how he became involved with Jack Hill's Pit Stop. Roger Corman also explains how the best exploitation films are typically made. The interview was produced by Calum Waddell and Naomi Holwill. In English, not subtitled. (12 min, 1080p).

• Crash and Burn: Jack Hill on the Making of Pit Stop - in this video interview, director Jack Hill discusses the production history of Pit Stop, "an art film about stock car racing". The interview was produced by Calum Waddell and Naomi Holwill. In English, not subtitled. (16 min, 1080p).

• Drive Hard: Sid Haig Remembers Pit Stop - in this video interview, actor Sid Haig (Hawk Sidney) explains how Pit Stop was made for approximately $35,000 and discusses his contribution to the film. The interview was produced by Calum Waddell and Naomi Holwill. In English, not subtitled. (17 min, 1080p).

• Restoring Pit Stop - presented here is a restoration demonstration by James White, who supervised the new restoration of Pit Stop. Included with the presentation are different before and after comparisons. In English, not subtitled. (4 min, 1080p).

• Trailer - original trailer for Pit Stop. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• Cover art - reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jay Shaw.

• Booklet - collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Glenn Kenny and musicologist and writer Gray Newell on the film's soundtrack, illustrated with original stills and artwork.

Pit Stop Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This upcoming Blu-ray release is sourced from the same restoration of Pit Stop that Arrow Video completed in 2014. The information that was circulated at the time indicated that the original lab elements for Pit Stop have been lost. However, this month U.S. label Code Red will also release Pit Stop on Blu-ray with a high-definition transfer struck from the original 35mm camera negatives (you can see our listing of this release here). It is rather strange to see two releases of the same film coming out at approximately the same time, but folks interested in Pit Stop should take a look at both to decide which one they prefer. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.