Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

River's Edge Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 15, 2019

Tim Hunter's " River's Edge" (1986) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of German label Camera Obscura. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage trailers for the film; new video programs with actor Daniel Roebuck and cinematographer Frederick Elmes; vintage audio commentary with the director; and more. In English, with optional English and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Dead end

Daniel Roebuck’s summation of Tim Hunter’s River’s Edge is spot on, and I would like to quickly explain why. In a video program that is included on this release, the actor correctly points out that River’s Edge is essentially the flip side of all the great teen comedies that John Hughes made before it because it sees life from the opposite angle. Indeed, the kids that Hughes placed in Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club also had their issues and did not trust the system, but at the end he always showed them a path to a happier future. It is why in Hughes’ films humor, romance, and friendship are always major themes -- they are part of a very positive take on life. This isn’t the case with River’s Edge. The kids in this film come from a bleak working-class environment, and they are never given a chance to believe that the path from Hughes’ film exists. They are disillusioned outcasts that are slowly heading in a completely different direction, and it is only a matter of time before their misery crushes them. (Marc Rocco’s Where the Day Takes You goes even a step further as it follows a motley crew of young outcasts and drifters that have completely given up on life).

Hunter’s film is set in a small town somewhere on the West Coast, where all of the adult residents are barely making ends meet. Because of the harsh economic conditions, many parents have essentially relinquished their parental duties as well, secretly hoping that the teachers from the local school will do what is necessary to keep their sons and daughters out of trouble. In this dangerous vacuum, the popular bully Samson (Roebuck) kills his girlfriend on the banks of a nearby river and then while still under the influence of cheap drugs and alcohol confesses his crime to his best pals. At first, they accuse him of being a terrible joker, but when he nonchalantly agrees to prove them wrong and then shows them the cold body of his girlfriend, they suddenly realize that something truly horrible has happened in their town. After the initial shock, the outspoken stoner Layne (a wonderful Crispin Glover) demands that they all ought to remain loyal to each other so that they can protect their friendship, and by doing so let time take care of the ‘accident’. Matt (Keanu Reeves), Layne’s best pal, however, begins drifting away. While the group struggles to move away from the ‘accident’ the frustrated Layne decides to take matters into his hands, and for an extra dose of inspiration visits the kooky pot-dealer Feck (Dennis Hopper) who has fallen in love with his favorite blowup doll. Shortly after, Layne proceeds to fix the mess that Samson has created, but things quickly get out of control.

The film’s laid-back attitude and the profiles of the teenagers are incredibly deceiving. Indeed, even after Samson announces his horrific act for a while the town still very much looks like Slackers Central, a quiet and safe place where teenagers can roam free and do all the silly things that make them feel alive. But the more time Hunter’s camera spends observing the peacefulness and the routines of the teenagers, the clearer it becomes that the town’s foundation is rotten. (The segment where the heavily stoned Layne passes out in his car and spends the night on a lonely crossroad is actually quite creepy). The emergence of the pot-dealer then permanently alters the film’s atmosphere and essentially pushes it into David Lynch territory.

Back in the late ‘80s, a lot of people did not get Hunter’s film because it offered a diagnosis of small-town America that appeared way too pessimistic to them. Unfortunately, the erosion of the values and structural collapse that are at the heart of it turned out to be incredibly accurate. Without the quirky humor that is used as a facade to hide them, this film basically sums up perfectly the early stage of the socio-economic sickness that a few decades later will bring down hundreds of thousands of different communities across the Heartland.

Hunter was able to secure the services of cinematographer Frederick Elmes, who later on went on to work on such critically acclaimed films as David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart, Jim Jarmusch’s Night on Earth, and Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm.

River's Edge 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, Tim Hunter's River's Edge arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Camera Obscura.

The release is sourced from an older master that was supplied by MGM. However, there is a pretty dramatic difference in quality between this release that Kino Video produced in the U.S., and even this release that Signal One Entertainment did in the UK, while working with the same master. My guess is that the guys at Camera Obscura did some specific optimizations to get the most out of the master, which already had some decent organic qualities. I projected the film and while there are certain areas -- mostly darker or nighttime footage -- where it isn't difficult to see that there is room for improvement, I found the overall quality of the visuals to be really strong. To be perfectly clear, there are fine nuances that could be improved, and there are areas where depth could be even better, so a brand new 4K remaster will undoubtedly deliver superior quality. However, the current presentation has a very pleasing organic appearance, and in the key areas already looks strong. Also, it is important to point out the better color values and superior overall balance here, which is quite underwhelming on the U.S. release. All in all, I think that at the moment this release offers the best overall presentation of River's Edge. My score is 4.25/5.00. (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).

River's Edge Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. and German LPCM 2.0. Optional English and German subtitles are provided for the main feature.

There are no age-related anomalies or encoding issues to report. The audio is clear and stable, while dynamic balance remains excellent throughout the entire film. Also, there is quite a bit of music and dynamic transitions are very nice. So, I don't know if a new remix can offer any meaningful improvements because the current lossless mix sounds great to me.

River's Edge Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Living on the Edge - in this new video program, actor Daniel Roebuck recalls how he was cast to play Samson, and discusses the type of transformation that he had to make while shooting River's Edge with Tim Hunter, the type of atmosphere and social overtones that define the film, Frederick Elmes' lensing and the specific locations where key segment were shot, his interaction with the rest of the cast, etc. Excellent program. In English, with imposed German subtitles. (52 min).

• Under the Bridge - in this new video program, cinematographer Frederick Elmes recalls how he entered the film business, and discusses the impact that John Cassavettes's work had on him and the evolution of his style (and specifically Opening Night and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie), his relationship with David Lynch, and his work with Tum Hunter on River's Edge. In English, with imposed German subtitles. (34 min).

• Trailers - two vintage trailers for River's Edge.
  
  1. U.S. trailer.
  2. German trailer.

• Photo Gallery - a large collection of vintage promotional materials for the film. (U.S.and German).

• Audio Commentary - in this vintage audio commentary, director Tim Hunter discusses in great detail the real murder case that inspired River's Edge, the casting process (the arrival of Crispin Glover apparently had a pretty dramatic effect), the California locations that were chosen for the film and Frederick Elmes' contribution, the tone and atmosphere of the film, etc. There are also some interesting comments about the film's critical reception.

• Booklet - 12-page illustrated booklet featuring an essay by Prof. Dr. Marcus Stiglegger. In German. (See photos).

River's Edge Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Even though Tim Hunter's film River's Edge was inspired by a true event and was shot on location in California, I think that it delivers an incredibly accurate diagnosis of the early stage of the socio-economic sickness that a few decades later will bring down hundreds of thousands of different communities across the Heartland. Richard Linklater is a big admirer of River's Edge and this isn't at all surprising because it is a minor masterpiece that I think delivered a blueprint for quite a few of his acclaimed films. This recent Blu-ray release from Camera Obscura offers a very fine technical presentation of the film and has two outstanding new video programs with actor Daniel Roebuck and cinematographer Frederick Elmes. The first, with Roebuck, is a must-see for any fan of the film. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.