Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Rollercoaster Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 14, 2017

James Goldstone's "Rollecoaster" (1977) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of German label Koch Media. The supplemental features on the disc include an exclusive new video interview with writer/associate producer Tommy Cook; original radio spots; collection of studio stills; and original trailers. In English, with optional English SDH and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The watcher

The camera casually observes a young man (Timothy Bottoms, Operation Daybreak) who derails a rollercoaster with a bomb. A close-up of his face reveals that he is pleased with his work, perhaps even proud of it. But he remains fully composed and then casually walks away. Some men then gather in an office and begin discussing the tragedy. One of them, safety inspector Harry Calder (George Segal, Where's Poppa?), becomes suspicious, but eventually the group declares that there must have been an accident.

For a while life returns to normal, but when a fire starts in a different park Calder quickly concludes that there is a pattern pointing to a very different explanation of the new ‘accident’. Soon after, he discovers that someone is blackmailing the owners of the five companies operating the biggest entertainment parks in the country. The man wants them to pay him one million dollars in untraceable bills. If they do, he will quietly disappear. But if they refuse, he will unleash bigger and more spectacular ‘accidents’ just in time for the Fourth of July. The man then demands that Calder delivers the money in a brand new park in Virginia.

James Goldstone’s Rollercoaster works effectively in two different ways. On one hand, it is structured as a tense thriller in which two very intelligent men try to outsmart each in a relatively short period of time. There is plenty of action, but the focus of attention is actually on their thought processes and the specific decisions they make while under extreme pressure. This infuses the film with a strong sense of authenticity that ultimately gives it its credibility. (Walter Hill’s The Driver, which premiered a year after this film, is as effective as it is for the same reason).

The film also works well as one big show off piece. Indeed, it is based on an original story by Tommy Cook that gradually transforms the rollercoaster into a major character and begins treating it with the respect it gives the terrorist and Calder. So there are large segments where the speed, design(s), and the experience(s) the rollercoaster offers become very important. This isn’t to imply that there is a documentary vibe that emerges right in the middle of the cat-and-mouse game, but there is certainly an obvious desire to give one an authentic sense of what it feels to be on one of these monsters and be entertained (or as it is the case here feel helpless and utterly terrified).

The cast is very impressive. Segal is terrific as the jaded inspector who is running out of time and ideas how to stop his opponent. Bottoms looks calm and confident under pressure, just like a maniac like the one he plays would. Richard Widmark is the veteran agent Hoyt whose methods repeatedly prove ineffective. Henry Fonda has a small cameo as Simon Davenport, a veteran who demands results in a seriously tense environment. A very, very young Helen Hunt also has a small role in the film.

Cinematographer David Walsh’s lensing is fluid and surprisingly modern. There are some excellent panoramic shots from the entertainment parks and the rollercoaster footage is seriously impressive. (Folks already feeling nervous about getting on a rollercoaster with friends or family members should probably avoid this film).

The dynamic soundtrack was created by Oscar-nominated composer Lalo Schifrin (Don Siegel’s Coogan's Bluff, Dirty Harry).

Rollercoaster Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, James Goldstone's Rollercoaster arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Koch Media.

The release is sourced from the same master that the folks at Shout Factory accessed when they prepared the U.S. release in 2016. I like this master a lot. Aside from a few very small density fluctuations it has an all-around very solid organic appearance that makes it a pleasure to view the film on a large screen. There are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening adjustments and as a result close-ups as well as larger panoramic shots frequently boasts great delineation and very pleasing depth (see screencaptures (see screencaptures #1, 4, and 9). There are a few indoor sequences where ideally shadow definition should be better, but there are no distracting anomalies. I also like the color scheme a lot. Some nuances could be expanded, but the overall balance is very, very convincing. Image stability is excellent. There are a couple of tiny flecks and dirt spots, but there are no large cuts, debris, damage marks, stains, or warped frames to report in our review. (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).

Rollercoaster Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 3.1 and German DTS-HD Master Audio 3.1. Optional English SDH and German subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The U.S. was supposed to have Dolby True HD Sensurround track, but Shout Factory included English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English: Dolby Digital 3.1 tracks. This release has an English DTS-HD Master Audio 3.1 I assure that this was the audio track that should have ended up on the U.S. release. If I am wrong, please contact me and let me know.

So I went back and forth between the lossy track and the lossless track and compared plenty of different sequences with the rollercoaster (for example the footage from around the 00.11.30 mark) and I think that the separation and depth are excellent. On the other hand, had I not know that the U.S. release had DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track I most likely would not have noticed as the difference in my opinion isn't overwhelming. Nevertheless, if this is the mix that the film is supposed to be viewed with, it should have been the default option the U.S. release. The basic characteristics of this track are excellent.

Rollercoaster Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Tommy Cook - in this new video interview, writer/associate producer Tommy Cook recalls how the original story that inspired Rollercoaster came to exist and discusses some the film, some of the changes that were made during the production process, and James Goldstone's direction. The interview was conducted exclusively for Shout Factory. In English, with optional German subtitles. (13 min).

• German Trailer - original German trailer for Rollercoaster. In German, not subtitled. (4 min).

• U.S. Trailer - original U.S. trailer for Rollercoaster. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• U.S. Teaser - original U.S. teaser trailer for Rollercoaster. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• U.S. Radio Spots - original radio spots for Rollercoaster. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Coaster Force - footage from a real contemporary rollercoaster ride shot at the same location where James Goldstone made his film. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Photo Gallery -a collection of vintage promotional materials for Rollercoaster.

• Cover Art - reversible cover.

• Photo Gallery -a collection of vintage promotional materials for Rollercoaster.

Rollercoaster Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shout Factory's release of Rollercoaster was supposed to have a Dolby True HD Sensurround track, but when it arrived on the market it had only a Dolby Digital 3.1 track (plus a lossless 2.0 track). This recent German release from Koch Media has a lossless 3.1 track and I am going to assume that it is the track that was supposed to be on the U.S. release. Earlier tonight I viewed the film with it and I think that the audio was first-class, but to be honest I also thought that the lossless 2.0 track was very good. The rollercoaster action is where things really heat up and there is definitely a difference, though I think that you should consider an upgrade only if Rollercoaster is one of your favorite films. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.