Rating summary
| Movie |  | 5.0 |
| Video |  | 3.5 |
| Audio |  | 4.5 |
| Extras |  | 3.0 |
| Overall | | 4.5 |
Rudy 4K Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 6, 2024
Sony has released the magnificent 1993 inspirational sports film 'Rudy,' starring Sean Astin and directed by David Anspaugh, to the UHD format.
New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video and Dolby Atmos audio. Additionally, this release includes two cuts of the film, whereas the 2008 Blu-ray included only the theatrical cut. That Blu-ray disc is included with
purchase. The UHD disc also includes new extras, including a commentary track tied to the director's cut.
Rudy Ruettiger (Sean Astin)
dreams of one day playing football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. From a young age, he's told
he'll never amount to anything more than another employee in the steel mill run by his father
Daniel (Ned Beatty). When
his best friend Pete, the only person who believed in his dreams, perishes in an accident at
the mill, Rudy says his goodbyes and leaves for South Bend, Indiana with nothing but $1,000 for
tuition and a duffel bag full of what little he owns. He's denied entrance to Notre Dame, but is
granted admittance at her sister school, Holy Cross, with the promise of a re-evaluation later on
should he earn good grades. Rudy works as tirelessly with the books as he does on the field, and
with every passing grade, every drop of sweat, and every ounce of sheer determination inside his
body, he inches closer to his dream of attending Notre Dame and participating in coach Ara
Parseghian's (Jason Miller) open tryouts for a place on the legendary
football squad.
For a full film review, please click
here.
Rudy 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Wow! Sony releases Rudy to the UHD format with a stunning new 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD presentation that puts any thought of the
old transfer being "about as good as we'll ever see the film" to rest (I wonder who said that?). This new presentation is the product of a faithful filmic
presentation that looks striking in every shot, offering audiences a perfectly healthy and wonderfully realized film-like image that maintains a nicely
pronounced and evenly distributed grain structure. Included are naturally sharp textures across the board, which range from the usual facial and
clothing wonders to the complexities inside a factory, the beautiful appointments in school offices, Holy Cross classrooms, and roughhewn textures in
locker rooms. The image really thrives on the football field where every blade of grass is precisely defined and ultra sharp, and even the brickwork and
cracked pavement around the field of play are tangible precise. This is an absolute textural delight.
Not to be outdone are the Dolby Vision colors. This is a sparkling new presentation of the film that finds a dramatic uptick in tonal accuracy and
boldness. The green grasses on football fields, especially the well-manicured turf at Notre Dame, sparkle with a richness and accuracy that far exceeds
the old Blu-ray even at its best. Various period clothes are wonderfully bold and accurate, fires in the plant are vivid, skin tones are healthy and full,
black levels are perfect, and whites are brilliant. It's a small matter but look at a book Rudy is holding at the 39:12 mark (director's cut). It's a black
cover with white
lettering that might be insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but its accuracy and perfect contrast are a delight. Consider also the absence of any
encode issue and print issues, and this is a wonderful presentation that every fan must have in their film and UHD collections.
Rudy 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The new Dolby Atmos track accompanying Rudy offers a rock-solid listen that amplifies the parts that benefit from amplification and offers
good, clear, settled elements for dialogue and mild atmosphere. The Atmos track springs to life with some tangible full stage extension in various
moments, such as at a plant at the 20-minute mark where sounds of
work being done envelop the stage, and an alarm blaring moments later seems to emanate with a very real sense of place and space. The explosion to
follow acks a healthy wallop. For a film that is
often dialogue heavy, those elements really pierce and penetrate the listening area with wonderful impact. Additionally,
blaring band music, crowd din, and hard hits on the field effortlessly pull listeners into gameday with not always discrete, but certainly well utilized,
overhead content. The core elements are faithfully presented, especially Goldsmith's stellar score, which is rich and nicely defined with well capable
spacing and wonderful fidelity. Bold atmospherics pull the listener nicely into school hallways and other moderately sonic intensive locations. Dialogue is
clear and well prioritized and plays from a grounded front-center location.
Rudy 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
Sony releases Rudy to the UHD format with all of the legacy extras from the 2011 Blu-ray, only on the Blu-ray disc, as well as additional new
extras on the UHD, including a new commentary track and new deleted scenes. Note that the UHD disc includes two versions of the film; Theatrical
(1:54:00) and Director's (2:017:18). At time of writing this UHD only ships exclusively in SteelBook packaging. The front panel offers a dreamlike
quality as Rudy stands on the Nore Dame field, in coat and tie with his duffel bag at his side, dreaming of his future. The sun pierces through clouds
at the top, offering an amber glow. The film's title appears in large white letters top center. On the back is a triumphant Rudy propped on the
shoulders of his teammates, a shot from the film's climax. The spine is black with the film's title in gold, center. A white UltraHD logo appears at the
top and a white Tri-Star logo at the bottom. Inside, the digital copy code is tucked underneath the left-hand-side tabs. The two discs, one UHD and
one Blu-ray, are situated on the right in
staggered-stacked formation. The inner print is a two-panel spread that features Rudy in a Notre Dame football uniform jogging on the field on the
left. A blurred crowd fills both panel backgrounds.
UHD:
- NEW! Audio Commentary: Director David Anspaugh and Writer Angelo Pizzo reflect on the film in this new commentary. It is very heavy
on anecdotal comments but also offers insight into technical details, cast and performances, Goldsmith's legendary score, and more.
- NEW! Deleted Scenes (1080p, 3:14 total runtime): Additional scenes beyond those included on the Blu-ray. Included are Spaghetti,
Game's On, Stadium (no audio), This Story, and Train Tracks.
- Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 1:59).
Blu-ray:
- Rudy: The Real Story
- Production Featurette
- First Down with Sean Astin
- Previews
Rudy 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Sony's new UHD release of Rudy puts the old Blu-ray to shame. This is a magnificent presentation from start to finish. The new 2160p/Dolby
Vision video is a thing of beauty. The Atmos track is effective, the new director's cut is most welcome, and the new extras are a delightful addition,
especially the commentary. The SteelBook packaging is wonderful, too, and this release earns my highest recommendation.
