Semi-Tough Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Semi-Tough Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 31, 2020

Michael Ritchie's "Semi-Tough" (1977) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The only bonus features on the disc are a vintage trailer for the film and a collection of archival promotional and production materials. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

You have to wonder if Michael Ritchie was in some way inspired by Hal Ashby’s film Shampoo when he conceived Semi-Tough. Actually, scratch that. You don’t have to wonder at all because it is pretty obvious that Ritchie used Ashby’s blueprint to load up his film with the social criticism that shapes up its identity. Here’s what I mean:

Take a look at the vintage poster for Semi-Tough. Your immediate guess is that it would likely be a light comedy, with Burt Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson being at the center of the fun activities, which should have something to do with football. It is a logical guess because this is precisely the type of film this poster was designed to sell. However, even though Reynolds and Kristofferson play big football stars on their way to the Super Bowl, and there is never a shortage of smiling women around them, Semi-Tough is not a comedy. In fact, it is not even about football and football stars. Much like Shampoo, which by the way is also not about hair products or the fashion industry, Semi-Tough is a very witty chameleon, and everything that its poster promises is a facade that protects its intention to catch you off guard.

Before I explain why Semi-Tough wants to do so, I wish to remind you what Ashby does in Shampoo and why. Basically, Ashby uses Warren Beatty’s cheating hairdresser as a piece of litmus paper and then inserts him in different groups of ‘nice people’ living and doing business in mighty Hollywood. There are a lot of laughs throughout the entire film, but the more Ashby moves Beatty’s character around, the more you begin to realize what utter hypocrites the ‘nice people’ are. The film is utterly brutal, but in such a delicate way that it can almost fool that it was in fact conceived as a lighthearted comedy.

Now, let’s go back to Semi-Tough. Jill Clayburgh plays the spoiled daughter of the wealthy businessman who owns the football team that Reynolds and Kristofferson’s characters play for and she is constantly miserable because she can’t quite figure out how they can both be permanent parts of her uneventful life. And it is not because they are not already there, rather it is because she can’t decide how to be committed to a ‘meaningful’ relationship and still have her freedom. Then one of the hunks offers her the opportunity to legally become his wife, and while she initially likes the idea, her continuous reexamination of her feelings and emotions eventually sends her in the opposite direction. In the ensuing drama the hunks also begin to question their priorities, and then on the way to the big game begin reevaluating their lives.

The manner in which Ritchie uses romance to carve open the world of professional football is very similar to the way in which Ashby uses romance to unleash its litmus test in Hollywood. Indeed, behind the good times that follow the football team there is so much ugliness and hypocrisy that at one point the glamorous environment in which all of the ‘successful’ people spend their time begins to look exactly like the circus from Ashby’s film. When it happens, the actual game becomes an extremely minor detail of the narrative. (In Ashby’s film the hairdressing business is utterly irrelevant from the get-go).

What effectively separates these two very interesting ‘70s chameleons is their vision for the future. Ahsby’s film sums up its findings like a medical report which at the end discloses a terminal diagnosis. Ritchie’s film, while still loaded with plenty of alarming and eye-opening cynicism, remains hopeful for the future.

*Ritchie’s adaptation of Dan Jenkins’ novel is quite loose. The novel is notably wilder and its biting satire reaches even further.

Semi-Tough 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, Semi-Tough arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from a recent 2K remaster. It is a good organic remaster, but I have to make it clear that before it was finalized the film was not restored. Why do I mention this? Because even though the entire film has a very pleasing organic appearance, you should expect to see a technical presentation of it with room for improvements. For example, density levels could be better, which means that ideally depth should be more convincing as well. (If I had to guess, I would say that the remaster was struck from an interpositive, so sharpness is another area where meaningful improvements can be made). Furthermore, while the color grading is very convincing, some of the supporting nuances can be fine-tuned for superior overall balance. Shadow definition can be improved as well. Various tiny white dots and even a few small scratches remain, so a manual cleanup could have made the film look healthier. I still like the presentation a lot, though, so if you are interested in owning a copy of this film I can assure you that you will be satisfied with the manner in which it has transitioned to Blu-ray. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Semi-Tough Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio is clean and stable. However, there are a few sequences -- the big party around the 00.35.00 mark is a good example -- where small flat spots emerge. I have a gut feeling that a full-blown restoration will likely address these spots and maybe even improve balance. Still, you don't have to worry because the overall quality of the lossless track is still very good.

Semi-Tough Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for Semi-Tough. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 480/60i).

• Image Gallery -a collection of vintage promotional and production materials for Semi-Tough. With music. (5 min, 1080p).

• Additional Trailers - additional trailers for the following titles from Kino Lorber's catalog:
  
  1. Navajo Joe
  2. 100 Rifles
  3. Sam Whiskey
  4. Fuzz
  5. White Lightning
  6. Gator
  7. Stick
  8. Malone
  9. The Crew
  10. Vigilante Force
  11. Convoy
  12. Luna
  13. Prime Cut
  14. The Couch Trip
  15. Diggstown

Semi-Tough Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Elsewhere in this article I mentioned that Michael Ritchie's Semi-Tough borrows the same blueprint that Hal Ashby's Shampoo utilizes to unleash its satire, which is why there are such obvious similarities between the two. However, I believe Semi-Tough will resonate better with folks that have seen and enjoyed Rich Eustis' Serial and Stephanie Rothman's Group Marriage as they have a similar sense of humor and remain equally optimistic about the future. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from a good 2K remaster, but does not have any meaningful bonus features. RECOMMENDED.