6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Carnaby Street will never be the same after Rita and Lynn embark on a "mod" adventure to fulfill their dreams of excitement and success. In the beginning, they stick together and get by working as cocktail hostesses and dish washers. However, their luck changes in no time and they part ways while swinging into fame, Redgrave as a recording star and Tushingham as "the face of the 1970's." It is not until they meet again that they realize even Smashing Times must come to an end!
Starring: Rita Tushingham, Lynn Redgrave, Michael York, Anna Quayle, Irene HandlComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
1967’s “Smashing Time” is a romp about Swinging London, and it does whatever it can to project a mood of comedic insanity, trying very hard to be the liveliest viewing experience of its release year. Director Desmond Davis offers no restraint here, giving the movie over to a moment in time when the city was exploding with fashion, music, and attitude, sending stars Lynn Redgrave and Rita Tushingham on an odyssey of thespian bigness that’s remarkably exhausting to watch. “Smashing Time” is ready to loved and appreciated as a satiric overview of a cultural movement, but about halfway through the endeavor, it starts to feel like a runaway train that’s run out of track.
"Smashing Time" comes to Blu-ray boasting a "Brand new HD master from a 4K scan of the original camera negative." The AVC encoded image (1.67:1 aspect ratio) presentation enjoys a considerable boost in clarity, with hues from the cartoon opening credits making an immediate impression, delivering vibrant primaries. Thankfully, colors remain jubilant throughout, enjoying help from exaggerated costuming and period decoration, bringing out the boldness of the setting, with its myriad of advertisements and fashion. Tushingham's big blue eyes also add some snap. Detail is strong, permitting study of facial surfaces and fibrous outfits, along with street exploration, securing signage to capture the time capsule vibe of Swinging London. Delineation is comfortable. Grain is filmic. Source is in fine shape, with a few visible hairs and some mild speckling.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is inherently cacophonous, putting the natural shrillness of the lead actresses to the test through a heavy amount of ADR, which doesn't welcome a fuller sound. Dialogue exchanges are strange enough, but lines aren't lost along the way, keeping performances present. Music isn't as lush as hoped, with an inherent tininess, but musicianship registers. Sound effects are loud, as is everything here, with major comedic set pieces dipping into sonic chaos, but, again, this seems to be the intent, mixed with some age-related wear and tear.
"Smashing Time" takes a few shots at Candid Camera, pokes fun at the entertainment industry, and indulges the outrageous of self-expression from the era. It's an excitable film, but enthusiasm doesn't equal achievement here, as most of the movie is too open range for its own good. There are intermittent creative aspects that manage to shine, and while Tushingham and Redgrave are playing hostile characters, they manage to pull off some sense of purpose to Brenda and Yvonne's mission. "Smashing Time" is an amazing time capsule of Swinging London escapades and decoration, but as a spinning carousel of manic antics, it's a ride that's difficult to enjoy to the very end.
1969
1923
2016
2015
2015
1974
2020
2020
2017
1989
1981
2010
Warner Archive Collection
1981
2016
Limited Edition to 3000
1967
Fallo! / Do It!
2003
2019
1958
2017
2015