Tequila Sunrise Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Tequila Sunrise Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman August 31, 2026

For such a (then) contemporary feeling film, Tequila Sunrise may hark back to its parent studio Warner Brothers' output from the 1930s in such films as Angels with Dirty Faces and The Roaring Twenties which featured plots hinging on friends who end up on opposite sides of the law (Manhattan Melodrama, somewhat ironically now available on Blu-ray from Warner Archive, was a Metro Goldwyn Mayer feature with the same setup). In this 1988 iteration, a former drug dealer (Mel Gibson) is attempting to go straight either because of or in spite of a longtime friend (Kurt Russell) who is a cop and who has been assigned to investigate him. When both fall for a comely local restaurant owner (Michelle Pfeiffer), both ménage à trois and drug sting elements enter the fray, in a high gloss presentation (aided and abetted by Conrad Hall's Academy Award nominated cinematography) that is probably more overtly stylish than the above linked efforts from a bygone age.

Tequila Sunrise had a release on 1080 Blu-ray from Warner Brothers in 2014 and Michael Reuben's Tequila Sunrise Blu-ray review provides plot information, a list of supplements and an analysis of the technical presentation. Per my mantra "different reviewers means different opinions", my score for the film differs.

Tequila Sunrise Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Arrow sent a check disc for purposes of this 1080 review, but a full retail final set for purposes of the Tequila Sunrise 4K Blu-ray review. I'm assuming that per Arrow's standard operating procedure, the packaging, including the insert booklet, is the same for both resolutions.

Tequila Sunrise is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow's insert booklet contains the following information (which contains a few typos, one of which is overtly referenced below, with the others corrected courtesy of my "copy editing") about the presentation:

Tequila Sunrise has been restored by Arrow Films and is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with original 4.0 and 2.0 stereo audio. For the UHD presentation the film is in 4K resolution in HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

The original 35mm camera negative was scanned at 4K / 16 bit resolution at Warner Brothers / Motion Picture Imaging. The film was restored in 4K resolution and colour graded at Duplitech. An original 35mm answer point [one assumes print ] was used as a primary colour grading reference.

The audio mixes were restored by Þorsteinn Gislason.

All materials sourced for this new master were made available by Warner Brothers. QC review was completed by Pixelogic.

Michael wasn't especially enthused about the old 1080 release by Warner Brothers, and my hunch is anyone sharing his opinion would be even less enthused now that there's this version to compare it to. As I try to do in my reevaluations of films that have already had at least one release, I've attempted to duplicate some of Michael's screenshots in this review (the above linked 4K review has more screenshots from this 1080 disc). Even a cursory comparison will easily show major improvements aside and apart from the correction of the aspect ratio (the old Warner disc was in 1.78:1). Clarity is markedly improved along with fine detail levels, but there's also an observable refreshing of the palette, even in SDR on the 1080 release. While the evocative oranges and yellows that often predominate the outdoor cinematography are incredibly lustrous, even less immediately gobsmacking scenes like vignettes in the police station or restaurant also have considerably better color timing and suffusion. There are some passing moments, including what look like a couple of optical zooms, where grain spikes noticeably, but on the whole it resolves very tightly and organically. While this 1080 SDR presentation is excellent on its own merits, I'd certainly recommend those with the appropriate equipment who are fans of this film to opt for Arrow's standalone 4K release, as the improvement in the palette is even more noticeable in that version courtesy of its HDR / Dolby Vision grades.

Tequila Sunrise Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Tequila Sunrise features LPCM 2.0 and DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0 options, the latter reproducing the theatrical exhibition's matrixed Dolby Stereo track. The 4.0 mix still is pretty front channel centered, with the rear channels often used to help provide background ambient environmental sounds. Michael noted some "muddiness" in the stereo mix on the old Warner Brothers disc with regard to Dave Grusin's impeccable score, but I didn't really hear anything too unusual, which may suggest that the restoration efforts by Þorsteinn Gislason were able to overcome or at least ameliorate any inconsistencies. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly. There are the same forced subtitles in one scene (as seen in screencapture 9 from Michael's review). Otherwise, optional English subtitles are available for the entire feature.

Tequila Sunrise Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary by Thom Mount


• California Dreaming (HD; 20:57) is a new interview with producer Thom Mount.


• From Chinatown to Manhattan Beach (HD; 25:18) is a new appreciation of Robert Towne by Lucy Bolton.


• Sunrise to Sunset (HD; 16:51) is a new interview with second assistant director Robert Roda.


• Sin City (HD; 16:18) is a new interview with actress Lala Sloatman.


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:32)


• Image Gallery (HD)

Arrow's insert booklet contains three interesting essays and a reprint of the ASC Awards nomination for Conrad Hall from American Cinematographer. The sleeve is reversible and packaging features a slipcover.

Tequila Sunrise Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I'm not much of a drinker, but my sons love to razz their old man when he does indulge in his favorite mixed cocktail, which is indeed a tequila sunrise (my boys think it looks like fruit punch or something similar, something an adult male, or at least their father, should not be drinking). In that regard and vis a vis adult versus children's drinks, somewhat hilariously a local restaurant we frequent hadn't been able to make me a tequila sunrise on several visits since they were lacking a needed ingredient, until the owner told me she had finally had stocked grenadine to put in Shirley Temples for the tots. This film has all of the "right ingredients" for its tequila sunrise, but the sheer beauty of both the marquee stars and Conrad Hall's cinematography may slightly undercut the grittiness that Robert Towne was aiming for. One way or the other, this is still an often bracing narrative, and it's received a really lustrous new transfer, along with some very appealing new supplements. Recommended.