That'll Be the Day Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

That'll Be the Day Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 5, 2019

Claude Whatham's "That'll Be the Day" (1973) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage production and promotional materials, as well as exclusive new interviews with producer David Puttnam, screenwriter Ray Connolly, and critic Bob Stanley. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

That'll Be The Day has to be seen with Stardust because these films complete the same cycle, which is about a dream that becomes a reality and then self-destructs. That’ll Be The Day came out in 1973, and Stardust appeared a year later.

England, sometime during the 1950s. Abandoned by his father (James Booth), Jimmy MacLaine (David Essex) is growing up frustrated with just about everything that his single mother (Rosemary Leach), relatives and friends consider normal. He sees a wasted life ahead of him, and the more he thinks about it, the more convinced he becomes that he has to act to save what’s left of it. It is why one day he dumps his schoolbooks in the local river, packs his travel bag and leaves.

On the Isle of Wight Jimmy becomes a deckchair attendant at a holiday camp whose guests frequently flirt with him. He enjoys his newly found freedom and rarely misses an opportunity to sleep with a ‘bird’ that just wants to be entertained, but the bedroom fun quickly gets old and he begins fantasizing about having a band. His more experienced but not necessarily more mature roommate Mike (Ringo Starr) does his best to keep him grounded in reality -- as he sees and understands it -- but they rarely agree on the things that Jimmy thinks should matter the most in life.

The good times end when Jimmy starts doubting his lifestyle and then settles down with a girl who instantly begins transforming him into a copy of his worthless father. Terrified by the change, Jimmy begins reevaluating his new life and responsibilities, and then in a desperate attempt to regain his freedom leaves his family again.

The sense of nostalgia that permeates Claude Whatham’s film is what makes it unforgettable. The various truths that Jimmy discovers during his rebellion are legit and they can certainly resonate in special ways with different viewers, but it is really the period environment in which the young man struggles to get a clear picture of what his life ought to be that produces the cinematic magic. Interestingly, the film isn’t shot with the intention of being a time capsule, meaning that Whatham’s camera does not intentionally seek to capture important period details. The camera actually treats the young man as a close friend who is going through some tough times and when he feels the need to be alone with his thoughts basically steps away, as a real considerate person would. This relaxed and very casual attitude does wonders for the narrative and the film’s authenticity.

On the other hand, the film still has a crystal-clear pulse. It is called rock ‘n’ roll. Jimmy regularly gets a dose of inspiration from local star Stormy Tempest (very good Billy Fury) and his boys, plus all kinds of other classic tunes are used to make it obvious that the new sound from the other side of the Atlantic is on everyone’s mind. Most of Jimmy’s frustration is actually fueled precisely by this particular development, as he does not just want to be part of the crowds that are witnessing the explosion of rock ‘n’ roll. He is dreaming of creating and performing his own kind of it and having the same crowds fall in love with it.

Starr is practically unrecognizable, but in a very good way. His performance is relaxed and conveys lovely nuances that leave the impression that he is a hot new actor well on his way of becoming a star. Keith Moon has a small cameo as well.

Whatham brought on board cinematographer Peter Suschitzky, who later on lensed some of David Croneberg’s biggest films, including Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, Crash, and Cosmopolis.

That'll Be the Day 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, That'll Be the Day arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal.

I have already viewed Stardust as well, which we will review shortly, and in my opinion both films look very strong in high-definition. However, after the restoration this film still reveals some small but noticeable signs of aging. They are in no way distracting, but I assume that most people will compare it to Stardust, which looks cleaner, healthier, and more vibrant. My guess is that the element that was used to produce the restored master for this film was not in optimal condition -- there is one segment with very obvious fading on the left side of the frame -- which is why density for instance can fluctuate a bit. Also, some of the darker footage reveals black crush which a more careful grading could have avoided. Some very light sporadic softness is present as well, but I think that most of is actually inherited. (A lot of the visuals reveal a look I would expect an interpositive to deliver, though I am unsure if this is the element that was used to produce the current master). The color grading is good, but ideally a few nuances could and should be expanded. Image stability is excellent. (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).

That'll Be the Day Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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

The audio has been remastered and anyone with a decent system should be able to tell as soon as the opening credits disappear. Depth, clarity, and balance are very nice. There is a very good range of nuanced dynamic as well, though as it is always the case with these types of older films native limitations remain. There are no audio dropouts, pops, background hiss, or distortions to report.

That'll Be the Day Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with David Puttnam - in this new video interview, producer David Puttnam explains how the original idea for That'll Be the Day emerged, its main character and some of the unique dilemmas that his generation faced, the important role that music has in the film, the casting of David Essex and his performance, etc. The interview was recorded exclusively for Studio Canal. In English, not subtitled. (21 min).

• Interview with Bob Stanley - in this new video interview, critic Bob Stanley discusses some of the key themes that run through That'll Be the Day, the role that rock 'n' roll played in post-war England and how his generation viewed the film, David Essex's character, etc. The interview was recorded exclusively for Studio Canal. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Interview with Ray Ray Connolly - in this new video interview, screenwriter Ray Connolly remembers how he was hired to do the screenplay for That'll Be the Day, his interactions with producer David Puttnam, the era that is recreated in the film, the similarities between his life experiences and those of the the film's protagonist, some of the locations where different segments from the film were shot, etc. The interview was recorded exclusively for Studio Canal. In English, not subtitled. (23 min).

• Stills Gallery - a collection of production and promotional stills. (1 min).

That'll Be the Day Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

When rock 'n' roll reached post-war Britain it was more than just great new music from a distant place called America. It was an idea that embodied everything youngsters wanted more of -- fun and excitement, great adventures to make them feel alive, true love and above all freedom. The wild rhythms and harmonies that rock 'n' roll promoted made them feel and believe that all of it was within their grasp, and all they had to do was reach out and claim it. This is what David Essex's character does in That'll Be the Day -- he attempts to claim what ought to make his life worth living. I like the film a lot but not because I find his struggle fascinating. I like the big picture that he is a part of because the film gets it right, without actually insisting to be seen as a legit time capsule. StudioCanal's release of That'll Be the Day is sourced from a nice new restored master. If you decide to get it, you absolutely have to pick up its follow-up, Stardust, which is an even better film. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.