6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
While in the hospital, 60-year-old truck driver Elegant John Howard (Henry Fonda) gets his rig repossessed by the finance company. Deciding that it's time to make one last perfect cross-country run, he escapes from the hospital and steals back his truck. He further turns his back on the law by escorting a motley crew of people across the border as a favor to his old flame, bordello madam, Penelope Pearson (Eileen Brennan).
Starring: Henry Fonda, Eileen Brennan, Austin Pendleton, Robert Englund, Dub TaylorDrama | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
BDInfo
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 2.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Adventures highlighting the travel plans of rebellious truckers were all the rage in the 1970s, but only one production had the smarts to cast one of the greatest actors of all time, Henry Fonda, in the leading role. 1977’s “The Great Smokey Roadblock” (titled “The Last of the Cowboys” on the disc) offers Fonda the part of a sickly man facing his mortality, taking off on one last mission across America to help friends new and old while avoiding trouble from local cops and younger rivals. Writer/director John Leone isn’t making high-art with the endeavor, and his command of tone leaves a lot to be desired, with “The Great Smokey Roadblock” unsure if it wants to be deadly serious or slightly madcap. It doesn’t come together with any sort of distinction, but the movie does have Fonda, who gives a little extra to the production, playing up the story’s death march severity and its interest in wackiness with professional ease.
The packaging heralds a "Brand new HD master," and while the claim may be true, there's no information provided as to where the master originated from. The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation doesn't provide a fresh viewing experience, leading with a muddier, aged look that also seems to be hit with some baked-in filtering. Detail isn't profound, and while cinematography doesn't always meet professional standards, textures are softened and smoothed throughout. Faces lack definition, along with costuming, with everything looking flat and uninviting. Colors are fatigued, keeping skintones and clothing drab. Outdoor adventuring fares better due to brightness, offering some blue skies and adequate greenery. Delineation isn't terrific, finding solidification claiming scenes with limited lighting. Source has some considerable wear and tear, with speckling and lengthy scratches detected, along with jumpy frames. Grain is zombified. At the 77 minute mark, a brief stretch of footage is warped.
Little is expected from the 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix, which maintains a very average listening event for "The Great Smokey Roadblock." Age is apparent throughout, along with recording limitations of the day, but dialogue exchanges aren't difficult to follow, reaching a handful of muddier moments. Soundtrack selections fare a little better, and while instrumentation isn't precise, the tunes support mood as intended, delivering a road trip vibe with a country slant. Sound effects are loud enough, highlighting squealing tires and revving engines.
"The Great Smokey Roadblock" gets out of control in its second half, with the trucking family eventually meeting with knuckleheads Bobby (John Byner) and Guido (Austin Pendleton), who's carefully described a molester of ducks. Drugs, dance, and unfunny jokes lead into a climax, which doesn't come fast enough for a film in need of more precise editing. However, John's passion for his journey remains open for study, and Fonda makes the script's emotionality come to attention, even when his authenticity contrasts harshly with the rest of the offering's trivial mischief. Leone tries to have it both ways, exploring the concept of a dying freeway cowboy and the shenanigans he gets involved in, and it doesn't come together cleanly. "The Great Smokey Roadblock" is only sharp and expressive in small amounts, appreciated more for what it wants to do over what it actually accomplishes.
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Limited Edition to 3000
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Il mio nome è Nessuno | Mi Nombre es Ninguno | 40th Anniversary Edition
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