6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Bikers kidnap a young woman and disrupt a peaceful way of life in a quiet commune.
Starring: Clint Ritchie, Jess Walton, Paul Prokop, Michael Ontkean, Lavelle RobyCrime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
It’s Hippies vs. Bikers for 1971’s “The Peace Killers,” with director Douglas Schwartz and screenwriter Michael Berk (the pair would go on to co-create “Baywatch”) trying to locate some sense of moral and philosophical foundation as they detail all sorts of behavioral awfulness. It’s heavy-handed all the way, but interestingly ambitious, watching the production attempt to comment on the futility of violence while indulging it for the drive-in crowds.
Making use of an older master, Scorpion Releasing brings "The Peace Killers" to Blu-ray with an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Freshness is lacking, but some detail survives consistent softness, handling distances adequately, and rougher costuming for biker gear registers as intended. Colors are a tad muted, but the brightness of the outdoor locations helps to bring greenery to life. Clothing retains period hues, and skintones are natural. Delineation is acceptable. Grain is chunky. Source has some wear and tear, with scratches and speckling detected during the viewing experience.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix deals with inconsistency due to aged elements and production limitations. Hiss is present, and levels dip on occasion. Dialogue exchanges are satisfactory, never hitting lows of unintelligibility, but nothing is especially crisp. Soundtrack selections and scoring are adequate, dealing with basic instrumentation and position. More insistent are the sound effects, with roaring motorcycle engines a top priority for the track.
"The Peace Killers" isn't made with any subtlety, but it has some thoughts on the ways of rage and the pains of restraint, supplying viewers with a little more than basic conflict between polar opposites. There's ugliness to keep the target demographic interested, as it wouldn't be a movie from the 1970s without some form of sexual assault happening to inspire horror, but the effort doesn't wallow in the muck. Schwartz emphasizes action instead, and when he finally gets around to starting trouble between the bikers and the hippies, he stands "The Peace Killers" upright, locking on the primal divide between those who believe in love and those who thrive in chaos. It's hardly a film to watch for college credits, but as this subgenre goes, there's at least some level of thought put into the screenplay.
1972
1979
1973
1975
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1973
1972
1974
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1976
Limited Edition to 3000
1972
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De la part des copains
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Milano trema: la polizia vuole giustizia
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Zeroka no onna: Akai wappa
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1978