Thunder and Lightning Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Thunder and Lightning Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 29, 2019

Corey Allen's "Thunder and Lightning" (1977) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Explosive Media. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage U.S. trailers for the film as well as promotional materials from around the world. In English, with optional English and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The tricky bootlegger

Thunder and Lighting has the charisma of a project that Sam Peckinpah would have put together while vacationing with a bunch of friends in Florida. Of course, Peckinpah had nothing to do with it. It was directed by Corey Allen, who was just as prolific behind the camera as he was in front of it. His acting credits, however, are a lot more impressive. They include classics like Rebel Without a Cause and Sweet Bird of Youth as well as genre gems like Private Property and TV’s Police Woman.

Sunny Florida. David Carradine plays a small-time moonshine bootlegger named Harley Thomas whose life has suddenly become very complicated. He has plans to marry Nancy Sue Hunnicutt (Kate Jackson) and expand his business, but this does not sit well with his future father-in-law, R.J. Hunnicutt (Roger C. Carmel), who is a big-time moonshine bootlegger planning to get even bigger. Because Harley has refused to consider an alternative business, R.J. has dispatched a couple of his goons to destroy his equipment and inform his clients that they will be serviced by a new supplier. R.J. has also told his messengers that while getting the job done they could make him even happier if they manage to get Nancy Sue to walk away from his competitor.

When Harley’s equipment is destroyed and his two trusted partners (absolutely hilarious Pat Cranshaw and Sterling Holloway) forced to retreat in the Swamp, R.J. ships a huge batch of fake moonshine to meet the demands of his new clients. But Harley refuses to surrender and together with Nancy Sue goes to work to expose the scam, maybe even bring R.J. and his operation down.

Comparing Thunder and Lighting to Smokey and the Bandit is unavoidable because both films were released in 1977 and deliver equally big doses of Southern redneck humor. Also, both films take racing and car-crashing very, very seriously. So, it is really the personalities of their stars and the quality of the writing that ultimately shape up their identities and make them appear different.

The check that producer Roger Corman handed to Allen undoubtedly had an impact on the quality of the action in Thunder and Lighting as well. For example, while there are some very nicely staged and executed chases and crashes the scope and scale of the action is significantly smaller. To be perfectly clear, the action is essentially limited to a few convenient locations and never flourishes as it does in Smokey and the Bandit, plus the amount of traffic that takes place before the camera is much smaller as well. So, Thunder and Lighting has a pretty good B-movie vibe running through it, and the more one compares it to Smokey and the Bandit, the easier it becomes to recognize.

The Peckinpah-esque charisma is a byproduct of the film’s very casual sense of humor. On the other hand, the humor lacks the playfulness and wit that these types of ‘70s genre films need to have mass appeal as they go overboard with the action, so while being in the company of its protagonists at times one does feel like the whole thing was done by a director that simply wanted to please a bunch of good ol’ boys who started drinking with him as soon as he went to work. (Ironically, the intimate vibe is the exact reason why this writer found Thunder and Lighting a lot more enjoyable than Peckinpah’s Convoy, which tries to be playful and witty but only ends up damaging its personality).

Corman offered James Pergola the opportunity to lense the film. He had previously worked as a camera operator on Lady Ice, Dillinger, and Night Moves.

Thunder and Lightning Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Thunder and Lighting arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Explosive Media.

The release is sourced from an older master, likely the same master that Fox used to produce this DVD release of Thunder and Lighting in 2005. Understandably, there are some common limitations on it. For example, while there are no traces of problematic digital adjustments -- such as degraining and sharpening -- some of the wider panoramic shots struggle to convey the type of proper depth that a brand new 2L/4K remaster would. Also, in some darker areas delineation isn't convincing, and the grain occasionally tends to look flat and noisy. But as far as the key qualities of the master are concerned this is pretty much it. There is still decent depth and clarity is often quite pleasing. The daylight footage even boasts decent fluidity. Some of the primary colors can be better saturated and nuances should be better balanced, but the master was graded well and it is easy to see that it is so. Image stability is very good. Some specks and dark spots remain, but there are no distracting large debris, cuts, warped or torn frames to report. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Thunder and Lightning Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English and German subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The English lossless track is stable and with a strong dynamic amplitude, which tells me that when the current master was prepared it was likely remastered. It is also clean. Even when the volume is turned up there are no obvious traces of background hiss and upper register distortions. If any further improvements can be done they will likely be cosmetic, not really altering the basic characteristics of the existing lossless track.

Thunder and Lightning Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - vintage U.S. trailer for Thunder and Lighting. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 720p).

• Teaser - vintage U.S. teaser trailer for Thunder and Lighting. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 720p).

• Gallery - a collection of original promotional materials for the film from around the world. With music. (2 min, 720p).

• Cover - reversible cover.

Thunder and Lightning Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Corey Allen's Thunder and Lighting should be on your radar if you have seen and enjoyed Smokey and the Bandit and Convoy, though I have to warn you that at times it actually feels like a bad redneck remake of Bonnie and Clyde. In other words, it is very much an acquired taste. I usually go for one of these genre films when I am tired and need to unwind before I go to bed, and then they very rarely disappoint. This recent release is sourced from an old but good master that was provided to Explosive Media by Twentieth Century Fox. It is Region-Free. RECOMMENDED.