True Colors Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

True Colors Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 19, 2026

Herbert Ross' "True Colors" (1991) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The only supplemental feature on the release is an exclusive new audio commentary by author and critic Matthew Asprey Gear. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Politics has been, is, and always will be a dirty game. It is not because it cannot be reformed. It can easily be reformed. However, if it is, it would lose its functionality. Politics is a dirty game because it exists to grant tremendous powers to those who call themselves politicians, and no one, even the most respectable among them, is immune to the many perks that come with these powers. For politics to be effectively reformed, the majority of those who call themselves politicians would have to severely restrict, even reject, the powers that attract them to it, keep them in it, and corrupt them. It is an impossible scenario, something of an oxymoron, too.

Herbert Ross’ film True Colors spends nearly two hours presenting evidence that politics will always be a dirty game for the simple reason highlighted above. Much of the evidence is very cynical, but it needs to be so that the underlying dynamics that ensure politics remains a dirty game are easy to grasp.

These underlying dynamics are observed from two different angles. At the beautiful campus of the University of Virginia, law students Peter Burton (John Cusack) and Tim Gerrity (James Spader) bump into each other and soon after become best friends. They could not be any more different. Burton comes from the very bottom of society and can hardly wait to reach the top. Gerrity has always been near the top. He is rich and dating Diana Stiles (Imogen Stubbs), the beautiful daughter of the influential Senator James Stiles (Richard Widmark). Burton dreams of a career in politics and is ready to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goal. Gerrity is willing to sacrifice a great deal, but not everything, to be a prosecutor for the Department of Justice.

At the right time, Burton inserts himself in Gerrity’s reality, impresses Senator Stiles, and earns himself an offer to work as a campaign staffer on his team. Then, no longer interested in the knowledge and networking opportunities that the University of Virginia can provide, Burton ditches the law books, begins an affair with Gerrity’s girlfriend, and, once again at the right time, marries her. Now officially related to Senator Stiles, Burton announces his bid to enter politics and demands his father-in-law’s valuable endorsement.

It is right around this point, however, that Burton is outmaneuvered in the same way as he has his best friend, his former girlfriend and current wife, and his wife’s influential father. Shady businessman John Palmeri (Mandy Patinkin) begins supporting Burton’s campaign in exchange for favors that quickly transform him into a target for Gerrity and several top Department of Justice officials.

True Colors produces drama that is not going to surprise viewers who have followed American politics closely during the last several decades. The lies, backstabbing, betrayals, illegal kickbacks, and hypocrisy its characters are entangled in are of the kind that the mainstream media routinely focuses on. The interesting, and very true, revelation that emerges from True Colors is that they are all part of the culture that protects the status quo in Washington D.C. In other words, Burton is not the morally corrupt chameleon that he appears to be in two-thirds of True Colors. He is just a brutally pragmatic player making the best plays he can, much like Barry Lyndon does in a different place and time.

For this reason, the finale is very effective. Instead of wrapping up True Colors with a feel-good resolution, it only reaffirms the obvious. With or without Burton in it, the game remains the same, wide open to those willing to enter it and risk it all to join the winners.

Herbert Ross shot True Colors with Italian-born cinematographer Dante Spinotti, who lensed several of Michael Mann’s best films, including Heat and The Insider. There is a predictably brilliant soundtrack by Trevor Jones as well.

True Colors Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, True Colors arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

The release is sourced from an older master, supplied by Paramount. From what I could tell, this appears to be the same master used to produce various DVD releases of True Colors, which means that it is at least two decades old. Nevertheless, I think that it produces pretty decent, often even surprisingly very nice-looking visuals. Its biggest strength is that it is not plagued by compromising digital corrections. For this reason, while some wider panoramic shots reveal predictable weaknesses, all visuals retain fine organic qualities. They are just not as strong and consistent as they would be if the current master were recently struck in 2K or 4K from an interpositive or the original camera negative. Still, even on a very large screen, delineation, clarity, and depth are mostly pleasing, and the density levels never collapse. (On many old and weak masters, this is a major issue). Color reproduction and balance are fine. However, this is an area where several meaningful improvements can be made. For example, saturation levels should be superior, and different ranges of dark nuances and highlights can be expanded. However, despite the limitations of the master, I did not see any troubling anomalies. Image stability is good. The entire film looks surprisingly clean as well. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

True Colors Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

True Colors has an outstanding soundtrack that creates a strong 1980s atmosphere, rather than a 1990s atmosphere. I have always liked it a lot, and I must say that the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track helps it shine very well. I am unsure if there is any room for meaningful improvements. Dynamic variety is already very good. Perhaps some minor enhancements are possible to make the music and some other portions of the audio sound fuller and better-rounded, but I did not notice any distracting age-related anomalies.

True Colors Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by cinema author and critic Matthew Asprey Gear.

True Colors Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Peter Burton is like Barry Lyndon. The two play the same game to join the same elite group of winners. It is why there is so much cynicism in their stories. It is also why both of them are easier to describe as ruthless pragmatics, rather than despicable human beings. Imprint Films' Blu-ray release of True Colors is sourced from an older master, supplied by Paramount Pictures. This master has some predictable limitations, but it still produces decent visuals and makes it possible to enjoy the film. RECOMMENDED.