6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
By day, Bud Davis toils at a Texas oil refinery; at night, he trades his hard hat for a Stetson and heads to Gilley's, Houston's most popular nightclub.
Starring: John Travolta, Debra Winger, Scott Glenn, Barry Corbin, James GammonWestern | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
German: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
French: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (224 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, German
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A mechanical bull is in the middle of flesh-and-blood romance in Urban Cowboy, Director James Bridges' (The China Syndrome) Honky Tonk love story between man and woman and mankind and machine. The film follows the ebbs and flows of infatuation turned to love turned to wedlock, leading to a marriage of tests and trials with the bull, and another man, in the middle. The film is dramatically robust, strongly performed, and plays to the tune of a legendary soundtrack that altogether yield a gem of a movie about holding on to what's important, even when bumps and bucking threaten to bring it all tumbling down.
Urban Cowboy's 1080p transfer is imperfect but largely fine. There are some errant, lingering spots and speckles seen throughout the picture. Grain is inconsistent; some scenes appear naturally filmic while others appear a little smoothed over and flat. On the whole, the better far outweighs the bad, resulting in a perfectly presentable image, even if it's a far cry from the finest remasters on the market from the same vintage. There are some photographically inherent softer corners around the frame. Primary element detail is solid, yielding good command of essential faces and clothes, though nothing that is particularly noteworthy for a Blu-ray released in 2020. Interiors around Gilley's don't find much more than essential reproduction, like signage, woods, and the worn mattresses around the mechanical bull. Colors are not particularly bold, favoring a fairly flat, uninteresting output, particularly in low light Gilley's interiors but also in better lit scenes, such as when Bud is at the job site during the day. Essential clothing tones and skin elements are by-and-large fine. Black levels are deep but teeter on crush at times. This is not a transfer that makes a statement, but it is the best the film has ever looked for home consumption. Fans will be left wanting more, but as it is this is not a bad image by any stretch; just a rather pedestrian one.
Urban Cowboy rides onto Blu-ray on the back of a well-rounded DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The swingin' Honky Tonk music plays with excellent front side width and volume over the opening titles, a feisty, energetic start to the movie that sets the tone for what's to come. Music is the movie's lifeblood, with each song reflecting a scene's mood and dramatic stance. Vitality is first-rate and clarity is solid, too. These vintage tunes just dance out of the speakers, and while clarity is not absolute, it's close. Light atmospherics around Gilley's, Bud's job site, and other locations is not quite so sonically interesting and engaging, but the minor background supports, heard in both the front and rear channels, do demonstrate essential command of location specifics. A few action effects, like landing punches, present with enough oomph to support the moment but not quite so much as to reveal lifelike reproduction. Dialogue is generally clear and well defined, though there are some unevenly pitched exchanges here and there. Center placement and prioritization are just fine.
Urban Cowboy's Blu-ray includes a retrospective featurette, deleted scenes, outtakes, and rehearsal footage. A digital copy code is included
with purchase.
This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.
Urban Cowboy is a fine film that explores human drive and sexuality within the context of good old down-home music. Travolta, Winger, and Glenn are great in the lead roles, the tunes are classics, and the setting is as genuine as it gets. Paramount's Blu-ray is hardly a revelation, but the picture quality is as good as one has ever seen in the home, the soundtrack is great, and the extras are fairly good in quality, though quantity is slightly lacking. Recommended.
2010
4K Restoration
1955
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1955
1997
Limited Edition to 3000
1959
2011
2011
Indiskret
1958
1953
1953
40th Anniversary Edition
1983
1967
1991
Warner Archive Collection
1928
1958
Collector's Edition
1981
2005
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1957
2015
2008