Used Cars Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Used Cars Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 3, 2019

Robert Zemeckis' "Used Cars" (1980) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Swiss label Explosive Media. The supplemental features on the disc include a vintage audio commentary with Robert Zemeckis, Kurt Russell and Bob Gale; vintage promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Hollywood is still making them but the recipe is completely different now. The silly, spicy and crude are not countered with equal or larger doses of humor, so the end product is usually a tasteless mess that is awfully difficult to endure. The right recipe that was around during the ‘80s gave us wonderful gems like Robert Zemeckis’ Used Cars. Sure, some of the hairstyles and suits look a bit off now but everything else in this film is delicious. This is what a great R-rated comedy looks like.

Making ends meet as a used car salesman has been a tough gig for Rudy Russo (Kurt Russell), which is why he has decided to run for State Senate. But to get in the race Rudy needs ten grand, and the only person in town that is willing to solve his financial problem is Luke Fuchs (Jack Warden), the aging owner of the lot where he is currently employed. So, the two meet and strike a deal: Rudy will get the money but as a politician he will protect Luke from his brother Roy (Warden again), who owns another lot across the street and has been scheming with the mayor to have the local Consumer Protection Agency shut down his business. Shortly after Rudy and Luke shake hands, however, the latter has a heart attack and dies. At first Rudy panics, but then recovers and with the help of Jeff (Gerrit Graham) and Jim (Frank McRae) buries his boss’ body behind the lot. When Roy and his associates from across the street notice that Luke is absent, Rudy begins telling everyone that knew his boss that he has quietly gone on vacation to Florida.

In the days that follow Rudy and Roy engage in a fierce battle for clients that creates some serious ripple effects across town. After a marketing masterpiece that incorporates the skills of a group of young striptease dancers Rudy takes the lead, but then Roy makes an equally surprising move that causes a serious dent in his story about Luke’s disappearance and threatens to collapse his business. While the battle rages, Luke’s estranged daughter Barbara (Deborah Harmon) appears and further complicates the rivalry.

The film has an amazing authentic energy that instantly makes it irresistibly attractive. On top of this, it is so obvious that the entire cast is having a ball with the various colorful characters that even the smaller scenes have some pure gold. For example, the short segment where the semi-naked dancers pop up on the TV screen and an entire family learns about Rudy’s latest hot deals is one of the highlights in the film. In the final third where the teenagers jump in the old cars there are also numerous wonderful surprises.

But the stars really are at the top of their game in this film. Warden effortlessly switches personalities and is just a pleasure to behold when he tries to outsmart his competitor. Russell remains funny from start to finish and is really the catalyst of the great energy that gives the film its identity. McRae and Graham shine at the right time as well. And when Harmon eventually enters the madness, there is a noticeable shift in the film’s temper.

Zemeckis and screenwriter Bob Gale have shared some very interesting stories about the production of the film and its distribution history. For example, the original script for the film initially landed at Universal, and it was only after it was rejected that Columbia became interested in it. However, after some very positive early screenings, Columbia mismanaged the film’s theatrical schedule and actually hurt its box-office potential. (The North American DVD release of Used Cars has a wonderful audio commentary with Zemeckis, Gale, and Russell that has a lot of other very interesting stories and is very much worth listening to in its entirety).

Used Cars Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Used Cars arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Explosive Media.

The release is sourced from an older master that was provided by Sony Pictures. I have not seen the out of print U.S. release that Twilight Time produced and cannot confirm that it was sourced from the same master, but I would be quite surprised if there are indeed multiple older masters in Sony's vaults.

The good news is that there are no traces of problematic digital corrections, so the key qualities of the presentation that we address in our reviews are mostly decent. On the other hand, it is easy to see that there are areas that could be improved, and in some cases, such as delineation during darker/nighttime footage, there is actually plenty of room for substantial upgrades. The color grading is convincing, but this is another area where improvements can be made. Image stability is good. There are no large damage marks or cuts, but I did notice various minor specks and even some blemishes popping up, so I think that it is fair to speculate that a future 4K remaster will undoubtedly eliminate them. Finally, the encoding could have been quite a bit better because on a larger screen there are areas of the film where some inconsistencies actually impact delineation and depth. (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).

Used Cars 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.

I thought that the 2.0 track was excellent. It has very good depth and a solid range of dynamic nuances. Also, stability is excellent and there are absolutely no traces of age-related anomalies, such as upper range distortions, hiss, hum, or crackle. The folks at Sony Pictures must have done all the proper work to have the audio sound as good as it can when they prepared their master for the film.

Used Cars Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

NOTE: All of the supplemental features on this Blu-ray release are perfectly playable on North American Blu-ray players, including the PS3.

• Trailer - a vintage U.S. trailer for Used Cars. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• Outtakes - collection of outtakes. In English, not subtitled. (5 min, 480/60i).

• Kurt Russell on TV - a hilarious promo with Kurt Russell imitating his character. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 480/60i).

• Radio Interview - in this vintage audio interview, Kurt Russell promotes Used Cars and discusses the character he plays. In English, with optional German subtitles. (5 min, 1080p).

• Isolated Score Track - presented as DTS 2.0.

• Commentary - this vintage audio commentary by Robert Zemeckis, Kurt Russell and Bob Gale initially appeared on the North American DVD release of Used Cars that Sony Pictures produced. It contains an incredible amount of factual information about the production of the film, but it is also very entertaining. If a fan of the film, definitely listen to it in its entirety. In English, with optional German subtitles.

• Cover - reversible cover.

Used Cars Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Compare Used Cars to Blockers and you will see everything that R-rated comedies lost over the years. The real tragedy, however, is that now there is actually a legitimate new definition of "funny", which is why on the back cover of Blockers you will see Vanity Fair praising the film as "the perfect comedy for the current era". Riiiight. There is a brand new release of Used Cars that is out via Shout Factory, so if you like the film and reside in North America you should take a look at it first before you consider this Region-B release. RECOMMENDED.