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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Bobby Roth
USA 1984

 

Los Angeles painter Arthur Blue (Peter Coyote, E.T. and Bitter Moon) and businessman Eli Kahn (Nick Mancuso, Ticket to Heaven and Nightwing) are the best of friends, commiserating and competing always, whether on the racquetball court or in the singles bar. When Blue’s long-term girlfriend Cyd (Kathryn Harrold, Modern Romance and The Sender) leaves him for a more successful artist (Barney Miller’s Max Gail) and Eli’s father (George Morfogen, They All Laughed and V) passes away, they each fall for a beguiling French art gallery manager (Carole Laure, Sweet Movie and Get Out Your Handkerchiefs), and their fragmented bromance enters crisis mode. The late Carol Wayne (The Tonight Show and Surf II) co-stars and leaves a lasting impression as Blue’s sad artistic muse and sometime lover.
 

Filmmaker Bobby Roth (The Boss’ Son and Circle of Power aka Brainwash) based his screenplay on his experiences growing up and working in Los Angeles, and the film reflects his insider’s view of the city and deep personal connection to the characters. Although filmed in Hollywood, Heartbreakers refreshingly and effectively evokes the mood of European relationship dramas. To this end, the film employs two of Germany’s most revered exports to world cinema: director of photography Michael Ballhaus (the longtime cinematographer for Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Martin Scorsese) and pioneering electronic musicians Tangerine Dream (Sorcerer, Thief and Risky Business), who contribute one of their most emotional and evocative scores.

***

In the upscale corners of Los Angeles, undiscovered fetish painter Arthur Blue (Peter Coyote) and workout garment scion Eli Kahn (Nick Mancuso) were old buddies with a good-natured ongoing rivalry over who was doing better with the ladies. As they both fall for the same gorgeous gallery owner (Carole Laure), however, the competition starts becoming less than friendly. Era-redolent drama also stars Max Gail, Carol Wayne, Kathryn Harrold, Jamie Rose.

***

Blue, a yet-to-be discovered painter, is left by his longtime girlfriend because she considers him too immature for a lasting relationship. Eli, Blue's best friend, works for his father's garment business and is still searching for a woman who's interesting enough to spend more than one night with. Blue and Eli's friendship is put to the test when they both fall for Liliane, Blue's exotic gallerist.  

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 28th, 1984

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Review: Fun City Editions - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Thanks to Colin Zavitz for the screen captures etc.

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:
Distribution Fun City Editions - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:38:50.674        
Video

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,308,008,485 bytes

Feature: 29,684,797,440 bytes

Video Bitrate: 31.93 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1552 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps / 24-bit)
Isolated music track:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1552 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 384 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps / DN -27dB
Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Fun City Editions

 

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,308,008,485 bytes

Feature: 29,684,797,440 bytes

Video Bitrate: 31.93 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Newly recorded audio commentary by filmmaker Chris O'Neill and Bill Ackerman of the Supporting Characters podcast
•" Pieces of My Life" - a newly filmed video interview with director Bobby Roth
•"Mr. Amour and the Outsider" - a newly filmed video interview with stars Peter Coyote and Nick Mancuso
• Video introduction by director Bobby Roth
• Image Gallery
• Isolated music track
Booklet with new essays by Richard Harland Smith and Margaret Barton-Fumo


Blu-ray Release Date: August 30th, 2022
 Transparent Blu-ray Case inside slipcase

Chapters 6

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Fun City Editions Blu-ray (November 2022): Fun City Editions have transferred Bobby Roth's Heartbreakers to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New 2K restoration from its 35mm interpositive". It has that, less-resilient, 80's film stock but ends-up looking quite textured and pleasing if green-leaning. Colors and contrast are passive but the 1080P is reasonably consistent. It's on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate and probably can't look much better in this format.

NOTE: We have added 50 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Fun City Editions use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Heartbreakers has few aggressive moments but a delightful 11 pulsating tracks by Tangerine Dream (The Keep, Firestarter, Miracle Mile, Risky Business, Thief, Sorcerer etc.) and there is other music sampling - Etta James tunes; The Blues Don't Care and You Want More, Otis Redding's I've Been Loving You Too Long, Transformation by Nona Hendryx and Pat Benatar's, always catchy, Love Is a Battlefield. It sounds consistent and flawless in the lossless. NOTE: There is an isolated music track option for those who enjoy Tangerine Dream. Fun City Editions offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Fun City Editions Blu-ray offers a new commentary by filmmaker Chris O'Neill (loved his visual essays on Drugstore Cowboy, I Start Counting, Walking the Edge etc.) and Bill Ackerman (brilliant commentaries on Natural Enemies, The People Next Door, Puzzle of a Downfall Child etc.) of the Supporting Characters podcast. I haven't yet indulged but have liked all previous supplementary content from both commentarists. There is also a newly filmed video interview with director Bobby Roth entitled "Pieces of My Life" and another video interview with stars Peter Coyote and Nick Mancuso entitled "Mr. Amour and the Outsider". There is also a video introduction by Roth, an image gallery, the already-mentioned isolated music track, and the package has a liner notes booklet with new essays by Richard Harland Smith (another favorite) and Margaret Barton-Fumo.   

Heartbreakers is sly expose that deserves reassessment. Peter Coyote is great as the angry young artist, Blue. Bobby Roth should be given strong kudos for his confident direction of a film filled with cleverness, unsatisfied characters, wanting, desire, jealousy, resentment - all circling around the observant, angst-flowing, rhythms of life. Fun City Editions continue releasing highly deserved content and their Blu-ray of Heartbreakers has the commentary, new interviews including participation from the director. Great package - strongly recommended!

Gary Tooze

 

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Distribution Fun City Editions - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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