Fighting Mad / Moving Violation

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Fighting Mad: An Arkansas farmer (Academy Award nominee Peter Fonda, Easy Rider) wages a one-man war against corrupt land developers who want to evict him and his neighbors from their farms to create real estate developments and to conduct illegal strip mining. Also starring Lynn Lowry (They Came From Within) and Scott Glenn (The Silence Of The Lambs, Silverado). Written and directed by Academy Award winning director Jonathan Demme (The Silence Of The Lambs, Philadelphia, Stop Making Sense).

Moving Violation: While passing through the small town of Rockfield, drifter Eddie Moore (Stephen McHattie, Watchmen) gets harassed by Sheriff Leroy Rankin (Lonny Chapman) and his deputy. When Eddie meets local waitress Cam Johnson (Kay Lenz, White Line Fever) in town, that’s when trouble begins for both. They witness something they weren’t supposed to see and are set up by the sheriff for a murder they didn't commit. Action ensues with high-speed car chases and explosive shootouts. Also starring Eddie Albert, Will Geer and Dick Miller.

directed by Jonathan Demme
USA 1976

Widowed Tom Hunter (Peter Fonda, THE TRIP) returns to his home town in hopes of a better life for his son Dylan (Gino Franco). He discovers that strip-miner Pierce Crabtree (Philip Carey, THE SCREAMING MIMI) has bought up much of the farmland and is trying to pressure his brother Charlie (Scott Glenn, The Silence Of The Lambs) and father Jeff (John Doucette, BIG JAKE) into selling their farms. When Charlie and his wife are mysteriously killed, Tom takes over his land and his legal suit against Crabtree. When the court rules that Crabtree is not responsible for any damage to neighboring farms by his blasting, he uses it to drive people from their homes. When his father dies in a mysterious barn fire, Tom dons a bow and arrow (and some serious firepower) to take on Crabtree and his goons personally). Lynn Lowry (I DRINK YOUR BLOOD) and Harry Northup (BOXCAR BERTHA) co-star.

Eric Cotenas

Posters

Theatrical Release: 8 October 1976 (USA)

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DVD Review: Shout Factory (Fighting Mad/Moving Violation Action-Pac) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Review!

Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Shout Factory Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:27:42
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.86 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono
Subtitles	none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Shout Factory Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Audio Commentary with producer Roger Corman, director Jonathan Demme, and actors Peter Fonda and Lynn Lowry • Theatrical Trailer (16:9; 3:36) • TV spot (4:3; 0:26) • Bonus trailers for DAMNATION ALLEY, RACE WITH THE DEVIL, GORDAN'S WAR, and DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY DVD Release Date: May 24th, 2011 Amaray Chapters 10

Comments

Shout Factory's single-layer, progressive, anamorphic transfer (sharing a disc with MOVING VIOLATION) seems as true to the film's cinematography as SD allows (I did not notice any compression artifacts from the single-layer encoding). Mono audio is fine (although a few ad-libs require rewinding). Producer Corman, director Demme, and actors Fonda and Lowry appear on a lively commentary track. Corman took his inspiration from the hillbilly revenge films like BILLY JACK (and his strong reaction to an article on strip-mining). Demme says that he and composer Bruce Langhorne listened to Morricone's score for ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST for inspiration.

Fonda mentions that he did his own archery (and accidentally took out a spotlight) and that the guns used in the climax belonged to him personally. Lowry relates that Fonda did not want her to slap him in a tense scene late in the movie, but Demme told her to do it anyway. They have fond memories of Doucette, Carey, and novice child actor Franco. The theatrical trailer and TV spot (misidentified as TV spots plural) round out the extras.

- Eric Cotenas

DVD Menus

Screen Captures

directed by Charles S. Dubin
1976 USA

No sooner does drifter Eddie (Stephen McHattie, PONTYPOOL) set foot in the small southern town of Rockford than he is hassled by corrupt Sheriff Rankin (Lonny Chapman, THE WITCH WHO CAME FROM THE SEA) and deputy Tylor (Dennis Redfield, DEAD & BURIED). Waitress Cam (Kay Lenz, HOUSE) proves friendlier and soon the two are sneaking onto the estate of local bigwig H.R. Rockfield (Will Geer, THE MAFU CAGE) for some skinny-dipping. Rockfield has the local law enforcement in his pocket since he is drilling for oil under town property, but Tylor wants a bigger cut of the payoffs and tries to blackmail Rockfield. Eddie and Cam are in the right place to witness Rankin shooting Tylor, who stumbles into the back of Cam's van, prompting a chase by Rankin. Rankin tells his officers that Cam and Eddie killed Tylor and soon they are on the run into the next county. When Rockfield puts out a story that the young couple are not only murderers but terrorists, they seek the help of eccentric lawyer Alex Warren (Eddie Albert, THE DEVIL'S RAIN) who has it in for Rankin. Warren tells the press that not only will Cam and Eddie surrender to the government (not the police) but he will also reveal who really murdered the deputy. Now Warren must get his two clients back to Rockford alive, with officers from both counties chasing them and trying to kill them. Paul Linke (GRAND THEFT AUTO) and Dick Miller (BUCKET OF BLOOD) co-star.

Eric Cotenas

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 1976 (USA)

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Shout Factory (Fighting Mad/Moving Violation Action-Pac) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Review!

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Shout Factory Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:31:24
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.86 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono
Subtitles	none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Shout Factory Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Audio Commentary with director Charles S. Dubin, producer Julie Corman, and actor Stephen McHattie • Theatrical Trailer (16:9; 2:39) • TV spot (4:3; 0:28) DVD Release Date: 24 May 2011 Amaray Chapters 10

Comments

Shout Factory's single-layer, progressive, anamorphic transfer (paired with FIGHTING MAD) is attractive, with little evidence of edge enhancement and healthy grain. The mono audio is in good condition as well. The cover art was printed before the commentary was recorded and, thus, erroneously states that Roger Corman also participates in the commentary.

Dubin was separately recorded, but his comments are well-edited to seem as if responding to some of Julie Corman's prompts for McHattie, who has only sporadic memories of the film. There are, nevertheless, some stretches of silence. A theatrical trailer and at TV spot round out the extras.

- Eric Cotenas

DVD Menus