Mr. Majestyk Blu-ray - Charles Bronson

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

directed by Richard Fleischer
US 1974

Cinema's most rugged tough guy, Charles Bronson (Breakheart Pass), threads his uncompromising coolness through a tight weave of car chases, shootouts and bare-knuckle brawling in this gritty, forceful action film (L.A. Herald Examiner)! Bronson stars as Majestyk, an ex-con and Vietnam vet whose efforts to run a farm are thwarted by narrow-minded locals and corrupt cops. But when a Mafia hitman (Al Lettieri, The Getaway) destroys Majestyk's crop, the farmer's fuse is finally blown. With his rifle in hand and his girlfriend (Linda Cristal) at the wheel, he goes after the syndicate assassin. And from high-speed back-road chases to an explosive backwoods confrontation between mobster and maverick as they stalk each other: two-of-a-kind antagonists to the death. Directed by legendary director Richard Fleischer (Compulsion) and written by the great Elmore Leonard (Out of Sight). The wonderful supporting cast includes Linda Cristal, Lee Purcell, Paul Koslo and Taylor Lacher.

***

Charles Bronson, his eyes just about open, strides through this film as a paternalistic melon-grower in Colorado, anti-racist, tolerant of unions (well, you can tell, he gets the melon-picking union girl in the end; how does Cristal keep her hair so black and shiny after all that sweaty work?), who falls foul of local crooks and labour racketeers. But melon-grower beats ruthless psychopath, casting aspersions at the police force en route. Fleischer handles a heavy script and most of the acting like no one should handle a melon; but he really soars into competence at moments of tension, car chases, and general cinematic escapism.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 17th, 1974

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Comparison:

Euro Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

1) Euro Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray LEFT

2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Euro Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray	Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray	Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:43:37.920	1:43:46.637	1:43:38.837
Video	Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,443,778,183 bytes Feature: 21,801,332,736 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.00 Mbps	Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,073,748,450 bytes Feature: 22,743,091,200 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 25.97 Mbps	Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,974,933,390 bytes Feature: 21,163,343,424 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Euro Video Blu-ray
Bitrate Kino Lorber Blu-ray
Bitrate Kino Lorber Blu-ray
Audio	DUB: DTS-HD Master Audio German 1638 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1638 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit / DN -4dB) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1652 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1652 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit / DN -4dB)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1692 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1692 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)	LPCM Audio English 768 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	None	English, None	English (SDH), None (on trailer too)
Features	Release Information: Studio: Euro Video 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,443,778,183 bytes Feature: 21,801,332,736 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.00 Mbps Edition Details: • Trailer (1:35) DVD Release Date: June 16th, 2011 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Kino Lorber Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,073,748,450 bytes Feature: 22,743,091,200 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 25.97 Mbps Edition Details: • Trailer (1:33) Blu-ray Release Date: August 12th, 2014 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters: 16	Release Information: Studio: Signal One Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,974,933,390 bytes Feature: 21,163,343,424 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps Edition Details: • Audio commentary with Bronson and Fleischer expert Paul Talbot, author of Bronson's Loose!: The Making of the Death Wish Films • Colorado Chic (2015): newly-filmed interview with actress Lee Purcell (27:56) • Colorado Cool (2015): newly-filmed interview with cinematographer Richard H. Kline (14:00) • Lobby cards, posters and stills gallery • Original theatrical trailer (1:33 with optional HoH subtitles) Blu-ray Release Date: January 4th, 2016 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters: 10

Comments

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

ADDITION: Signal One - Region 'B' Blu-ray (January 2016): There are some slight differences in the Signal One video appearance - it is technically about the same as the other two (single-layered, AVC) but the colors are slightly deeper and richer - I found this more visually appealing. The audio is in a linear PCM, authentic, mono track and the uncompressed transfer sounds excellent - flat and, presumably, a strong replication of the original. There are optiuonal English (SDH) subtitles on the region 'B'-locked Blu-ray disc.

Where the Signal One, definitively advances is in the extras. We get a solid audio commentary with Bronson and Fleischer expert Paul Talbot, author of Bronson's Loose!: The Making of the Death Wish Films filling us in on many interesting details about Bronson. Robert Fischer's Fiction Factory have produced two brand-new special features: In the 14-minute COLORADO COOL, director of photography Richard H. Kline, ASC, remembers his friend Charles Bronson and the many action highlights of the movie, and in the 28-minute COLORADO CHIC, actress Lee Purcell, who plays the bad guy’s gorgeous moll, analyses her part and pays tribute to her acting partner Al Lettieri. There are also Lobby cards, posters and stills gallery plus an original theatrical trailer.

Signal One advance to the highest value of the three - an impressive a/v with plenty of valuebla supplements including a commentary and 45-minutes of Fiction Factory interviews. This is the best BD package to get for fans of Bronson and this adept Richard Fleischer 'revenge' film.

***

ADDITION: Kino Lorber - Region 'A' Blu-ray (Aug 2014): This 1080P transfers produce a virtually duplicate video image. It's is fairly modest but probably can't look much better. Both are in 1.85:1, and single-layered with similar technical robust-ness. Colors match up exactly. Both editions provide a decent, clean and consistent, if not dynamic, HD presentation.

Audio is likewise a duplicate - both using a DTS-HD Master stereo track at 1600 kbps in original English. The Euro Video does default to a German DUB and is region FREE - where the Kino, offers optional English subtitles and is region 'A'-locked.

The only extras are a trailer for both Blu-rays. Basically, both are 'bare-bones' discs.

Mr. Majestyk is reminiscent of other 70's similar themed efforts like Walking Tall or Rolling Thunder with a just fight against heaping corruption with a healthy dose of revenge tacked on. Bronson's hordes of loyal fans will garner the highest level of appreciation. Either Blu-ray should suffice for a 'Don't Tread On Me' night in the home theatre.

- Gary Tooze

1) Euro Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray LEFT

2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

Subtitle Sample

1) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM