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Midnight Run [Blu-ray]
(Martin Brest, 1988)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: Universal Video: Second Sight (UK)
Disc: Region: 'B' (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player) Runtime: 2:06:18.571 Disc Size: 48,096,300,109 bytes Feature Size: 34,452,738,048 bytes Video Bitrate: 31.00 Mbps Chapters: 12 Case: Standard Blu-ray case Release date: April 20th, 2015
Video: Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit DTS-HD Master Audio English 1722 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1722 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles: English (SDH), none
Extras: • We Got the Duke - Interview With Charles Grodin (12:28)• Moscone Bail Bonds - Interview With Joe Pantoliano (14:24) • Hey Marvin! - Interview With John Ahston (17:27) • Midnight Writer - Interview With Screenwriter George Gallo (24:49) • I'm Mosely! - Audio Interview With Yaphet Kotto (7:37) • Original Making Midnight Run promo (7:26)
The
Shout! Factory is cited
as being from a 2K scan from the Inter-postive and has the
following extras:
Bitrate:
Description: Bounty hunter Jack Walsh has got a new assignment, one that could set him up for retirement. He's just got to get bail-jumping accountant Jonathan 'The Duke' Mardukas back to L.A. by midnight on Friday. But he's not the only one on his trail. The Duke's just embezzled $15 million from the mob who want him dead, trying to get him first are the FBI who want him to testify, five minutes in his company and Jack just wants him to shut up. It's going to be a long journey from New York to L.A.! With a razor-sharp script and performances to match, Martin Brest's cult road movie sees De Niro give one of his greatest comic performances, equally matched by his co-star Grodin.
The Film: Director Martin Brest, of Going in Style and Beverly Hills Cop fame, was in charge of Midnight Run. Robert De Niro stars as Jack Walsh, a hard-bitten bounty hunter offered $100,000 to bring in embezzler Jonathan Mardukas (Charles Grodin). Handcuffed to the wimpy Mardukas, Walsh assumes that the extradition trip from New York to Los Angeles will be an uneventful one. But the prisoner hasn't told Walsh the whole story: the embezzler owes $15 million to a mobster (Dennis Farina), and he's been targeted for assassination. It's a toss-up as to what is the most entertaining aspect of Midnight Run: the slam-bang action and chase sequences or the verbal byplay between DeNiro and Grodin. Excerpt from MRQE located HEREThat old formula, handcuffed captor and captive who become buddies on the run, gets an injection of new life from the playing of the cast. Bounty hunter Jack Walsh (De Niro) captures bail-jumping accountant Jon Mardukas (Grodin) in New York, but his problems really start when he tries to deliver him to the bail bondsman in LA. Mardukas, learning that his employer was a Mafia mobster, stole millions which he distributed among the poor, and Walsh has to run the gauntlet of the FBI, the Mob and a rival bounty hunter (Ashton), besides putting up with his captive's concern about smoking and morality. Both actors get off on each other, improvising routines and inhabiting the standard 'Odd Couple' teaming so interestingly that at times the film touches a profundity. Here and there, director Brest succumbs to the car chase, but overall the movie is way above average for the genre. Excerpt from Timeout located HERE
Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Midnight Run gets a Blu-ray transfer from Second Sight in the UK. It is dual-layered with a very high bitrate for the 2 hour feature. With extensive zooming-in on some of the outdoor sequences - I see some minor digitization and edge-enhancement. I recall this on the Universal US SD transfer as well, that looked occasionally thin to me. I'm not pointing any fingers at Second Sight - I'd guess it is part of the master used. What is there is very minor anyway. The 1080P supports a decent video presentation with some minor depth in the 1.85:1 frame. It's pristinely clean and the many dark scenes don't exhibit any visible noise. Overall, I was pleased with this Blu-ray's visuals in-motion.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :We get the option of a linear PCM 2.0 channel stereo at 1536 kbps or a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround at 1722 kbps. The latter has some separations and the film is filled with effects both aggressive and subtle. Gunshots sound deep and there is some crispness notable in the score by Danny Elfman (Big Eyes, Darkman, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Edward Scissorhands, Good Will Hunting, Beetlejuice). Nothing but positives for the audio transfer. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked.
Extras : Extras include over 1 1/4 hour's worth of interviews with Charles Grodin, Joe Pantoliano, John Ahston, screenwriter George Gallo and, an audio-only one with Yaphet Kotto. There is also a 7.5 minute vintage "Making of' video piece.
BOTTOM LINE: Gary Tooze April 9th, 2015
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About the Reviewer: Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out new film experiences. I currently own approximately 9500 DVDs and have reviewed over 5000 myself. I appreciate my discussion Listserv for furthering my film education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver. Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our Amazon links.
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