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Cohen and Tate [Blu-ray]
(Eric Red, 1988)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: Nelson Entertainment Video: Ar row Video
Disc: Region: 'B' (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player) Runtime: 1:26:03.199 Disc Size: 36,155,928,009 bytes Feature Size: 27,606,191,808 bytes Video Bitrate: 36.19 Mbps Chapters: 7 Case: Transparent Standard Blu-ray case Release date: December 5th, 2016
Video: Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bitt
Subtitles: English (SDH), none
Extras: • Audio commentary by writer/director Eric Red• A Look Back at Cohen & Tate, a retrospective documentary featuring Eric Red, cinematographer Victor J. Kemper, editor Edward Abroms, and co-stars Kenneth McCabe and Harley Cross (20:43) • Eric Red's original storyboards for the opening farmhouse shoot-out (PDF in root of disc) • Original, uncut versions of the farmhouse (2:11) and oilfield shoot-outs (2:48) • Original theatrical trailer (2:27) • Extensive stills gallery • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Kim Newman
Bitrate:
Description: They were hired killers going up against the
deadliest force of all... Each other.
The Film:
Some of the most interesting films of the 1980s offer a heady mix of a
B-movie ethos, a focus on unpleasant people in unpleasant situations,
disturbing undercurrents, and haunting imagery. COHEN AND TATE is
a noteworthy example of this tendency and a remarkably assured first
film for writer-director Eric Red. COHEN AND TATE begins at a
farm in Oklahoma, where nine-year-old Travis Knight (Harley Cross) and
his family are hiding under FBI protection after Travis witnesses a mob
hit. When Cohen (Roy Scheider) and Tate (Adam Baldwin) show up, the two
hit men kill the boy's family and kidnap the child, planning to take him
to their mob bosses in Houston. The film turns into a very grim
variation on O. Henry's "The Ransom of Red Chief" as the boy
sizes up the tense group dynamics and begins setting the men against
each other.
Eric Red, scriptwriter of The Hitcher, turns his hand to writing and directing for this suspenseful low-budget thriller. Both films revolve around the theme of innocent captured by raving sadist. Travis (Cross) is a nine-year-old boy who has witnessed an underworld killing. Cohen (Scheider) and Tate (Baldwin) are professional killers who must kidnap the boy and transport him from Oklahoma to their bosses in Houston. The nightmarish journey takes place at night, with the jaded taciturn Cohen increasingly angered by the lunatic ramblings of his violent sidekick. Added to this is their young hostage, who sets the men up against each other, and concocts various escape plans. Red does wonders with a simple budget and scenario; the sparsity of props and dialogue enhances the often brutal tension, while balance is struck with hefty doses of black humour. Cohen wears a hearing aid and dreams of retirement, while Tate chews matchsticks and 'has shit for brains': unlikely villains made credible by the context and Scheider's low-key performance. Excerpt from Timeout located HERE
Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Cohen and Tate gets a 1080P transfer to Blu-ray from Arrow Films in the UK. It is dual-layered with a max'ed-out bitrate for the 1.5 hour feature. Much of the film is ion a car at night but there is no noise in those, many, darker sequences. There is a textured, consistent presentation in the original 1.85:1 frame. It has no major flaws that I could ascertain. This Blu-ray looks supportive in-motion providing a decent HD presentation.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :Arrow utilize a linear PCM 2,0 channel track at 2304 kbps. It helps export the film's abundant aggressive effects (guns, cars, crashes etc.) with notable depth. The, occasionally intense, score is by Bill Conti (F/X, Rocky, Harry and Tonto, The Right Stuff) and adds to film's 'thriller genre' attributes and it certainly benefits from the lossless transfer. There are optional English subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked.
Extras : Arrow include the older audio commentary by writer/director Eric Red and a 20-minute retrospective documentary featuring Eric Red, cinematographer Victor J. Kemper, editor Edward Abroms, and co-stars Kenneth McCabe and Harley Cross entitled A Look Back at Cohen & Tate. Those keen can access Eric Red's original storyboards for the opening farmhouse shoot-out via a PDF in root of disc. There are also the short original, uncut versions of the farmhouse (2:11) and oilfield shoot-outs (2:48) sequences as well as an original theatrical trailer and stills gallery. The package has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys and for the first pressing ONLY you get a collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Kim Newman.
BOTTOM LINE: Gary Tooze November 28th, 2016
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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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