The Getaway (1994) (HD-DVD)

Studio: Universal
Video Release Date/Film Release Date: 2007 - 1994
Rating: Unrated
Film Length: approx. 116 minutes
Video/Aspect Ratio: 1920x1080p/24 - 2.35:1
English Audio Track/s: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 - Dolby Digital Plus 5.1
Video Quality: 3
Audio Quality: 5
Player & Output used for review: Toshiba HD-A35 (Video: HDMI 1080p/24 - Audio: HDMI Bitstream)
My Review System

Overview and Film Information

The original Getaway film is a true masterpiece directed by Sam Peckinpah, this is undeniable. In the modern/hipper 1994 remake of The Getaway the main leads are Alec Baldwin and Kim Bassinger and Roger Donaldson has been substituted for Mr. Peckinpah. While the original will always be the better film (and is available as a true reference release on HD-DVD), I do find this remake quite enjoyable due mainly to the case of Baldwin, Madsen, Morse and Woods. This release is the uncut and unrated version which contains some rather steamy scenes between then husband and wife Baldwin and Bassinger.

Video Quality ***  out of *****

The Getaway is presented in it's original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and is encoded as 1080p/24 with VC-1. Those who like this film know what we have been dealing with up until this release, a absolutely horrid Laserdisc to DVD port that was some of the worst PQ ever released on a DVD disc. On that note this just so happens to make this release all the more better. The Getaway is a very grainy film and always has been, perhaps the most so I have seen yet on either format save for 300 (which is faux and intended). I can say that thankfully no attempt at noise reduction has been applied and all grain is intact. Yah for Universal! Having said that and I appreciate the lack of NR attempts by Universal on this film, it is just a smidge too grainy and noisy and maybe should have been remastered via another print. On the other hand this may be the norm for this film and if it is I have no problem with that at all. In addition to the grain, the image has varying amounts of noise and a slight amount of EE throughout the film. Neither are at a level that ruins the presentation, but are present albeit very slight. The color palette on this film is slightly drab and leans towards the olive side of things, very minor. Contrast ratio, blacks and whites are all pretty good, I have seen better CR's but this is pretty darn good. This is a pretty decent release video wise and in the case of those that have owned this film on DVD it is a totally earth shaking video upgrade, it isn't reference but it's appreciated!!

Audio Quality *****  out of *****

Universal has provided us with a Dolby TrueHD track on this release and this is what my review will cover. The TrueHD track on The Getaway is pretty much reference stuff. Solid clean effects, good bass and precise imaging. Dialog is very very good as well. I struggled with a audio rating for this release and decided to check some action scenes out again to attempt a final rating, in the end I decided to give this TrueHD track a reference 5 stars on audio (One such scene that sticks out is where Baldwin and Woods talk things over at the race track). I am very pleased that Universal is providing us with TrueHD tracks on catalog titles, adding lossless audio makes the experience that much better. (Audio for this review was sent via HDMI 1.3 bitstream from the Toshiba A35 to be truly 100% decoded as Dolby TrueHD in the Onkyo PR-SC885P pre-amp)

Extra Features and Menus * out of *****

I am not a fan of extra features in most cases and it seems on this release Universal isn't either, as there are none included.

Overall **** out of *****

The overall rating of this film went up a lot due to the amazing lossless Dolby TrueHD audio, I would recommend this release very much for those that have been waiting to view this film in a half way decent presentation, not a upconverted LD master DVD release.