Between El Mariachi and Desperado, Robert Rodriguez co-wrote and directed Roadracers, part of a 10-film series of teen rebellion movies produced for Showtime in the mid-1990s. This long-forgotten film finally makes its overdue appearance on Blu-ray (and DVD) courtesy of Echo Bridge Home Entertainment. But don’t let that discourage you.
Roadracers
Studio: Miramax/Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
US BD Release Date: April 17, 2012
Original Theatrical Release Year: 1994
Rated: R (for language and some violence)
Running Time: 94 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audio: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
Subtitles: None
Movie: 3.5 out of 5
Hot off the press circuit for his $5,000 independent film, El Mariachi, and getting ready to direct its sequel Desperado for Columbia Pictures, Robert Rodriguez was approached by producers Debra Hill and Lou Arkoff to direct a TV movie for Showtime as part of their Rebel Highway series. The concept was to remake several teen rebellion features from the American International Pictures catalog using well-known directors, including Joe Dante, Allan Arkush, Jonathan Kaplan, John Milius, William Friedkin, and Ralph Bakshi. When Wes Craven backed out at the last minute, Rodriguez was offered the chance to remake Arthur Swerdloff’s Roadracers from 1959. When Rodriguez saw the original film, he hated it, and asked the producers if he could do an original story. They agreed, with the caveat that the film take place in the 1950s, have the same title, and had to be written and ready to shoot in a matter of weeks on a 12-day shooting schedule.
The result is an impressive second feature, his first with a “studio” cast and crew. David Arquette plays Dude, a greaser rebel who plays a mean guitar, drives a custom muscle car (complete with 45rpm record player), and a hot girlfriend (Salma Hayek in her English-speaking debut and what wind up as her screen test for Desperado). Sarge (William Sadler), the local constable, wants to run Dude out of town (much like he did with Dude’s father), and enlists his son, Teddy (Jason Wiles) to provoke him. Although the story is somewhat flimsy, Rodriguez does manage to squeeze in some clever gags (Dude greasing the floor of the roller rink) and spin some originality on the genre’s cliches (cars crashing through billboards). The other major highlight is the music score, which Rodriguez would use to even greater effect in Desperado and From Dusk Till Dawn. The score features music by Charlie Sexton, Link Wray, and Johnny Reno. Also, without giving too much away, be sure to sit through the credits for an extra bonus scene.
Video: 3.5 out of 5
Although not listed anywhere on the packaging or in press releases, Robert Rodriguez has stated publicly that he supervised and approved a widescreen transfer with extensive color correction back in 2005 for a DVD release that never happened, and I assume that is the transfer used on this release. And what a wonderful transfer it is! For the most part, colors are accurate and consistent, with decent black levels and detail. Occasionally, the image may go soft or appear overly grainy, but this is more often related to the tight production schedule and low budget of the film, where the required shot may have not been properly focused when photographed, or the frame was blown up slightly for a tighter shot. Although originally framed for standard definition television at 1.33:1, the 1.78:1 aspect ratio of this transfer fits nicely, as if filmed for both aspect ratios (many television movies are/were released theatrically overseas). Compressed using the AVC codec, this 1080/24p transfer fits nicely on a BD-25 with virtually no compression or motion artifacts.
Audio: 3.5 out of 5
Robert Rodriguez also reportedly supervised a 5.1 remix from the original stereo mix in 2005. I assume that is the mix featured here in DTS-HD Master Audio, and the results are somewhat mixed. Benefiting the most from the wider dynamic range and multi-channel sound are the music and sound effects. This is a rather lively mix, with very good bass response and surround activity. Dialogue, however, often sounds hollow but is still clear and understandable. The film’s original stereo track is also included in Dolby Digital 2.0, encoded at 192 kbps.
Special Features: 3 out of 5
Surprisingly, Echo Bridge has included two of the special features created for the never-released 2005 DVD.
Audio Commentary by Robert Rodriguez: This track contains a lot of what fans typically expect from Rodriguez, with tips on how to make a film on a very limited budget, many of the hurdles he encountered while making the film and the compromises he had to live with, as well as how he applied what he learned on this film to his later films.
Ten Minute Film School: The Making Of A Degenerate Hot Rod Flick (480p, 10:01): Another feature fans expect on a Robert Rodriguez DVD/Blu-ray release, the director narrates some behind the scenes footage with tips on how to be creative and resourceful on a small budget.
Overall: 3.5 out of 5
This often-forgotten film by Robert Rodriguez finally makes its way to Blu-ray in a surprising package that includes a commentary track and a featurette, something we do not normally expect to see on Miramax releases from Echo Bridge. Combined with an above average video and audio presentation, this disc is a steal at $7.99 (Amazon’s price at press time).
