Actually shot in Vancouver, dressed as Chicago, saved billions of dollars in the various scenes of destruction, merriment and mirth. In 1980 the average police cruiser probably came in at about $5,000, while in Canadian funds, closer to $800.
While certain sequences stand out to me today, such as Cab Callaway’s Minnie the Moocher, four decades, and a myriad of home video releases later, it seems a bit more episodic that it may have originally, but it’s still odd fun.
The initial home release was in the Kodak Show at Home format, followed decades later by several laser disc variants, VHS, Beta, DVD, Blu-ray, and now 4k. It may have made it to CED, but I don’t recall.
There are occasional shots that can make use of the increased bandwidth, but generally, from a nominal seating distance, the 4k looks very much akin to Blu-ray albeit with an application of HDR. It is noted that there are a number of instances of a lack of shadow detail, possible black crush from the HDR, but those shots may have always been that way, as photographed. I don’t have the impetus to go back and research.
Before anyone asks if it’s worth the upgrade, the answer is “yes,” for the audio alone, which is now in DTS-X.
Still a fun show after all these years.
Image – 5
Audio – 5 (DTS-X)
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from Blu-ray – at a minimum, for the Audio
Recommended
RAH
Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.
His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.
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