A Few Words About A few words about...™ Smokey and the Bandit -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Director Hal Needham came out of the stunt arena, and it shows in his Smokey and the Bandit.

Three and a half decades later, the film is still a hoot.

The Blu-ray, which appears to be the same transfer as the 2007 HD release, looks fine for what it is.

Great color, lush, virtually no grain, and slight haloes in their proper places.

It is what it is.

Low budget, fun, and an older transfer from Universal.

Image - 2

Audio - 4

Definitely okay.

RAH

 

[Alan Tully]

Ah, Burt was the man back then. My favorite is Warner's, Hooper (also directed by Hal Needham), it got a very early 4x3 DVD release, hoping for a Blu.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

Ah, Burt was the man back then. My favorite is Warner's, Hooper (also directed by Hal Needham), it got a very early 4x3 DVD release, hoping for a Blu.

A double-bill Blu-ray of HOOPER / SHARKY'S MACHINE would be most excellent, Warner.

 

[rayman1701]

Originally Posted by Billy Batson /t/320922/a-few-words-about-smokey-and-the-bandit-in-blu-ray#post_3928539
Ah, Burt was the man back then. My favorite is Warner's, Hooper (also directed by Hal Needham), it got a very early 4x3 DVD release, hoping for a Blu.

Man I just mentioned to my wife that life would be wonderful if Hooper would sneak out on Blu-ray. I've had the UK Blu-ray of Bandit for a while, it would be nice if the did Bandit 2 as well, not as good as the first, but still fun. After that they lost me, as much as I love Jerry Reed & Jackie Gleason they just couldn't quite carry 3.

 

[Louis Letizia]

A double-bill Blu-ray of HOOPER / SHARKY'S MACHINE would be most excellent, Warner.

Warner Bros could do a cool Burt Reynolds Blu Box set- Deliverance/Hooper/Sharky's Machine/Best Friends/ City Heat. They should had done a Cannonball Run 1 and 2 df-I dont think
part 2 will sell well on its own (Like the Arthur df).
Paramount can do the same with The Longest Yard/Hustle/Starting Over/Rough Cut/Paternity.
for some reason -the biggest boxoffice star of the 70s/80s-gets no respect on DVD.
Reynolds had a very busy 1975- the 3 Fox tales: At Long Last Love/WW and the Dixie Dancekings/ Lucky Lady and Paramounts Hustle (I'd love to see this on Blu!).

 

[Cinescott]

I too have had the UK release for about a year now. Sounds like it's from the same master. Fun movie and fun memory.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Originally Posted by Robert Harris /t/320922/a-few-words-about-smokey-and-the-bandit-in-blu-ray#post_3928530
Director Hal Needham came out of the stunt arena, and it shows in his Smokey and the Bandit.

Three and a half decades later, the film is still a hoot.

The Blu-ray, which appears to be the same transfer as the 2007 HD release, looks fine for what it is.

Great color, lush, virtually no grain, and slight haloes in their proper places.

It is what it is.

Low budget, fun, and an older transfer from Universal.

Image - 2

Audio - 4

Definitely okay.

RAH

The question i want to ask is this, you say it's an older transfer from Universal and has no grain and haloes in their proper place, okay, well is this because its been de-grained and edge sharpened or is there another reason for this. ?

How can this be okay unless it was shot this way. ?

How much better can it look if they did a new 4K film scan and struck a new master and did the sort of encode that Sony tend to do. ?

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by FoxyMulder /t/320922/a-few-words-about-smokey-and-the-bandit-in-blu-ray#post_3931016

The question i want to ask is this, you say it's an older transfer from Universal and has no grain and haloes in their proper place, okay, well is this because its been de-grained and edge sharpened or is there another reason for this. ?

How can this be okay unless it was shot this way. ?

How much better can it look if they did a new 4K film scan and struck a new master and did the sort of encode that Sony tend to do. ?

It's "okay," and there's a bit of dark humour in my comment.

This is SOP for Universal and their re-treads.

Nothing horrific, or terribly problematic. Totally not film-like.

We know the background. They've not re-visited.

It's "okay."

How much better?

It could look like film.

RAH

 

[FoxyMulder]

Originally Posted by Robert Harris /t/320922/a-few-words-about-smokey-and-the-bandit-in-blu-ray#post_3931027
It's "okay," and there's a bit of dark humour in my comment.

RAH

I think my disappointment of yet another poor Universal release meant i missed the humour, i should get it by now though as i have been intently following these A Few Words threads.

Thanks again for your insightful posts.

 

[Rick Thompson]

Warner Bros could do a cool Burt Reynolds Blu Box set- Deliverance/Hooper/Sharky's Machine/Best Friends/ City Heat. They should had done a Cannonball Run 1 and 2 df-I dont think
part 2 will sell well on its own (Like the Arthur df).
Paramount can do the same with The Longest Yard/Hustle/Starting Over/Rough Cut/Paternity.
for some reason -the biggest boxoffice star of the 70s/80s-gets no respect on DVD.
Reynolds had a very busy 1975- the 3 Fox tales: At Long Last Love/WW and the Dixie Dancekings/ Lucky Lady and Paramounts Hustle (I'd love to see this on Blu!).

What, no Stroker Ace?

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

Warner Bros could do a cool Burt Reynolds Blu Box set- Deliverance/Hooper/Sharky's Machine/Best Friends/ City Heat.

They haven't really done anything like this on Blu for too many stars that I can recall aside from Clint. Unfortunately, much as I love Burt, his output is weaker than Clint's overall and his career has obviously not matched Eastwood's trajectory in its twilight years.
They have, however, done double-features, a la the Chevy Chase and Bruce Willis ones, so the SHARKY'S / HOOPER one would be sensible and seem plausible. I think those are his strongest films in the Warner stable, alongside DELIVERANCE (which has already had 2 frickin' releases...enough). Once again, SHARKY'S / HOOPER Blu-ray, please.

 

[Felix Martinez]

I would so buy a Hooper and Sharky's Machine double bill.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

I would so buy a Hooper and Sharky's Machine double bill.

I think this would certainly qualify as one of my "dream releases."

 

[PaulDA]

Guess I'm okay sticking with my HD DVD, then.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Originally Posted by PaulDA /t/320922/a-few-words-about-smokey-and-the-bandit-in-blu-ray#post_3932516
Guess I'm okay sticking with my HD DVD, then.

For me I am slowly converting DVD and most HD DVD to Blu-ray. The fact that it comes with a Digital Copy, DVD and is under $15 made it worth the upgrade.

 

[ChuckZ]

I really wish Universal would treat their 100-year anniversary moniker releases with more respect. Instead, it seems management is merely cashing in on a marketing scheme.
Some of their new catalog releases are sparkling, while others *cough*thisone*cough* are shameful, to put it mildly.

 

[Rick Thompson]

I really wish Universal would treat their 100-year anniversary moniker releases with more respect. Instead, it seems management is merely cashing in on a marketing scheme.

So their 100-year campaign is simply releasing what they were going to release anyway, plus slapping a new logo on some others.
The surprise that they're doing it on the cheap is . . . what?

 

[FoxyMulder]

Originally Posted by Rick Thompson /t/320922/a-few-words-about-smokey-and-the-bandit-in-blu-ray#post_3932598
The surprise that they're doing it on the cheap is . . . what?

No surprise at all considering their history with catalog titles and the blu ray format.

What would be a surprise is if they consistently put out great quality catalog titles, that would surprise the hell outta me.

 

[Eric-S]

Originally Posted by Billy Batson /t/320922/a-few-words-about-smokey-and-the-bandit-in-blu-ray#post_3928539
Ah, Burt was the man back then. My favorite is Warner's, Hooper (also directed by Hal Needham), it got a very early 4x3 DVD release, hoping for a Blu.

I have a fond memory of my parents taking us kids to the (now closed) drive-in in Minot, ND. It was a double feature. Grease, followed by Hooper. Those were the days.

 

[iDarren]

Should be mentioned that this is a significantly tampered with audio track, with different sound effects (such as engine sounds and other various changes).