Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ Road to Hong Kong – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Between 1896 and 1982 (or so it seems), Bob Hope and Bing Crosby with a bit of help from Dorothy Lamour, made seven Road films --

Road to Singapore - 1940
Road to Zanzibar - 1941
Road to Morocco - 1942
Road to Utopia - 1945
Road to Rio - 1947
Road to Bali - 1952
The Road to Hong Kong - 1962

Strangely, Bali was in Technicolor, and Hong Kong returns to black and white.

All seven have been gifted to the cinephile community by Kino.

Hong Kong appears to be fine grain derived, with an overall pleasing image and good audio. Not a problem in sight.

One of the fun attributes of this final installment are the cameos. Look for...

Jerry Colonna, Dean Martin, David Niven, Pat O'Brien, Peter Sellers, Frank Sinatra all in bits.

A fun film and a great wrap-up to a fun series. Great light weight fluff that beautifully stands the test of time.


Image – 7

Audio – 8 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Works in projection - Yes

Works up-rezzed to 4k - Yes

Upgrade from DVD - Certainly - collect the whole set

Worth your attention - 7

Slipcover rating - n/a

Recommended

RAH


Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

See on Amazon

 

[Joel Arndt]

LOL about the dates. Nice to know this is a quality presentation overall.

 

[B-ROLL]

Olive (RIP) released this film -as well as some other movie fillums sans Der Bingle and Ms. Lamour.

Any idea how this new Kino release compares to that one?

 

[rmw650]

I remember as well, there was another Road special made with Danny Thomas as part of a variety show back in the day, the Road to Lebanon, so I would consider that an 8th movie of the franchise, even though it wasn't a movie, per se...

See on Amazon

 

[Mark-P]

They made one more movie in the series with a completely different cast, called Road to Perdition.

 

[Robert Harris]

They made one more movie in the series with a completely different cast, called Road to Perdition.

It’s a spiritual successor.

 

[BobO'Link]

Olive (RIP) released this film -as well as some other movie fillums sans Der Bingle and Ms. Lamour.
View attachment 207990 View attachment 207991 Any idea how this new Kino release compares to that one?

No word on if it's a new transfer (likely not) but it *does* have:

Special Features:
• NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Michael Schlesinger and Archivist/Historian Stan Taffel
• Theatrical Trailer
• Optional English Subtitles

The Olive is one of their typical bare bones releases. I own a copy of the Olive release but *will* be purchasing the Kino.

 

[B-ROLL]

No word on if it's a new transfer (likely not) but it *does* have:

Special Features:
• NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Michael Schlesinger and Archivist/Historian Stan Taffel
• Theatrical Trailer
• Optional English Subtitles

The Olive is one of their typical bare bones releases. I own a copy of the Olive release but *will* be purchasing the Kino.

Keeping up with all of the Road releases is leading me towards the Road to Ruin ...

 

[Robert Harris]

No word on if it's a new transfer (likely not) but it *does* have:

Special Features:
• NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Michael Schlesinger and Archivist/Historian Stan Taffel
• Theatrical Trailer
• Optional English Subtitles

The Olive is one of their typical bare bones releases. I own a copy of the Olive release but *will* be purchasing the Kino.

Alone worth the price of admission!

 

[cadavra]

Thank you, kind sir.

Interesting anecdote: While rewatching it for the first time in eons of your Earth years to prepare, I was struck by how much it resembled the new movie I just shot this year, ROCK AND DORIS (try to) WRITE A MOVIE. The gag cameos, the pop culture references, the constant breaking of the fourth wall, filmed in the same year--it's almost like they were made by the same person. Whether that's a compliment or not shall best be left to others.

 

[Robert Harris]

Thank you, kind sir.

Interesting anecdote: While rewatching it for the first time in eons of your Earth years to prepare, I was struck by how much it resembled the new movie I just shot this year, ROCK AND DORIS (try to) WRITE A MOVIE. The gag cameos, the pop culture references, the constant breaking of the fourth wall, filmed in the same year--it's almost like they were made by the same person. Whether that's a compliment or not shall best be left to others.

Wasn’t breaking the fourth wall a standard for them? Best is probably Tom Jones.

 

[GJF118]

No word on if it's a new transfer (likely not) but it *does* have:

Special Features:
• NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Michael Schlesinger and Archivist/Historian Stan Taffel
• Theatrical Trailer
• Optional English Subtitles

The Olive is one of their typical bare bones releases. I own a copy of the Olive release but *will* be purchasing the Kino.

Michael Schlesinger's commentary is always on point and very funny.

 

[filmnoirguy]

Between 1896 and 1982 (or so it seems), Bob Hope and Bing Crosby with a bit of help from Dorothy Lamour, made seven Road films --

Road to Singapore - 1940
Road to Zanzibar - 1941
Road to Morocco - 1942
Road to Utopia - 1945
Road to Rio - 1947
Road to Bali - 1952
The Road to Hong Kong - 1962

Strangely, Bali was in Technicolor, and Hong Kong returns to black and white.

All seven have been gifted to the cinephile community by Kino.

Hong Kong appears to be fine grain derived, with an overall pleasing image and good audio. Not a problem in sight.

One of the fun attributes of this final installment are the cameos. Look for...

Jerry Colonna, Dean Martin, David Niven, Pat O'Brien, Peter Sellers, Frank Sinatra all in bits.

A fun film and a great wrap-up to a fun series. Great light weight fluff that beautifully stands the test of time.


Image – 7

Audio – 8 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Works in projection - Yes

Works up-rezzed to 4k - Yes

Upgrade from DVD - Certainly - collect the whole set

Worth your attention - 7

Slipcover rating - n/a

Recommended

RAH


Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

See on Amazon

I've seen them all. My favorite is Road to Utopia.

 

[cadavra]

Wasn’t breaking the fourth wall a standard for them? Best is probably Tom Jones.

Oh, for everyone! Groucho, Oliver Hardy, W.C. Fields, George Burns, Olsen and Johnson, the Bowery Boys, Bugs Bunny, ad infinitum. I love doing it because it invites the audience to become co-conspirators in the zaniness.

 

[cinefan]

Oh, for everyone! Groucho, Oliver Hardy, W.C. Fields, George Burns, Olsen and Johnson, the Bowery Boys, Bugs Bunny, ad infinitum. I love doing it because it invites the audience to become co-conspirators in the zaniness.

Some of Groucho's stuff that lives permanently and most prominently in my brain is of this flavor. Probably because he was talking directly to me!

There's no reason you folks can't go to the lobby until this thing blows over...

Pardon me while I have a strange interlude...

 

[B-ROLL]

Some of Groucho's stuff that lives permanently and most prominently in my brain is of this flavor. Probably because he was talking directly to me!

There's no reason you folks can't go to the lobby until this thing blows over...

Pardon me while I have a strange interlude...

Just remember to say the

Secret Word ...

 

[cadavra]

One of my all-time favorites is in BOWERY BATTALION. The film ends with the Bowery Boys being locked in the brig, and their sergeant (Donald MacBride) turns to the camera and snarks, "This is the greatest finish of any picture I've ever seen."

 

[rmw650]

One of my all-time favorites is in BOWERY BATTALION. The film ends with the Bowery Boys being locked in the brig, and their sergeant (Donald MacBride) turns to the camera and snarks, "This is the greatest finish of any picture I've ever seen."

With his trademarked reply..."Jumping Butterballs!" (From Room Service c. 1935)