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The Amazing Howard Hughes
Studio: Anchor Bay
Year: 1977
Rated: NR
Film Length: 123 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 16X9 Enhanced Widescreen (1.78:1)
Subtitles: none
Looking amongst my stack of December Anchor Bay
screeners, I immediately became interested in The
Amazing Howard Hughes, mostly for the fact that
it was a film starring Tommy Lee Jones, playing the
part of a man that I knew so very little about. I
figured at the very least, this would be an educational
experience for me.
I have to admit, as the title credits rolled across
the screen, I was a bit disappointed that I was about
to watch a "made for television" film. I decided to
hang in there a little longer, and actually I am glad
I did -- this film turned out to be pretty darn good!
For those of you who (like me before this film) have
no idea who Howard Hughes is, I think it can explain
the man in one simple statement: Howard Hughes was
arguably the most secretive, self-destructive and
legendary individual to ever win fame in the aviation
and movie business.
As the film begins, we meet Howard as a creatively
talented small boy who has taken an interest in
mathematics, flying, and all things mechanical. He
shows off a motorcycle that he built from parts taken
from his father’s steam engine. Upon his father’s death
in 1924, the 18-year-old Hughes (Tommy Lee Jones)
inherited an estate valued at almost $900,000, including
75% of Hughes Tool Company, whose control he assumed
a year later.
Hughes became obsessed with money and being the
absolute best at everything he did. Through various
points of his life he owned a tool company, various
Las Vegas hotels, international and regional airlines,
and even a motion picture studio where he financed
three films (including one that won an Academy Award).
As he grew older and the pressures of business
mounted, Hughes became obsessive-compulsive, his
physical health had turned precarious, and he
became a sort of hermit that disappeared totally
from public view.
What kept me riveted to this story was the amazing
portrayal of this man by Tommy Lee Jones. It's
certainly the best role I have seen the actor in
to date, and it my understanding that this was the
role that brought national attention to the actor --
especially for the uncanny resemblance to the title
character, both vocally and visually.
How is the transfer?
One must keep in mind that this was a "made for
television" production, as the picture quality is
quite substandard here. The picture generally
looks murky, hazy, and dull. The print can be a
little dirty at times, and there is an awful amount
of video noise to be seen -- especially in the whites.
There isn't too much picture detail, and interior
and night scenes come across a little too dark.
The mono soundtrack is mostly clean and distinct
up until the film's final scene where sound seemed
to become a little muffled. Otherwise, I didn't
detect any background hiss or any noticeable
distortion in the audio.
Special Features
A Spruce Goose Newsreel was rather cool to
watch after completing the film. Here is actual
footage of Hughe's Spruce Goose aircraft, with Mr.
Hughes at the controls. There's even a short
excerpt of Mr. Hughes testifying before a senate
subcommittee (which becomes a major staple of the
Tommy Lee Jones film).
(length: approx. 2 minutes)
A poster and still gallery contains about
16 B&W publicity images of Tommy Lee Jones as well
as original TV Guide promotions for the CBS airing.
A Tommy Lee Jones Bio reveals that during
the 1970s, Tommy dabbled in both soap opera and
appearances on TV shows such as Charlie's Angels
before he began a film career in the 80s. You can
forward through these pages of text using your remote.
As expected, Anchor Bay has provided no subtitles
for the hearing impaired.
Final Thoughts
It's kind of hard not only to recommend a TV movie,
but one with a substandard presentation quality. On
the other hand, The Amazing Howard Hughes is
a pretty interesting story that features Tommy Lee
Jones in one of his finest roles. It's worth a rental
if you happen to come across it on your video store's
shelves.
Release Date: Now
All screen captures have been further compressed.
They are for illustrative purposes only and do not
represent actual picture quality
