Pale Rider
(1985/Warner Blu-ray)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: C- Film: C+
Clint
Eastwood plays a mysterious pastor who believes that it is sometimes better to
carry a big stick in his one-off return to the Western in the 1980s, Pale Rider. One of his more commercial films, it is set
in the 1980s “watch the crowd on the screen cheer for him because you should
too” films that is far from his best film of the time or in the genre, but it
is consistent enough (via the Michael Butler/Dennis Shryack screenplay) but
does not do anything new either.
Once
again, a tycoon and local law group have teamed up top drive good people on
land that is theirs fair and square, getting violent if necessary to do
so. Enter the preacher with a different
kind of philosophy and you can kiss eminent domain goodbye. Richard Dysart, Michael Moriarty, Carrie
Snodgress, John Russell, Christopher Penn and Richard Kiel make up the
supporting cast and it is worth seeing once, but is only so good on repeat
viewing.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image is…
well… pale! The print is inconsistent, sometimes soft,
sometimes color poor, always detail challenged and comes from an old Warner
Communications print that should not have been used. Shot in real anamorphic Panavision by
Eastwood’s longtime cinematographer Bruce Surtees. His work deserves better and maybe a later
Special Edition would be the occasion to do so.
The Dolby
True HD 5.1 mix on the Blu-ray is pretty good for its age. Though some records list the film as only
available in Dolby A-type analog 35mm sound prints, other records indicate this
was also issued in 70mm blow-up prints with a Dolby magnetic 4.1 sound
mix. Whether the prints were ever issued
or not, the sound here sounds very much like it could have come from such a
soundmaster. Lennie Niehaus’ score is
not bad and there is a decent soundfield here considering the film’s age. Extras include trailers for this film and Unforgiven, but could have offered more.
- Nicholas Sheffo
