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Category:    Home > Reviews > Comedy > Science Fiction > Time Travel > Action > Gender > Stand Up > TV Situation Comedy > Satire > Rafferty & The Gold Dust Twins (1973/Warner Archive Blu-ray)

Back To The Future 4K: 40th Anniversary Trilogy (1985 - 1990/Universal 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray Set)/But I'm A Cheerleader 4K (1999/Lionsgate 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray)/Dave Chappelle: Killin' Them Softly (2000/HBO/Warner DVD)/George & Mandy's First Marriage: The Complete First Season (2024 - 2025/Warner DVD Set)/Rafferty & The Gold Dust Twins (1973/Warner Archive Blu-ray)



4K Ultra HD Picture: A-/B Picture: B/X/C/C+/B Sound: B+ & B/B-/C+/C+/C+ Extras: B-*/C/D/D/C- Main Programs: B- B- C/C/C/C/C+



PLEASE NOTE: The Rafferty & The Gold Dust Twins Blu-ray is now only available from Warner Bros. through their Warner Archive series and can be ordered from the link below.



Here's a new group of comedy releases, some of which even offer a little more, or try...



Robert Zemeckis' Back To The Future 4K: 40th Anniversary Trilogy (1985 - 1990) is back in 4K in a slightly updated version of the 4K set issued a few years ago. We reviewed the Blu-ray-only 30th Anniversary Set at this link:


https://fulvuedrive-in.com/review/13903/Back+To+The+Future:+30th+Anniversary+Trilogy+(19


The man journey of Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) continues to find fans, though I have to admit I am not one of them, though I am in the minority who likes the second film the best. The first was good, but a little overrated to me and the third and final installment just did not deliver as I thought it should have the both sequels underperformed in their original release. Still, these have aged a bit better than many expected and the set is certainly worth a look.


*Extras in this solid slipcase packaging for this more basic edition include Digital Code, while the Blu-ray discs repeat the same extras as the previous Blu-ray set and then some, including (per the press release):

  • An Alternate Future: Lost Audition Tapes (NEW): Get a glimpse of the BACK TO THE FUTURE that could have been with rare audition footage featuring now-famous celebrities.

    • Ben Stiller

    • Kyra Sedgwick

    • Jon Cryer

    • Billy Zane

    • Peter DeLuise

    • C. Thomas Howell

  • The Hollywood Museum Goes BACK TO THE FUTURE (NEW): Join Co-writer/Producer Bob Gale on an intimate tour of an exhaustive exhibit of the films' props and memorabilia.

  • BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL Behind the Scenes (NEW): Get a sneak peek at the new musical show including a Q&A with the cast and creative team plus two new song recordings.

    • Cast and Creative Q&A

    • Original Songs

      • Gotta Start Somewhere

      • Put Your Mind To It

  • Could You Survive The Movies? BACK TO THE FUTURE (NEW): Explore the magic and science of BACK TO THE FUTURE and find out which laws of physics were actually violated in this special episode of the popular YouTube series.

  • 2015 Message from Doc Brown

    • DOC BROWN SAVES THE WORLD!

  • OUTATIME: Restoring the DeLorean

  • Looking BACK TO THE FUTURE

    • The Script

    • Casting Marty McFly

    • Christopher Lloyd Reflects on Doc Brown

    • The DeLorean Time Machine

    • Building Hill Valley

    • Prepping for the "Johnny B. Goode" Scene

    • The Score

    • Rushing the Cut

    • The Legacy

  • BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Animated Series

    • Brothers (Season 1, Episode 1)

    • Mac the Black (Season 2, Episode 1)

  • 2015 Commercials

    • 'JAWS 19' Trailer

    • Hoverboard Commercial

BACK TO THE FUTURE bonus FEATURES ON 4K Ultra HD & BLU-RAY:

  • Deleted Scenes (Commentary by Producer Bob Gale available)

    • Peanut Brittle

    • "Pinch Me"

    • Doc's Personal Belongings

    • "She's Cheating"

    • Darth Vader (Extended Version)

    • "Hit Me George"

    • "You Got a Permit?"

    • The Phone Booth

  • Tales from THE FUTURE: In the Beginning...

  • Tales from THE FUTURE: Time to Go

  • Tales from THE FUTURE: Keeping Time

  • Archival Featurettes

    • The Making of BACK TO THE FUTURE

    • Making the Trilogy: Chapter One

    • BACK TO THE FUTURE Night

  • Michael J. Fox Q&A

    • How He Got the Role

    • The Character of Doc

    • Working on a Film and TV Series at the Same Time

    • Shooting BACK TO THE FUTURE II and III Together

    • DeLoreans

    • Special FX and Stunts

    • The Appeal of BACK TO THE FUTURE

    • Shooting BACK TO THE FUTURE

  • Behind the Scenes

    • Original Makeup Tests

    • Outtakes

    • Nuclear Test Site Sequence (Commentary by Producer Bob Gale available)

    • Photo Galleries*

      • Production Art

      • Storyboards

      • Behind-the-Scenes Photographs

      • Marketing Materials

      • Character Portraits

  • Huey Lewis and the News "The Power of Love" Music Video

  • Theatrical Teaser Trailer

  • Join Team Fox

  • Q&A Commentary with Director Robert Zemeckis and Producer Bob Gale

  • Feature Commentary with Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton

*Only on the Blu-ray disc

BACK TO THE FUTURE II bonus FEATURES ON 4K Ultra HD & BLU-RAY:

  • Deleted Scenes (Commentary by Producer Bob Gale available)

    • Old Terry and Old Biff

    • "Dad's Home" (Extended Version)

    • Pizza Scene

    • Jennifer Faints (Extended Version)

    • Old Biff Vanishes from Car

    • Burned Out High School

    • Marty Meets Dave

  • Tales from THE FUTURE: Time Flies

  • The Physics of BACK TO THE FUTURE with Dr. Michio Kaku

  • Archival Featurettes

    • The Making of BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II

    • Making the Trilogy: Chapter Two

  • Behind the Scenes

    • Outtakes

    • Production Design

    • Storyboarding

    • Designing the DeLorean

    • Designing Time Travel

    • Hoverboard Test

    • Evolution of Visual Effects Shots

    • Photo Galleries*

      • Production Art

      • Storyboards

      • Behind-the-Scenes Photographs

      • Marketing Materials

      • Character Portraits

  • Theatrical Trailer

  • Q&A Commentary with Director Robert Zemeckis and Producer Bob Gale

  • Feature Commentary with Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton

*Only on the Blu-ray disc

BACK TO THE FUTURE III bonus FEATURES ON 4K Ultra HD & BLU-RAY:

  • Deleted Scene (Commentary by Producer Bob Gale available)

    • The Tannen Gang Kills Marshal Strickland

  • Tales from THE FUTURE: Third Time's the Charm [FEATURED BONUS]

  • Tales from THE FUTURE: The Test of Time [FEATURED BONUS]

  • Archival Featurettes

    • The Making of BACK TO THE FUTURE Part III

    • Making the Trilogy: Chapter Three

    • The Secrets of the BACK TO THE FUTURE Trilogy

  • Behind the Scenes

    • Outtakes

    • Designing the Town of Hill Valley

    • Designing the Campaign

    • Photo Galleries*

      • Production Art

      • Storyboards

      • Behind-the-Scenes Photographs

      • Marketing Materials

      • Character Portraits

  • ZZ Top "Doubleback" Music Video

  • FAQs About the Trilogy

  • Theatrical Trailer

  • BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Ride

    • Lobby Monitor

    • The Ride

  • Q&A Commentary with Director Robert Zemeckis and Producer Bob Gale

  • and a Feature Length Audio Commentary with Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton


PLUS!!! You can see from the image we chose of the even more loaded version of this set that it adds even MORE EXTRAS! So if you are a fan or just curious, you have all kinds of options to choose from.



Jamie Babbit's But I'm A Cheerleader 4K (1999) is a comedy about a gal (Natasha Lyonne) whose parents send her to essentially a 'heterosexual manners' school when they suspect she is a lesbian. More than a one-joke comedy, it still has its limits and lands up being uneven, except maybe for some of its more intended audience.


It looks good and the supporting cast including RuPaul, Cathy Moriarity, Clea DuVall, Melanie Lynskey, Richard Moll, Eddie Cibrian and Wesley Mann actually gel well together, helping the screenplay and film's flow. Lionsgate thought well enough of it to give it a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release and it makes sense, but now that I caught up with it in its entirety, can see why it is still popular.


Extras include Digital Copy, while the disc adds an Original Theatrical Trailer, Feature Length Audio Commentary with Director Jamie Babbit, Costume Designer Alix Friedberg and Production Designer Rachel Kamerman, new Featurette Beyond the Pink and Blue: A Conversation with Jamie Babbit (12 min.,) additional featurettes But I'm A Cheerleader Class Reunion (21 min.,) Making But I'm A Cheerleader... In 1999 (8 min.) and But I'm a Composer: A Chat with Pat Irwin (5 min.) and student film Discharge (3 min.).



Dave Chappelle: Killin' Them Softly (2000) is an HBO special when the stand up comic was still on the cutting edge, had all kinds of crazy (often untrue rumors) about his personal life and was bold before he got strangely political and his reputation never recovered despite his career continuing as much as it has. This hour-long HBO special taped at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C., where he is from, this has some laughs and other moments are not as good, but a few moments have aged oddly after all that has happened a quarter-century later and counting.


Made a few years before his hit TV series Chapelle's Show, it is interesting to see him at his early best, but many now will be let down by how things turned out and that he did not stick to where he said he was coming from. Still, its worth a look for the curious or for just a few laughs.


There are no extras.



George & Mandy's First Marriage: The Complete First Season (2024 - 2025) is one of the rare hit spinoffs of a hit spinoff, like Good Times came from Maude, which came from All In The Family. In this case, the hit comes from Young Sheldon, which comes from megahit sitcom The Big Bang Theory (all shows reviewed elsewhere on this site) so its success is rare indeed, while shows like Law & Order, CSI, NCIS or even Star Trek do not count because they are all from the original, singular show that starts them all.


The title characters (Montana Cooper and Emily Osment) are in love, dealing with slight toxic dysfunction already in major display on the previous series and can they make things work? Well, the teleplays are a mixed bag, with the main issue being the humor approach that worked for the previous shows is not working as well here and is therefore, not as convincing. As far as the style of humor, it is somewhere between Mama's Family with less broadness and the recent cycle of such Southern-flavored shows like those of Reba McEntire. A good cast with some good moments here and there, unless you really loved Young Sheldon, you will probably get bored quickly. For those who like this approach, you'll enjoy it more than this writer, who is a huge Big Bang Theory fan. Now you can see for yourself.


There are no extras.



Dick Richard's Rafferty & The Gold Dust Twins (1973) has Alan Arkin as a former military man now teaching people how to drive while juggling his alcoholism when he is drinking alone one afternoon and meets two gals (Sally Kellerman and a pre-One Day At A Time Mackenzie Phillips) who decide to kidnap him!


Of course in real life, this would turn out to be a disaster, now more than ever. Since this is an early 1970s Hollywood New Wave film, they actually become friends more or less and land up helping each other. Yup, a real time capsule and note, this is meant to be a comedy. Cheers to the use of hit songs, Artie Shaw adding instrumental in hopes of duplicating his remarkable work on What's Up Doc? a year before and a solid supporting cast that includes Alex Rocco, Charles Martin Smith, Barbara Colby, Arch Johnson, Richard Hale, Ted Gehring, Lilian Randolph, Harry Dean Stanton and Louis Prima as himself.


Nice try and the great Donfeld did many of the costumes where applicable, but this is more of a curio that went for broke in its own away, yet could finds a cult status at some point. Glad Warner Archive decided to issue this restored on Blu-ray.


The only extra is a very rough pan & scan Original Theatrical Trailer.



Now for playback performance. The 2160p HEVC/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on all three Future 4K films are not only really good, but have some surprisingly good demo moments I was not expecting. Try the sequence in the second film where we visit the year 2015. Color, detail and depth are more impressive than you might expect and matches how good this looked on a mint 35mm film print.


The lossless Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixdown for older systems) outdo the older sound upgrades, but still show the age of the film soundtracks in some respects (some dialogue, some sound effects) yet still top the 5.1 lossless mixes form the old Blu-ray versions also included.


Those 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition images on the regular Blu-ray discs with their DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mixes repeat the older Blu-rays and were fine for their time, but cannot compete with their new 4K counterparts visually or sonically, despite the fact that the trilogy had 70mm blow up magnetic 4.1 Dolby surrounds film prints made. The Atmos still finds sound to get out of those soundmasters these older discs missed, for whatever reason, so these are included for convenience.


The 2160p HEVC/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on Cheerleader 4K has some great color and fine shot, but depth, detail and even definition can be mixed and inconsistent, for whatever reason. Still, color impresses the way Clueless 4K (reviewed elsewhere on this site) recently did. The lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix is not bad, but shows the limits of the film's budget. The combination is still likely as good as the film will ever look or sound.


The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer on Rafferty can be rough, but was issued at the time in 35mm dye-transfer, three-strip Technicolor prints, which are now very valuable if you can find one in any print including 16mm or even Super 8. Director of Photography Ralph Woolsey, A.S.C. (The Great Santini, The Pack, Lifeguard, Fire Sale, The Mack, Black Eye, The Strawberry Statement, The New Centurions, Mother, Jugs & Speed) uses the widescreen frame well and tends to be too forgotten for al of his work. Also responsible for some great TV work, he lived to be 104!


The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Mono lossless mix really shows its age, just handling the hit records and Arte Butler score. The combination is fine, if not spectacular and mostly authentic to its original theatrical release.


The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image on both DVDs are on the soft side, but especially the older Chapelle concert, as expected, while both offer lossy Dolby Digital. George has lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 sound on all if tis episodes, while Chapelle has lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo that is not much better or worse because it does not suffer the mixdown issues George has. Both would be better lossless.



To order the Rafferty & The Gold Dust Twins Warner Archive Blu-ray, go to this link for them and many more great web-exclusive releases at:


https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/ED270804-095F-449B-9B69-6CEE46A0B2BF?ingress=0&visitId=6171710b-08c8-4829-803d-d8b922581c55&tag=blurayforum-20



- Nicholas Sheffo


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