Escape from Alcatraz is one of my personal favorites from Clint Eastwood and although it’s hardly perfect, it is efficient in both its story telling as well as character development giving us just enough to care about the outcomes.
Escape from Alcatraz
(1979)
Genre(s): Drama, Suspense
Warner Home Video | PG – 112 min. – $14.98 | October 13, 2015
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MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Don Siegel Writer(s): Campbell Bruce (book); Richard Tuggle (screenplay) Cast: Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Roberts Blossom, Jack Thibeau, Fred Ward, Paul Benjamin, Larry Hankin DISC INFO: Audio: English (Dolby TrueHD 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 1.0), Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0) |
** Click Here to Purchase Escape from Alcatraz on Blu-ray from Amazon.com **
THE MOVIE – 4.0/5
Plot Synopsis: Frank Morris (CLINT EASTWOOD) is a cunning bank robber who masterminded the only successful escape from Alcatraz’s infamous maximum security prison. In 29 years, the seemingly impenetrable federal penitentiary, which housed Al Capone and “Birdman” Robert Stroud, was only broken once by three men – in addition to Morris, John and Clarence Anglin (FRED WARD, JACK THIBEAU) – who were never heard from again.
Quick Hit Review: Escape from Alcatraz has been a personal favorite of mine for years seeing it numerous times both on DVD and whenever it would crop up on cable. Seeing it again after a couple of years, it still holds up with great suspense, drama and effective and efficient character development beyond Clint Eastwood’s Frank Morris to also include Doc (played with great emotion by Roberts Blossom) and English (the underrated and undervalued Paul Benjamin). You’d be hard pressed not to root for these men, who were no doubt scoundrels, to escape and although in all likelihood they didn’t make it to Angel Island, I can only hope they found some kind of happy ending.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 0/5
No features were included.
VIDEO – 3.25/5
Escape from Alcatraz washes ashore onto Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Home Video, though probably just taking what Paramount gave them, presented with a 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer. For the most part, it’s an OK looking picture with heavy amount of noise throughout though colors are decent. It’s not an entirely clean transfer with minor marks in some scenes (like circles and such). Could it have been better? Sure, but that would mean a studio spending money on proper restoration and unfortunately into today’s market, unless it’s Criterion, it’s not going to happen.
AUDIO – 3.75/5
Where the DVD release only contained a Dolby Digital Mono track, this one gets a decent enough upgrade to TrueHD 5.1 which allows to showcase clear dialogue primarily through the center channel and some minor ambient noises from the rear speakers. Where the track comes to some life is with Jerry Fielding’s suspense, almost “Mission: Impossible” (TV show) like score. Otherwise, it’s nothing noteworthy yet certainly sounding better than it has before.
OVERALL – 2.5/5
Overview, Escape from Alcatraz is one of my personal favorites from Clint Eastwood and although it’s hardly perfect, it is efficient in both its story telling as well as character development giving us just enough to care about the outcomes. This bargain catalogue title from Warner, through their collection of Paramount releases, is rather basic with no features while the video and audio transfers, although not great, are both satisfactory.
Published: 10/19/2015
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.
You’ve linked the ‘Nightcrawler’ screencaps gallery to the ‘Escape from Alcatraz’ review.
Thanks Frank. Was in too much of a rush and forgot to change out the code.