The Chase (1966)
Company: Twilight Time
Starring: Angie
Dickenson, E.G. Marshall, James Fox, Jane Fonda, Janice Rule, Marlon Brando,
Robert Redford
My Review and Thoughts:
My Rating: 4 out 5
I am super excited to see this. This is the first time
seeing it. I love going into films that I have not seen, and this is one of
those that I have always wanted to see, but for some reason never got around to
viewing it. Now thankfully I get to watch, and review, and own it on a lovely
Special Edition Blu-ray from Twilight Time. What better way to experience it?
Twilight Time always creates wonderful outlets to important older films, and The
Chase is another prime example of that.
The plot to the film is about a prison break. One of your
main players is Charlie “Bubber” Reeves who escapes. He is in jail accused of
murder. Now the escape causes Bubber’s hometown to be an uproar. Introduce Sheriff
Calder who believes Bubber might be innocent of the crime that he is in jail for.
Calder believes that Bubber will return to his hometown because Bubber’s wife
Anna. Bubber escapes with another fugitive who ends up stealing and killing while out, making it worse. Soon Bubber leaves on his own. So begins the hunt, the truth, and the overall crime drama comes together in a unique thriller that stands out even to this day.
Directed by Arthur Penn. Penn was a unique director in that
he directed both small and large cinema. From TV to feature film. He always
maintained his characters that he filmed in believable fashion. Started
directing 1953, and did so until 2001. He sadly passed away in 2010, but left an
amazing array of cinema. He is known for many wonderful masterpieces of cinema
such as the one and only 1962’s, The Miracle Worker which was nominated for 5
Academy Awards, which it won 2, for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
Arthur Penn was nominated for best director, which I think he should have won.
He also directed the one and only 1967’s masterpiece, Bonnie and Clyde nominated
for 10 Academy Awards. It won 2. Arthur Penn yet again was nominated for best
director, but did not win it. He also directed the amazing, and very underrated
1975’s Night Moves. Penn also directed the underrated 1981’s Four Friends. Penn
had a wonderful career of films such as 70’s Little Big Man, 76’s The Missouri
Breaks, 85’s Target, 87’s underrated Dead of Winter. A great director, and a
great career. A director that sadly never won an Academy Award for best
director, which I feel is a true shame, nominated 3 times for Best Director. 3
films Alice’s Restaurant, Bonnie and Clyde, and The Miracle Worker should have
garnered him at least one award. He directed many wonderful films that showcase
his ultimate brilliance and The Chase is one of them.
The stars the flawless Marlon Brando. Brando always gives
amazing performances in cinema. He has been honored with another Twilight Time
Blu-ray Special Edition release with, The Young Lions, which you can read my
review for HERE. His character’s that he plays are prime examples of building
character’s in cinema, to be remembered. Brando always executes his characters
with mastery, and his dynamic art of creating flawless characterizations of
fictional individuals, simply put, bringing them to life as believable in many
of his roles, is what makes his mastery stand out.
This also has the amazing Jane Fonda. She starred in one of
the great mystery thrillers of all time 1971’s Klute, which might I add won her an
Oscar. She is an amazing actress that starred in many wonderful films. Also
starred in some amazing drama’s in her career, the one and only 1977’s Julia, which was also released as a Twilight Time Special Edition Blu-ray, which you
can read my review for HERE. She also starred in the amazing 1979’s The China
Syndrome. But it is the tear jerking, my all-time favorite, 1981’s On Golden Pond
where she starred with her father, the masterpiece performer Henry Fonda that will
always stand out to me. Many of her performances have been captured on Twilight Time
Blu-ray Special Edition’s, such as 9 to 5 which you can read my review HERE , and
also Cat Ballou which you can read HERE .
Also starring the amazing Robert Redford. I've always been a
huge fan of Robert Redford. He has such a talented way of directing, acting
and most of all paying homage to all the wonderful independent elements of
filmmaking. He started the Sundance film Festival, sadly, The Sundance today, tends
to not be what it, was supposed to be. The Sundance film Festival and the
Sundance Channel has totally changed its original premise. It use to display
independent films, true independent films, and true, I state, true independent
directors, the ability to accomplish many things. There are a few that still
tend to get through, but the majority of Hollywood has destroyed Sundance, it's
nothing like I remember growing up. Redford has been in so many wonderful
films. Many cinematic films that should always be remembered and respected. He
is still acting strong today, and no matter what, Redford is a brilliant performer, both in front of the camera, and behind the camera.
The Chase is a great thriller of the past that feels often
at times very underrated when it comes to cinema history. Flawlessly directed,
acted and an overall complete award worthy film. Amazing performances. Amazing
cinematography. Wonderful music score. I am super happy that Twilight Time
choose this film for one of their special edition Blu-ray's.
Audio/Video:
My Rating: 5 out of 5
The transfer is amazing. The high definition is colorful,
vibrant and beautiful. The audio is wonderful and crisp. The audio and video
are great examples of how to bring out cinema to new generations or older
generations to experience. Twilight Time did a fantastic job.
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 2.35:1
AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
1966 / Color
Extras:
Isolated Score Track: This was a fantastic listen by itself for the
fact of who is behind it, John Barry Pendergast. A master talented composer,
conductor and musician of film. He has worked and created some of the greatest
film scores such as the brilliant masterpiece Midnight Cowboy, Dances with
Wolves, and might I add was the original person to arrange and perform the
iconic James Bond theme, on the very first James Bond film, Dr. No. He through
the span of his life won many awards, but also most importantly won 5 Academy
Awards for his excellence in film scores. Of those five two of those Oscars
where for Born Free which has also been released as a Special Edition Blu-ray, which you can read my review for HERE. He brings the music behind the films into a beauty of their own. Twilight Time did an amazing job
honoring this master on this special feature.
Audio Commentary with Film Historians Lem Dobbs, Julie
Kirgo, and Nick Redman. A wonderful listen. Huge fan of these film historians.
I love all threes knowledge. Listening to good film historians is always a plus, and Twilight Time uses a great selection of important film historians on many
of their releases.
Original Theatrical Trailer
Overall:
Another wonderful experience from Twilight Time. An amazing
transfer. Wonderful audio and video. The Chase is a great film to remember.
Wonderful acting. Amazing directing. A high quality Blu-ray. Twilight Time
choose a great film for another important release on Blu-ray. They pay such
attention to their products, and that is way I often praise and recommend there
releases, and The Chase is no different, for I recommend for any lover of great films and collectors of top quality Blu-ray's, this is a must..
INFO:
Make sure you head over to www.screenarchives.com to buy all
the wonderful Twilight Time Blu-rays. The main page that gives you these
beautiful releases on top quality Special Editions.
Also head over and like Twilight Time on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/twilighttimemovies