Space Cowboys (HD-DVD)

 

Picture: B     Sound: B     Extras: C+     Film: B-

 

 

Back when the James Bond film Moonraker was a huge hit for Roger Moore (his biggest in the series), it rode the Star Wars wave more successfully than most actual space opera knock-offs of Lucas’ megahit.  Back then, Warner responded by putting Sean Connery in Peter Hyams’ grossly underrated Outland in 1981, a film by the way that is screaming for an HD-DVD release.  More recently, the overhyped Michael Bay film Armageddon (1998) was a huge hit with Bruce Willis following the slick production mode of Tony Scott’s Top Gun from 1986.  Both could not have existed with out Philip Kaufmann’s docudrama space epic The Right Stuff (1984 and yet another Warner title that needs an HD-DVD) and combined could not put a patch on the ever-remarkable film.  It even influenced Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 (1996) along with Robert Altman’s mostly forgotten Countdown.

 

With some great humor, Clint Eastwood decided to take a shot at these kinds of films with Space Cowboys (2000), a film mocking the youth-aimed films with its four mature leads and is one of the better films as a result.  Instead of a comet or asteroid, an old Soviet satellite has NASA concerned and with the former USSR long gone, it looks like only the U.S. Government has the resources to go after it and stop it from making a fatal collision into earth upon reentry.  It is just too large to burn up safely.

 

Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Tommy Lee Jones and James Garner are the elder Astronaut partners from the 1950s who eventually become involved in the necessary mission.  When Frank Corvin (Eastwood) is asked to go to space to fix the problem because newer astronauts have no knowledge or experience with Soviet technologies and systems of the past, he refuses unless he can bring his buddies along with for the ride and for assistance.  At first, NASA resists, but eventually realizes they have no choice and their decades-delayed trip (replaced by experimental animals at the time!) begins.

 

The lead cast is great, funny and totally convincing as old buddies.  There is real chemistry here and you can tell these great actors are having a great time, a sensibility the actors infuse their characters with.  As with all later directing efforts by Eastwood, the film also sports a strong supporting cast including Marcia Gay Harden, James Cromwell, William Devane, Barbara Babcock, Courtney B. Vance, Blair Brown and Rade Serbedzija.  The Ken Kaufman/Howard Klausner screenplay is a solid one and takes more than a few cues from Moonraker, believe it or not.  All in all, a fun Eastwood film not enough people have seen and great choice for HD-DVD.  Expect a Blu-ray soon too.

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image is decent and better than the regular DVD, but not in any spectacular way.  The black and white footage is not real black and white as monochrome once was, but is fine for the limited scenes it is used in.  Cinematographer Jack N. Green, A.S.C., shoots the film to look big and that is a plus for the film.  The Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix is more like it versus the weaker standard Dolby Digital 5.1 from the regular DVD, showing off a sound mix that has its moments.  The oddest moment is when the veteran actors voice-over younger actors playing their parts in those flashback sequences.  Lennie Niehaus’ score is not bad.  The combination is HD enough to enjoy.

 

Extras include the same as the regular DVDs features, including the original theatrical trailer, Tonight Show with Jay Leno appearance for the leads, and featurettes covering visual effects, editing with Joel Cox and on location at NASA.  All are enjoyable and round out a fun disc.  Now if only Warner could get Outland, The Right Stuff and Eastwood’s terrific thriller Absolute Power announced in HD.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo