Young Guns
(Blu-ray)
Picture:
C+ Sound: B- Extras: C Film: B-
Few want
to admit it, but despite trying to write it off as a “Brat Pack” film which it
would barely qualify as towards the end of that cycle, Christopher Cain’s 1988
surprise hit Young Guns stunned the
industry by proving a Western could still make money when not starring Clint
Eastwood. Though never a great film, it
was a film in the right direction and became a bad franchise (Young Guns II was outright awful and
another sequel eventually became American
Outlaws with Colin Farrell since it had all become so, so old) in the
process, but not before getting the ball rolling on the genre again.
Billy The Kid (Emilio Estevez, giving one of his few memorable, energetic
performances, if not owning the role) leads a troop of bad young men (including
Kiefer Sutherland years before 24,
Dermot Mulroney, Lou Diamond Philips, Casey Siemaszko and Charlie Sheen) under
the auspices of a British land owner (Terence Stamp) against greedy money interests. When things take a dark turn, the gang has to
decide upon revenge for losing money or out of personal loyalty. Either way, things will get bloody in this
R-rated tale.
Jack
Palance and Terry O’Quinn, also on the way to more hits, co-star in a film that
was not half bad at the time and still holds up pretty good for its age. Many critics had trouble getting past the
cast, especially Estevez, but the film moves at a good pace that put so many
old, tired Westerns to shame and was at the heart of why the genre died to
begin with. While the sequels were
turkeys, classics like Dances With
Wolves and Unforgiven became
surprise hits that both won the Best Picture Oscar and the franchise was left
in the dust. Now, Young Guns makes for a time capsule and interesting curio of the
time it arrived and has a new curio factor for those who know the stars and
have not seen it.
This new
Blu-ray has a 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital high Definition transfer that is not the
best or from the cleanest source print.
One reason this worked and was a hit was because of the work of Director
Of Photography Dean Semler, A.C.S., who delivers a clean, clear, often vivid
new look at the Western without any pretense.
This is not the most artistic thing he ever shot, but was palpable
enough to make the West seem alive for the first time in years on a big
screen. Soon, he would do better himself
with Dances With Wolves, though his
work on Young Guns II could not save
that mess.
Old Dolby
A-type analog theatrical sound was the only soundtrack for this film for a long
time. The PCM 2.0 Stereo with Pro Logic
surrounds on the old 12” LaserDisc was fine, but the Dolby Digital 2.0 version
on the DVDs (including now defunct Vestron Video) never cut it. Recently, the sound has been upgraded to
Dolby and DTS 5.1, here in even better versions on the Blu-ray. Sure, the sound shows its age and the music
is only so good, but The Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and DTS HD 96/24 6.1 ES matrixed
sound are nice upgrades. The DTS
especially so, making up for the picture troubles a bit.
Extras
are few and the audio commentary track fans like is missing for some reason,
but you do get The Real Billy The Kid
Documentary and an advanced trivia track.
25GB was just not enough room we guess.
Director
Cain would have another connection to another young actor in a successful
franchise being the father of Dean Cain who played Superman in the odd Lois & Clark series, as well as
directing a lesser-known Hilary Swank in her lead debut The Next Karate Kid.
However, Morgan Creek sold this franchise down the river and it was
quickly downhill from there. See this
one and skip the rest.
- Nicholas Sheffo
