Fulvue Drive-In.com
Current Reviews
In Stores Soon
 
In Stores Now
 
DVD Reviews, SACD Reviews Essays Interviews Contact Us Meet the Staff
An Explanation of Our Rating System Search  
Category:    Home > Reviews > Comedy > Satire > Mystery > Western > My Favorite Brunette/Son Of Paleface (HD-DVD/BCI Eclipse)

My Favorite Brunette/Son Of Paleface (HD-DVD/BCI Eclipse)

 

Picture: B-     Sound: C     Extras: D     Films: B-

 

 

The second (and last) of two HD-DVD double features with hit films starring Bob Hope has arrived and once again, you get two of his most popular films.  My Favorite Brunette (1947) remains the amusing comedy mystery where still photographer Hope had better watch it before he takes his last snapshot, while Son Of Paleface (1952) is the comedy sequel to his Western send-up The Paleface where he plays the son of his character from the first film and is out to find dad’s inheritance.  Most politically incorrect, it is not Blazing Saddles, but holds up as one of the better Western spoofs before the Mel Brooks classic.

 

As Hope was at the peak of his film star power, he could get top rate co-stars, with Dorothy Lamour, Lon Chaney and Peter Lorre in Brunette, plus Jane Russell and Roy Rogers in Son.  For their time, they were big hits and like Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, were the kinds of big name stars that kept Paramount a major studio into the 1950s.  I actually enjoyed this set a bit more in content than the two Road films from the previous HD-DVD, which you can read more about at this link:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6572/Road+To+Rio/Road+To+Bali+(Bob

 

 

Like that previous release, the 1080p 1.33 X 1 image on both films (once again, the first is black and white, the second three-strip Technicolor) may not be perfect, but after so many poor version on TV, DVD and lesser formats, are easily the best versions to hit home video to date.  However, in both cases, the prints are a little more worn than the ones on the previous HD-DVD.  Video Black is certainly stronger than copies in older formats and for the price, it is a good deal.  As for the Technicolor on Paleface, it may not always be as consistent as that of Road To Bali’s print, but has plenty of great color moments, some of which are demo material for your HDTV.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono on both films follows the previous films as being weaker than expected and more compressed than they should be.

 

There are no extras, but it is a fun set and we expect we’ll see a Blu-ray of both soon.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo


Marketplace


 
 Copyright © MMIII through MMX fulvuedrive-in.com