- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
- Audio Codec: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, LPCM 2.0 Stereo, German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono,
- Resolution: 1080p/24 (23.976Hz)
- Subtitles: German
- Region: B (Region-Locked)
- Certification: 12
- Discs: 2 (1 x Blu-ray + 1 x DVD)
- Studio: StudioCanal
- Run Time: 115 Mins.
- Blu-ray Release Date: October 31, 2011
- RRP: £22.99
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Overall
[Rating:4.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:4.5/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:3.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:4/5]
The Film
[Rating:4.5/5]
Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 film The Outsiders from the S.E. Hinton novel was a very important film for me in my early-teens, as it must have been for many other young teenagers and continues to be to this day. My Eight Grade teacher assigned the novel to our class to read only a year or so after the film had been released and then I sought out the film that very summer. I was taken with the characters and the story that involved all youths, no real adults of note to be found.
The story, set in small town Oklahoma, follows the misspent days and nights of two different gangs of youths, the Greasers, from the south side of town, are the underprivileged “hoodlums” and the Socs, the well-to-do kids from the good side of town with all the advantage life has to offer. The social order means these kids from different parts of society aren’t meant to associate, but that doesn’t stop them from getting into violent altercations that will eventually lead to terrible circumstances for the young 14-year-old greaser Ponyboy Curtis (C. Thomas Howell) and his friend, 16-year-old Johnny Cade (Ralph Macchio). A violent clash with a group of Socs who cross the invisible border into greaser territory late at night and catch Pony and Johnny alone in a park at night will leave one Soc dead, and Johnny and Ponyboy on the lam in the country, where they will learn lessons about life, true courage, and coming of age.
Coppola’s film stars a virtual who’s who of 1980s “brat pack” stars, some of whom would go on to much greater heights. The late Patrick Swayze plays Darrel Curtis, Ponyboy’s oldest brother, Rob Lowe is Sodapop Curtis, the middle Curtis brother. Also starring is Matt Dillon as the somewhat dangerous Dallas, Emilio Estevez as Two-Bit, Tom Cruise as Steve, Diane Lane as the Soc girl “Cherry” Valance and Leif Garret as Soc Bob Sheldon.
This “Director’s Cut”, if you will, also contains twenty-minutes of new footage previously left out of the theatrical release that brings the film more into line with the novel, including an opening scene where Ponyboy is brutally attacked by a gang of Socs and a new ending. Big chunks of Carmine Coppola’s (Francis’ father) score have also been removed and replaced with songs apropos to the era and characters, including music from Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Video Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
The Outsiders has been given a clean but smooth transfer to high definition Blu-ray with natural flesh tones, very little source damage apparent, extended shadow details and deep dark colors. The layer of grain present is extremely fine and almost too suppressed, showing an overuse of DNR.
Audio Quality
[Rating:5/5]
The new score comes along with a nicely spruced up lossless soundtrack in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. There’s lush ambience in the surrounds and lots of atmospherics. Occasionally discrete sounds are pushed out to the sides and back while the soundstage and dynamics are really expanded nicely when the classic rock tunes from Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others are prominent in the mix.
Supplement Materials
[Rating:4/5]
You have to appreciate Coppola, because when his films come to Blu-ray, he really does his best to load them up with quality extras. They have dug deep for this one, even including an old NBC Today Show report from 1983, and also included audio commentaries from Coppola himself and the actors (obviously recorded a while ago, as it includes the late Patrick Swayze). Much of the items here have been brought over from DVD since they are all in standard definition (PAL), but they are still very nice to have. The collectible booklet will be a must for fans as well.
The supplements provided with this release are:
- Introduction and Audio Commentary with Francis Ford Coppola
- Audio Commentary with Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Diane Lane, Robe Lowe, Ralph Macchio, and Patrick Swayze
- Staying Gold: A look Back at ‘The Outsiders’ (1.33:1; PAL; 00:26:24)
- NBC News’ Today from 1983 ‘The Outsiders’ Started by School Petition (1.33:1; PAL; 00:04:43)
- 7 cast members (Lowe, Swayze, Howell, Dillon, Macchio, Garret and Lane) read extracts from the novel (1.33:1; PAL; 00:07:23)
- S.E. Hinton on Location in Tulsa (1.33:1; PAL; 00:07:33)
- Six Deleted or Extended Scenes:
- Pony gets jumped and Dallas gets released
- Fugitives in the Church
- The Curtis Brothers Reunite
- Pony and Dallas visit Johnny’s Deathbed
- Pony calls his teacher
- We’re disguised
- The Casting of ‘The Outsiders’ (1.33:1; PAL; 00:13:57)
- Trailer from 1983 (1.33:1; PAL)
- DVD
- Booklet: Collector’s booklet with production history and collectible character art cards.
The Definitive Word
Overall:
[Rating:4.5/5]
Even though I am no longer a young man at the beginning of his teens, The Outsiders still moves me. Perhaps its Coppola’s vision as a director, Hinton’s original text, or even this newly invigorated edition of the film more in line with the book I read as a youngster, but this is one film well worth watching again and letting your young teenagers watch. It has also been given quite a rock solid transfer to Blu-ray from StudioCanal.
Additional Screen Captures
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[amazon-product region=”uk” tracking_id=”bluraydefinit-21″]B00525QKUM[/amazon-product]
Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.co.uk
Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com
Overall
[Rating:4.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:4.5/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:3.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:4/5]