SWEET LIBERTY / TANK - Andy's Blu-Ray Reviews

[AndyDursin]

SWEET LIBERTY
8/10

TANK
4/10

SWEET LIBERTY (106 mins., 1986, PG): This is one of Alan Alda’s best directorial efforts – a genial tale of a small college town besieged by a Hollywood movie crew that’s arrived to make a film set during the American Revolution. The picture is based on a non-fiction book by a local professor (Alda), whose frustration over the production’s lack of interest in historical accuracy is contrasted with his growing crush on its leading lady (Michelle Pfeiffer).

Alda, who also wrote the film, mixes mirth and merriment with a little dramedy in terms of his character’s relationship with a fellow professor (Lise Hilboldt), but Alda’s sage send-up of Hollywood and its assorted types produces the most entertainment here. On that end, Alda generates terrific performances from Michael Caine as the movie’s Lothario leading man; Bob Hoskins as a well-intentioned screenwriter still primarily focused on career preservation; and Saul Rubinek the glib director from the West Coast. Lillian Gish also generates some laughs as Alda’s increasingly scatterbrained mother.

Making its domestic debut here not only in high-definition but widescreen as well (Universal’s previous U.S. DVD was 4:3), “Sweet Liberty” receives a satisfying 1080p (1.85) transfer from the Universal vaults. Frank Tidy’s Hamptons-based lensing is nicely composed and Bruce Broughton’s memorable underscoring marked his first of several collaborations with Alda. The disc is capped by a trailer and a commentary with Daniel Kremer and Nat Segaloff.

TANK Blu-Ray (113 mins., 1984, PG): Extremely odd 1984 film uneasily meshes what might have been a ’60s/’70s James Garner “family comedy” with the more PG-level sensibilities of an ’80s youth picture. The result is something that doesn’t quite satisfy on either level, with Garner’s veteran military man having to literally take on a small town and its nutcase sheriff (G.D. Spradlin) after he jails his son (C. Thomas Howell). At one point in time, “Tank” may have been just an innocuous Saturday matinee time-killer for Garner, but here, the Dan Gordon script throws in prostitutes, rednecks, broad stereotypes and leering adult-level humor that seems out of place with director Marvin J. Chomsky’s overall sensibilities. Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray (1.85, DTS MA mono) looks to be from an older yet still perfectly acceptable Universal master and boasts a new commentary from Bryan Reesman, several radio spots, and the trailer.

[Eric Paddon]

To this day I can still remember the review of "Tank" by WNEW-TV movie critic Stewart Klein.

"Tank, stank."

[Paul MacLean]

To this day I can still remember the review of "Tank" by WNEW-TV movie critic Stewart Klein.

"Tank, stank."

Stewart Kline was often caustic -- in the best possible way!

I remember him summing up The Last Emperor with "The story of Puyi is almost P.U."