A Fistful of CLINT EASTWOOD in 4K

DIRTY HARRY, THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES and PALE RIDER (4K UHD)

From Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Three of Clint Eastwood’s most popular American films are finally available on 4K. For fans who already have one or all of them of DVD or Blu-ray, the good news is that the video and audio restorations are excellent. But even if technical upgrades aren’t really your thing, each disc includes some interesting new bonus features along with those from previous releases.

Best field trip ever.

Of these films, Dirty Harry (1971/102 min) is the undisputed classic. Hugely influential, to say nothing of controversial, the film was a game changer in the action genre while firmly establishing Eastwood as a superstar. Certain aspects obviously haven’t aged well, but when viewed within the context of the era when it was released, it’s easy to see why it connected with audiences (though this writer actually prefers the second film, Magnum Force). Thematic elements notwithstanding, it’s Don Siegel’s sharp direction, Eastwood’s iconic performance and still quotable dialogue that remain timeless.

EXTRA KIBBLES: FEATURETTES - Generations and Dirty Harry (NEW); Lensing Justice: The Cinematography of Dirty Harry (NEW); Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows; Dirty Harry’s Way; Dirty Harry: The Original; DOCUMENTARIES - Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso; Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy; AUDIO COMMENTARY - By critic Richard Schickel; INTERVIEW GALLERY; DIGITAL COPY.

"There he is...the guy who called you Chief Poopy Pants."

Though the Dirty Harry franchise offered the strongest evidence to date that Eastwood had panache beyond revisionist westerns, he still knew his way around a horse and never truly left the genre behind, even as most of Hollywood already had. Along with High Plains Drifter, The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976/136 min) showed that no director was better suited to keeping westerns alive in the 70s than Eastwood himself. Initially a revenge film, the main character’s transformation from vengeance-fueled killer to regaining his humanity is something we hadn’t really seen in an Eastwood western before (though he still kicks serious ass). While a little overlong and occasionally meandering, this features one of Eastwood’s most affecting performances.

EXTRA KIBBLES: FEATURETTES - An Outlaw and an Antihero (NEW); The Cinematography of an Outlaw: Crafting Josey Wales (NEW); Clint Eastwood’s West; Eastwood in Action; Hell Hath No Fury: The Making of The Outlaw Josey Wales. DOCUMENTARY - Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy - Reinventing Westerns; AUDIO COMMENTARY - By critic Richard Schickel; DIGITAL COPY.

Clint calls his shot.

If the western was on life support in the 70s, it was all but dead in the 80s. Even Lawrence Kasdan’s magnificent Silverado was more of an homage to a bygone era than an attempt to revitalize the genre. But as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and by this time, who didn’t want to see Eastwood strap on his six-guns again? His penultimate western, Pale Rider (1985/116 min), doesn’t reinvent the wheel - it’s kind of a benevolent variation of High Plains Drifter - but sure was a satisfying slice of cinematic comfort food back then. While the film’s legacy has since been somewhat overshadowed by 1992’s Unforgiven (Eastwood’s inarguable masterpiece), Pale Rider remains a solid western from the only guy who could have gotten away with making one at the time.

EXTRA KIBBLES: FEATURETTES - The Diary of Sydney Penny: Lessons from the Set (NEW); Painting the Preacher: The Cinematography of Pale Rider (NEW); DOCUMENTARIES - Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy - Reinventing Westerns; Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story; The Eastwood Factor; AUDIO COMMENTARY - By critic Richard Schickel; DIGITAL COPY.

All three releases feature new case & slipcover design, none of which reflect much imagination (original one-sheet artwork would’ve been awesome), but I guess that’s a minor quip. Elsewhere, I doubt there will be too many complaints about the technical specs or substantial bonus features, new and old, included with each disc. These are must-owns for Clint Eastwood fans.