Scarecrow Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Scarecrow," featuring cinematography by the esteemed Vilmos Zsigmond, offers a meticulous and authentic representation of the film's visual aesthetic. Utilizing a 1080p, AVC-encoded transfer from an interpositive scanned at 2K, Warner's Motion Picture Imaging facility has rendered Zsigmond's expressive frames with precision. The resulting image exhibits a finely resolved grain structure, maintaining the original filmic quality without becoming obtrusive, apart from slightly noticeable grain during the optically superimposed opening titles. The color correction process involved referencing a dye-transfer release print, ensuring the palette retains its understated, yet striking authenticity. Background details across varied settings—from natural landscapes to urban decay—are impressively clear, showcasing both daytime and nighttime scenes with well-preserved visibility and solid black levels.

The Blu-ray maintains a high average bitrate of 34.98 Mbps, contributing to the superb clarity and stability of the visuals. The transfer effectively captures the diverse moods conveyed through Zsigmond's lighting techniques, such as the reddish glow in dim interiors and the pronounced details in outdoor scenes. Various colors pop vibrantly against the film's otherwise muted tones, notably in Max's colorful attire. While flesh tones lean towards the rosy side, and occasional crush affects darker scenes, these minor issues do not detract significantly from the overall viewing experience. Notably, there are no visible signs of damage or intrusive digital alteration. This meticulous effort by Warner Archive Collection honors the early 1970s cinematic aura of "Scarecrow" while preserving its lush, lyrical visual elements for modern audiences.

The audio presentation of "Scarecrow" on Blu-ray features a carefully restored DTS-HD MA 2.0 mono track derived from the original magnetic masters. This restoration eliminates age-related defects such as hiss, pops, or crackles, thereby maintaining a clean and pure soundtrack. The presentation is markedly authentic and accurate to its source material, providing a listening experience faithful to the film’s original intent. Dialogue, although thin and hollow at times due to production sound recording methods, remains intelligible and unburdened by post-dubbing inconsistencies.

Despite being a mono track, the DTS-HD Master Audio exhibits a commendable level of detail and clarity. Environmental noises such as the whistling wind, footfalls on pavement, and subtle background elements like chirping birds and spattering grease are rendered with precision. The dynamic range is well-managed, ensuring no distortion disrupts the audio purity. Additionally, sparse musical cues, occasionally originating from diegetic sources like jukeboxes and radios, fill the space effectively while keeping with the film's minimalist approach to scoring. This meticulous audio restoration results in a track that, while not exceptionally immersive by modern standards, stands out for its fidelity and attention to auditory detail.

The extras included in the Blu-ray release of "Scarecrow" have been ported from Warner's 2005 DVD, offering fans a nostalgic and insightful look into the film's production. The vintage featurette "On the Road with Scarecrow" provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the cast and crew at work, featuring silent footage and a narrative that compares the film's characters to classic pairs. The remastered theatrical trailer, presented in 1080p, sets a different tone than the film itself, implying a more comedic essence. Though limited in number, these supplements enrich the viewing experience with valuable context.

Extras included in this disc:

• On the Road with Scarecrow: A vintage featurette that includes behind-the-scenes footage and dramatic clips.
• Theatrical Trailer: Remastered trailer presenting a comedic angle to the film.

Jerry Schatzberg's "Scarecrow" offers a potent, yet meandering journey through the lens of two drifters on a cross-country odyssey. Featuring Gene Hackman as Max Millan and Al Pacino as Francis Lionel "Lion" Delbuchi, the film delves into the lives of these disparate characters, brought together by circumstances and bound by mutual need. Hackman's simmering rage and Pacino's whimsical tenderness form an unusual but compelling chemistry, with both actors imbuing their roles with depth and nuance. Max’s prison-hardened demeanor contrasts sharply with Lion’s gregarious, quixotic nature, leading to a tapestry rich with human frailty and unexpected resilience.

The film's narrative, penned by Garry Michael White, takes viewers through an array of gritty, yet visually poetic American landscapes—a feat brilliantly captured by Vilmos Zsigmond’s cinematography. The plot, while appearing stagnant at times, serves to underscore themes of isolation and fleeting companionship. The visual aesthetics—a blend of dusty roads, forgotten towns, and stark train yards—complement the slowly unraveling tale of Max and Lion’s misadventures, enhancing the melancholic tone of this road movie. However, the languid pacing and sparse plot may test viewer patience, occasionally bogging down the emotional momentum built by Hackman and Pacino’s performances.

"Scarecrow" is a quintessential product of 1970s cinematic rebellion—a time characterized by introspective and actor-driven projects. Despite sharing the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1973, the film struggled to find its audience upon release, its contemplative tempo failing to meet commercial expectations. Still, Hackman and Pacino's portrayal of two lost souls forming a reluctant, yet pivotal bond remains compelling. The Blu-ray release by Warner Archive Collection does justice to Zsigmond’s widescreen compositions, providing a crisp visual experience that modern audiences can appreciate. While its leisurely pace may not captivate everyone, "Scarecrow" is undoubtedly a notable entry in the annals of character-driven cinema, showcasing the era's penchant for exploring life's quieter, more desolate moments.

Jerry Schatzberg's "Scarecrow," a distinct blend of road film and buddy drama, is a noteworthy showcase of two of America's finest actors, Gene Hackman and Al Pacino, at their peak. The film offers a probing character study through the lens of a meandering and somewhat offbeat narrative, portraying an unlikely friendship between drifters. Hackman and Pacino's performances are compelling and elevate the film, capturing the fragile humanity of their characters. Despite these strong performances, the film's pacing and forced humor can make it feel tedious at times.

Warner Archive Collection’s Blu-ray release of “Scarecrow” provides a vibrant visual and audio experience that enhances Schatzberg's original vision. The carefully restored video quality contributes to the film's emotional depth where the cinematography shines with vividness and intensity. The audio transfer supports the film’s subtle but impactful score, rounding out the immersive experience. Accompanying the main feature is a vintage featurette that provides intriguing insights into the production and thematic subtleties of the film.

In conclusion, "Scarecrow" isn't for everyone, but it's a memorable experience powered by two of America’s greatest screen actors in peak form. The characters they bring to life may be nobodies, but Hackman and Pacino make them unforgettable. WAC's Blu-ray presents this quietly provocative artifact of the Seventies film revolution with the intensity and vividness that its scope deserves. Highly recommended for enthusiasts of character-driven narratives and fans of early '70s cinema.