Miami Blues (1990) - February 24, 2015

[slasherdisc]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Blu-ray case states that it's in DTS-HD. It is NOT.

It is output as PCM.

What a joke.

That is disappointing. The audio received a decent rating on the site so i'm sure it's good but still. I bought this over the weekend but have yet to check it out. Great film though!

[Pondosinatra]

Originally Posted by visualsynth

That is disappointing. The audio received a decent rating on the site so i'm sure it's good but still. I bought this over the weekend but have yet to check it out. Great film though!

Lots of print damage as well. So much speckling going on it's almost as if I'm watching a rotted Laserdisc...

[Bad Sandwich]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Blu-ray case states that it's in DTS-HD. It is NOT.

It is output as PCM.

What a joke.

I fail to see how this really matters.

[Nickeleye7]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Blu-ray case states that it's in DTS-HD. It is NOT.

It is output as PCM.

What a joke.

Yeah, that doesn't matter. DTS-HD is just a container, when decoded it's still PCM. I've actually found straight PCM tracks to be the best. They were used more in the early days of Blu-Ray. They seem to be a bit more robust and have higher bitrates. I've had to be careful with volume on some PCM tracks as to not blow speaker drivers!!!!

[PipesDonatello]

Just finished watching it. Overall a pretty good presentation, but yeah, the occasional speckling was a little off putting at times. By the way, did anyone's disc have audio playing during the main menu?

[surfinhank]

Originally Posted by PipesDonatello

Just finished watching it. Overall a pretty good presentation, but yeah, the occasional speckling was a little off putting at times. By the way, did anyone's disc have audio playing during the main menu?

Thank you, I forgot to ask about that. No audio during the main menu playback, which seemed odd.

[PipesDonatello]

Originally Posted by surfinhank

Thank you, I forgot to ask about that. No audio during the main menu playback, which seemed odd.

Definitely odd considering it looks like they should have had audio (montage of random clips from the movie) but forgot to include it during final processing.

[meremortal]

Can't believe I never saw this one growing up. The version streaming on Prime right now sounds like the Shout version as this print had a lot of speckling as well but looked pretty good. I'll have to pick up the blu one day.

[drb124]

I had this on dvd and was happy to upgrade my blu-ray. Recently I have been trying to work my way through Charles Willeford’s oeuvre and have read Miami Blues along with 2 of the other Hoke Mosely novels. I prefer some of his standalone novels such as The Woman Chase and Cockfighter to the Mosely series. Now rewatching the Shout release, I still enjoy the movie as Alec Baldwin playing full on crazy, but there are definitely some casting issues (mainly the actress playing Sanchez with respect to how she was described in the book) as well as the softening of many plot points as well as Baldwin’s character overall compared to the book.

[Aclea]

Agreed. It's a decent film but it's noticeably watered down from the source and is one of those great books that should have made a much better movie.

[bonehica]

I had no idea this movie was based on a book. I always liked this movie because of Fred Ward. I have no idea what his character was like in the book, but I liked the way Ward portrayed him here.

[SeanJoyce]

The "Spirit in the Sky" opening is one of my favorites ever; that song just fits the movie perfectly.

Also love the bizarre pork chop dinner, with Ward essentially inviting himself over to eat and drinking all the beers with a shirtless-Baldwin.

My question is, did Ward suspect Baldwin was guilty at that point, or was he really that aloof?

[bonehica]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

The "Spirit in the Sky" opening is one of my favorites ever; that song just fits the movie perfectly.

Also love the bizarre pork chop dinner, with Ward essentially inviting himself over to eat and drinking all the beers with a shirtless-Baldwin.

My question is, did Ward suspect Baldwin was guilty at that point, or was he really that aloof?

[Show spoiler]I was always under the assumption he already suspected Baldwin was his guy at this point...just didn't have the evidence. Used the evening to get a read on him, but of course he also loved beer. "You sure you don't have another Polar ratholed around here somewhere?"

[drb124]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

The "Spirit in the Sky" opening is one of my favorites ever; that song just fits the movie perfectly.

Also love the bizarre pork chop dinner, with Ward essentially inviting himself over to eat and drinking all the beers with a shirtless-Baldwin.

My question is, did Ward suspect Baldwin was guilty at that point, or was he really that aloof?

In the book

[Show spoiler]he is actually invited in for dinner for pork chops but declines as he has already eaten, Suzy asks again and tries to persuade him if I remember correctly, which is why I found the scene odd on my rewatch. I believe they run into one another at a restaurant but Mosley does comment about how Junior guards his food like he has done time.

The main discarded plot line from the book was that the hari Krishna that died in the airport was actually Suzy’s brother. Junior figures this out pretty and later reveals this to Suzy. Additionally she does reveal and mentions repeatedly in the book that she came to Miami for an abortion. We later find out that The child was her brother’s. Additionally Mosley was injured much more severely than in the movie. Plus Juniors injuries from the convenience store were much worse in the book. I also think that it is clear in the book the Junior never loves or really cares about Suzy. He is much more demanding and she must do exactly as h says.

That is just what I can remember.

In the movie it just seemed like he didn’t take the death very seriously and was just glad to have some pork chops. And i did find it odd that Baldwin decided to disrobe for dinner.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by bonehica

I had no idea this movie was based on a book. I always liked this movie because of Fred Ward. I have no idea what his character was like in the book, but I liked the way Ward portrayed him here.

Ward's pretty good casting, but the original plan - before Baldwin got interested - was for him to play Freddy Frenger.

You should definitely seek out the novel: it goes down deceptively easy and is the kind of novel you think you'll just read a chapter or two to see how it goes and then find yourself more than halfway through it in a single sitting.

[ogjongray]

Originally Posted by drb124

I had this on dvd and was happy to upgrade my blu-ray. Recently I have been trying to work my way through Charles Willeford’s oeuvre and have read Miami Blues along with 2 of the other Hoke Mosely novels. I prefer some of his standalone novels such as The Woman Chase and Cockfighter to the Mosely series. Now rewatching the Shout release, I still enjoy the movie as Alec Baldwin playing full on crazy, but there are definitely some casting issues (mainly the actress playing Sanchez with respect to how she was described in the book) as well as the softening of many plot points as well as Baldwin’s character overall compared to the book.

Have you read Burnt Orange Heresy? One of my favorite Willeford books and I’ve read most of them. I think I remember hearing that it’s being adapted with Mick Jagger and Donald Sutherland attached. I like to view all adaptations as being separate incarnations of the same idea and I love scenes from the movie like the crazy shirtless pork chop dinner scene. I seem to remember that the book mentioned that JJL’s character was a teenager so I can see why that would be downplayed in the movie.

[ogjongray]

Originally Posted by drb124

In the book

[Show spoiler]he is actually invited in for dinner for pork chops but declines as he has already eaten, Suzy asks again and tries to persuade him if I remember correctly, which is why I found the scene odd on my rewatch. I believe they run into one another at a restaurant but Mosley does comment about how Junior guards his food like he has done time.

The main discarded plot line from the book was that the hari Krishna that died in the airport was actually Suzy’s brother. Junior figures this out pretty and later reveals this to Suzy. Additionally she does reveal and mentions repeatedly in the book that she came to Miami for an abortion. We later find out that The child was her brother’s. Additionally Mosley was injured much more severely than in the movie. Plus Juniors injuries from the convenience store were much worse in the book. I also think that it is clear in the book the Junior never loves or really cares about Suzy. He is much more demanding and she must do exactly as h says.

That is just what I can remember.

In the movie it just seemed like he didn’t take the death very seriously and was just glad to have some pork chops. And i did find it odd that Baldwin decided to disrobe for dinner.

I still grip the neck of beer bottles like Baldwin to this day. If only I had the hairy chest and high waist chinos to match.

[drb124]

Originally Posted by ogjongray

Have you read Burnt Orange Heresy? One of my favorite Willeford books and I’ve read most of them. I think I remember hearing that it’s being adapted with Mick Jagger and Donald Sutherland attached. I like to view all adaptations as being separate incarnations of the same idea and I love scenes from the movie like the crazy shirtless pork chop dinner scene. I seem to remember that the book mentioned that JJL’s character was a teenager so I can see why that would be downplayed in the movie.

Not I haven’t. That is in my next batch to get. I did read Shark Infested Custard yesterday though. Very downbeat, but I could see it making a good film with the right director.

I have read a lot of Jim Thompson as well. I like him a lot, but man he had a poor view of humanity.

Originally Posted by ogjongray

I still grip the neck of beer bottles like Baldwin to this day. If only I had the hairy chest and high waist chinos to match.

I took immediate note of the odd way he was holding the bottles by the neck. One of my good friends and I still ask in jest if the other has any Polars.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by ogjongray

I still grip the neck of beer bottles like Baldwin to this day.

Haha same, along with the quick throw-back motion like he's slugging a shot.

[ogjongray]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

Haha same, along with the quick throw-back motion like he's slugging a shot.

Perfect for washing down all that vinegar pie.