The Secret of My Success (1987) / The Hard Way (1991)

[DMRI2006]

Originally Posted by MountainMan23

Too bad Frighteners was rated R back then. They should have went with a PG-13 rating and then release the unrated cut later. I would have loved to seen it in theaters as a kid. It feels like it should be a PG-13 movie.

It does, the rating had a direct impact on the box-office at the time. I think they actually intended for it to be PG-13 but the movie was "too intense" for that designation.

[shane01]

The Hard Way looks sharpened. Edge halos. One shot with tons of noise on a patterned blouse. I saw this as a kid on VHS, so it might be going for a more stylish sharper look, but it’s a fun over the top Dinkins-era satire with a great Fox performance!

[FilmBufffff]

Just received this along with TSoMS from BB and about to check them out. I love The Hard Way and put it right up there with Beverly Hills Cop, Midnight Run, and The Last Boy Scout in the pantheon of awesome action-comedies of the 80's and 90's. Fox and Woods at their absolute R-Rated best!

[FilmBufffff]

Just finished and as an avid watcher of the DVD for the past 20 years I thought it looked great. Some shots looked better than others but overall I was impressed and am so happy to finally have this on baby blu.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by FilmBufffff

Just finished and as an avid watcher of the DVD for the past 20 years I thought it looked great. Some shots looked better than others but overall I was impressed and am so happy to finally have this on baby blu.

Yeah, I watched it this past weekend and thought it looked good. A lot of edge enhancement, but that never bothered me as much as it bothers others. Great to have another long lost title on Blu-ray.

[PipesDonatello]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

It does, the rating had a direct impact on the box-office at the time. I think they actually intended for it to be PG-13 but the movie was "too intense" for that designation.

Peter Jackson made the Jeffrey Combs death scene more graphic since they were getting an R rating anyway.

[Mockingbird]

Can anyone comment as to whether the commentary for Secret of My Success is any good? (i.e., offers interesting takes on filmmaking choices, the editing process, etc.).

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by MountainMan23

Too bad Frighteners was rated R back then. They should have went with a PG-13 rating and then release the unrated cut later. I would have loved to seen it in theaters as a kid. It feels like it should be a PG-13 movie.

I think the original intention was an R-rated Halloween movie... then Universal decided they wanted a PG-13 summer movie... so Jackson made changes and then the film got an R-rating anyways AND still a summer release.

Commercially the worst of both worlds.

Great film though.

[albabe]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

I blind-bought Doc Hollywood and was quite let down. It's a boring movie IMHO.

My faves are TSOMS, which I could watch every day, and Greedy, which is absolutely hysterical with a fantastic cast.

I love Doc Hollywood. it has a real Northern Exposure feel to it.

[disco1979]

Watched The Secret of My Success. Looks good. Didn't listen to the commentary.

The Helen Slater interview is ten minutes, filmed via computer interview. She still looks great. Very intelligent lady. Nice to hear her discuss the late Margaret Whitton and Richard Jordan.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by albabe

I love Doc Hollywood. it has a real Northern Exposure feel to it.

Yeah I'm a big Doc Hollywood fan as well.

[MattGuyOR]

Originally Posted by shane01

The Hard Way looks sharpened. Edge halos. One shot with tons of noise on a patterned blouse. I saw this as a kid on VHS, so it might be going for a more stylish sharper look, but it’s a fun over the top Dinkins-era satire with a great Fox performance!

I noticed that it looked sharpened, too. Still decent, but disappointing.

I hadn’t seen it in decades, but you are right. Michael J. Fox is fantastic in it. He made the movie for me.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Has anyone compared the new Hard Way disc with the region free Universal disc? If so are they the same transfer?

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

anyone compare TSOM to the Euro version?

[Madness]

I currently own import versions (links) of both. Is it worth buying the domestics also?

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-H...lu-ray/139184/

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-S...lu-ray/139574/

[All Darc]

The Hard Way edition it's a hard way to watch a film.

I looks very poor... Poor telecine, poor filtering, poor encoding...

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-H...2/#Screenshots

Why movies from the 80's often are the worst blu ray editions???

[mulscul]

Its a 1991 movie, so 90s movies can get poor transfers too

[Bluyoda]

I watched The Hard Way 2 days ago, and while it certainly would never win any awards, it is watchable. I wasn't bothered by EE, more by the noise. Some DNR as well. This movie could look really nice in the noire sort of sense, but I care far more about TSOMS, and Greedy, which I would love remasters of, especially Greedy which is barely watchable on my big screen. I have the UK editions btw..

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

I watched The Hard Way 2 days ago, and while it certainly would never win any awards, it is watchable. I wasn't bothered by EE, more by the noise. Some DNR as well. This movie could look really nice in the noire sort of sense. I have the UK editions btw..

Yeah I agree. I just got the Kino release and it is indeed the same master as the UK but even though it's not perfect it still looks fairly decent IMO and is the best the film has ever looked since it's theatrical run especially compared to the awful dvd. Even though I personally rate the film a star higher than the reviewer did I really enjoyed his comments on the underrated The Specialist and Woods' performances in both that film and The Hard Way.

[All Darc]

Early 90's (film shot in 1990 probably) looks so 80's style.

Star Trek film collection (I to VII or VIII) it's a example of how to spoil a entire film legacy. People should had boycotted.

It's fun how some people or some TV technicians (Installers) say: "You need to sit far from your TV".
Yes, far... far enough to do not see the artifacted noise banding image, and if you are far to not see such things, you are also far enough to see no HD details, or just watch as it was a DVD.

Originally Posted by mulscul

Its a 1991 movie, so 90s movies can get poor transfers too