SRP $29.99 1.33:1 DOLBY SURROUND BUENA VISTA
 

We were literally stunned to find John Milius listed as the director for "MOTORCYCLE GANG." We'd never known about this title, and Milius has written such powerful scripts as "APOCALYPSE NOW," "WIND AND THE LION" and others.  He's also directed the first "CONAN" film as well as some other decent, if otherwise flawed films. 

"MOTORCYCLE GANG" was created for a short-lived series on SHOWTIME, which also included films by other directors such as Roberto Rodriquez, to name one.  Promoted as being remakes of classic "B" films from the late '50s, these films were less inspired from the source material than most AIP films were with Poe's work. That's not to say the original films were classic, ...they weren't! But, at least in the case of "MOTORCYCLE GANG," this remake does make the original feel like "CITIZEN KANE."  Geral McRaney stars as Cal, the father of  a precocious 16 year old(the very young and beautiful Carla Gugino), whom, while on a cross-country trip with her family, has caught the eye of Jake, the leader of a very bad "Motorcycle Gang."  Cal has a lot of stress in his life.  Besides having to keep a watchful eye over his extremely naive daughter, he's also got to deal with an adulterous wife.  The script is entirely predictable and we know right away that it won't be long before Cal's skills as a Korean War Vet will be put into use before the film's end.  There is a fair amount of violence, but it's not until near the end, so action fans will be disappointed in the film's anemic atmosphere as well as sluggish pacing.

While the film's villain, Jake Busey, is more annoying than menacing, he's still fun to watch, in an embarrassing kind of way, but it's not enough to recommend the film.

BUENA VISTA has provided the correct full frame aspect ratio for this release.  It's not one of the better BUENA VISTA transfers. The film has a soft look throughout, except for the occasional signs of sharp detail which pop up too infrequently.  Colors are restrained. Fleshtones appear natural.

BUENA VISTA has provided a Dolby Surround mix, far more creative than the actual film. The surrounds take full advantage of the motorcycles running by, and there's a surprising amount of bass as well. Dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion.

There are several trailers included.

 

 



 


 

"...but don't fall in love...!"

Video: Motorcycle Gang's origins as a low-budget TV movie unmistakably shine through. The full-frame image sports an unremarkable level of detail and clarity, and black levels are often lackluster. Most of the moderately-contemporary movies that spring to mind with a '50s setting tend to feature bright, vivid colors, but Motorcycle Gang's palette is decidedly dull. Some portions are rather noisy, particularly those shot in low light. Detail is often obscured in this darker portions, devolving into a murky, indistinguishable mess. Softness creeps in intermittently as well, contributing to Motorcycle Gang's rather dated appearance. There's also one particularly jittery shot around the 1:17:55 mark, as a cop approaches Cal's ride after the climax. This presentation is probably representative of the movie's original broadcast in 1994, but its not up to the standards typically expected from a DVD release.

Audio: The Dolby Digital 2.0 surround audio fares a bit better. The surrounds are kept busy, frequently reinforcing the score by Emmy award winner Hummie Mann and providing general ambiance. Motorcycles tearing across the highway also offer a number of opportunities for some noticeable stereo separation. The music is accompanied by a decent amount of bass, though the roars of the gang's bikes and gunshots sounded rather flat by comparison. Again, it's probably not a substantial improvement over its airings on Showtime.

Other audio options include closed captions and English subtitles.

Supplements: The only extras are trailers for Wes Craven Presents Dracula II: Ascension (0:59), Malevolent (0:51), Asunder (1:20), and Below (1:41). All four trailers are full-frame and include Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.

Motorcycle Gang feature 4x3 static menus built around shots of the cast, and the movie has been divided into nineteen chapters. The cover art is about as low-rent as it gets, and it looks like the casts' heads have been Photoshopped onto other