The Blu-ray Disc
The Stunt Man is presented in 1080p high definition with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The film looks about as good as it was ever going to here, with a film-like grain structure that hasn’t been tampered with and strong color separation. The film was certainly a low-budget affair, and it shows here, with many of the shots possessing a distinctly dated feel. Image sharpness and clarity is never all that great, with a number of shots featuring decent foregrounds, but fuzzed-out backgrounds that are really soft. Still, damage is kept to a minimum, with just minor scratches and flecks here and there, and the transfer seems appropriate to the film’s theatrical look.
Audio is presented in a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track that gets the job done, replicating the film’s explosive effects suitably across all channels and keeping the dialogue clean and clear in the fronts. There’s not a ton of surround activity going on here, but the mix is dynamic enough and doesn’t suffer clarity issues.
Special Features
Severin Films really hits it out of the park with the collection of extras they’ve assembled for this release, producing lots of new material in addition to the wealth previously available. Carried over from the original DVD release of the film are an audio commentary with Rush, O’Toole, Railsback, Hershey, Rocco and several others, as well as a feature-length documentary directed by Rush about the making of the film.
For their edition, Severin has recorded substantial new interviews with O’Toole, Hershey, Railsback, and Rocco together, each talking about their involvement with the film, which they all clearly have a deep admiration for. There’s also a new documentary on Rush’s unconventional career that features new interview footage with him. Another featurette showcases a post-screening Q&A with Rush, Hershey, and Railsback after a double feature of Freebie and the Bean and The Stunt Man at the New Beverly in Los Angeles.
The disc also features several trailers for the film as well as trailers for other Severin releases.
The Bottom Line
Picture quality leaves a little to be desired, but there’s no question that this release of The Stunt Man does the film proud.
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