As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support!
×
Did you know that Blu-ray.com also is available for United Kingdom? Simply select the
flag icon to the right of the quick search at the top-middle.
[hide this message]
Pit Stop Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
Grant Willard sponsors drivers in a "new" form of race car driving called The Figure Eight. The rise and fall of one such driver is the whole story behind PIT STOP.
For more about Pit Stop and the Pit Stop Blu-ray release, see Pit Stop Blu-ray Review published by Brian Orndorf on June 20, 2015 where this Blu-ray release scored 3.5 out of 5.
1969's "Pit Stop" is, at its core, a racing film. Entering the gladiatorial arena known as Figure-8 racing, writer/director Jack Hill has a specific idea of screen excitement, pulling off an impressive display of the demolition derby-style sport with a limited budget, using large sections of the movie to capture the smashing and crunching of metal, set to a rock and roll tempo.
Thankfully, there's a little more to "Pit Stop" than speed, with sizable characterization that toys with extremes of behavior and moral corruption, offering performances that deliver on bigness and subtlety in interesting ways. There's an enormous amount of filler to work through, but "Pit Stop" has a handle on sensitivities and bluster, while keeping period touches alert, including visits to a local dance club and the destructive arrogance of men, finding a few tight psychological spaces to explore.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation certainly isn't without flaws, but a few bumpy patches during the viewing experience does little to tarnish an otherwise impressively detailed BD event. Damage spots remain, with vertical scratches, speckling, and harsh reel changes detected (some mild flicker as well). "Pit Stop" looks a little ragged at times with pronounced dips in quality, but these are minor moments. Sharpness is satisfactory, delivering strong textures on close-ups and costuming, while racing sequences retain crowd depth, allowing viewers a few pauseabale moments. Grain is handled with passable care, providing a filmic push. Delineation reaches as far as the period cinematography will go, rarely losing frame information.
The 2.0 DTS-HD sound mix does display some wear and tear, with hiss present throughout the listening experience, along with periodic pops, but there's nothing that distracts. Dialogue exchanges are full and dramatic, managing different acting styles with clarity. Music retains definition, with passable instrumentation and comfortable range. Atmospherics are in position, delivering a rich sense of racing life, while car crashes and roaring engines keep their heavier rumble.
"Drive-In Theater" (4:10, HD) brings in "host" Katarina Leigh Waters to basically introduce the film, which consists of listing the genre highlights of notable cast and crew members.
Interview (5:11, HD) with Roger Corman is a brief chat with the iconic producer, who shares his memories of "Pit Stop," though he's honest about his participation, basically handing Jack Hill a budget and creative space. Corman does bring up the picture's inclusion in the Academy Film Archive, where this little racing movie has joined a roster of preserved classics.
Interview (16:26, SD) with actor Sid Haig is conducted in what appears to be a convention hall, tracing his career with Jack Hill and recalling his time on the "Pit Stop" set, where he mingled with talented co-stars and learned to drive.
"Outro" (1:20, HD) returns to Waters, who offers a farewell.
For cheap thrills, "Pit Stop" has its moments, with Figure-8 racing inherently cinematic, giving the effort a boost in oddity and intensity. The rest of the picture settles into a comfortable dramatic rhythm, punctuated with a terrifically cold-blooded conclusion. It's pokey in places, but "Pit Stop" is an exceptional time capsule and moderately engaging feature.
Use the thumbs up and thumbs down icons to agree or disagree that the title is similar to Pit Stop. You can also suggest completely new similar titles to Pit Stop in the search box below.
Arrow Video U.S. and MVD Entertainment Group have officially announced and detailed the upcoming Blu-ray releases of Jack Hill's Pit Stop, Marco Ferreri's La Grande Bouffe, and John Grissmer's Blood Rage.
British distributors Arrow Video have announced their August Blu-ray slate. Titles include David Cronenberg's Videodrome (1983), Joe Giannone's Madman (1982), and John Ford's My Darling Clementine (1948), amongst others.
Arrow Video have revealed that they are planning to add a number of exciting titles to their Blu-ray catalog in 2014: Donald Cammell's White of the Eye, Tinto Brass' Frivolous Lola and Cheeky, Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise, Teruo Ishii's Blind Woman's ...
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
flag icon to the right of the quick search at the top-middle.
[hide this message]
Use the thumbs up and thumbs down icons to agree or disagree that the title is similar to Pit Stop. You can also suggest completely new similar titles to Pit Stop in the search box below.
