Customer Reviews

Romancing the Stone [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I will not argue about the story,the stars and the production. this is a great all around movie. But it deserved a far better DVD transfer then Fox gave it. They chose to cheap out on a very good soundtrack and pass on a DD 5.1 upgrade, leaving the original (VHS) Dolby 2.0. The film transfer is at times grainy and no better than VHS, in fact we compared it to the tape and found it about the same.The film was transferred to a 2.35 wide screen format. The only "extra" was the original trailer. Fox was certainly after the quick buck on this conversion. We give the film 5 stars for its entertainment value, but 0 for it's DVD technical merits. I guess that makes it a 3 overall. Michael Douglas/Robert Zemekis how could you let Fox do this to your film.

Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) is a shy, mousy, albeit highly successful romance novelist who weeps at her own work when she finishes each novel ("Oh, God--that's good!") and, terrified to leave her Manhattan apartment, only dreams of the adventures that her fantasy character, Angelina, lives. All this changes when she receives a letter from her sister's recently deceased husband which contains a treasure map, and receives a phone call from her terrified sister held hostage by the same kidnappers (introducing the hilarious Danny Devito and Zack Norman, two partners-in-crime who happen to be cousins) who insists that Joni must deliver the map to her in Colombia. Reluctantly, the borderline agoraphobic Joni agrees, because it's her sister.

After her bus, supposed to be routed to Cartagena but ends up crashing into a jeep filled with exotic birds in the middle of the mountainous nowhere, and she is ordered to give up her purse containing the map to the same man who murdered her husband, the evil Colonel/Minister of Antiquities/Deputy Commander of the Secret Police Zolo (chillingly portrayed by Manuel Ojeda) she is narrowly rescued by a soldier of fortune named Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas). He becomes embroiled in the struggle for what is at the end of the map, the green, priceless emerald stone. They meet numerous crazy characters along the way and hijinx abounds!

Seeing this movie on blu-ray makes me remember the sheer VISUAL pleasure of its 35mm release! Its 2.35:1 Panavision anamorphic cinematography, lensed by horror maestro John Carpenter alumnus Dean Cundey, is lush. He cut his teeth in Carpenter's early films like Halloween, The Fog, The Thing and Escape from New York, with his trademark cobalt blue night lighting; here, the screen is a tapestry of jungle greenery, flickering orange firelight and lots of wild night hues, complimented with the cool blues of Manhattan at various times of day and night. After this, he would go on to photograph several of director Robert Zemeckis' other works, the Back to the Future trilogy and then Jurassic Park for director Steven Spielberg. His naturalistic lighting lends credibility and yet an elegance and glamour to all these films.

The legendary production designer Lawrence G. Paull, of Blade Runner fame, again works his magic here, making very little, the jungles of Mexico made to be Colombia, look spectacular.

Director Robert Zemeckis, whose career was effectively over after the dismally received (but quite goodj) I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Used Cars, was enlisted by producer Michael Douglas, who recognized the then 28-year-old lad's talent. Douglas, who originally didn't want to play the part of Colton, caved in when all his potential leads declined, and he realized just how rare good parts and scripts are!

Diane Thomas' first script is indeed a gem, filled with action, humor, passionate romance, and a wonderful sensitivity. We really root for our leads! This movie is an example of a cross-genre piece that Hollywood has since always strived to emulate: It has everything; action, romance, suspense, humor, even a rather hot, steamy after-sex scene between our two attractive leads! This makes this movie a favorite in my book. Our two protagonists go through amazing character arcs: The petrified novelista Joan learns how to live. The hardened jungle warrior veteran Jack learns how to love.

The visual quality of the blu-ray release is superb, especially considering that this film was previously only released to DVD in non-anamorphic letterbox. The details, immediately evident in the ruddy, sweaty complexion of Grogan, Angelina's nemesis in the fictitious novelista prologue pre-opening credit sequence, really pop! A real treat!

And, no small sidebar...eureka--the film's original English subtitles are there to explain the Spanish dialogue! The "Cartagena, Colombia" caption when Elaine is captured, as well as Zolo saying "You must be French" to Danny DeVito, who is attempting to do the most ghastly Spanish, Zolo ordering "Assemble your men" to his military commander, and, the most needed, when the bell-maker Juan explains to his henchmen that "this is Joan Wilder, the one who writes the books I read to you on Saturdays!", one of the biggest jokes in the movie. Without the subtitles, in previous versions, if you don't speak Spanish, you're lost.

If I find any faults with this blu-ray release, they apply to to the quality of the soundtrack. The film was released prior to the advent of Dolby Digital 5.1, so one can't expect the kind of in-your-face clarity and realism of today's 5.1 discreet mixes, but, while the sound mixers did a bang-up job of making center dialogue (the crispest I've ever heard it outside a cineplex) completely discreet from the side music and effects channels, the side and rear channels seem to be lacking almost all high frequencies, resulting in a dulling of composer Alan Silvestri's electrifying Latin percussion and the sound of the drizzling rain. Good news is: Bass, especially in the waterfall, is superb and robust.

(sigh) In light of such a gorgeous visual transfer, which, in addition to the enchanting story and performances, makes me remember just what made me fall in love with this film to begin with, I'll forgive the audio faults (for now anyway, until a future version arrives) and enjoy the ride!

The extras, including interviews with our now much-aged cast (ironically, Danny Devito hasn't aged at all) and sumptuous deleted scenes, which contain much of the same dialogue as their film version counterparts, and replace Joan's female editor Gloria with a seemingly docile male editor but whom we know is attracted to Joan, which adds fuel to her fear and mistrust of men, are wonderful, and enhance my appreciation of an already-endearing film.

Put on your aligator boots and prepare for romantic adventure: This one is sure to please!

This review refers to the DVD edition(Twentieth Cent Fox) of "Romancing The Stone"....

I could not even think of going less than 5 stars on this film. It is one that is as enjoyable the 50th time you watch as it was the first. If it was playing on TV, I could not pass it, without stopping to watch it. So when I saw it at such a great price, I could not pass it up. Here's my only problem with it...I'm having a heck of a time trying to decide what genre to put it with. It has something for everybody. Action-Adventure, Comedy, and Romance. It's a Caper and a Cliffhanger.

Here's the story for those that may have missed this gem....

Joan Wilder(Kathleen Turner)is a romance novelist who's hopes and dreams are to be swept off her feet by a man like Jessie, the hero of her adventurous stories. She's about to have her own adventure though, one that includes a man, well... not quite like Jessie,but a hero in his own way, Jack T. Colton(Michael Douglas). He has dreams too. And he's into "short-cuts" to make them come true.

After coming into possession of a mysterious treasure map, Joan finds herself in the jungles of Columbia. She must use the map to bargain for her kidnapped sister's life. Things are not going smoothly though. All kinds of villains are after the map. Enter Jack to the rescue, but are his intentions to help her or is he also after the treasure at the end of the map?? Find out as things go downhill(literally), they are swinging from vines, fighting off crocodiles, and are all the time being chased by bad cops and bumbling thieves, including the likes of Danny DeVito!

Good job by Twentieth Century Fox.I was pretty pleased with the DVD. The picture is one of the better non-anamorphic transfers I have seen. It is presented in widescreen(Aspect Ratio 2.35:1), is clear and bright in all scenes, with great color. The sound(DD Surround), including the always wonderful scoring by Alan Silvestri is very good.All the action is sharp and crisp. The only minor thing about it is the dialouge seemed low at times. I would have to turn it up and then during action sequences, turn it back down a bit. This was only on occassion and not a big problem. No special features, but there is a theatrical trailer and it may be viewed in French(also Dolby Surround) and has subtitles in English and Spanish.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, it is a wild and romantic ride. Take it.. and then watch the sequel..."Jewel Of The Nile".

Go for it....and thanks....Laurie.....p.s. It's in my comedy section ...for now!

update: new and improved editions of both films in great 2 pack:Romancing the Stone / Jewel of the Nile

Wow! This beautiful transfer more than makes up for the cruddy 1999 release, which sported flat sound and more grain and mud in the image than could be found during rainy season in Columbia. Both the color correction and level of detail will pleasefans of this 1984 action comedy classic. I saw this film in 70mm in Westwood, CA during its initial run and always remember it as looking and sounding amazing.

Producer Michael Douglas and Director Bob Zemeckis did a fantastic job on first-time screenwriter Diane Thomas' tale of a romance novelist who blossoms when is taken out of her Manhattan existence to rescue her sister in Cartegena, Columbia. A lot of credit should go to composer Alan Silvestri whose score for this fish-out-of-water tale meshed beautifully with Zemeckis' imagery.

I always thought it was a shame that Douglas and Turner didn't make this series a trilogy. The chemistry between them is what good movies are all about. But apparently the 1985 sequel, "Jewel of the Nile," which had good moments, but a flat script, killed it.

Sure, maybe there could have been a few more extras on the DVD. But when a movie is this strong, who cares?

Joan Wilder is a highly successful romance novelist that longs for the same kind of adventures she writes for her characters. When she receives a call to deliver a map to Columbia in exchange for her kidnapped sister, she is on the next plane. Upon landing, Joan inadvertently takes the wrong bus, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Others after the same map follow her, and try to take it from her, but Jack saves the day. Although he charges to taking stranded ladies to safety, she follows his lead. This is such a great action adventure movie! One of the best I have ever seen. Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas have some great on screen chemistry - in fact they sizzle.

Eventhough the sound is not upgraded (Dolby Surround), the picture is. Now you can watch this extremely entertaining movie in an anamorphic widescreen. It looks nice and crisp on my 16:9 TV. Same thing goes for the sequel "Jewel of the Nile" except for a better audio sound with 4.0 surround. Hopefully Fox will release a new ANAMORPHIC version of "The Abyss" and "The edge". The latest release of "Young Frankenstein" is now available for the fist time ever in anamorphic widescreen. Audio remains MONO though, unfortunately.

As a family, we love watching this movie, and each of us like it for a different reason. My husband is a big fan of Danny DeVito, and just loves all the blustering he does at his brother Ira. I love the romance of it; Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas have visual sparks flying between them and they are a joy to watch. The kids love the adventure and the action, and as they get older, they too love the romance. It's not really for younger kids (under 10) but for tweens, teens and older, it's a gem. It is set in the 1980s so there is a slight issue with the aging of the film, but the directors were fairly careful to avoid obvious fads; Kathleen Turner's clothes are classic rather than trendy so this film stands the test of time better than many others of the 80s. However. Why in the world aren't there any extras (to speak of?) How about a commentary? Interviews? A making of featurette? Anything...throw us a bone. This is such a well loved movie by many people...surely it deserves a special edition!! This DVD is just bare bones. It's been more than 20 years...how about for the 25th anniversary (or sooner?) Please, Fox studios??

It is too bad and a crying shame that the transfer to dvd of this great movie has been cheapened. It is no better than the vhs version so i see no reason to upgrade. sorry to see the video is not even anamorphic and the dolby dig transfer is no better than the vhs audio!! what a shame!

Out of all of the movies in the 1980s that were influenced by Raiders of the Lost Ark, Romancing the Stone was arguably the best of the bunch (even if it was written before Raiders) because it managed to successfully blend action and adventure with a good dose of humour that resulted in a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining experience. It also helped Michael Douglas make the jump from television to A-list movie star and shot Kathleen Turner's career into the mainstream.

Douglas' character has the same kind of roguish charm as Indiana Jones albeit with a bit more of an emphasis on the comedy. And like Han Solo, he's a little full of himself and the humour in the film comes when he's knocked off his smug high horse. Turner is an excellent foil to Douglas and Joan makes a credible transformation from meek wallflower to a much more confident and assertive individual - closer to the heroines in her novels. In addition to being quite funny, Turner is also beautiful and smart. The `80s were good to her with a string of hits that included Body Heat and Prizzi's Honor but it was this film that really established her as a movie star.

Romancing the Stone also helped launch director Robert Zemeckis' career who would go on to direct an even larger hit with Back to the Future. He wisely doesn't try to ape Raiders' retro pulp serial approach, instead going for a more contemporary look while capturing that film's more overt comedic moments with broad slapstick that is a little too silly at times but fortunately Zemeckis keeps them to a minimum. The commercial success of Romancing the Stone spawned an inferior sequel, The Jewel of the Nile but the chemistry between the two leads (and DeVito) was used effectively again in The War of the Roses.

There are eight deleted scenes with more footage of Jack and Joan bonding in the jungle, including a bit with her bathing and them falling asleep together in the crashed plane that they wait out the rain in. We also see Joan back in New York telling her editor to publish her new novel based on her adventures in Colombia.

"Rekindling the Romance: A Look Back" features Douglas, DeVito and Turner returning for new interviews recounting, with fondness, their experiences making the movie. By everyone's account, it was a tough shoot with extreme weather and an unforgiving environment with Turner recalling the numerous injuries she endured. This is a nice look back at the movie.

"A Hidden Treasure: The Screenwriter" profiles the movie's screenwriter, Diane Thomas. Douglas was taken with the blend of action, comedy and romance. Thomas tragically died in a car accident. This extra is a nice, little tribute to her.

"Douglas, Turner and DeVito: Favorite Scenes." The three leads pick the scenes that they like the most and they aren't necessarily the ones you'd think (no, not the famous mudslide scene - thankfully).

"Michael Douglas Remembers." The actor talks about the tough time he had making the transition from T.V. to the big screen as an actor. He was a successful producer but it took Romancing the Stone to show that he was a bankable movie star.

I saw this movie about four times when it first came out and was always struck by the high quality of the film. This transfer could only be rated fair to good, and seems to produce some video noise in areas where there are a lot of straight ines rather than sharp crisp ones. It looks like Fox just rolled it over quickly to DVD with no care, especially since there are no extras beyond a trailer that is clearly fourth or fifth generation and totally washed out. Sad, since this was a big hit when it came out and a lot of people will be looking forward to it. They also list it at a high price, which should mandate some type of extras. Maybe not so oddly, some of the poorest DVD transfers I've seen come from major studios, while one of the best (Blade) is from New Line.