American Flyers

I was apprehensive about this film, but my partner’s folks were visiting and couldn’t find anything that might interest them, so went with this one. Anyway, Kevin Costner’s always a hit with the mums and dads. It turns out the film was fairly safe. It’s all about bike racing and the relationship between two brothers after their father’s death. Kevin suspects his younger bro might have a cerebral aneurysm like dad did, so gets him to his sports institute to check it out. While there, a big cycle race in Colorado comes up and the pair decides to bond a bit by heading off for it together. Along the way they pick up a hitchhiker as a love interest and share many adventures, meeting opponents and friends alike. Basically, the film is a road trip to the race, then the race itself.

There are some absolutely incredible shots in this film, utilising the high and dangerous roads of the Rockies to show some exemplary cinematography. The action sequences of the race are well shot and generally edited well and do actually make the viewer more than interested in the finale. It’s a simple film with a simple plot that should appeal to fans of cycling or Kevin Costner’s early work. Don’t expect subplot upon subplot, 'cos it just isn’t gonna happen for you. The only real subplot or twist in the film is so heavy-handed in its subtlety you will see it coming long before they decide to drop it on you. Oh well. It’s a movie about bicycle racing, it’s not E.R.

The transfer is a nice one, with an added touch: Both sides of this disc contain a version of the film. Don’t get too excited, they aren’t any different but for the transfer ratios. Side A gets the 4:3 transfer, having its 2.35:1 trimmed away, whilst Side B gets the 16:9 widescreen (and is, naturally, the better version). The copy transferred is exactly the same, right down to the film artefacts throughout. They aren’t anything major, but there are more than a couple. Most of the film is daylit, giving us nice clean colours and well-lit action and the shadows are successfully dark without being blocky or detail stealing. One series of scenes that deviate though are the hotel room scenes. The shadows are dark, and whilst they don’t envelope the details of the room, they do make everything shadowy and darker. Whether they’ve aimed for this (given the nature of the scenes) is hard to determine, but they are visually different from the rest of the film, making them stand out a little. For the most part though, the film looks pretty good - seeing as it was made in the wild times that were 1985. (I most loved Kevin’s wardrobe and fabbo moustache.)

The sound is presented in whopping Dolby Digital 2.0, which does a little to alleviate the wealth of glam rock radio tracks that converge on the soundtrack to this film, but not enough. For that matter, the music came across too loud and the dialogue comes through too low. I really hate it when DVD does this; it’s like Homer trying to fine tune the fish tank for the saltwater Mr Pinchy and the freshwater fish. Apart from this it’s okay, with no echoes or noise and no overpowering crowd cheering either. All dialogue comes through clearly, except for the big ‘moving’ scenes when the brothers are confessing in the hotel room. The natural echoes of a hotel suite are faithfully reproduced and amplified for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

Not got nuthin' on it. Even the bike seat fell off.

The most important point and one I fergot to mention up above: This is ONLY in NTSC. If your TV doesn't support that, forget it.

That being said, this film is watchable, without doubt. The racing scenes at the end are, whilst a little predictable, still well shot and well edited, recreating the atmosphere of an exciting race well. The panoramas of the mountains are exceptional and well presented in the widescreen format, but are disappointing on the full frame Side A. If you love The Kev you’ll enjoy seeing his early work in this, even if it isn’t among his best. He does sport his best ever moustache though, which is better than any extra feature (and it sort of is, really). The main plot is a bit weak, and while most characters are developed okay, two support characters in the comic relief mode aren’t developed as well as they could have been. Watch it for the racing, not the plot. It’s not rocket science, but cycling fans will like it, NTSC or not.