Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Spaceballs (Blu-ray)

Kris Deering  |  Jul 9, 2009

When the evil Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) attempts to steal all the air from planet Druidia, a determined Druish Princess (Daphne Zuniga), a clueless rogue (Bill Pullman) and a half-man/half-dog creature (John Candy) who's his own best friend set out to stop him! But with the forces of darkness closing in on them at ludicrous speed, they'll need the help of a wise imp named Yogurt (Mel Brooks) and the mystical power of "The Schwartz" to bring peace and merchandising rights to the entire galaxy.

Leave it to Mel Brooks to construct a near perfect parody of the 70s and 80s sci-fi craze and it hasn’t lost any of its side-splitting humor. Sure it's stupid, but still a lot of fun if you can switch the brain off.Just sit back and enjoy. MGM delivers a solid HD presentation that was better than I was expecting, especially considering the age. The effects shots look as cheesy as ever and certainly don’t benefit from the HD presentation but the principal photography holds up well. The print shows minor damage and the image look like it’s been cleaned up a tad, but fine detail isn’t lacking with strong dimensionality.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1soundtrack is better than expected. Dynamic range is pretty good and there is a nice level of low-end presence. The score can be a bit overwhelming and the overall level of the soundtrack seems a bit high, but the track maintains a nice sense of spatial design with an expansive front soundstage. Dialog is natural without any signs of strain.

MGM delivers quite the extras package . The Blu-ray contains a fast-forward version for kicks but there are also some interesting featurettes on the film and characters with a close look at comic legend John Candy's career. The second disc is the special edition DVD complete with its extras which includes both the widescreen and full screen versions of the film.

With a spiffy encode and decent audio, this camp classic is a treasure on Blu-ray. When you throw in an extra DVD copy and a plethora of supplements, it makes it an easy recommendation for fans.

Release Date:June 23, 2009
Studio: Fox

Movie: 7/10
Picture: 7/10
Sound: 8/10

Review System

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player

Display
Planar PD-8150 1080p DLP Projector
120" ST 130 Screen w/ Carada Masquerade Masking System

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Outlaw Model 7900 Fully Balanced Amp
Exact Power EP-15A Voltage Regulator
Exact Power SP15x4 Balanced Power Transformer

Speakers
Paradigm Reference Signature S8 Mains
Paradigm Reference Signature C5 Center
Paradigm Reference Signature ADP Surrounds
Paradigm Reference Signature S6 Rears
Dual SVS PB12/2 Plus Subs
Dual SVS 25/31 Subs

Cables
Cables by Accell, Nordost, Blue Jeans and Better Cables

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