Paramount Home Entertainment released director Walter Hill’s (Read Heat) slam-bang 1982 action comedy 48 Hrs on high-definition Blu-ray for the first time on Feb. 22, 2011, for the list price of $24.98.
Nick Nolte (TV’s Rich Man, Poor Man) and, in his first movie role, Eddie Murphy (Shrek Forever After), star as a rough-edged cop and a wise-cracking convict on a two-day prison furlough who team up to track down a pair of very nasty cop killers (James Remar of TV’s Dexter and Sonny Landham of Predator). Nolte and Murphy go through a baptism of fire — car chases, shoot-outs, Eddie’s legendary conquest of a redneck bar and a good old fashioned fist fight against each other — while searching for those bad boys deep in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District.
A film that proved to be a template for the past three decades of “buddy cop” action comedies (the Lethal Weapon series, Tango & Cash, The Last Boy Scout, The Other Guys and so on…), 48 Hrs. also stars Annette O’Toole, David Patrick Kelly and Brion James.
There won’t be any bonus features on the 48 Hrs. Blu-ray disc, but that’s okay as long as there’s an outstanding transfer and image of the feature film. Hill and cinematographer Ric Waite (who picked up an Emmy Award for his work on the 1976 TV mini-series Captains and The Kings) shot 48 Hrs. in what was that era’s newest high-speed film stock, Kodak 5293, which made remarkable use of available light, thus making the film’s many night scenes appear as rich and vivid as the daytime ones. Additionally, much of the movie was filmed at long range using a telephoto lens, adding a textured, almost surreal feel to the proceedings. The result? Nighttime San Francisco’s neon-filled streets, back alleys and nightclubs have never looked cooler.
We’re looking forward to this one!
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Buy or Rent 48 Hrs.
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