This tale of friendship and survival set during the days of the 1860s focuses on a roguish group of runaways living by their wits and natural instincts. Two of them in particular are complimentary opposites: Drew (Barry Brown, Daisy Miller) is a good boy from God-fearing stock in Ohio, out west to evade the draft. Jake (Jeff Bridges, Rancho Deluxe) is a scruffy scoundrel–a saddle tramp not above a little larceny here and there. Along the trail they encounter a variety of varmints and renegades. And eventually, they find themselves–older and wiser for the journey and friendship. Sensitively and realistically filmed. Years before their famous pairing as the two Jeff Lebowskis in The Big Lebowski, Jeff Bridges and David Huddleston were adversaries in Robert Benton’s “acid western” Bad Company. Co-starring alongside Bridges, Huddleston and Brown are Jim Davis (TV’s Dallas), John Savage (The Deer Hunter), Jerry Houser (Slap Shot), Geoffrey Lewis (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot) and Ed Lauter (The Last American Hero). The screenplay is by Benton and David Newman, who earlier collaborated on Bonnie and Clyde. Shot on location in Kansas by famed cinematographer Gordon Willis (the Godfather films), the film has been restored in 4K from its original 35mm camera negative and comes to Blu-ray for the first time.
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Video Quality
Bad Company debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Fun City Editions with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio that is derived from a 4K restoration of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. One of the interesting things about this feature is that the landscapes are never shot with an idyllic eye – every expanse seems to lean toward dying vegetation which mirrors the desperate state of the characters. Colors are faithfully saturated without overly sweetening the colors to an unnatural state Hues appear to come through with ideal accuracy. Black levels hold up well with no serious moments of crush or banding in sight.
The transfer retains its filmic qualities with resolute image stability and clarity rendering with great care. Every element appears to be consistent with its intended appearance yet refined to avoid any swarming or splotchy grain frozen in the background. Any previous instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches have been cleaned up for a nice, organic picture. The period setting is preserved well on screen with authenticity in the clothing and production design. Skin tones are natural and detailed with unique features such as stubble and grime easily distinguishable in closeup. Fun City Editions continues to do fantastic work with their restoration efforts. This film has been treated well in its HD debut.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that holds up with pretty great fidelity throughout the runtime. The Henry Schmidt score flows through without any instability or signs of fragility. Dialogue comes through clearly without any sibilance even when up against competing environmental elements. These sounds of nature do not steal focus, but they make the world feel a bit more authentic. We did not spot any major deficiencies or signs of age-related wear such as drop-outs, hissing, or distortion. This track holds up well with no wild swings in quality. Fun City Editions has treated this one well. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Critic Walter Chaw provides a thoughtful and informative commentary track in which he discusses the cultural landscape that birthed this feature, the careers of the talent involved, the themes of the feature, the composition within the cinematography, the film’s release and legacy, and much more that is worthwhile.
- Radio Spots: A two-minute selection of radio spots is provided here.
- Theatrical Trailer: A nearly four-minute trailer is provided here.
- Booklet: There is a bound booklet included featuring the essay “Go West, Young Men: Robert Benton’s Bad Company” by critic Margaret Barton-Fumo that explores the themes, the execution of the film, and much more that is enlightening.
Final Thoughts
Bad Company is a consistently engaging atypical western outing that explores unlikely friendships and the murky reality behind the credo “honor among thieves.” This unglamorous portrait is unhurried yet never boring thanks to the strong characterization within the material. Every performer puts in good work, but the interplay between Jeff Bridges and Barry Brown is the most rewarding aspect of the film. There are a few unnecessary detours that subtract ever so slightly, but this is by and large a memorable effort. Fun City Editions has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a solid A/V presentation and a nice assortment of special features. Recommended
Bad Company is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Fun City Editions has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
