Golden Globe nominee Judd Nelson (Best Actor, Billionaire Boys Club) is reunited with his Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire co-star Ally Sheedy in the modern day crime drama Blue City based on the Ross MacDonald novel.

Black sheep Billy Turner (Judd Nelson, The Breakfast Club) returns to his rural Florida home to find that his father, the town’s mayor, has been murdered. With little interest from local law enforcement in bringing his father’s killer to justice, Billy sets out to solve the mystery with the aid of an embittered high school friend, Joey Rayford (David Caruso, TV’s CSI: Miami) and Joey’s sister Annie (Ally Sheedy, The Breakfast Club). Their lives are put in jeopardy when the local mob boss, Perry Kersh (Scott Wislon, The Great Gatsby), takes none too kindly to their investigation.

Blue City, directed by Michelle Manning (The Breakfast Club co-producer) from a screenplay by Walter Hill (48 Hours) and Lukas Heller (The Dirty Dozen) based on Ross MacDonald’s novel, features a supporting cast that includes Paul Winfield (Sounder) and Anita Morris (The Hotel New Hampshire) with cinematographer Steven Poster (Donnie Darko) and composer Ry Cooder (The End of Violence) lending their considerable talents to the proceedings.

For thoughts on Blue City, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Vinegar Syndrome brings Blue City to Blu-Ray with an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 derived from a newly commissioned 4K restoration from the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray in 2015 by Olive Films. We have never seen that release, but all indications point toward it being an underwhelming old master supplied by Paramount. Some may be disappointed by the lack of a 4K UHD Blu-Ray upgrade, but most will likely agree this is a worthwhile uptick in quality. This presentation does away with nearly all print damage such as specks, scratches, and tears.

The transfer preserves the thoughtfully rendered grain structure that enriches the filmic origins of the source, showcasing minute details within the various seaside backgrounds, the club, the boat, and more. Colors are deftly saturated throughout the frame with complex, natural hues in the clothing and production design. Skin tones are natural with a respectable amount of facial detail present in close-ups, especially in the makeup and lacerations. Black levels are mighty and never come up short in shadow detail. The picture never succumbs to crush, and highlights are sturdy with no trace of blooming. Vinegar Syndrome has provided this film with exquisite video quality.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track that confidently realizes the sonic intentions of the film. The sounds of the seaside town, raucous businesses, and a buzzing police station emanate, creating conjuring ambient details such as the chatter and other subtle elements. All of the noises in the mix seem favorably executed so that nothing ever feels unnatural. The film has a great soundtrack that fills up the room properly, and the score from Ry Cooder sounds powerful as it comes through with ideal fidelity. The dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being challenged by competing noises. Vinegar Syndrome has provided an audio track that gets the job done with ease. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film historian Jim Hemphill provides an informative commentary track that delves into details about the production, the shooting locations, the work of the performers, the contributions of Walter Hill, the legacy of the film, and more.

Breaking Down Blue City – Interview with Unit Production Manager Robert Brown: A new 14-minute interview with the production manager in which he discusses his responsibilities on the film, the process of breaking down the script, his relationship to the crew, and more.

Dark and Steamy – A Featurette with the Camera Department on Shooting Long Beach for Key West: A new 17-minute piece in which director of photography Steven Poster and gaffer Jim Plannette reflect on the shooting of Blue City, challenges during the shoot, memorable moments from the set, and more.

Welcome to Blue City – A Video Essay by Film Historian Wayne Byrne: A new ten-minute visual essay that looks at the film, the contributions of Walter Hill, the performances, and more.

Final Thoughts

Blue City is a pulpy crime drama that follows the rather familiar trope of an individual coming into town with revenge in mind and eliminating the corrupt forces at play. This particular take on the formula is not overly complex, but it gives you the fun that you require with some charismatic performances backing things up. The film has very little bloat to the story, so you are able to get in and out without it feeling like a slog. There are a few baffling narrative elements, but it does not truly bother us on a deep level. It does what it sets out to do, and sometimes that is enough. Vinegar Syndrome has provided a Blu-Ray that features a terrific A/V presentation and a pleasing array of supplemental features. If you have an affinity for the talent involved or crime dramas in general, this release is the one to get. Recommended

Blue City 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: Vinegar Syndrome has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.