The Disciples of James Dean, a small town James Dean fan club, planned to meet at the Woolworth’s five and dime store in McCarthy, Texas on the twentieth anniversary of his death. On that date, September 30th, 1975, shop owner Juanita (Sudie Bond, Silkwood), welcomes the two remaining club members in town—Sissy (Cher, Moonstruck) and Mona (Sandy Dennis, That Cold Day In the Park)—to her shop for the memorial. As other out of town members arrive, so does the mysterious Joanne (Karen Black, Nashville). Through one long, hot day, The Disciples of James Dean unravel the mysteries, discuss the events and reconcile the truths of the past twenty years.

Adapted for the screen by Ed Graczyk from his stage play of the same name, Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean was the first of many stage-to-screen adaptations directed by Robert Altman (including his next three feature films: Streamers, Secret Honor and Fool for Love). Altman, having directed the Broadway show of Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, brought his stage cast back for the film adaptation, all reprising their Broadway roles, with Kathy Bates (Misery), Marta Heflin (A Perfect Couple) and Mark Patton (A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge) rounding out the ensemble. One of the great American films of the 1980s, Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean is a bittersweet ode to nostalgia, small town life and friendship while also featuring groundbreaking trans representation in Karen Black’s portrayal of Joanne. Cinématographe is proud to present the world 4K UHD debut of Robert Altman’s oft-overlooked slice of Americana in a new restoration from its original camera negatives.

For thoughts on Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Cinématographe presents Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean with a rich 2160p/HDR transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original 35mm Camera Negative. This film was last released on Blu-Ray courtesy of Olive Films in 2014, but we do not have that release to compare. By all accounts, that release was from a dated master that truly needed some TLC to get into fighting shape, and this jump to 4K UHD Blu-Ray will surely be an astonishing leap for fans. Although this film takes place within a singular location, the implementation of Dolby Vision for more precise color output greatly benefits all the unique facets of the design elements. Each piece of production design within the titular store or the clothes that are worn is represented with a level of accuracy that is a triumph. This film has never looked so full of life.

The thick, natural film grain is preserved without any semblance of unwanted manipulation. The encoding is in top form with nothing ever feeling compressed, noisy, or otherwise awry with issues. The dark corners of the store retain their form with a strong showing in the black levels. No crush can be found here, and highlights from the light outside sidestep any chance of blooming or spiking. Instead, you get a rich buffet of detail to observe throughout the space. The texture present in the clothing and other background elements truly stands out in this presentation. This restoration has ensured that all marks, nicks, and scratches have been completely eliminated. Cinématographe has provided the unexpected star treatment for this Altman deep cut.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of the film comes with the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track that translates all of the sonic intricacies with care. The heart of this narrative is the script developed from the stage play, and each hilarious and insightful exchange of dialogue comes through with premier clarity. All of the complementary elements feel at one with the larger world. In fact, every sound along the journey is ideally executed so that nothing ever feels out of place. The diegetic music that accompanies some of the reflections emanates from the speakers with the appropriate fidelity. This presentation is free of any hiss or other age-related wear and tear. Cinématographe has done terrific work. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Limited Edition version of Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer slipcase that opens up to a MediaBook that includes a bound booklet featuring new essays by filmmaker Elsie Fisher; writer and filmmaker Drew Burnett Gregory; film critic Saffron Maeve; and film programmer Justine Smith, along with select archival photo reproductions. These essays delve into the film from multiple angles and provide a great analysis in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Disc One (4K UHD)

Audio Commentaries: There are two great commentary tracks provided, which explore the film from two very valuable points of view. You get insights into the development and production of the film, how it works as a feat of adaptation, where this fits into the career of Robert Altman, the thematic underpinnings and trans representation, the background of the performers, and much more that puts things into context.

- Audio Commentary #1 (Archival): Film critic and historian Lee Gambin

- Audio Commentary #2 (New): Trans film critics Willow Catelyn Maclay and Caden Mark Gardner

TCM Intro and Outro: A couple of wonderful intros and outros are provided, which deliver some interesting insights into the film.

- Dave Karger with Film Critic Willow Catelyn Maclay (9:01)

- Robert Osborne with Journalist Lorenzo Soria (2:42)

Disc Two (Blu-Ray)

Audio Commentaries

- Audio Commentary #1 (Archival): Film critic and historian Lee Gambin

- Audio Commentary #2 (New): Trans film critics Willow Catelyn Maclay and Caden Mark Gardner

Interview with Filmmaker Isabel Sandoval: A new eight-minute conversation with the filmmaker in which she discusses how Robert Altman treats these characters, the work of the performers, the impactful nature of the story, and more.

To Be A Woman, That’s Priceless – A Video Essay by Dakota Noot: A new 19-minute video essay that looks into the progressive nature of Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, the complexities of each character, the transition from stage to screen, real-world trans history, and more.

Interview with Film Editor Jason Rosenfield: A 26-minute conversation with the film editor in which he discusses his history with the play, working with Robert Altman, the style of editing brought to the film, the uses of mirrors, and more.

Interview with Production Designer David Gropman: An 11-minute interview in which Gropman discusses debuting as a production designer on Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, building up the titular set, watching the friendship grow between the performers, and more.

TCM Intro and Outro

- Dave Karger with Film Critic Willow Catelyn Maclay (9:01)

- Robert Osborne with Journalist Lorenzo Soria (2:42)

Final Thoughts

Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean is one of our favorite Robert Altman movies from the era in which he was adapting stage plays. This material suits his general approach to filmmaking like a glove, as the dynamics of communication between these characters say as much about them as the words themselves. All of the performers are pretty great all around, often bringing a degree of pathos to their roles that elevates the picture. While not all elements have aged perfectly, this film was surprisingly ahead of its time and is well worth seeking out if you have been missing it until now. Cinématographe has delivered a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a sensational A/V presentation and a magnificent assortment of special features. Highly Recommended

Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Cinématographe 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.