David Carradine (The Long Riders, Kill Bill) and Brenda Vaccaro (Midnight Cowboy, Heart of Midnight) star in this action-packed comedy from legendary producer Roger Corman (The Raven, Bloody Mama). During the 1920s, World War I veteran and conman Charlie Swattle (Carradine) dreams of being the first person to win a transnational motorcycle race and enlists his comrades from the war to help. Romance and adventure ensues as Charlie meets sassy waitress Grace (Vaccaro) and her son as he pursues the big win on his classic Moonbeam motorbike. Action specialist Steve Carver (An Eye for an Eye, Lone Wolf McQuade, River of Death) directs this high-spirited cross-country escapade co-starring L.Q. Jones (The Wild Bunch), R.G. Armstrong (White Lightning), Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernie’s) and Jesse Vint (Silent Running).
For thoughts on Fast Charlie…The Moonbeam Rider, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/2W5u38ileqo?t=2130]
Video Quality
Kino Classics presents Fast Charlie…The Moonbeam Rider with a decent upgrade in the form of a new 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 sourced from a 2K master that looks good but could still use some work. Skin tones look natural, and the presentation offers up some fairly deep black levels that only begin to crush a bit in the darkest moments. There is a noticeable uptick in fine detail that should please fans of the film, even if some shots look more sharp than others. Luckily, there has not been any digital manipulation of the source. The transfer provides nice, natural film grain absent of any compression artifacts or other such digital anomalies. The film does present numerous instances of damage and dirt, plus some recurring fluctuations in density. The film features some splendid colors within the costumes and environments that are pleasing, but color grading does prove to be somewhat of an issue with unstable saturation at points. Kino Classics has rescued this one from the forgotten land of standard definition, but more restoration work could have helped this one out.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a solid DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that serves the film pretty well throughout. This track shows no overwhelming instances of age related wear and tear such as hissing or popping. All of the sound effects and music appear to be faithful to the original sound. This disc maintains a capable sense of fidelity that is appreciated during the action-oriented second half of the feature. Fans will notice the vibrancy and clarity of the soundtrack when certain scenes are elevated by music. Despite the strength of this element, nothing ever overpowers the dialogue or other important information. Dialogue and background noises are represented in perfect harmony with all competing elements. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. This is a fine effort from Kino Classics.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historian Eddy Von Mueller provides a decently entertaining and informative commentary track in which he discusses the low-budget filmmaking of Roger Corman, the mood of the country at the time of this film’s release, the careers of the talent involved, how this film tackles different aspects of military culture, the rise of blockbusters around the time of the film’s release, the legacy of the picture and more.
- Theatrical Trailer: There is a three-minute trailer provided for Fast Charlie…The Moonbeam Rider. There are also trailers provided for Return To Macon County, Checkered Flag or Crash, High Ballin’ and The Long Riders.
Final Thoughts
Fast Charlie…The Moonbeam Rider is a bit of a shaggy dog of a feature, but it has its fair share of charm to win you over in the end. David Carradine is a dynamic leading man with his wit and charm, but it is Brenda Vaccaro who ends up elevating the emotional and human elements of the story. A better balance could have been found between the interpersonal drama and the motorcycle exploits, but the film rarely leaves you feeling bored. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and an informative commentary track. If you are a fan of the film, the talent involved or intrigued by the synopsis, give this one a shot. Recommended
Fast Charlie…The Moonbeam Rider is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics 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.
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