Meet the Bayou’s baddest good ol’ boy! Burt Reynolds (Sam Whiskey) returns as Gator McKlusky, the moonshine-running king of the Bayou, in this high-octane sequel to White Lightning. Filled with super-charged adventure and double-barreled action – and co-starring Lauren Hutton (American Gigolo) as a sexy TV reporter – Gator is a fast and furious ride you won’t want to miss! The Feds want Gator. Not for moonshining, but to go undercover to expose Bama McCall (Jerry Reed, Smokey and the Bandit), Gator’s boyhood pal who is now a local crime boss. Gator is reluctant at first, but once he discovers Bama is involved in extortion, prostitution… and murder, the suspense builds to an explosive climax, as old friends become deadly enemies. Directed by Burt Reynolds (Sharkys Machine) with a script by William W. Norton (The Scalphunters).

For thoughts on Gator, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/XVdHVOn5xZ0?si=AplOOIALM0YHUqdw&t=1383]

Video Quality

This new Blu-Ray from Kino Classics gives Gator an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1 that looks pretty swell. The film was released on Blu-Ray back in 2014 by the label, although it appears to have been out of print for a little bit. The new disc is derived from the same master, but this release appears to utilize a new BD-50 disc instead of the more compressed BD-25 from before. We do not have that disc to compare the two transfers, but this is one of the more pleasing transfers from the recent trend of re-releases with new encodes. There is still room for improvement, but we are not too bent out of shape with what we have.

The feature has a decent grain structure that retains the filmic look of the picture with it rarely shifting into digital noise. The transfer exhibits some fine detail in clothing, production design, and landscapes. The Southern setting allows for a vibrant image with hues capably saturated. Black levels could be slightly stronger, but they provide some welcome depth to the image even with signs of crush present. There are no egregious instances of damage to be found in this presentation, but some specks throughout. A new master would have been a pleasure, but Kino Classics has done a good job here.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a nice DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that accomplishes everything it needs to. A few moments teeter on distortion, but you never quite hear anything that sounds wrong. Dialogue comes through clearly and balances well with environmental noises and other competing elements. This track comes with brief moments of age-related wear and tear. The score maintains strong fidelity and does not overshadow the dialogue or other important information. The audio track is a good option even without a fresh take on it. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson provide a lively and informative commentary track in which they discuss the production of the film, how this fits into the career of Burt Reynolds, the background of the performers, how this functions as a sequel, the critical reception, and more that is worth exploring.

Back To The Bayou: Part II – Interview with Star Burt Reynolds: A nearly 11-minute late-career interview with Reynolds in which he discusses why he wanted to take on directing duties for this entry, why he loved filming in the South, colorful memories of Laurie Hutton, his love of the rest of the ensemble, prop mishaps, and more that is well worth a watch.

Radio Spots: A minute-and-a-half collection of radio spots is provided here.

Trailers: The minute-long trailer for Gator is provided here. There are also trailers for White Lightning, Fuzz, The Longest Yard, Hustle, and Semi-Tough.

Final Thoughts

Gator shows that Burt Reynolds had some talent behind the camera, even if the film does have its shortcomings. The feature brings together a lovely ensemble that nails their roles with ease. The script is nothing too complex, leaving it feeling like familiar territory for this era of filmmaking. Nevertheless, it is entertaining enough that it should satisfy Burt Reynolds fans looking for some decent entertainment. Reynolds gives you a compelling reason to want to seek this out with his movie-star charm. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray release that shows off a good A/V presentation and a fine assortment of special features. Burt Reynolds fans can rest easy if they add it to their collection. Recommended

Gator (Special Edition) 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: 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.