Movie Reviews

‘Heartworn Highways’ Blu-Ray Review – Outlaw Country Documentary Captures Precious Music History

By Dillon Gonzales
July 5, 2021
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When director James Szalapski decided in the mid-70s that he needed to document a moment in which radical artists were reclaiming what it meant to be a country musician, he had no idea if his efforts were going to amount to anything of note. Armed with a camera and a small crew willing to take whatever came their way, the filmmaker explored areas from Texas to Tennessee to capture the lives and music of artists who would become both some of the best recognized of their “Outlaw Country” subgenre and forgotten fixtures of history. This is part of what makes Heartworn Highways so exciting; Szalapski was not looking to document a specific artist, but rather a movement with no value judgement assigned from behind the camera. While he lucked out in following some notable names that will gain the film a few more eyeballs, the true journey is the exploration of the traditions from which these artists come from and how they are working to keep it alive in the face of corporatization.

As the film does not have an interest in traditional structuring, some may find the “fly on the wall” approach a little scattershot and passive for personal taste, but it opens the door for deeply human moments that dig deeper than any traditional interview could excavate. The opening number “L.A. Freeway” from the great Guy Clark is one that will burrow into your soul and give you goosebumps. It is the type of performance that would make non-fans of the genre perk up and give it a chance. It is the perfect table-setting to the slightly chaotic recording session of Larry Jon Wilson, who attempts to get into the pocket while nursing a hangover.

The (mostly) men in this film are larger than life personalities, and each offers up an important puzzle piece to the mythos. Townes Van Zandt functions as something of a lovable jokester as he offers a tour of his Austin homestead, complete with a can of coke, a bottle of whiskey and a rifle in his hands. He introduces his dog and girlfriend with equal reverence, and running jokes about oversized rabbits will put a smile on your face. Yet, he is not just around to play the clown, and he cuts to the heart of the experience when he delivers a stirring rendition of “Waiting Around To Die” that brings his neighbor nicknamed “The Walking Blacksmith” to tears. This is just one of many standout moments that the film captures and presents without undue fanfare. This is given equal respect as when the relatively unknown Gamble Rogers delivers a hilarious, high-minded introduction to one of his songs that seems out of step with what you imagine the core audience might expect.

With the “all things being equal” approach to narrative structure, the film does have small moments of downtime when you inevitably catch up with more mundane subjects who may amuse more devoted fans but will leave more casual audience members wanting to get back to the great music and lively camaraderie. The team does have the good sense to build up to a Tennessee State Prison performance from the one and only David Alan Coe. In this memorable finale, Coe tells the prisoners of his own memorable experiences on the wrong side of the law while respecting what they are currently experiencing behind bars. Heartworn Highways provides an important look at where this movement was at during the particular time with performances captured for posterity that stand as a portal to the achievements of the past. The participants may not all be future A-list musicians, but this is what makes it such an authentic experience. The genre was never meant to be conventional, so it only seems right that this piece captures the time as it was rather than what it was purported to be.

Video Quality

The Blu-Ray of Heartworn Highways is presented in its original 1.78:1 and is sourced from a new restoration of the original camera negative. This is a very nice looking transfer that eliminates nearly all of the print damage outside of the occasional white specks while also maintaining good film grain support throughout. When you consider the enterprising way in which the film was shot, it is impressive how great the film looks. There does not appear to be any issues with compression artifacts or any other such digital anomalies. The track does show off some fine detail in the clothing of the subjects and in some of the background elements such as glasses of wine and snack bags sitting around. Colors present with an impressive vividness that pops off the screen, such as a red backdrop that accompanies one of the performances. This beautiful restoration gives the film the proper presentation that it deserves.

Audio Quality

The new Blu-Ray is presented with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that suits the material quite well. The music is the standout aspect of this feature, and it mostly holds up quite well considering the circumstances under which some of the performances were captured. Some of the lyrics are a bit muddled due to some of the noises from the crowd or limitations of the instruments and equipment used at the time. The dialogue is as clear and consistent as it can be, but there are minor sound issues due to the source material and how the documentary was filmed on the fly. The most important thing is that the track remains faithful to the intention of the creative team. English subtitles are provided and come in handy due to some of the accents of the subjects. The film sounds as good as it has ever sounded on this Blu-Ray.

Special Features

The Blu-Ray of Heartworn Highways includes a booklet featuring a biography of director Jim Szalapski, production notes from producer Graham Leader and production notes from editor Phillip Schopper. This provides a great amount of context and insight into the film’s production that is so worthwhile. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Producer Graham Leader and editor/AD Phillip Schopper provide a really personal and informative commentary track that allows the experience to be even richer. As someone from Nashville, it is fun hearing them talk about historic venues like the Exit/In that I have frequented often. The sound quality is not the best due to the remote recording conditions, but there are a lot of wonderful stories worth hearing here.

Bonus Footage: Nearly 1-hour-and-3-minutes of unused footage is provided here including more wonderful performances, moments on location, stage banter, candid conversations and other various odds and ends. For those who enjoy the film, this is a treasure trove of additional material.

Trailers: The two-minute trailer for Heartworn Highways is provided here. There is also a trailer for Heartworn Highways Revisited.

Final Thoughts

Heartworn Highways is an enthralling document of a movement that served to upend the status quo of a genre that was on its way to mass-manufacturing. While not every single artist delivers an earth-shattering performance, each and every one of them radiates with an authenticity that makes it hard to look away. Through a mixture of interviews and performances, this film seeks to provide a glimpse into what was so magical about this moment in time. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray that features a stunning A/V presentation and some amazing special features. Fans of Outlaw Country should have a real blast with this journey. Recommended

Heartworn Highways is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

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

Disclaimer: Kino Lorber 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.