Just last week I delved into how a misguided vision can sink a film both artistically and commercially with my review of the scavenger hunt tale Million Dollar Mystery. Well, it appears that one of my favorite distributors Kino Classics has made it something of a theme month with another notorious “road movie” from a little earlier in the decade. Honky Tonk Freeway hit the big screen in 1981 with a greater artistic ambition than Million Dollar Mystery ever had, which also may have been a part of its downfall. On paper, the concept of a sprawling American satire had promise, especially with a talent such as Academy Award-winning director John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy) behind the camera. Yet, the film became a bit too unwieldy for its own good with over 100 speaking parts and a budget that ballooned to over $24 million – a truly insane number for a comedy at this time. Upon its release, it made a measly $2 million and earned a place among the most expensive bombs in box office history. While this is what most people remember about the film, if they remember anything at all, I wanted to take a look and see how history has treated this “disaster.”
The little Florida town of Ticlaw is looking to fight for their slice of the tourism game when the state highway commission decides to build a freeway adjacent to the town. Our master of chaos in this narrative is the energetic mayor and town preacher Kirby T. Calo (William Devane, Knots Landing), who has taken a break from the Lord’s work to do some dirty work (i.e. paying off officials to ensure an off ramp is built to connect to the town). With Devane being such an essential part of the narrative, it could be argued that the film would have been more successful with a more well-known actor in the role. What Devane delivers with his performance, though, is the perfect balance of smarmy hypocrite and likable doofus. When the commission decides to pocket the money but still not give the town its off ramp, tempers begin to flare and the town gets desperate in their quest for being a destination vacation spot. This section of the film devolves into hilariously over-the-top town politics that include painting the town pink, dynamite, water-skiing elephants and more.
Outside of Ticlaw is where we see a bit of what Million Dollar Mystery would try to attempt with less success some years later. Honky Tonk Freeway has an eccentric cast of characters that for one reason or another are headed to Florida and will eventually land in Ticlaw whether they like it or not. One area where this film excels is in Schlesinger’s determination to give each character as much of a three-dimensional presence as possible. From the misguided bank robbers on the run (George Dzundza, Joe Grifasi) and their coked-up hitchhiker companion (Daniel Stern) to the two nuns, mother superior Geraldine Page and novice nun Deborah Rush, on a Godly mission, there is room for everyone on this road trip. While we would be here all day if we listed everyone, other notable hilarious turns come in the form of Beverly D’Angelo as a woman carrying her mother’s ashes to Florida, Beau Bridges as a morbid aspiring children’s book writer, Peter Billingsley as a bladder-shy kid on vacation with his dysfunctional family and more. Every story has moments of genuine hilarity, but it does start to feel a bit too bloated at a point.
The film got a strong negative reaction upon its initial release, but it really is not worthy of such vitriol. The film does bite off more than it can chew, but it works as a satire of American excess. Schlesinger also does not give into the rhythms of the time period and try to deliver a gag-a-minute, choosing instead to inject more morally bankrupt people into these outrageous situations which can yield dramatic moments alongside the comedic ones. With anyone else behind the camera, this would have been a completely different movie. Perhaps a more financially successful one, but the technical achievements and satiric edge would have been blunted in favor of something more populous. This film can be a bit of a mixed-bag creatively, but it is interesting to see what the filmmakers were trying to capture in their creative vision. Honky Tonk Freeway is an ambitious comedy that missed the mark greatly at the box office – and slightly in its creative execution – but it is worth checking out to appreciate its acidic comedic charms.
Video Quality
Honky Tonk Freeway makes its Blu-Ray debut courtesy of Kino Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that is derived from a brand new 4K restoration. Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches have all but been eradicated with overall clarity and detail looking excellent. Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with no major instances of crush apparent. The presentation is beautiful throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation being top notch. The picture can run a touch soft in long shots, but colors are well saturated with the warm hues of America coming through. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation with a refined look rather than a clumpy mess. This presentation is an excellent effort that should please fans.
Audio Quality
This new Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that sounds pretty dynamic throughout this expansive narrative. The dialogue holds up wonderfully, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely from the car crashes that take place to the hustle and bustle of some of the various cities we visit. This is a film that utilizes music well in a way that packs a punch without hijacking the experience. It is presented with great clarity and a pleasing fidelity as it flows through the room. The track avoids most instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. This is a track that represents the film in a wonderful manner. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historian/Filmmaker Daniel Kremer, Film Historian/Biographer Nat Segaloff and Producer Don Boyd provide an extremely insightful commentary track in which the trio discuss the legacy of the film, the juggling of the enormous cast, working with animals, the lack of compromise from director John Schlesinger and much more. This is a pretty excellent commentary track that provides rich production details.
- Trailers: The three-minute trailer for Honky Tonk Freeway is provided. There are also trailers provided for Million Dollar Mystery, Moving Violations, High Ballin’, Billy Liar and The Falcon and The Snowman.
Final Thoughts
Honky Tonk Freeway is an ambitious comedy that seeks to satirize the American way of life, but it succumbs to the pitfall of excess in its narrative by biting off more than it can chew. There are many hilarious and conceptually impressive moments throughout the film carried out by a sprawling, talented ensemble that show that this creative team was not lacking for talent. It has major flaws, but it is not the creative failure that it has been painted to be over the years. Kino Classics has released a wonderful new Blu-Ray featuring a stunning A/V presentation and a lively commentary track that helps put the film into context. If you appreciate a big creative swing in your 80s comedies, this one should be put on your watchlist. Recommended
Honky Tonk Freeway 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 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.