It was 1943. And young men were counting the days before they went off to war… Artfully directed by Richard Benjamin (My Favorite Year), Racing with the Moon is a film so tender, so insightful, so full of heart that you’ll never quite forget it. This is the story of Henry “Hopper” Nash (Sean Penn, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and his buddy Nicky (Nicolas Cage, Valley Girl) enjoying their last boyish exploits before they enter the Marines. Elizabeth McGovern (Ordinary People) portrays Penn’s mysterious girlfriend. What ensues is a sensitive, bittersweet tale of lost innocence and the trauma of growing up too fast. The result is a magic moment, brilliantly captured within the emotional crosscurrent of America’s most dramatic time.

Critically acclaimed upon its 1984 release and starring three of the brightest acting talents to emerge in that decade, Racing with the Moon, in spite of this, remains a hidden gem. Director Benjamin and his esteemed collaborators–cinematographer John Bailey (American Gigolo), costume designer Patricia Norris (Days of Heaven), production designer David L. Snyder (Blade Runner), set decorators Jerry Wunderlich (The Exorcist) and Jeannine Oppewall (L.A. Confidential) and composer Dave Grusin (My Bodyguard)–pooled their considerable skills to convincingly turn back the clock to the early 1940s in order to bring Steve Kloves’s (The Fabulous Baker Boys) debut script to life. Set in gorgeous Northern California coastal environs, Racing with the Moon has been remastered from a new 4K scan of its original 35mm camera negative for this worldwide Blu-ray debut.

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Video Quality

Racing With The Moon debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Fun City Editions with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio that is derived from a 4K restoration of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The presentation retains the natural textured film aesthetic of the era with image stability and clarity rendering exquisitely. Everything appears to be natural to its intended appearance yet refined to sidestep any unwanted clumpy grain frozen in the background. Nearly all instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches have been eliminated. Fun City Editions continues to be a savior for underrated gems.

Colors are pleasantly saturated with robust, natural hues coming through with great accuracy. Things look especially lovely out in nature when the boys are running alongside the train. Black levels hold up well with no major instances of crush or banding observed. The period setting is preserved well on screen with great complexity in the vintage clothing and production design. Skin tones are natural and consistent with detailed features such as peach fuzz and makeup easily distinguishable. Fun City Editions allows this one to shine for a new generation.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track along with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio dual mono track in both English and French that all translate the soundscape of this narrative well. From the opening moments of the train, the film delivers sound effects effectively to conjure a broader world. Music likewise flows through with the utmost fidelity. We did not hear any shortcomings or signs of age-related wear such as hissing or distortion. Dialogue is the forefront element of this narrative, and every exchange comes through clearly. These tracks nail everything they set out to do for a sonically consistent experience. Fun City Editions continues to earn top marks in this space. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: A pair of informative commentary tracks are provided that explore the film from a personal point of view with the director reminiscing about the production and an analytical lens from film historians exploring the legacy of the feature, how it compares to the script, the careers of the talent involved, the themes of the feature, and much more that is worthwhile.

- Audio Commentary #1 (Archival): Director Richard Benjamin

- Audio Commentary #2 (New): Film Critics Bill Ackerman and Marya E. Gates

The Making of Racing With The Moon: A three-part archival look at the making of this film that follows it from conception to release and beyond as you get some great interviews to provide more insights.

- Part 1 (12:45)

- Part 2 (19:53)

- Part 3 (6:15)

Image Gallery: A nearly eight-minute slideshow of stills and marketing materials.

Booklet: There is a bound booklet included featuring the essay “Hopper and Caddie In The Moonlight” by film critic Walter Chaw that explores the themes, the reception of the film, and much more that is enlightening.

Final Thoughts

Racing With The Moon is a moving coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of things without being overly sentimental or cloying. Sean Penn does a great job of making this character vulnerable without seeming socially inept, and Elizabeth McGovern is allowed to be a full character rather than an unknowable object of desire. Nicolas Cage is the biggest personality in the movie, as he is in almost any movie he appears in, but he keeps things dialed to a good level. We are thrilled to have discovered this on physical media. Fun City Editions has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and an excellent commentary track. Be sure to check out this forgotten film for yourself. Recommended

Racing With The Moon 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: Fun City Editions 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.