One of the most important films of the late 1980s comes to Blu-ray with a fresh new HD master derived from a new 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative. Stand and Deliver lived up to its title when first released in 1988. This moving, acclaimed crowd-pleaser is the dynamic saga of real-life heroes determined to conquer a foe few people dare confront: the National Advanced Placement Calculus Exam. The outstanding Edward James Olmos earned a 1988 Best Actor Academy Award™ nomination for his performance filled with fire and grit as Jamie Escalante, an East L.A. math teacher who refuses to write off his inner-city students as losers. Escalante cajoles, pushes, threatens and inspires 18 students who were struggling with fractions to become math whizzes. Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba, Longmire) and Andy Garcia co-star in this timeless and true-life story about the real Escalante and his unconventional methods to inspire his students to greatness.
For thoughts on Stand and Deliver, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/-wxlFGYzfB8?si=PJxb1Bd_o-WLRiCL&t=1585]
Video Quality
Stand and Deliver gets a long-awaited, tremendous upgrade on Blu-Ray courtesy of Warner Archive with a new 1080p master sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative. The transfer maintains the desired natural film grain free from any compression artifacts or other such digital nuisances. The colors of the film are properly saturated and achieve an accuracy within the hues that make a greater impression in the clothing, production design, and light sources. Skin tones appear to be natural across the ensemble. Black levels are perfectly deep in shadowy areas of the screen, and highlights never succumb to blooming. There are facets of the production design that are easily visible for the first time on home entertainment. Warner Archive has provided a first-rate transfer for this overlooked drama.
Audio Quality
Warner Archive brings this new Blu-Ray to audiences with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that offers a wonderful presentation. Dialogue stays anchored in the center channel with every word coming through with undeniable clarity. This is not the most kinetic narrative, but there are plenty of environmental effects that give this one the appropriate atmosphere and texture. The score from Craig Safan sets the tone of the narrative, and it sounds great throughout with tremendous fidelity. This is a perfectly executed track that does everything it needs to without issue. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Stand and Deliver is one of the premiere features in the “inspirational teacher” subgenre thanks to its strong central performance from Edward James Olmos. The film hits most of the familiar beats, and there are some shockingly dated lines in some instances, but it is quite entertaining while accomplishing its goal of inspiring you. If you do not find this oft-used conceit too pedestrian, then this should be a good use of your time. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and not much in the way of special features. The film is beloved for a reason, and the technical presentation delivers by every metric. Recommended
Stand and Deliver can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive 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.
