White Lightning will give you the jolt of your life! Burt Reynolds (Sam Whiskey) is Gator McKlusky, a moonshine runner who wages war against corrupt police officials in this two-fisted, four-wheeling action extravaganza. With adrenaline-pumping car chases, bone-crunching brawls and terrific acting by an all-star cast, including Ned Beatty, Diane Ladd, Bo Hopkins, Matt Clark and R.G. Armstrong. Gator is serving time in the Arkansas prison when he learns that a ruthless and corrupt sheriff (Beatty) has framed and killed his baby brother. Swearing vengeance, Gator agrees to go undercover to expose the dirty sheriff, going to any lengths to get the goods and make him pay for the crime. Top-notch direction by Joseph Sargent (Taking of Pelham One Two Three) with a wonderful script by William W. Norton (Gator).
For thoughts on White Lightning, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
This new Blu-Ray from Kino Classics gives White Lightning an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that looks decent enough. 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 seems 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 the recent trend of re-releases with new encodes has generally yielded good results. There is little doubt this could look better with a new 4K scan, but this does the job for now.
The Southern setting offers up a vibrant image with colors saturated consistently. Black levels are not the strongest, but they provide some pleasing depth to the image even with signs of crush present. There are no unforgivable instances of damage to be found in this presentation, but you will find the expected specks throughout. The feature has a fine, heavy grain structure that retains the filmic look of the picture with it rarely shifting into digital noise. The transfer showcases some fine detail in clothing, production design, and landscapes. A new master would have been ace, but Kino Classics has done a fine job here.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a bustling DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that brings the movie to life well. A few moments are a bit fuzzy or crackling, but you never hear outright damage or distortion. These are the instances where you can find age-related wear and tear. Dialogue comes through favorably and balances well with environmental noises and other competing elements. The vibrant score maintains good fidelity and does not drown out the dialogue or other important information. The audio track serves its purpose. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson provide an entertaining 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, the hiccups experienced during the making of the film, the critical reception, and more that is worth exploring.
- Back To The Bayou: Part I – Interview with Star Burt Reynolds: A ten-minute late-career interview with Reynolds in which he discusses the filming of the picture, how Steven Spielberg nearly directed this feature, the work of director Joseph Sargent, the stunts that went awry, memories of fellow cast members, and more that is well worth a watch.
- TV Spots: A nearly four-minute collection of TV spots is provided here.
- Radio Spot: A minute-long radio spot is provided here.
- Trailers: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer for White Lightning is provided here. There are also trailers for Gator, Fuzz, The Longest Yard, Hustle, and Semi-Tough.
Final Thoughts
White Lightning is a rip-roaring adventure with Burt Reynolds that does not push any narrative boundaries but delivers on the star’s bad boy charm. This is still firmly in the era when problematic elements were as natural as a punctuation mark, but if you can look past these things as a product of the time then you will have a fun outing. The entire ensemble encapsulates an unglamorous essence that aids in this feeling a bit more authentic and unique. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray release that shows off a fair A/V presentation and a nice assortment of special features. Burt Reynolds fans should have this one in their collection. Recommended
White Lightning (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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.