Part fascinating fact, part dazzling fiction, Zoot Suit is Luis Valdez’s (La Bamba) blistering film adaptation of his own critically acclaimed stage drama based on the “zoot suit riots” that rocked 1940s Los Angeles. When barrio leader Henry Reyna (Daniel Valdez, The China Syndrome) and a group of his friends are unjustly convicted on circumstantial evidence and sent to San Quentin, activist lawyers Alice Bloomfield (Tyne Daly, The Enforcer) and George Shearer (Charles Aidman, Kotch) fight the blatant racially motivated miscarriage of justice to win Henry and his friends their freedom. Featuring Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver) in the role of the mythical “Pachuco” that catapulted him to stardom, Zoot Suit is a scorchingly searing and seductively provocative work that skillfully blends action, drama, romance and music! Zoot Suit features a rousing score by the film’s star Daniel Valdez and beautiful cinematography by David Myers (THX 1138).
For thoughts on Zoot Suit, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
Kino Classics presents Zoot Suit with a lovely presentation in the form of a 1080p master transfer in 1.85:1 that is not advertised as being a new scan, but looks really great nonetheless. If we were to take a guess, this is likely from the same transfer used for the 2018 release from Universal that we do not have access to. Universal usually puts out quality transfers, and this is no different. The transfer provides nice, natural film grain absent of any compression artifacts or other such damage. The film features some splendid colors within the costumes and production design that pop off the screen with a great vibrancy. The film is practically pristine with no noticeable instances of damage or dirt detected here. Skin tones look natural, and the presentation offers up deep black levels. There is also a fantastic amount of fine detail that should please fans of the film. Subtle details in the inventive production are crisp and clear, revealing subtle textures of the stage-y production design. This presentation is another instance of Kino Classics delivering the goods for vintage film fans.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a terrific DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that serves this film extremely well. The first thing you will notice is the vibrancy and clarity of the soundtrack. Despite the strength of this element, nothing ever overpowers the dialogue or other important information. Dialogue and background noises are represented in perfect harmony with all competing elements. This track shows no discernible age related wear and tear such as hissing or popping. All of the sound effects and music appear to be faithful to the intent of the creative team. This disc maintains an impeccable sense of fidelity that is appreciated when music is so central to the narrative. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. You could not ask for better from Kino Classics.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Filmmaker/Historian Daniel Kremer provides a deeply informative and interesting commentary track in which he advocates for the universal greatness of this film, discusses the stage aspects of the narrative, the real-life inspiration for the events in the film, the careers of the performers involved, the film’s legacy, the boundary-pushing nature of the film and so much more that makes for a fantastic listening experience.
- Interview with Writer/Director Luis Valdez: An excellent new 16-minute conversation with Valdez in which he discusses the unique point-of-view of the film, the history that informed this film, his reason for wanting to bring the material to the screen, the “spiritual” aspects of the narrative, his memories of the production, the reception of the film and more. This interview should not be missed.
- Trailerz: The two-and-a-half minute trailer for Zoot Suit is provided here. There are also trailers for The Milagro Beanfield War and Get Crazy.
Final Thoughts
Zoot Suit is a wholly original type of film which pushes the boundaries of what you expect from a cinematic adaptation. The film offers spectacle and scale without sacrificing the sustained energy of a theatrical production. The story itself is a heartbreaker, but director Luis Valdez does not allow it to become a maudlin affair as he brings such vivid life to every moment, reclaiming the story for his community the way it deserves to be told. Couple this daring aesthetic with some fearless performances, and you have one of the most exciting films of the 1980s. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and some invaluable supplemental features. If you are a fan of the film, this is the release you need. Recommended
Zoot Suit (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.
