Cool Hand Luke [Blu-ray] [1967] [US Import]

This is a review for the Bluray. Somehow I have managed to go through life without ever seeing Cool Hand Luke. Despite hearing my wife go on and on about eggs, I had still missed it. I bought the Bluray on an Amazon special offer a couple of months ago, and we have just got around to watching it. I'm now sitting here wondering why on earth I waited so long.

Despite some good supporting roles this film belongs to Paul Newman. Although the acting and dialogue is variable, Paul Newman's cheerful, non-conformist character is absolutely iconic. I thought he was good in The Hustler, but I would say this is right up there, and possibly even shades it. You keep willing him to escape, to win, whilst knowing that he isn't going to. I started off thinking - rarely can anyone have paid such a heavy price for destroying municipal property- then realised, actually that wasn't what he was punished for, it was for refusing to play by the rules. Although the film was over two hours long it didn't try to do everything. It left gaps for you to fill in yourself, and was all the stronger for that. An example was, after he was caught destroying parking meters, we didn't see him again until he arrived at the prison.

It has a great tagline as well:- "What we've got here is failure to communicate."

Picture Quality was very good. I often find scenery works best in HD, but here close-ups of faces were detailed and memorable. Watch out particularly for scenes reflected in the mirrored sunglasses of a warden. Colours were strong and natural looking with skin tones working well. It is presented in 2.4:1 so you are looking at it being letter-boxed on a widescreen TV, but that is how it was intended to be seen, and suits the film very well.

Audio Quality is much weaker. Dolby Digital is the best offering, and I had to fiddle with the sound control several times. Even when the dialogue isn't being overwhelmed it is sometimes slightly muffled and flat. I had particular difficulty picking out the words of some songs.

Largely as a result of the audio I found rating difficult. I think it deserves four and a half stars, but it's such a good film, and the picture is so good, that I finally plumped for five.

Cool Hand Luke is yet again proof of Paul Newman's iconic status as a actor. Given the fact Newman was 42 when this film was made, one has to acknowledge that he was something special and cinema rarely has produced such actors with such a raw charisma, such a warmth and presence in front of the camera.

This film is up there with 'The Sting' and 'Butch Cassidy' in terms of classic Newman. The script and characterisation is just as entertaining and quirky as anything else Newman has appeared in.

Cool Hand Luke is more an analysis in the pride of the male ego and the systematic attempt to break it. It takes many twists and turns, but Luke always seems to have to edge over the system, his inmates and its tyrannical guards and wardens. Although its ending may seem not the one the audience could have wished for, Newman plays his role with such vigour and energy that really it doesnt matter what ending this film has - its just fun watching someone as good as Newman in a film as good as this.

"What we've got here is failure to communicate!". The prision warden says this as he tries to humiliate and break Paul Newman's character Luke.

Luke is the hero of the prison population for his non-conformative style. This is an awe inspiring film with some truely great pieces of character acting. Paul Newman and George Kennedy are the two main stars, with Strother Martin strong as the warden. Kennedy is the prision hard man, who just can't get the better of Luke in a bare knuckle prison yard scrap. Luke just won't stay down. The scenes as the two work on the chain gangs are some of the best in the film.

Pual Newman is immense as the con who just won't reform. He has never ever done as he was told, and won't now, even in when beaten and tested to the physical limits in jail. When his mother dies, Luke begins a spiral towards self destruction, questioning everything from the system to God.

Luke is the anti-establishment hero that so many of our modern actors try to portray but are left not even fit to polish Newan's dusty prison boots.

Sharp filming and clever use of music make this a film that rises above most. It is so good it is well worth watching again and again.

"He had that ole Luke smile". Cool as you like Luke!