Kalifornia [Blu-ray] [1994]

Description

Made back in the days when Brad Pitt was the next big thing, rather than the major movie star he went on to become, he co-starred with Juliette Lewis in the thriller Kalifornia. It’s made its way onto Blu-ray now, and what’s interesting is how well that central casting pairing works, and continues to hold up. Their unpredictable characters are brought to life well, and remain the most interesting thing about the film. The film never was set to be a classic, and its problems still prevail. But it’s a refreshingly off-the-beaten-track piece of work, with an underappreciated supporting performance from David Duchovny. And you can see, right here, just why Pitt was always set to make the jump to the big time. Kalifornia benefits from a quality upgrade to high definition. The visuals in particularly, not least the sumptuous landscapes, come across strongly, and there’s real detail in the picture. The sound mix, too, is a welcome improvement, albeit a little less demanding, as you’d expect, than a modern blockbuster. It’s a pity that there’s not much residing in the extra features department, and Kalifornia is the kind of film that’d benefit from a good look back in hindsight. As it stands, it’s the trailer you get here, and that’s pretty much your lot. Still, the film remains interesting, the performances even more so, and this is the best that they’ve all looked making Kalifornia worth picking up. --Jon Foster