48 Hrs.

The tradition of shabby home video releases continues for "48 HRS"... this time on Blu-Ray
"48 HRS." is a terrific action-comedy that gets everything right for its genre. The action is tough, but not overdone; the comedy is funny, but not over-the-top; the direction by filmmaker Walter Hill is skillful, edgy and playful; the San Francisco location shooting makes for a wonderfully dark, atmospheric and gritty backdrop; the dated-but-effective soundtrack is awesome in its own "1980s" sort of way; and the script is tight and witty, with sharp characterizations and crackling dialogue that is sometimes vulgar, yet always smart. Best of all, the two leads are at the apex of their star power, making the film a joy to watch.

Indeed, this is the film that made Eddie Murphy a superstar, and it's easy to see why. Raw, dynamic and totally charismatic, it is not hyperbole to state that Mr. Murphy's first film performance easily ranks as one of the greatest film debuts in cinematic history. Young, lean and hungry, Murphy plays a semi-tough street hustler/convict with just the...

Eddie Murphy's Best!!!
This is absolutely Eddie Murphy's best movie! Certainly better than most other stuff he's done this century, and the past decade! I saw this movie for the first time in the theater, and also have it on VHS. I have watched this movie easily 50 times. I'm sure it might be more though.

It is a true classic, highlighting the true natural talent of Eddie Murphy. He and Nick Nolte play off each other well, and Nolte isn't too bad himself in the comedy department. Though his type of humor is much more subtle. He does get his digs in, on Mr. Murphy's expense, mind you.

To the best of my knowledge, this was one of the first movies that combined excellent humor scenes with extreme violence and emotion. And while many tried to duplicate it, in later years, including other Eddie Murphy vehicles, such as Beverly Hills Cop, nothing can compare to the original!

A true classic. I will probably buy this on DVD soon, but I'm kind of holding out for an "extras...

A modest Blu Ray upgrade for a great film!
First of all, I truly LOVE this movie! I was 27 years old when it was released and have seen it a good 30 times since then, first on VHS rentals, then repeated HBO showings , the DVD release and finally on HD Net Movies. I know it has never fared very well on ANY of those formats and I was hoping for even a modest amount of improvement with the Blu Ray. I knew going in that this was NOT a remaster of the original film elements and I knew not to set my expectations too high. The disc has no artwork printed on it and looks like a cheap rental with the title etched into the flat gray paint. The case is an el cheapo "Eco" which consists of more air than plastic.

Was it worth the upgrade? In a word, YES! Here are my reasons:

Better overall color, sharpness and depth than any other released version. This is not to say it is a nice rendering. For the most part , it is NOT. Colors are faded all over the place. Contrast levels come and go, sharpness shows in some...

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