Heaven Can Wait (Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 30, 2021
Rating: PG
Film: 4/5

Plot
Joe Pendleton (Beatty) is a Los Angeles Rams backup quarterback ready to lead the team all the way to the Super Bowl, but the afterlife has other plans. It seems an overzealous guardian angel has prematurely plucked Joe from the living. When he’s returned to Earth in the body of millionaire industrialist Leo Farnsworth, he inherits a world of challenges, including winning the love of a woman (Christie) who already hated “him.”

My Thoughts
I actually saw this film at the theater back in the 1970s because my Dad’s best friend growing up was in the film—Jack Snow, wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams. While I enjoyed it at a nine-year-old I didn’t really appreciate it until I was older and saw it for a second time. This was probably my fifth viewing of it and even though I know what happens, it’s still a lot of fun to watch.

The film was directed by Beatty and Buck Henry, with the screenplay co-written by Elaine May and Beatty and it’s filled with an all-star cast from the 1970s. The film ended up getting nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (it was originally a stage play), Best Actor (Beatty), Best Supporting Actor (Jack Warden), and Best Supporting Actress (Dyan Cannon), Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and winning for Best Production Design. Normally you don’t see this many nominations for a romantic comedy, but it shows how well the film was received.

The video presentation is actually quite good. It helps that the majority of the film is shot on location with proper lighting and black levels are rarely tested. The mansion scenes were shot on location at the Fioli Mansion, in Woodside, CA, which has been in multiple TV shows and feature films, the most recognizable of which is Dynasty (the overhead shot of the mansion in the show’s opening credits). Unfortunately, the Dolby TrueHD Mono track is at best mediocre and at worst, pretty bad. Dialog is tinny and weak and there’s virtually no dynamic range to speak of. I would have loved to have seen some type of remaster of the audio track, but it probably wouldn’t have been profitable for the studio to go that route.

     
Video 4/5 (AVC)
 
 Audio 2/5 (Dolby TrueHD 1.0)

Special Features:

• Blu-ray + Digital Copy

Conclusion
If you’ve never seen this movie you’re truly missing out on a gem of a production. The story works just as well today as it did in 1978 and it’s filled with lots of laughs and some touching dramatic moments as well. If you’re looking for a romantic comedy that breaks the mold on what we typically see today, definitely pick it up. Sure, the audio could have been better, but we watch movies to be entertained and this one certain does that job extremely well. Highly recommended.

Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer
JL Audio Dominion F110 Subwoofer x 2
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner