Studio: Paramount
Release Date: April 11, 2023
Rating: R
Film: 3/5
Plot Jennifer Beals stars as Alex—a fiercely determined 18-year-old with one all-consuming dream to study at the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance. Working during the day as a welder and at night as an exotic dancer, she bravely pursues her dream and undertakes an unforgettable journey that reveals the power of her convictions.
My ThoughtsBelieve it or not, but I had never seen this movie from beginning to end until watching it on UHD this past weekend. While I had watched the more iconic scenes over the years, I have never taken the time to actually watch the entire film. Well, I can’t say doing so changed my life in any way. The story is somewhat pedestrian and shallow and the acting can be a bit wooden and inauthentic.
What really makes the film work is the music and dancing, which is quite good. My wife remembers watching the film back in the 80s and recalled the big controversy regarding the body doubles uses for Beals’ character, and sure enough, it isn’t her doing the dancing in the film. Do I feel cheated? Nope—the dancing is still good regardless of who’s doing it.
The image is struck from a 4K master used in the Paramount Presents release in 2020 and looks spectacular. All of the grain is kept intact, and it allows the 35mm elements to shine in the higher resolution format. Shadows are extremely revealing, and fabrics and facial pores are to die-for. The 5.1 mix is very good but is repurposed from previous home video releases—not that this is a bad thing. The overall mix is a tad front loaded, which is to be expected given when the film was made, but really opens up when the kick-ass soundtrack comes into play. I was particularly impressed with the LFE on the musical numbers.
Video 9/10 (AVC)
Audio 8/10 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
Special Features: - Filmmaker Focus: Director Adrian Lyne on Flashdance
- The Look of Flashdance
- Releasing the Flashdance Phenomenon
- Theatrical Trailer
- 4K + Blu-ray + Digital Copy
Conclusion In the past when Paramount has rereleased one of its “Paramount Presents” films onto 4K, they haven’t included the Blu-ray in the package. Thankfully, they have done so here and its befitting to celebrate the 40
th Anniversary of this iconic film. While the film doesn’t necessarily hold up to today’s higher standards, it does a good job of capturing the vibe of the 1980s and has never looked better on home video. Recommended for fans.
Reference Review System: JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Kaleidescape Strato + Server
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
SVS SB3000
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
M&K Sound X15+ Subwoofer
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner