Joyride – Cinématographe (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1977
Director: Joseph Ruben
Writers: Joseph Ruben, Peter Rainer
Cast: Desi Arnaz Jr., Robert Carradine, Melanie Griffith, Anne Lockhart, Tom Ligon

Release Date: August 20th, 2024
Approximate running time: 92 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $49.98

"Three disaffected youths in California – couple John (Robert Carradine, The Long Riders) and Mary (Melanie Griffith, Body Double) along with their friend Scott (Desi Arnaz Jr., A Wedding) – abruptly quit their jobs and take a ferry headed to Alaska in the pursuit of a new life running a salmon fishing business. Shortly after arriving, they are robbed, spurring a ripple effect of violence and its repercussions." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "a new 2K restoration from its 35mm interpositive".

Joyride comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray. 

Disc Size: 35.6 GB

Feature: 26.7 GB

Outside of a few very minor blemishes, the source looks excellent. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and the image retains an organic look. That said, this new transfer is by far and away the best Joyride has looked on home media.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio is in great shape; it's clean, clear, and balanced, and the soundtrack sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 12 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Steven M. Katz titled Can't Miss the Boat (10 minutes 47 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Joseph Ruben titled Youthful Intensity (22 minutes 7 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with film historians Alain Silver and Christopher Coppola, and a 40-page booklet with an essay titled Dirt Road written by Chris Shields, an essay titled The Forgotten: The Films of Joseph Ruben written by Adam Nayman, and an essay titled Killing Yourself to Live written by Brandon Streussnig.

Summary:

Joseph Ruben directed Joyride. He is also known for directing The Pom Pom Girls, Dreamscape, and The Stepfather.

The narrative revolves around three unhappy teenagers from Los Angeles who embark on a road trip to Alaska.

Joyride effectively mixes genres, combining humor, action, and drama. It is a character-driven melodrama. What starts off as a road trip with three friends looking for a good time quickly transforms into a story about characters who face the consequences of their bad choices. After a series of horrible decisions, they pull off a $300,000 ransom, putting their lives in grave danger.

The narrative does a superb job building up the three main characters. And though their actions do not paint them in a positive light, it is still hard not to cheer for them when their back is against the wall. That said, despite the narrative doing a phenomenal job building towards a very satisfying finale, there is a deliberateness that some viewers might find too slow.

The performances of its three leads, Desi Arnaz Jr., Robert Carradine, and Melanie Griffith, are Joyride’s heart and soul. There is a rawness to all of their performances that greatly enhances the story that unfolds. Anne Lockhart in the role of Cindy Young, the young woman who works in the payroll office the three friends rob, is the most memorable performance. Though her character is in a similar situation to the three friends, her persona is in direct contrast to the other three characters.

A lot of independently made films excel when it comes to using actual locations. Whether some of this is due to necessity more than anything else, it greatly changes the atmosphere. That said, there is no comparison between filming on location vs. inside a studio. Case in point: Joyride does an amazing job exploiting the green scenic landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

When it comes to the soundtrack, Joyride is extremely effective. Some music selections in the film have been reportedly changed since its past home media releases, causing controversy about its soundtrack since then. I did not notice any omissions going by the songs listed in the IMDB, when compared to what can be heard on Cinématographe’s Blu-ray release.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where Joyride disappoints. Though the performances rightfully garner the most attention, one should not overlook how impressive the stunts with cars are. There are a few ambitious driving sequences that one would not expect from a non-action film. The most thrilling sequence is the escape after the friends collect the $300,000 ransom. Ultimately, Joyride is an underrated road trip film that is waiting to be rediscovered. 

Joyride gets a first-rate release from Cinématographe that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer