Plot: What’s it about?
When a member of the U.S. Naval Forces is sentenced to time in the brig, or military prison, the prisoner is escorted there by chasers, or other Navy men. That is the case with Meadows (Randy Quaid), a young sailor who was caught trying to steal $40, and is set to serve eight years in the brig. The chasers who got the detail of taking Meadows to his destination are Buddusky (Jack Nicholson) and Mulhall (Otis Young), two career Navy men who are not exactly nice guys. At first, the two just want to drop Meadows off as soon as they can, and enjoy the rest of the allowed as a mini vacation of sorts. But as the trip goes on, they start to like Meadows, and decide to show him the time of his life before he gets locked up. Things start off with the threesome hassling a bartender, almost getting into a fight there, and ending up getting plastered in their hotel room. During their drinking binge, the three open up to each other, and Meadows becomes even more bonded with the two. By the end of the trip, they end up at a chanting cult meeting, Meadows is offered a chance to escape to Canada, and Meadows visits a brothel, all in the name of a good time. Along the way, Buddusky and Mulhall learn some things about each other, the world, and even themselves.
The Last Detail is a very interesting movie. The character development is excellent, and the depth of our three lead roles is very good. This movie is basically a character study, looking at the three major characters, and watching them evolve during the trip. The Last Detail is slow moving at times, so if you have a very low attention span, this is not the movie for you. It’s not always slow moving, but it can be at times, as the characters are very realistic, not glamorous types. They do normal stuff, and move at normal paces, they don’t save the world or get into a huge city wide brawl, they just drink and curse, and make their trip. It’s that realism that makes the characters so interesting, they have problems and faults, just like anyone does. The movie has no special effects, no CGI, just some great acting and terrific writing. And that’s more than enough to make this an enjoyable film.
With this type of movie, the cast is crucial, since the movie relies on acting and delivery of the lines, as opposed to say explosions or nude women. As such, the cast of The Last Detail is superb, each turning in a solid performance, and adding something to the film. Jack Nicholson (The Shining, Chinatown) is awesome here, I feel this is one of his best performances, behind One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and Five Easy Pieces. The natural feel to his acting here is exactly what the film calls for, and he delivers it. Randy Quaid (Independence Day, Vacation) is also outstanding, playing Meadows with just enough “down home country boy” flavor to make the character naive, yet intelligent. Also appearing are Otis Young (Blood Beach), Nancy Allen (1941, Carrie), Carol Kane (Scrooged, License To Drive), Clifton James (Cool Hand Luke, Live and Let Die), and Michael Moriarty (Courage Under Fire). If you enjoy dialogue driven character studies, The Last Detail is a must have for you. If nothing else, everyone should rent this, as it’s one of Nicholson’s best performances.
Video: How does it look?
The transfer here looks good, presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, but the print looks as if it has seen better days. Some scenes show heavy wear, while others look pristine, it’s a mixed bag. My main complaint is the overall picture tone, which appears a bit soft. But given the age of the film, I’ll grant some leeway, as it does look better than ever before. Colors look natural, which is appropriate for the film’s realistic theme, and flesh tones look very good. Black levels are correct, with good shadow layering and detail levels. It’s true this transfer has it’s faults, but given the print condition, this is an excellent version.
Audio: How does it sound?
The Last Detail is not a slam bang action movie, so it won’t light up your system, but it sounds good for the type of movie that it is. Music sounds very good, as do the infrequent effects, but they aren’t high voltage in nature, so don’t expect your speakers to shake. Dialogue is the top priority, and it sounds perfect, with no problems whatsoever.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You get talent files, production notes, and theatrical trailers. The trailers are for The Last Detail, As Good As It Gets, Wolf, and A Few Good Men. Also, the production notes are in the case’s insert, not on the disc itself.
