Plot: What’s it about?
The sixties was a productive period showing the difference between a massive flop and a small hit. In the case of big stars, many didn’t come bigger than Steve McQueen and at the tail end of the decade with one Oscar nomination in his back pocket, he started a production company and his maiden voyage was a tale of cops, corruption and the chase playing a cop with the last name Bullitt.
The setting is San Francisco. A primary suspect to organized crime has disappeared and a shifty public figure (Robert Vaughn) has given the assignment of watchdogging a witness to no-nonsense Detective Frank Bullitt (Steve McQueen). Everything seems like a normal watch routine for him and his partner (Don Gordon) until an anonymous tip to the witnesses whereabouts leaves a dead cop and a wounded witness. With reading into the situation, Bullitt investigates what’s behind it, who’s covering up and trying to stay one
step ahead of all involved.
This film is more well known for it’s car chase which has the right element of buildup and suspense and the right time to turn off the music and let the action speak for itself. After seeing this movie for many years (dating back to the regular broadcasts on Channel 11 in New York) this viewer realized the total package is a little more than a chase and your average cop film as the film takes a downbeat and less theatrical approach to the subject making for more of a character study with some action and a chase scene in between everything.
McQueen gives a reserved but observant performance as Bullitt a man of very few words and sometimes with a disheveled appearance but one who knows just a little more than the superiors around him. The rest of the cast stays on level and be on the lookout for one well known actor in a small but crucial role driving a car as well as two smaller actors in the background that would go on to sitcom stardom, especially if you watch the movie from beginning to end.
This came before a lot of the bigger name cop movies before it with it’s location and it’s solid action pieces but this was one of the first to give almost an independent film look from a major studio right down to it’s open ending with our main character and his return to see another say which is something evident that the film begins with him leaving home and the film has him coming back home in some way or fashion after the long hard stretch.
To sum up the film, Bullitt provides enough quiet moments and active moments to set a nice balance of drama, action and moments for character without being flashy or overproductive and it hits the bullseye.
Video: How does it look?
Bullitt is given it’s second go-around on DVD with an 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that is much of an improvement over the previous release as the daytime and nighttime shots are not succumbed to too much grain and have a nice balance particularly during the opening title sequence when the balance of black and white is evident. The colors are not too flashy and the film has a look similar to other films shot during that time but on this DVD, some scenes looked like they could’ve been shot yesterday resulting in a very good transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
The Dolby Digital 2.0 track for Bullitt is good for surrounding the combination of score, effects and dialogue very well throughout all channels. Although there is very little score and a good amount of effects, the outer channels are used for location noises, the occasional appearance of the great Lalo Schifrin score and effects with the middle channels for the dialogue and effects mixing with a film that sounds just as good as it did then. This disc also has a French track along with English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
With Bullitt being given the 2 disc treatment, the extras provided are more than the previous release with the sole retentions being the Commitment to Reality featurette on disc 2 (which is a fun look back at the decade with regards to McQueen) and the films anamorphic theatrical trailer which is on disc 1.
As for the new additions, the audience is treated to disc 1’s commentary track with director Peter Yates who comments along the film complementary and very nicely discussing how he got to direct the film, some of the ways he learned to film on location by some predecessors and going over some of the casting and his feelings toward the film present day. Although he tends to repeat a few things, it’s a very good commentary track and he can repeat things over and over anytime for he’s a pleasure to listen to.
On disc 2 is the location for two new documentaries. The first is Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool and it provides a great deal of going over his life from friends, filmmakers and fellow colleagues and with the various film clips from the films in his career provides a great reminder of the great track record he had and it’s a constantly entertaining piece produced by Turner Classic Movies.
And the final documentary on this edition is The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing which goes through many films and shows how editing plays a key role in filmmaking and told by many of the greats who have achieved successfully in this department along with another great assortment of film clips demonstrating this great sector in a finished film. This documentary is also available individually and is a nice addition here.
Bullitt gets a better treatment both with an extra disc, the extras and in the quality of the look of the film to remind us that when many have to look for what started off what makes a great film about a cop, many can look no further than a fast Mustang, a well told story and a look at a character who has seen it all and know a lot more than he appears to and it comes very well recommended.
