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King Ralph
R2 - United Kingdom - Fabulous Films Review written by and copyright: Rick Curzon (17th February 2016). |
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The Film
 ***This is an A/V and Extras review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE>.*** John Goodman (Roseanne, Raising Arizona) had his first starring role in this warm-hearted comedy from Oscar®-winning writer and director David S. Ward (The Sting, Major League, Sleepless in Seattle). When a freak accident wipes out the entire royal family, a surviving heir to the throne must be found, and turns up in the unlikely form of Ralph Jones (Goodman), a good-natured Las Vegas lounge singer. But even his private secretary (Peter O’Toole) can’t prepare Ralph for the trouble he gets into when he runs afoul of the fiendish Lord Graves (John Hurt) and falls for a shy stripper (Camille Coduri). Based on the novel Headlong by Emlyn Williams (Night Must Fall, The Corn Is Green), this tailor made vehicle lets Goodman give his considerable comic talents free reign quite-literally for the first time.
Video
UK independent label Fabulous Films has (licensed from Universal) reissued this modestly successful 1991 comedy starring John Goodman, Peter O'Toole and Camile Coduri (sexy Jackie Tyler in Doctor Who playing a stripper!!!); aspect ratio 1.85:1 presented with 16x9 enhancement. Previously available on a 2004 DVD release of which this would appear to be a direct port. What we have here is an acceptable standard definition copy of the film with some very mild damage in the form of occasional very mild speckling. Like many standard def transfers from the late '90s / early 2000s it lacks the punch of modern equivalents but this is respectable as you'd expect for a film of this vintage of modest commercial prospects in todays hard format market. Shot in the professional, clear, flatly lit way of most Hollywood comedies; bright colours, decent black levels and very little by way of digital compression artifacts that I could see. 1.85:1 anamorphic / PAL / 92'21"
Audio
Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo German Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English HOH, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish. This has a passable, if unremarkable Dolby Digital Track that serves the film well, only really kicking into full force in the musical moments or when chases ensue. Being a comedy which is mainly concerned with what is being said this isn't surprising. There's little use of the LFE track; it gave my subwoofer a workout at choice moments of music only and then only fleetingly. This is a fairly standard, lossy standard definition soundtrack. It does it's job perfectly well if unremarkably. That said this isn't really the kind of film to go to town on it's immersive soundtrack. I detected no distortions or other flaws such as pops, clicks or hiss.
Extras
Theatrical Trailer - 1'33"
Overall
If you want to watch this amusing culture shock comedy that depicts a very stereotyped view of the UK (for American's benefit) in which a blue collar American spiv / slob becomes the heir to the UK throne, then this disc will do just fine.
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