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Windrider - Blu-ray Review

3 beersTo the sea! To the sea!  It is what Tom Burlinson commands as windsurfer Stewart “PC” Simpson in director Vincent Monton’s romantic comedy, Windrider.  This Australian film is as fun as the buggy Simpson drives to work.  I don’t know what it is about Australia’s cinematic output in the 1980s but, damn, so good.  Regardless of the genre, the Aussies nail the tone time and time again and Windrider, which might have been too mature for its target audience, is yet another win.

PC is a genius on the ocean.  His success on the ocean’s waves; however, doesn’t always translate to the workplace, though. And his father (Bud Tingwell), who owns the company PC works for, is a bit frustrated by his lack of output for him.  The thing is, PC’s dad understands his passion for windsurfing and, as he allows for Simpson to use the company’s time to build the ultimate in board-tech for riding waves, everything he says to encourage his son to work harder is done with a wink and a nudge.

"Today we test, tomorrow we win!  Hang ten with this totally tubular release!"


But passion is a funny thing and when Simpson meets Jade (Nicole Kidman in her first “adult” role) on the beach, where he does a complete 360 on the board (a big deal), it is love at first spin.  Their chemistry is immediate.  It is also fun to watch as Jade, a lead singer for a local rock band, meets and matches his verbal sparring with aplomb.  She’s cooler than PC and he knows it.  Soon enough, his passion for riding the waves is challenged by his passion for her.

But, like any comedy, everything in this narrative – including a limo driver named Lurch (Matt Parkinson) – isn’t to be taken seriously.  This is a fun movie where nothing NORMAL ever happens to PC and his friends.  From a pink parrot in the office who eats business proposals to a street race that ends with surf boards being unexpectedly launched from the back of trucks, Windrider is one big chuckle.  This includes the windsailing photography as PC defies gravity AND common sense as a shark takes a big ol’ bite out of his board.{googleads}

And like any good rom-com, it is at this point in the narrative where the romance between PC and Jade gets serious.  Almost dying does that to people.  The surprise comes in PC’s sudden hesitance to get back in the water.  I guess sharks do that to people, too.  Except Jade, who lets her passion for singing take a backseat while she gets PC back in action again, suddenly finds herself in a new role.  And she's not sure that she likes it - especially when PC gives in to his fears thanks to that shark that nearly chomped his head off.

Windrider - Blu-ray Review

The movie, featuring PC windsailing in business attire at one point, is on target far more than it is pulled off track by the outlandish comedy. Thankfully, the drama remains low key throughout. It is cheesy to a degree but, thanks to a freewheeling attitude, this flick remains pretty darn cool as PC learns to confront his fears, get to know his father as an adult, and take lessons from Jade in the confidence department.

The MVD Rewind Collection presents Windrider on blu-ray with a sparkling new HD digital transfer, uncompressed mono audio, and a ton of NEW bonus materials, including a commentary from Monton. 

Today we test, tomorrow we win!  Hang ten with this totally tubular release!

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Windrider - Blu-ray Review

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 92 mins
Director: Vincent Monton
Writer: Everett De Roche, Bonnie Harris
Cast: Tom Burlinson, Nicole Kidman, Jill Perryman
Genre: Drama | Romance
Tagline: The ride of a lifetime.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Some flowers bloom at night."
Theatrical Distributor: United Artists
Official Site:
Release Date: December 25, 1986
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: July 24, 2018
Synopsis: Stewart ''P.C.'' Simpson lives in a magnificent beachfront home with his wealthy father and indulges his passion or windsurfing on a daily basis. His father may fault him for not working at a regular job, but he can appreciate his son's remarkable abilities on the waves. When P.C. meets a beautiful rock singer, a love affair begins. As the romance blooms, sport, friends and an upcoming championship become secondary. When several setbacks occur on the road to the competition, will P.C. wipeout completely, or sail to victory?

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Windrider - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: MVD Entertainment
Available on Blu-ray - July 24, 2018
Screen Formats: 1.77:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: Uncompressed Mono Audio
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Windrider makes its high definition special edition debut from Umbrella Entertainment and the MVD Rewind Collection.  The new 1080p transfer, presented with an aspect ratio of 1.77:1, is pretty good.  Loaded with juicy details, this is an atmospheric release that doesn’t shy away from the sunlight.  It has dark layers, yes, and those shadows are well-defined and crisp but the new transfer does not disappoint.  Some shots, due to the era of the day, are fuzzier than others but the image is reasonably well defined with crisp contrasts and solid textures. Colors are solid, with reds being a standout. Blacks are, too. Surprisingly, there's enough fine detail on display to make this seem revelatory. The era-ready color palette looks terrific, too. The disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono soundtrack.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • There is an audio commentary with director Vince Monton and writer Everett De Roche.

Special Features:

Complete with a collectible Windrider mini-poster, this release has it all.

  • Music Promo featuring Nicole Kidman
  • ''Young Days'' Music Promo
  • Windsurfing Promo
  • Stills Gallery
  • Original Theatrical Trailer

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Windrider - Blu-ray Review

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