Breakout

Director: Tom Gries Tom Gries

Overview

"This solid, tough-as-nails Charles Bronson action movie may not be one of his most memorable offerings, but it does contains enough suspense and some good acting by everyone involved to make for a entertaining evening. Ultimately the best place to see a Bronson movie is in a drive-in theater. But this DVD should do the trick nevertheless. Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment's disc presents the movie in its proper 2.35:1 aspect ratio (enhanced for widescreen TVs) and remastered in high definition. The picture is sharp, colorful, and overall excellent. In fact, this new digital transfer really puts to shame previous video releases. Who knew Breakout could look so good? The disc also contains English and French mono soundtracks. Neither one of them is spectacular, but they do the trick. Ample chapter stops have been supplied, although there is no trailer available."

Product Details

Release Date:	05/13/2016
UPC:	0043396048621
Original Release:	1975
Rating:	PG
Source:	La Entertainment
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[monaural, Dolby Digital]
Language:	English
Time:	1:37:00
Sales rank:	26,165

Special Features

Digitally mastered audio & anamorphic video; Widescreen presentation; Remastered in high definition; Audio: English (mono), French ; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai; Interactive menus; Scene selections

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Charles Bronson	Nick Colton
Robert Duvall	Jay Wagner
Jill Ireland	Ann Wagner
John Huston	Harris Wagner
Randy Quaid	Hawk Hawkins
Sheree North	Myrna
Alejandro Rey	Sanchez
Paul Mantee	Cable
Roy Jenson	Spencer
Alan Vint	Helicopter Pilot
Jorge Moreno	Soza
Sidney Clute	Henderson
Emilio Fernandez	The Warden

Technical Credits

Howard B. Kreitsek

Marc Norman

Elliott Baker

Ronald Buck	Executive Producer
Robert Chartoff	Producer
Tom Gries	Director
Augie Lohman	Special Effects
Irwin Winkler	Producer
Howard B. Kreitsek	Screenwriter
Marc Norman	Screenwriter
Elliott Baker	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

This Charles Bronson vehicle isn't one of the star's more demanding roles, but it's fairly entertaining nonetheless. Breakout is basically a B-movie with A-movie resources: the plot is old fashioned adventure stuff tarted up with a nice budget and some name acting talent like Robert Duvall and John Huston. The script is a bit wobbly -- the finale leaves some loose ends dangling and the film's caricatured treatment of its Mexican villains isn't likely to endear itself to the politically correct -- but it makes up for these flaws with plenty of action and some amusing characters. Bronson gives an energetic, surprisingly comedic performance as the film's hard luck hero and Randy Quaid and Sheree North add a welcome touch of color as his low-rent partners in crime. Duvall and Huston are rather wasted in their limited roles, but their presence lends some added class to the proceedings. Capping it all off is sturdy direction from Tom Gries -- he manages to gloss over the story's simplistic nature by attacking it with vigor and style, especially during the taut prison-break finale. His efforts are furthered nicely by rich, widescreen photography from Lucien Ballard and a rousing, Spanish-tinged score by Jerry Goldsmith. All in all, Breakout probably won't win Charles Bronson any new fans, but his existing fanbase will find it to be a fun if modest diversion.