Frank and Jesse Blu Ray Review (Lionsgate)
Frank and Jesse (aKa Frank & Jesse) is a 1994 western film written & directed by Robert Boris (Doctor Detroit, Some Kind of Hero, Oxford Blues, & Steele Justice). It’s based on true events. It’s produced by Rob Lowe (9-1-1: Lone Star, Wild Bill, Dr. Vegas, & The Grinder), Mark Amin (Leprechaun franchise, Pinocchio’s Revenge, Demonwarp, Carnival of Souls, Warlock 3, The Dentist 1/2, & Love and a .45), Elliott Kastner (The Blob, Angel Heart, Zombie High, & The Nomads), & Cassian Elwes (White of the Eye, Jack’s Back, Psycho Cop/Psycho Cop Returns, Mom, Knock Knock, & Cabin Fever). It originally aired on HBO & it made $ 50,004 at the box office.
At the end of the Civil War, Frank (played by: Bill Paxton from The Terminator, Aliens, Predator 2, Near Dark, Weird Science, The Dark Backward, & Tombstone) & Jesse James (played by: Rob Lowe from The Outsiders, St. Elmo’s Fire, Bad Influence, The Dark Backward, The Stand, Wayne’s World, & Tommy Boy) take the oath of allegiance to the Union. After the pointless murder of their younger brother, they seek their own brand of justice. Feeling oppressed by Chicago railroad investors,they start robbing banks, trains & coaches which gives them fame from media people like Zack Murphy (played by: Sean Patrick Flanery from The Boondock Saints 1/2, Suicide Kings, Dexter, & The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles). Their crew includes Younger brothers – Cole (played by: Randy Travis from Texas Rangers, Black Dog, Fire Down Below, & The Rainmaker), Bob (played by: Todd Field from Radio Days, Twister, The Haunting, & Eyes Wide Shut), Ford brothers – Bob (played by: Jim Flowers from Frailty & Tombstone), Charlie (played by: Alexis Arquette from Pulp Fiction, Bride of Chucky, Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror, & Of Mice and Men), Clell Miller (played by: John Pyper-Ferguson from Prom Night II, Pin, Unforgiven, & The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.), & Arch Clements (played by: Nick Sadler from Mobsters, Twister, Idle Hands, & Hellraiser: Inferno). They are chased down by the vengeful Allan Pinkerton (played by: William Atherton from Die Hard 1/2, Ghostbusters, Real Genius, & The Pelican Brief) & his crew, Can they survive all their crimes????
1994’s Frank and Jesse is one of the better adaptations for the infamous James brothers. Now, I am talking about the quality of everything when I say that because it’s not most accurate when it comes to real facts about the true story. It had a solid script & excellent production value. Bill Paxton & Rob Lowe had fantastic chemistry as the outlaw brothers. Both of them delivered some of their best work here. William Atherton has always been great at playing an asshole & he’s a great villain in this. He’s so unlikable that he actually makes you root for the bad guys in this. The supporting cast is loaded with talented character actors like Sean Patrick Flanery, Randy Travis, Alexis Arquette, Nick Sadler, John Pyper-Ferguson, Todd Field, David Arquette (Scream franchise), Dana Wheeler-Nicholson (Tombstone), Maria Pitillo (True Romance), Luke Askew (The Magnificent Seven franchise), & Cole S. McKay (The Gunfighter) that elevated the overall production, It had all kinds of action & violence, it got really dark at times. It’s an under-rated western, it’s good to see to Lionsgate resurrect this Trimark Pictures title from the back catalog for their new M.O.D blu ray line. I hope to see more forgotten features like this upgraded to the high definition from them. This is a very fun & entertaining 90’s flick, RECOMMENDED!!!!
Let’s talk about the high definition presentation from Lionsgate! This 1080p (1.85:1) transfer is a huge upgrade compared to the previous DVD & VHS releases. This is the best this is ever going to look on home video, this catalog title looks better than expected. The English: Dolby Digital 2.0 track is a step above from the older home video releases. The dialogue is very clean, all the action is elevated, & the music has a nice boost to it. It has English SDH subtitles. This made on demand BD-R has no extras on it. It’s available at most locations online including MovieZyng.com, it’s definitely worth adding to your western collection. CHECK IT OUT!!!!
