Hardbodies Blu Ray Review (Mill Creek Entertainment)
Hardbodies is a 1984 comedy film co-written & directed by Mark Griffiths (Hardbodies 2, Running Hot, Au Pair Trilogy, & Beethoven’s 5th). The film was originally made for broadcast on the Playboy Channel but Columbia picked it up for theatrical distribution. The budget was a little less than $2 million & it grossed $7,121,719 worldwide at the box office. In 1986, they followed it up with a sequel. Scotty (played by: Grant Cramer from Killer Klowns from Outer Space, New Year’s Evil, & Driving Me Crazy) is a natural born hustler, he can con his way into anything but he’s down on his luck. He recently got evicted from his apartment. He notices three older men which include Hunter (played by: Gary Wood from Air America, The Glass Shield, CIA II, & Martial Outlaw), Rounder (played by: Michael Rapport from Black Christmas, Miracle Beach, & Top of the World), & Ashby (played by: Sorrells Pickard from Hardbodies 2, Running Hot, & Ultraviolet) that are struggling to find women.
They have the best beach house near by & he comes up with a plan to make that his new home. He tells them he will teach them the “dialog” they need to pick up women for a place to stay & $600 a month. He shows the aged geeks the way of BBD (Bigger & Better Deal) with help of his friend Rag (played by: Courtney Gains from The Burbs, Children of the Corn, Back to the Future, & Colors). During all of this, Scotty falls for Kristi (played by: Teal Roberts from Fatal Games, Beverly Hills Cop II, & The Last Boy Scout) & he wants to get away from his player reputation. This causes problems with Hunter & they soon become rivals after helping each other out for awhile. Who will win this battle????
In the 80s, the sex comedy was one of the most popular sub genres in cinema. Hardbodies took advantage of that & made a splash in 1984. It had a similar formula compared to all the others but it’s a very entertaining & fun experience. It’s a simple concept but it works. Lots of horny people are hooking up & throwing parties here, it had some really funny moments. Hardbodies delivers on everything that you would expect from this type of feature, it’s loaded with beautiful women like Cindy Silver, Kristi Somers, Crystal Shaw Martell, Darcy DeMoss, Karen LaVoie, Leslee Bremmer, & Kathleen Kinmont. It has all kinds of nudity, plenty of boobs to keep your eyes glued on the screen! Horror Icon Kane Hodder shows up in a cameo, it’s one of his first acting roles also. It has a solid cast & a nice soundtrack. It might not be a classic or the best sex comedy that you have ever seen but Hardbodies is exactly what you think it will be & it doesn’t disappoint at all, RECOMMENDED!!!!
Let’s talk about the high definition presentation from Mill Creek Entertainment! This 1080p (1.78:1) transfer is an upgrade from all the previous home video releases but it shows it’s age so it’s a little rough at times. It was previously bundled with Private Resort in 2016, Sun, Sand and Sweat 4 movie collection (I own this), & 80s Overdrive: 6 Movie Collection. This is the first time it’s had a solo release for the blu ray format & it definitely looks better than those other versions without being crammed on the same disc with something else. The English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track is a major improvement, the dialogue is very clear & the soundtrack sounds awesome! There’s no special features on the disc. It comes with an awesome retro VHS style slipcover for a limited time. It’s available exclusively at Walmart right now & everywhere else in two weeks, check it out!!!!
