'D.A.R.Y.L.' Data Analyzing Robot Youth Lifeform. Sounds pretty hokey, doesn't it. Well, this 1985 film about a cyborg that looks like a 10 year old kid that developes human emotions and escapes the government lab that created him isn't without it's share of hokum. But, thanks to some intelligent writing from David Ambrose and Allen Scott and above average directing by Simon Wincer, 'D.A.R.Y.L.' is a cute little film that plays better than it's premise sounds. Most of the hardware depicted now looks more than a little dated and some of the stunts, though impressively executed, are somewhat out of place. Barring this, there is little to dislike here and much to enjoy. Solid performances from an ensemble cast lacking any real huge stars and a couple of genuinely touching moments make this an enjoyable, and repeatable, diversion.
Perhaps suprising to some of you, 'D.A.R.Y.L.' was shot in anamorphic Panavison making Paramount's new letterboxed laser transfer all the more enjoyable. Though Wincer's widescreen compositions are less artful than some, the wide framing certainly enhances this film's pleasures. The quality of Paramount's recent letterboxed reissues has been somewhat inconsistent, but fans of this film will be pleased to find that this is one of their better efforts. Colors are mostly accurate and solid without a trace of chroma noise. The image is very sharp and clear though there is a hint of grain in a few scenes. Image detail is excellent, as is contrast and brightness. The Panavision frame has only been trimmed a bit, having a ratio of about 2.20:1 (good, for Paramount).
The Dolby Stereo soundtrack is also quite good. Directional effects are minimal, but seperations are clean and the surround channel is used to good effect. Except for a couple of effects (the opening shot will make you jump), dynamic range is a bit limited but frequency response is better than expected with clear mids and highs and a decent bottom end (check out the SR71 jet in the final reel).
The film runs 100 minutes and Paramount has opted for only perfunctory chapter encoding with 12 markers for the entire film. No trailer is included. List price is $39.95.
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