In Like Flynn (2018) (NTSC)

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General		Extras
Category	Adventure	None
Rating
Year Of Production	2018
Running Time	98:08
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Programme
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	Russell Mulcahy
Studio Distributor	Umbrella Entertainment	Starring	Thomas Cocquerel Corey Large William Mosely Clive Standen David Wenham David Hennessey Grace Huang Isabel Lucas
Case	Amaray-Opaque
RPI	?	Music	David Hirschelder

Video (NTSC)		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 5.1 (256Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	480i (NTSC)
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	None	Smoking	Yes
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

"Lover . . .Fighter … Adventurer . .
and that was before he became famous"

     1930; a young Errol Flynn (Thomas Cocquerel) is guiding an American film crew into the jungle along the Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, when they encounter some very hostile tribesmen and barely escape with their lives (and some film footage). Back in Sydney, with its backdrop of a half-finished Sydney Harbour Bridge, Errol is determined to acquire a small yacht and to return to New Guinea to search for gold. He enlists two old friends; bare knuckle boxer Rex (Corey Large) and Dook (William Mosely) and steals a yacht, the Sirocco, from a group of Chinese opium smuggling pirates led by Achun (Grace Huang). The pirates had, in fact, previously stolen the boat from older seaman Charlie (Clive Standen). Charlie tracks down Errol, his friends, and the Sirocco, and after some altercations, and discussions, decides to join them and sail the Sirocco from Sydney, up the Australian coast, to New Guinea.

     Various adventures, and misadventures, often self-inflicted, occur as they sail up the coast. Things come to a head when they arrive in Townsville where they run afoul of Townsville Harbour Master / Mayor / Priest / illegal boxing promotor Travers (David Wenham) and his thuggish son Rudolph (David Hennessey). Complicating matters further is the presence of Errol’s old girlfriend Rose (Isabel Lucas, whom he had abandoned, and Achun and her gang who arrive seeking the opium they had hidden on the Sirocco. And if the crew can overcome these obstacles, fate, and the perilous crossing of the Torres Strait, awaits them.

     In Like Flynn is based upon Errol Flynn’s book Beam Ends and a caption informs us that it is “a mostly true story”; Flynn was not too shabby at self-promotion in his books, and in his life, so just how much of this is true is an open question! Indeed, In Like Flynn feels like a boy’s own larger than life adventure from the 1940s, with a handsome hero, pirates, head-hunters, bare knuckle boxers and corrupt officials, all enhanced by images of a yacht under full sail on the open sea and a rousing derring-do score by David Hirschelder. Hirschelder received Oscar nominations for Shine (1996) and Elizabeth (1998) and his score for In Like Flynn, using a variety of jungle drums, sea shanties, an orchestra and Scott Joplin tunes, neatly encapsulates the tone of the film. In Like Flynn was directed Russell Mulcahy. He was primarily a music video director (with some big name clients including Elton John, Queen and Rod Stewart) who hit gold with the classic adventure Highlander (1986) but his resume since has been less impressive with straight to video fare such as The Scorpion King: Rise of a Warrior (2008); nevertheless he directs In Like Flynn with a good eye and some verve.

     In Like Flynn includes some snappy dialogue, although other sections where there are discussions on life, loss and leadership, are a bit clunky while Clive Standen’s monologue about his past and that of the Sirocco comes over as a rather lesser version of Quint’s monologue in Jaws. However, in most aspects Standen is excellent as the grizzled sailor with a past, Thomas Cocquerel is a bronzed, handsome Flynn while David Wenham has a whale of a time. And, as filmed by cinematographer Peter Holland, the jungles of North Queensland (standing in for PNG), the sand and the sea with the yacht in full sail look beautiful.

Video

     In Like Flynn is presented in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. It is NTSC, region free and 16x9 enhanced.

     This is a nice looking print. Details are strong and the scenes set in the tropics have a bright look, with vibrant jungle greens, deep blue seas and yellow sands. The sequence in depression era Sydney, in the rain, is duller and more muted. Blacks and shadow detail are pristine, skin tones natural, brightness and contrast consistent. I did not notice any obvious marks or artefacts.

     No subtitles are provided.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     The audio is English Dolby Digital 5.1 at a low 256 Kbps.

     Despite the low rate, effects are loud and the surrounds and rears get constant use from the music, jungle noises including bird calls, the thunder and rain, the groans of the yacht timbers, crowd yells in the bare knuckle fights, the lapping of the waves, fire effects. The down side was that on a number of occasions the dialogue was drowned out by the effects or the music so one could not hear what was said. The lack of subtitles did not help here. The subwoofer added rumble to the music, fights, thunder and the shipwreck.

     As noted in the plot section, the score by David Hirschelder used a varied of different genres which added to the adventure.

     Lip synchronisation is fine.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

     Nothing. The programme commences when the DVD loads.

     This Australian NTSC Region Free release of In Like Flynn is the only one currently listed on sales sites.

     In Like Flynn is a fun, rousing, old fashioned boy’s own adventure. This fits the persona of superstar Errol Flynn, as we remember him from classic adventure films such as Captain Blood (1935) or The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938); devil may care, womaniser, adventurer, fighter. If it isn’t strictly true, then it should have been.

     The video is very good, audio less so. No extras.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall