Shane Black, a screenwriter, is credited for significantly revamping the buddy movie genre in contemporary cinema. His script for Lethal Weapon fetched a massive amount for a debut writer, boosting Mel Gibson’s status as a top-tier actor… at least temporarily. He often utilized the formula of a level-headed cop and a madcap cop, interspersed with over-the-top action sequences and humorous dialogue in his subsequent films. His works encompass The Last Boy Scout, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, and more recently, The Nice Guys.
All those titles were tributes to Black’s fascination with hard-boiled detective novels featuring characters like Mike Hammer, centered around classic mysteries. This is precisely what you get in “The Nice Guys,” a screenplay co-authored by Black and his frequent partner Anthony Bagarozzi, but it took 13 years before it made it to the silver screen. Initially intended as a movie, lack of studio interest led it to be relegated to a TV pilot. Even then, it didn’t move forward until producer Joel Silver intervened. Known as the powerhouse producer of the 80’s, Silver had purchased Black’s Lethal Weapon script and even cast him in a minor role (and improved the script) for Predator.
In the contemporary setting, the film “The Nice Guys” was revamped and moved to 1970’s Hollywood to align with its plot revolving around porn stars, which was more fitting for an era when such movies were filmed on celluloid rather than during the digital internet age. The script had garnered attention from Ryan Gosling, who had made a strong impression with his intense performance in ‘Drive’. However, The Nice Guys demonstrated that Gosling was not only brutally brilliant but also an exceptionally skilled comedic actor. Director Shane Black intended to team him up with Russell Crowe, casting Crowe as the muscle of the duo, and the film seemed destined for success with its sharp dialogue, action-packed sequences filled with humorous lines, and promising a box office hit. Unfortunately, despite a budget of $50m, it only earned $71m upon release. Considering that it was competing against The Angry Birds Movie and Neighbors, each earning $352m and $108m respectively, it’s clear the audience wasn’t quite ready for a well-crafted mystery with a clever script. A re-release of this limited edition 4K and Blu-ray box set makes for a worthwhile rewatch, offering numerous special features including…
- Dual format edition including both UHD and Blu-ray with main feature and bonus features on both discs
- New 4K UHD master produced by Second Sight Films and presented in HDR Dolby Vision approved by director Shane Black
- New Dolby Atmos audio produced by Second Sight Films and original 5.1 audio mix
- New audio commentary with Shane Black and co-writer Anthony Bagarozzi moderated by writer Priscilla Page
- Knights in Tarnished Armour: a new interview with Shane Black
- Finding an Audience: a new interview with co-producer Ethan Erwin
- A Thousand Cuts: a new interview with director of photography Philippe Rousselot
- From Lethal Weapons to Nice Guys: a video essay by Leigh Singer
- Always Bet on Black: archive featurette • Worst Detectives Ever: archive featurette • Cast Interviews
- Trailers Limited Edition Contents
- Rigid slipcase with new artwork by OC Agency Group
- 150-page hardback book with new essays by Mitchell Beaupre, Barry Forshaw, Jamie Graham, Justin LaLiberty, Naomi Roper, Hannah Strong and Nadine Whitney
- Nine collectors’ art cards
The assortment of both new and old characteristics is excellent, with the audio commentary being a standout. It’s all highly enjoyable and packed with interesting stories – one such tale references Steve Coogan’s ‘Dan!’ scene from ‘I’m Alan Partridge’ as inspiration.
Once more, Second Sight delivers an extravagant remastering of these vintage reissues, making them essential purchases for enthusiasts of this genre and Shane Black’s body of work.
Here’s The Nice Guys trailer….
The Nice Guys – LIMITED EDITION 4K & BLU-RAY BOX SET is available from 2nd June 2025
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2025-05-10 02:23