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THE BINGO LONG TRAVELING ALL-STARS & MOTOR KINGS
(John Badham, 1976)
Release date: 16 August 2021
Limited Edition Blu-ray (World Blu-ray premiere)

Pre-order here.

Produced by Motown and based on the best-selling 1973 novel of the same name by William Brashler – considered to be one of the greatest sporting books ever written – The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings is set amid the segregated African American baseball league of the 1930s, and follows one enterprising team’s journey from humble beginnings to championship-winning success. Directed with flair by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, Dracula), this classic feel-good comedy features a stellar cast including a pre-Star Wars pairing of Billy Dee Williams and James Earl Jones, and comedy legend Richard Pryor (Blue Collar).


INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• High Definition remaster
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with director John Badham (2007)
• Interview with actor Billy Dee Williams (2021)
• Original theatrical trailer
• John Badham trailer commentary (2013)
• Radio spots
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Rebecca Nicole Williams, archival reports on a promotional baseball match between the casts of The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings and The Bad News Bears, an archival interview with star Billy Dee Williams, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and full film credits
• World premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 3,000 copies
• Extras subject to change


#PHILTD237
BBFC cert: 12
REGION B
EAN: 5060697921502

Another long forgotten but well regarded American film from Universal and a related themed documentary get the lush treatment from Powerhouse Films in the UK. Image and sound are as good as can be on both features in this double bill. Extras are solid with the doc, booklet and commentary all of a high standard.

The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings is a lightly entertaining and charming period romp that’s easy to watch but a little too slight to be all that memorable. The racial divide is ever-present but never overstated, which quietly adds substance to the otherwise throwaway nature of the film. It’s perhaps a little too understated to make much of an impact but at least it’s there. The film is well-performed and produced enough to be of value too, so it’s certainly worth a watch.