Private Blue — Private Blue (DVD)
Private Blue is an early 2020 picture that sends up both 80’s/ early 90's cop films and neo noir, for an entertaining, at times wonderfully camp ride, with a great retro score. It’s a SOV affair, though it technically sits at the more competent end of the genre. Here from SRS Cinema, those resurrectors of low-budget cult fare/ SOV, is a DVD release of the film, taking in a director's commentary track, and a few other things.
Private Blue is a Canadian production from the year 2021. It was co-written/ co director by Devin & Robert Burkosky, Robert also played our lead, Tony Blue. The pair have two other credits to their name- horror comedy Loan Shark Massacre (2018), and crime thriller comedy Heat Score (2025)
The just over an hour and a half picture opens with nighttime neon, and a staggering female sex worker making her way to a white van to pick up a hit. Just as she slugged back the new green liquid designer drug 'shrink'- she is bloodily strangled
Next, we met our lead, cop turned PI Tony( Robert Burkosky), who has greased back long hair, wears yellow aviator shades, and a white vest/ gold chain. He’s been called in by the local cops to try to find out who's behind the drug/ murder.
What follows is a pacy/engaging send-up, which sees Tony visit drug dealers, checking out clubs, set up drug deals, etc. Both Burkosky and the rest of the cast wonderfully ham up their acting, and though it’s certainly a parody, there are more serious moments, too, like an attempted suicide.
The soundtrack is excellent, it’s 80’s retro-ness- moving between synth and beat-bound fare, more dance club fare, and even send-ups of new wave and heavy metal- the latter taking in a great club dance scene, with Tony throwing off his jacket to get down in his white vest and chain get-up.
Private Blue was a hell of a lot of fun, yes, at points it does move towards Troma-like OTT-ness, but there are only a few moments of this. And it largely stays as a rewarding blend of parody/ toilet humour lined send up.
The main extra here is a commentary track with writer/ director bros Devin & Robert Burkosky- this is a laid back affair, with more than a few jokes and silly voices- though we do get some interesting facts/ insights. They begin by talking about the film's score/ soundtrack, touching on a few influences. They point out actors & locations as they appear. They chat about the film's designer drug, ‘Shrink’ and what inspired it. They discuss the voice-over element and how they don’t really like it anymore, before touching on how Robert selected the voice he uses for his character. We find out the film took a lot longer to make than they hoped, and this is illustrated by the varying length of Robert’s hair. Later on, they discuss the better location of the second ‘Shrink’ lab, and point out favourite lines, and more.
Otherwise, on the extras, we get around twelve minutes of bloopers and SRS trailers.
Private Blue certainly was a rewardingly entertaining send-up of 80’s/ early cop films and neo noir, with a varied and killer score. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for more of the Burkosky Bros work. I wanted to give this a three & a half mark, but as we only do full marks I've gone for a three.