Mod Squad, The

Three incorrigible teens are given a choice: go to jail, or become the LAPD’s secret weapon: The Mod Squad. Reviving Aaron Spelling’s oh-so-hip 1968 to 1973 television drama are Claire Danes as Julie, Giovanni Ribisi as Pete and Omar Epps as the ultra-cool Linc. Assigned to help clean up the Los Angeles underground club scene, the Squad uncovers a crime ring involved in prostitution and drug trafficking, and Captain Greer’s (Farina) teenage task force will soon learn that some of their co-workers are not exactly on the right side of the law. View this film in a completely blackened room due to its often darkly lit imagery. The anamorphically enhanced DVD viewed in component video delivers sharp and detailed imagery, with excellent vertical and horizontal resolution. Though the picture is dark throughout most of the film, contrast is nicely rendered and there is a natural gradation between darkness and total picture black. Colors are often stylized, sometimes filtered for a harsh appearance. There are some minor inconsistencies, and exterior scenes are not very natural, but the transfer is generally clean throughout.