Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

90° in the Shade Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 15, 2021

In one of the supplements included on this Blu-ray disc, Michael Brooke provides a really interesting analysis of this joint UK-Czech co-production, citing at least some of the differences between the English language Ninety Degrees in the Shade and its Czech counterpart Třicet jedna ve stínu. Brooke refers to the longstanding tradition in early cinema of films being shot twice for different languages, as in the case of The Blue Angel and Dracula (both of the Blu-ray releases linked to happily provide both versions of each film on their respective discs). Another somewhat salient and decidedly more contemporary example, though one that offers two English language versions of the same film, would be Oklahoma!, the venerable Rodgers and Hammerstein musical classic that was shot in both Todd-AO and CinemaScope, with some kind of fun differences between takes aside and apart from more technical aspects like aspect ratios that eagle eyed viewers can watch for. That perhaps seemingly perplexing tether is due to the fact that, as Brooke gets into, aside from some manifest differences in sequencing and linked editing differences, and the obvious differences in spoken languages, there are some really fascinating slight differences in takes at times that give each version of this film a bit of "meta" interest for those who are fans of some of the supposedly "hidden" ins and outs of film production.

While the English language Ninety Degrees in the Shade is longer than the Czech version, and is understandably "Anglicized" in a number of ways, both versions of the film are resolutely anchored in the sociopolitical climate of what was in the mid-sixties (when the film was produced) known as Czechoslovakia. The shadow of Communism and its "Big Brother"-ish tendencies looms over the film like a kind of menacing specter, though the film's story is more of a personal story involving characters tethered in some way to a liquor store (of all things). Milan Vorel (James Booth, Zulu) manages the shop, along with his assistant Alena Burdová (Anne Heywood, The Fox), who also happens to be his mistress, despite the fact that he's married. It turns out Vorel has been playing fast and loose with the shop's inventory, perhaps with a degree of complicity on the part of Alena, and the two find themselves in precarious circumstances when a pair of government auditors show up to count the stock.

One of those official types is Rudolf Kurka (Rudolf Hrušínský, then a huge star in the Czech film world), an emotionally tamped down man whose life seems to revolve around things like assessments of inventories. The film ultimately starts to detail Kurka's extremely unhappy home life, where he's hounded by his harridan wife (Ann Todd) and attempts to deal with a ne'er-do-well son (Ladislav Potměšil). There's a lot of subtext at play in Ninety Degrees in the Shade, with the clear implication that Kurka may have pangs of actual emotion in terms of dealing with Alena, but whose inherent temperament may keep him from ever really expressing himself in any meaningful way. Meanwhile, the affair between Alena and Vorel is fraying due to both internal unhappiness as well as the new pressures coming from outside.

While probably not a film noir in the "traditional" sense, there is the same ambience of moral turpitude in this outing that suffuses many in this particular idiom, though it's interesting to note that in this case it's arguable that it's what might be jokingly referred to as an homme fatale who is leading a woman to disaster. There's also a kind of ménage à trois aspect at play with regard to Alena, Vorel and Kurka, though, again, there's really only overt sexuality between the actual lovers.

90° in the Shade Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Ninety Degrees in the Shade is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Powerhouse Films' Indicator imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Powerhouse only sent a check disc for purposes of this review, and so I'm not privy to any information imparted in the insert booklet, but Powerhouse's website states that the UK version is "a new 2K restoration from the original negative by Powerhouse Films", and the Czech version is "a High Definition remaster". I've included a few screenshots starting in position 15 of the Czech version, but some of the clearest differentiations between the two can be gleaned in Degrees of Separation, where some side by side analyses clearly show brightness and contrast variances between the two. The UK version is undeniably better looking, not just in terms of detail levels and grain resolution, but perhaps especially in terms of (admittedly typically minor) damage. The Czech version has quite a few blemishes, albeit usually slight and fleeting, that the UK version doesn't exhibit, at least not in the same amounts. The Czech version also doesn't offer quite the same consistent levels of fine detail that the UK version does. While the UK version arguably has better contrast, it still looked a bit anemic to me at times, with blacks that approach a slightly milky appearance at times.

90° in the Shade Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Ninety Degrees in the Shade features an LPCM Mono track in English, while Třicet jedna ve stínu features an LPCM Mono track in Czech. There aren't any huge differences in terms of mix or amplitude between the two, other than the obvious differences in language being spoken. You're getting at least some dubbing in either version (Brooke talks about not being able to completely determine who did the looping), but the UK version will probably be the choice for most native English speakers, and it provides problem free fidelity that delivers dialogue, effects and score clearly. Optional English subtitles for both versions are available.

90° in the Shade Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• UK Version (1080p; 1:30:32) and Czech Version (1080p; 1:22:53) are available under the Play Film menu. For a bit more information on the two versions, see screenshot 18.


• Audio Commentary with Michael Brooke is consistently interesting and fact filled, while not being overly dry and robotic. Along with Degrees of Separation (see below), this makes for an admirable one-two punch from Brooke.


• Degrees of Separation (HD; 21:57) is the fascinating analysis of the two different versions of the film mentioned above. Michael Brooke gets into some (but even as he admits, far from all) of the variations.


• The Rape of Czechoslovakia (HD; 17:37) is the first of several vintage shorts by Weiss included on this disc. This documentary from 1939 has a great opening Communist Party logo proclaiming "To each according to his need, a co-operative production", and details the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia.


• The Other RAF (HD; 7:56) is a 1942 documentary about the Russian Air Force.


• 100,000,000 Women (HD; 7:59) is another 1942 documentary, edited by Weiss, about Soviet women's contributions to the war effort.


• Before the Raid (HD; 34:32) is a 1943 "dramatization" helmed by Weiss about some Norwegian fishermen outwitting the Nazis.


• The IWM Interview with Jirí Weiss (HD; 34:32) stems from a November 4, 1990 interview with Weiss done at the Imperial War Museum. This comes with the requisite warning about audio quality. This plays as a kind of alternate audio track to Before the Raid.

While Powerhouse only sent a check disc for purposes of this review, their website states this release comes with a 36 page booklet offering several essays, including one by Weiss himself.

90° in the Shade Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If some elements of Ninety Degrees in the Shade may strike some as being melodramatic and maybe even turgid, the film's underlying sociopolitical context gives it some real force. This is a fascinating character(s) study on a number of levels, with strong performances and an ultimately kind of devastatingly tragic power. Technical merits are generally solid, and the supplementary package very well done. Recommended.