Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		2.5

A Dandy in Aspic Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 26, 2019

Anthony Mann's "A Dandy in Aspic" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage promotional materials for the film; new video program featuring exclusive interviews with crew members; recorded archival conversation with cinematographer Christopher Challis; and more. The release also arrives with an exclusive 28-page booklet with a new essay by Jeff Billington, an archival on-set report, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The odd couple

It is important to remember that A Dandy in Aspic isn’t the film that Anthony Mann had envisioned. The iconic director had approved all major locations and shot quite a bit of footage there, but when he suddenly died of a heart attack Laurence Harvey took over the production process and completed the film. Also, Harvey apparently tweaked different parts of the script, though it is possible that at least some of the changes reflect improvements that he and Mann had previously discussed.

Harvey plays British double agent Alexander Eberlin (Harvey) who is summoned by his bosses in London and ordered to track down a high-profile Soviet killer known as Krasnevin. Eberlin is told that Krasnevin has eliminated several secret agents operating overseas and then shown a film that supposedly identifies him. But Eberlin is the killer, while the man from the film is his contact with the Soviets, Pavel (Per Osscarson), who has lived in London for decades and is on the verge of giving up on life because he can no longer cope with the pressure of hiding in the shadows.

A few days later, Eberlin arrives in Berlin to look for his target but encounters Caroline (Mia Farrow), a young fashion photographer from London who has previously shown a willingness to pursue a romantic relationship with him. While Eberlin’s progress is closely monitored by his increasingly suspicious superior, Gatiss (Tom Courtenay), Caroline permanently enters his private life. In the meantime, the hunt for Krasnevin comes to an abrupt halt when Pavel’s cold body is uncovered and a new report quickly confirms that he was not the mysterious killer.

The excellent period footage from London and divided Berlin make this film a good time capsule that anyone interested in the Cold War era will likely find attractive. But the rest really is as frustrating as old reviews of the film have argued over the years.

The narrative is fractured into multiple episodes that pull the film in different directions and for some strange reason without actually trying to build up a strong atmosphere that could make Eberlin’s predicament attractive. After he is dispatched to Berlin, this supposedly brilliant tactician is quickly transformed into a disillusioned loner who wants to exit the world of international espionage and return to the U.S.S.R. but does not have the guts to do it. So, instead of crafting a solution for his misery, Eberlin begins an odd relationship with a girl who temporarily makes him feel normal but finds him attractive primarily because he is an emotional enigma and therefore his actions are rarely as easy to figure out as those of the men before him that have attempted to seduce her. The blending of romantic melodrama and Cold War reality, however, never produces any intriguing developments. There are plenty of secret meetings and discussions at different locations where Eberlin identifies the true intentions of the players before him while trying to protect his identity and then returns to the girl for yet another dose of sanity. That’s it and it is never as dramatic as it was intended to be.

The film’s inability to make Farrow’s character look meaningful is unforgivable. Indeed, the girl receives plenty of attention but her appearances are so random and for a long time so irrelevant that she quickly begins to look like an unnecessary distraction. Also, the film isn’t even remotely interested in revealing the qualities that actually make Harvey’s agent want to be with her. Excluding a basic physical attraction, which presumably a seasoned agent should be able to overcome, the nature of the connection remains elusive.

There is a decent soundtrack from Quincy Jones that adds some proper flavor to the visuals. Also, the opening credits are done with a great style that reminds of Saul Bass’ work.

A Dandy in Aspic Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Anthony Mann's A Dandy in Aspic arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from a master that was provided by Sony Pictures. Unfortunately, the master is very problematic and the film has a very disappointing dated appearance. Indeed, there are all sorts of different limitations on display that frequently produce such obvious anomalies even folks that are not sensitive will almost certainly find them very distracting. For example, there are massive 'halo' effects and they create the false impression that someone might have used digital tools to resharpen the entire film. But this isn't the case, and it is actually the poor quality of the elements that were used to create the master that is responsible for these effects. Depth is also very uneven, and in many cases actually extremely problematic (see screencapture #7). The majority of the fine nuances that strong recent 2K/4K remasters are known to deliver are also lost here. As a result, a lot of the footage can appear seriously flat and/or thick. There are no traces of grain management work of the type that older masters from Universal's vaults are known for, but there is plenty of unevenness that is inherited. Once again, the biggest issue is the nature of the existing elements that were accessed to prepare the master. Colors are acceptable, but there is plenty of room for meaningful improvements, especially in terms of balance. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

A Dandy in Aspic Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The lossless track is very good. The folks at Sony Pictures must have done all the necessary work to ensure that stability, depth, and clarity are proper because I did not hear any anomalies to report in our review. Even the range of dynamics that the track employs is impressive.

A Dandy in Aspic Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

NOTE: All of the supplemental features on this Blu-ray release are perfectly playable on North American Blu-ray players, including the PS3.

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for A Dandy in Aspic. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 1080p).

• Isolated Music & Effects Track - presented as an LPCM 1.0 track.

• Image Gallery - a collection of vintage promotional materials for the film.

• Berlin: The Swinging City - this short vintage featurette highlights some of the key locations in Berlin where A Dandy in Aspic was shot. In English, not subtitled. (5 min, 1080p).

• London to Berlin - this featurette highlights additional locations from Berlin and London that are seen in A Dandy in Aspic. With music and text descriptions. (6 min, 1080p).

• Inside Mann - in this new video program, critic and broadcaster Richard Combs discusses the evolution of Anthony Mann's style and the visual appearance and some of the key themes of A Dandy in Aspic. The program was produced for Indicator/Powerhouse Films in 2019. In English, not subtitled. (12 min, 1080p).

• Pulling Strings - in this new video program, titles designer Michael Graham Smith and puppeteer Ronnie Le Drew discuss the creation and unique appearance of the opening credits for A Dandy in Aspic. The program was produced for Indicator/Powerhouse Films in 2019. In English, not subtitled. (23 min, 1080p).

• A Time to Die - in this new video program, second assistant editor Richard Dobson, continuity manager Elaine Schreyeck, special effects artist Terry Schubert, camera assistant Nigel Cousins, and stuntman Colin Skeaping discuss the production of A Dandy in Aspic and their interactions with and/or impressions of Anthony Mann, Tom Courtenay, Mia Farrow, and Laurence Harvey. (There are some particualrly interesting observations about Laurence's personality). The program was produced for Indicator/Powerhouse Films in 2019. In English, not subtitled. (10 min, 1080p).

• The BEHP Interview with Christopher Challis - presented here is an archival interview with cinematographer Christopher Challis in which he discusses the progression of his career and some of the major projects that he was a part of over the years. The interview was conducted by film historian Kevin Gough-Yates, as part of the British Entertainment History Project, on October 11, 1988. Audio only. (107 min).

• Commentary - in this new audio commentary, author and critic Samm Deighan discusses the visual style and tone of A Dandy in Aspic, the nature of the key conflicts in the film, its unique opening credits, the type of protagonists that populate Anthony Mann's films, etc.

• Booklet - an exclusive 28-page booklet with a new essay by Jeff Billington, an archival on-set report, Derek Marlowe on A Dandy in Aspic, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits.

A Dandy in Aspic Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I don't think that the different parts of this film come together as they should, and the fact that Anthony Mann was unable to complete it is only one of many reasons why. The various very attractive vistas from Cold War-era Berlin are its greatest strength. Unfortunately, this upcoming release from Indicator/Powerhouse Films is sourced from a very weak master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. I don't know when the master was prepared, but the elements the studio used for it have such severe limitations that the bulk of the key organic qualities that we expect to see when these older films transition to Blu-ray are either barely noticeable or completely missing. The release has a good mix of exclusive new and vintage bonus features, and is Region-Free.