Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 29, 2018

Peter Medak's "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include a vintage trailer for the film; exclusive new audio commentary with director Peter Medak; exclusive new video interview with writer Peter Nichols; and exclusive new video interview with actress Janet Suzman. Also included is a 40-page illustrated booklet featuring a new essay by Marcus Hearn, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and historic articles on the film. Region-Free.

Fair?

Cynicism mixed with a good dose of humor might be the only formula that allows you to avoid the breaking point after which your life becomes hell and you give up on it. You use the former to acknowledge your reality and in the process comment on it without suppressing any negative emotions, and with the latter you numb the disappointment and pain that have become an inseparable part of your existence. But it is not an easy act because you have to balance the two right. If you don’t, you become even more vulnerable and there is an excellent chance that you will get to that very dangerous breaking point even faster.

Petar Medak’s film A Day in the Death of Joe Egg is about a married couple, Bri (Alan Bates) and Sheila (Janet Suzman), that is constantly experimenting to get the right balance while taking care of their daughter (Elizabeth Robillard) who has cerebral palsy. They have done it for a long time and even become comfortable with a wide range of sexual fantasies that have further helped them strengthen their relationship.

The film routinely jumps back in time and then rather nonchalantly returns to the present to make a couple of interesting points about Bri and Sheila’s ordeal. One of them is that in a situation like the one that they must deal with right and wrong are stripped of their classic definitions and are essentially unusable. This of course makes it awfully difficult to view Bri and Sheila’s ever-evolving thought-process through the prism of common logic and for the same reason judge their choices and reactions. Another of these points has to do with the psychological impact that the medical condition of their young daughter has on them, and how over time they become immune to the corrosive effects of the never-ending emotional pressure that is irreversibly altering their personalities. A rather large portion of the film is dedicated precisely on their inability to recognize the subtler but permanent changes and how their social skills begin to suffer because of this. The most interesting point, however, is delivered in the second half where Bri and Sheila meet good friends (Peter Bowles and Sheila Gish) and over the course of a single night their views legitimize a new ‘normal’ in the worst possible way. Here a different kind of cynicism emerges and leaves you wondering whether it actually ought to be encouraged so that it easily exposes the awful human beings that a civilized society would breed and then learn to tolerate and hide.

The finale is very sobering and frankly difficult to watch, but it is also where the film best defends itself. People that are unfortunate to go through what Bri and Sheila have at some point find themselves pondering options that are bone-chilling. This is just the brutal reality, so the creators of this film deserve a lot of credit for being honest. The alternative would have been a feel-good, soapy closure that not only would have cheapened the entire film, but also completely destroyed the credibility of its main protagonists.

Comparisons with the play by Peter Nichols that inspired the film are inevitable, but Ken Hodges’ cinematography provides a special atmosphere that gives the original material a new identity. Bates and Suzman are perfectly cast and share a great chemistry as well, so this of course makes the adaptation even more effective.

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Peter Medak's A Day in the Death of Joe Egg arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

I like the remaster that was used to source this release quite a lot. Depth is either good or very good, clarity is consistently pleasing, and density levels are actually quite strong. If the film is viewed on a larger screen there is a pretty good chance that trained eyes will quickly spot some areas where fluidity could be improved, but overall I think that the visuals remain very pleasing. Another area where there is some room for improvement is the management of shadow definition, as there are some darker indoor segments that could look better (see screencapture #8). However, even here the current balance is good. The color grading is convincing. Some nuances can be improved and they will actually affect different ranges of highlights that will bring out more fine nuance, but the primaries are stable and natural. There are no traces of problematic degraining corrections. A better new remaster, however, will improve grain exposure. There are no large debris, cuts, damage marks, or torn frames, but a few tiny white specks remain. (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 Day in the Death of Joe Egg 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.

There are no technical issues to report in our review. The audio must have been remixed when the remaster was prepared because there are no traces of age-related imperfections and balance is excellent. Dynamic intensity is also proper for a film from the '70s.

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg 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 - vintage trailer for A Day in the Death of Joe Egg. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• Remembering the Day: Janet Suzman on 'Joe Egg' - in this new video program, actress Janet Suzman recalls how she became involved with A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and explains why a film of this nature can no longer be made. There are also very good comments about the ordeal that her character and the one that Alan Bates played are going through, and why black comedy is perhaps their only antidote for the misery that they must endure. The program was prepared exclusively for Indicator/Powerhouse Films in 2017. In English, not subtitled. (18 min, 1080p).

• From Stage to Screen: Peter Nichols on 'Joe Egg' - in this new program, writer Peter Nichols talks about the personal experience that inspired his play, the purpose of the humor in the play, the first staging of the play in Glasgow, and Peter Medak's cinematic adaptation. The program was prepared exclusively for Indicator/Powerhouse Films in 2017. In English, not subtitled. (20 min, 1080p).

• Commentary - in this exclusive new audio commentary, director Peter Medak discusses his life and cinematic career in England (after he immigrated from Hungary during the 1950s), and the conception of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as well as his interactions with the cast during the production process and the film's unusual tone. The commentary is moderated by Sam Dunn (British Film Institute).

• Booklet - a 40-page exclusive booklet with a new essay by Marcus Hearn, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and historic articles on the film.

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There are not that many of them left, and not only in the United States. A few big ones still dare to tell the truth, like Jerry Seinfeld who recently admitted that he is no longer interested in doing shows on college campuses, but the rest prefer to stay in the echo chamber with the mobs. You can add Janet Suzman to the short list now because everything, and I mean absolutely everything, that she states in her exclusive interview for this release is true. And this is such a tragedy because there are countless factual examples that comedy, even the very dark type that gives Peter Medak's film its identity, really does make us better people. A Day in the Death of Joe Egg was a bold film in the early '70s, and as far as I am concerned it is an even bolder film now. It is true that it is not for everyone, but folks that appreciate fearless originality and great acting will enjoy it. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.