6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A ruthless college student resorts to murder in a futile attempt to marry an heiress.
Starring: Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, Virginia Leith, Joanne Woodward, Mary AstorThriller | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Romance | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.36:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.55:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
BDInfo verified
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
1956’s “A Kiss Before Dying” is an oddly managed movie. A suspense picture with macabre twists, the effort only really comes alive when it locks on to evildoing, suddenly inspired to crank up thrills and chills in a manner that’s supremely effective. And yet, these peaks of tension are few and far between, with director Gerd Oswald almost going out of his way to keep the rest of “A Kiss Before Dying” (adapted from a novel by Ira Levin) as still as possible, refusing to reach the potential of the piece.
The AVC encoded image (2.36:1 aspect ratio) presentation is interesting to study, with the ultra-wide CinemaScope framing taking full advantage of rectangular spaces, suggesting this was one of the easier films to push through the old pan-and-scan process. Softness is encountered, but detail remains acceptable, generally good with the rare use of close-ups and location particulars. Colors are satisfactory, keeping their period amplification with costumes and storefront neon lighting. Skintones retain their intended look. Delineation isn't threatened. Source shows wear and tear throughout, identifying points of damage, including a bluish discoloration that arrives midway through the viewing experience. Speckling and scratches are detected as well.
Audio troubles plague the 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix, which generally suffers from pronounced age, offering a muffled quality to dialogue exchanges. A few passages are difficult to understand, and intensity fluctuates throughout. Scoring is also clouded, lacking instrumentation. Hiss is persistent, and damage is periodically detected, creating pops and mild buzzing.
"A Kiss Before Dying" (which was remade in 1991 with Matt Dillon and Sean Young) switches focus in its second half, introducing a concerned sibling (Virginia Leith) to make life miserable for the killer. The picture's evolution into a detective story of sorts is agreeable, but never engages in full, with Oswalt emptying the tank early when it comes to nail-biting encounters. "A Kiss Before Dying" is effective, but only in spurts, taking an eternity between highlights, which throttles excitement instead of indulging it in full.
1993
1980
1996
Fox Studio Classics
1944
1945
1978
4K Restoration
1973
1944
1944
Indicator Series | Limited Edition
1949
1944
1975
Warner Archive Collection
1953
1994
1975
1954
50th Anniversary Edition
1974
1943
1958
1996