Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Breakheart Pass Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 18, 2021

Tom Gries' "Breakheart Pass" (1975) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include an exclusive new audio commentary recorded by critics Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson, as well as remastered original theatrical trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The outlaw

This is the one and only western that emerged from Alistair MacLean’s writings. However, it is the type of hybrid action project that actually fits perfectly between Sidney Lumet’s Murder on the Orient Express and Andrei Konchalovsky's Runaway Train.

In a distant western town full of strange characters, John Deakin (Charlie Bronson) is caught cheating in a poker game. Someone then discovers that he is also a fugitive on the run and feisty Marshal Pearce (Ben Johnson) arrests him. The cheater is then placed on a military train transporting supplies whose final destination is Fort Humboldt.

Before the train leaves town Major Claremont (Ed Lauter) is informed that two of his best men, both mechanics, have abandoned his unit and are nowhere to be found, but they are promptly replaced. However, not long after that a wave of announcements about additional ‘disappearances’ makes it clear that there is a killer on the train that is executing a vicious plan.

Claremont, a state official named O’Brien (Charles Durning) who is overseeing the transportation of the supplies, and Governor Richard Fairchild (Richard Crenna) who is escorting the daughter of the fort’s commander (Jill Ireland) meet but struggle to agree on a plan to identify the murderer, which gives Deakin an opportunity to chime in with a few unorthodox theories about what might be happening on the train. At first the men refuse to take him seriously because they suspect that he is just trying to play them so that at the right time he can disappear, but when a few of his predictions come true they change their mind. Meanwhile, the mysterious killer pulls off a risky trick that this time eliminates all but a couple of Claremont’s soldiers.

Tom Gries’ film Breakheart Pass is like a piece of Swiss cheese with massive holes that are impossible to avoid no matter how one chooses to slice it, but it is still seriously entertaining. That is so because producer Jerry Gershwin and executive producer Elliot Kastner somehow managed to bring on board a whole team of stars and they went all in and had a great time working together. The other factor that instantly makes this film attractive is the machismo attitude that gives the action that typical edge that was so common for ‘70s films.

Bronson is very much in his element while facing various tough characters, but here he actually blends in and to a certain extent remains a normal guy who simply has a job to do which requires that he breaks a few thick skulls. So before the final credits roll he does not ride into the sunset as the cool hero that was destined to emerge victorious.

Old promotional materials, including trailers that were cut by the studio, quickly spoil the entire film in the worst possible way. This is very unfortunate because the character transformations for instance are amongst the few surprises that at the right time actually work as intended. Still, there is plenty of well-choreographed action that makes the film perfect to see on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Breakheart Pass Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Breakheart Pass arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master, which I found quite frustrating. Here's why:

Clearly, the film looks fresher now, so its overall appearance is definitely a lot more attractive. It is cleaner too, though the previous master that MGM licensed to Kino Lorber for this release is fine as well. Density levels are very nice and on a larger screen the visuals hold up as well as they should. So, what is the problem? Well, a lot of the darker footage has plenty of crushing. I was expecting the new master to have superior ranges of nuances because on the previous master there is light crushing as well, but now there is even more of it. It is a very awkward situation because in a number of areas, including daylight footage, I can see more details on the older master. (You can compare screencapture #20 with the corresponding screencapture from our review of this Region-B release, which is sourced from the same old MGM master that was used for the previous North American release). In a few areas there is so much of it that I could barely see what was happening. (See screencaptures #21 and 22). Some of the primaries are different on the new master and there are expanded ranges of nuances, so you should notice a change in the overall color temperature. However, in darker areas the crushed blacks definitely affect the overall balance. In other words, instead of numerous and substantial across-the-board improvements there are various trade-offs that make the current presentation of Breakheart Pass quite frustrating. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Breakheart Pass Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless track is very good. However, I thought that old track from the previous release of Breakheart Pass was just as convincing. Clarity and sharpness for instance range from very good to excellent, plus dynamic intensity is always pleasing. Stability is good too, though if there is any room for cosmetic enhancements it is probably it is probably in a few areas where the audio could become a tad thin. Overall, however, the lossless track is rock-solid.

Breakheart Pass Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - remastered original theatrical trailer for Breakheart Pass. In English, not subtitled (3 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson. If you have listened to any of the commentaries these gentlemen have recorded for various Kino Lorber releases of older films, you should know what to expect from this commentary. It offers plenty of information about Tom Gries' career, Charles Bronson's image as an action star and cinematic legacy, Alistair MacLean's writings and some of the films they inspired, the era in which the film emerged from, etc.

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art for Breakheart Pass.

Breakheart Pass Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I am grateful that the folks at Kino Lorber are producing new 2K and 4K masters for various older films -- and especially those emerging from Universal's vaults -- as they transition to Blu-ray, but I wish they were graded a bit better. For some reason new 2K masters tend to reveal a lot of black crush, which is easily avoidable. This is why I found the new 2K master that was created for Breakheart Pass frustrating. Clearly, it offers the healthiest presentation of the film to date, but in select areas it reveals familiar crushing that eliminates most of the key improvements. If the minor adjustment I mentioned above is implemented, Kino Lorber's releases of all kinds of older films will be the definitive releases you would want to add to your libraries. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.