Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Catch My Soul Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 21, 2015

“Catch My Soul” was originally conceived for the stage, where the spare qualities of a theater setting could emphasize the intimacy of this take on William Shakespeare’s “Othello.” At one point, Jerry Lee Lewis was part of the cast, securing a certain live energy that helps viewers work through the inherent sluggishness of modernized Shakespeare. In 1973, a film adaptation arrived, and one directed by Patrick McGoohan, making his feature-length helming debut after years of triumphant television work, including a lead role on “The Prisoner.” Trading the stage for the expanse of New Mexico, a substantial amount of liveliness is lost in the open air, finding McGoohan struggling to keep this odd take on Othello and Iago’s battle of manipulation alert enough to connect as a rock opera. Music is prominent, and there’s plenty of passion to spread around, but “Catch My Soul” never ignites as intended, always just short of a good idea or a powerful performance.

Deep in the wilds of New Mexico, pastor Othello (Richie Havens) has married the young and devout Desdemona (Season Hubley), setting off a fire of jealousy within Iago (Lance LeGault). Refusing to stand for the blending of races, Iago begins to orchestrate the couple’s undoing, using the raw appeal and drunken ways of Cassio (Tony Joe White) to inspire a divide between Othello and Desdemona, who remain locked together due to unshakable faith. Teaming with wife Emilia (Susan Tyrrel), Iago begins his psychological games, using Cassio to get to Othello while dealing with his own madness, taking refuge in a blacked-out school bus to purge his hate.

“Catch My Soul” emerges from the mind of Jack Good, who blends Shakespearian rigidness (original language is retained) with the film’s flower power setting, taking rock and roll antics into New Mexico. It’s here where Othello has built a kingdom for himself rooted in Catholicism, bringing salvation to the masses, while focusing attention on Desdemona, a dewy young thing who’s given her life to God and her husband. The classic struggle between Iago and his seething racism remains, with the character utterly disgusted by Othello and Desdemona’s union, bringing himself to a full boil when considering their bedroom activities. The updated setting doesn’t always work to the production’s favor, but it certainly renews aspects of bigotry, finding this 1967 version of Iago especially motivated to ruin lives during a racially charged time.

Motivations aren’t a problem for “Catch My Soul,” which generally uses the mechanics of the Shakespeare play to get the picture up and running. It’s the rest of the work that’s weirdly glacial, struggling to amplify antagonisms as it juggles musical numbers from most of the cast. Song quality is up to individual taste (the bland folk rock sound of the film isn’t thrilling), but McGoohan doesn’t do much to inspire urgency, frequently breaking up songs to manage the story, often downplaying performances. Fans of Havens are rewarded with a few fine moments, and LeGault slips into arena rock god mode during a few of Iago’s larger, rage-filled numbers. Music isn’t treated as the lifeblood of “Catch My Soul,” with McGoohan almost annoyed that he has to break up fiery tempers to tend to passive tunes, leaving the musical without much bite.

There are a few positives to “Catch My Soul” worth nothing, including cinematography by legend Conrad L. Hall. Taking advantage of bright sunlight and strange environments (Iago’s bus asylum is a memorable break from endless desert reach) to craft a look for the feature. Hall struggles with repetition, but his fight is the only truly captivating element of the effort, working to expand the stillness of the great outdoors and sparsely decoration interiors. Also worth noting once again is LeGault’s killer performance as Iago, summoning real fury as he submits a pleasingly full-bodied performance, spitting necessary fire as the monstrous man. Granted, the competition is filled with untested actors (singer White is out of his league as Cassio, looking bewildered as he barely gets out his lines), but LeGault is always interesting, providing a level of volatility the rest of the picture desperately needs.

Catch My Soul Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation isn't defined by an especially flavorful color palette. Southwestern hues dominate the viewing experience, and they're nicely refreshed here, with golden bodies and desertscapes helping to create a sense of location, while greenery and costuming also gives the image a lift. Grain is comfortably managed, and detail comes through as intended, allowing appreciation for Hall's cinematography with minimal era-specific softness. Delineation is secure and deep, preserving distances during especially difficult evening sequences. Source remains fresh, with only minor speckling and wear and tear to detect, though nothing is distracting.

Catch My Soul Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Leading with a musical mood, the 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't carry with crispness, offering a slightly dulled quality that's not problematic, but noticeable. Overall intelligibility is never challenged, with dialogue exchanges sounding hearty, delivering performance quirks and identifying personal thespian skill. Songs offer a little more fullness, keeping their original urgency as the film carries through party sequences and intimate moments. Instrumentation isn't sharp, but it's there for inspection. Hiss is modest.

Catch My Soul Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (26 pages) includes an essay by Tom Mayer.

• "Drink the Wine, Eat the Bread" (20:50, HD) sits down with executive producer Charles Fries and producer Huw Davies to discuss the making of "Catch My Soul." The participants have much to share about the production experience, including the not-so-shocking revelation that drugs and alcohol were sampled throughout the shoot. Talk of the combative relationship between director Patrick McGoohan and writer Jack Good is included, but most interesting are memories of the movie's opening night, where it played to a mostly empty theater, with only a row of nuns in attendance.

• "Deacon Speaks" (11:27, HD) catches up with star Tony Joe White, who still seems perplexed by his participation in the film, though he retains a fondness for the music.

• "True Soul" (8:05, HD) covers the work of cinematographer Conrad L. Hall (who passed away in 2003), with daughter Naia Hall discussing her father's creative approach and expertise.

• Still Gallery collects 34 publicity and promotional images.

• A T.V. Spot (1:00 HD) is offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:54, HD) is included.

Catch My Soul Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Catch My Soul" doesn't feel particularly ambitious, and its handle on religion is tenuous at best, trudging through sophisticated ideas on faith and devotion without animation. Symbolism remains, including the power of a red handkerchief that essentially triggers the meltdown in New Mexico, but McGoohan isn't willing to go deeper with provocative ideas or visuals. While the effort leans toward B-movie-style exploitation now and again (the print used for the Blu-ray is titled "Santa Fe Satan"), it's never truly interested in that direction, more content as a listless run of musical numbers and classic encounters, brought to the 1970s with all the enthusiasm of a particularly snoozy sermon.