Croupier 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Croupier 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 7, 2023

Mike Hodges came out of the gate incredibly strongly with Get Carter , and then for a variety of reasons kind of saw his career encounter one obstacle after another, to the point that rather strangely, at least considering his accomplishments, Hodges is sadly largely unrecognized these days even by avowed "cineastes". Hodges, who sadly passed last year at the venerable age of 90, actually didn't manage to craft a huge filmography in terms of features, perhaps due at least in part to those very obstacles, but the films that followed Get Carter were a rather motley crew, so to speak, and despite their relatively small number included a rather staggering array of projects that include Pulp, The Terminal Man, Flash Gordon , Morons from Outer Space, A Prayer for the Dying, and Black Rainbow. The fact that Hodges only directed one feature after the film currently under discussion, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead from circa 2003-04, is probably evidence enough that the hassles Hodges never seemed to be able to evade may have simply become too much for him to want to keep struggling. Interestingly, though, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead offers a partner of sorts to Croupier, since both films offer Clive Owen in a focal role playing a character with a perhaps "malfunctioning" moral compass.

Croupier had a now long ago and evidently technically lackluster release on Blu-ray for the Region A market courtesy of Hen's Tooth Video. Michael Reuben's Croupier Blu-ray review of that release provides a perfectly fine plot recap for those who are interested, but I'd add a bit of sidebar reaction to the perception that the film is (as Michael himself notes) often referred to as a so-called "neo-noir". In that regard, one could make a joking assertion that, especially considering a somewhat bizarre hairstyle sported by Owen for at least part of the film (see screenshot 1), Croupier defies "gender expectations" for the noir genre by having an homme fatale, as opposed to the female variety, with Owen's character of Jack Manfred really not needing much "direction" from a blonde bombshell in terms of coaxing him off the straight and narrow path. There is a seductive female of sorts in the form of Jani de Villiers (Alex Kingston), but I'd argue this character doesn't serve quite the same function that seductive females in noir outings typically do, which is part and parcel of Croupier's kind of provocative subterfuge.

Croupier 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 release from Arrow Video. As is their custom, this release does not include a 1080 disc with the feature, though the bonus disc is 1080.

Croupier is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Arrow Video with a 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow's insert booklet contains the following information on the restoration:

Croupier is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with stereo 2.0 and 5.1 sound. ( Note: The disc sent to me only has a stereo track.)

The original 35mm negative was scanned and restored in 4K resolution at Silver Salt Restoration, London. The film was graded in HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

The stereo and 5.1 mixes were sourced from the original sound mix masters.

All original materials supplied for this restoration were made available by Channel 4.

The 4K UHD version of Croupier is often quite striking in terms of palette and detail, but as so often is the case with shot on film productions, I'm not sure the increased resolution is always a "friend" to grain appearance and overall resolution. Michael wasn't especially thrilled with the Hen's Tooth release of this title, and while I've never seen that version, it probably goes without saying that even with some occasional qualms this is a significant upgrade, even based on the cursory and iffy method of comparing screenshots. Dolby Vision and/or HDR have given an already incredibly vivid 1080 palette even more luster, and some of the primaries in particular are absolutely sumptuous looking. As with the 1080 version, though, the moments with deeply saturated primaries in particular in the background can tend to point out a pretty chunky looking grain field at times, one that definitely has a kind of splotchy yellow (and occasionally purple) cast to it, and which attains an even more pronounced chunkiness in this 4K UHD iteration, something that for whatever reason tends to be a bit more noticeable in what would have been the first reel. That said, detail levels are commendably appealing throughout, and general clarity is also typically excellent. There are just a few very minor blemishes that can dot the proceedings, but nothing of any import.

Croupier 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Croupier features LPCM 2.0 audio which provides a solid listening experience throughout. The film's often busy, almost cacophonous casino scenes are well balanced and feature clearly discernable foreground dialogue within an overall kind of chaotic clamor of noise. Quieter scenes between two characters, or the moments featuring Jack's voiceover, all resonate without any issues. Simon Fisher-Turner's score also sounds full bodied. Optional English subtitles are available.

Croupier 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc One (4K UHD)

• Filmmaker Commentary by Mike Hodges


• Commentary by Josh Nelson


• Interviews

  A Streak of Fortune (HD; 39:34) features a 2022 interview with screenwriter Paul Mayersburg.

  
  

  Film, Scones and Fury (HD; 24:21) features a 2022 interview with actress Kate Hardie.

  
  

  Mike Hodges at the BFI (HD; 56:34) is an archival audio interview from 1999 featuring an overview of Hodges' sometimes tempestuous career. This plays to stills from various Hodges films.

• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:57)


• Image Gallery (HD)

Disc Two (1080)

• Mike Hodges: A Film Maker's Life (HD; 2:01:17) is a newly produced (i.e., 2022) feature length documentary with Hodges discussing his entire career with David Cairns. There is a lot of absolutely fascinating material included here, and Hodges really doesn't shirk from mentioning various issues he encountered through the years. Perhaps for licensing reasons, there really aren't a ton of snippets from the films being discussed, but there is a glut of other visual material, including a lot of stills.

Additionally, Arrow provides their typically nicely appointed insert booklet, this one with a kind of cheeky parody cover obviously alluding to Jack's "secret life" as a writer. The booklet also offers two well written essays by Philip Kemp and Barry Forshaw, along with the usual assortment of cast and crew data, production notes (which reprint some archival material) and credits, and the restoration information. A number of stills are also featured. The keepcase features a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley, and the keepcase also includes a reversible poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley. Finally, packaging features a slipcover.

Croupier 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As is gotten into in some detail in the bounteous supplemental features Arrow has aggregated for this release, Croupier had a rather rocky release road which ultimately kinda sorta succeeded, if the film is still almost criminally underappreciated to this day. The film rather slyly deconstructs some tropes of noir while offering Clive Owen a showcase role, and Hodges the chance to invest a convoluted story with considerable style and energy. Technical merits are solid, though the 4K UHD presentation does have some extremely thick looking grain to "wade" through at times. The supplements are outstanding. Highly recommended.