Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Dark Intruder Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 15, 2021

Harvey Hart's "Dark Intruder" (1965) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include exclusive new audio commentary by film historian and screenwriter Gary Gerani; new video interview with special effects artist Mike Westmore; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Deadly encounter

Apparently, sometime during the early 1960s Dark Intruder was conceived as a pilot for an upcoming TV series titled The Black Cloak, but because it did not generate enough interest it ended up being an unusually short theatrical feature. Too bad. Judging by its quality, the series almost certainly would have turned out to be quite special.

The action takes place in San Francisco sometime during the 1890s, but to me the place looked a lot like London. Victorian buildings, dark alleys, thick shadows and plenty of fog -- it is a classic London-esque environment that is perfect for a Gothic horror film. The killer probably had similar thoughts as well, because everything he does in the opening sequence would have fit perfectly in Bob Clark’s Murder by Decree. I know that Dark Intruder is a black-and-white film and Murder by Decree isn’t, but compare the atmosphere of their opening sequences you and you will see exactly what I mean. They both produce some seriously chilling moments and the atmosphere is what does the trick.

What happens after the killer strikes? He strikes again, and again, and again. It is why Brett Kingsford (Leslie Nielsen), a freelancing detective specializing in occult cases, becomes interested in the clues the killer leaves after each murder, which lead him to conclude that his close friend Robert Vandenburg (Peter Mark Richman), who is soon going to get married, might be the next target. There is a good reason for Kingsford’s suspicion, but it is best not to identify it because it will spoil a major twist that makes the film very attractive. (By the way, the original poster for the film, which this release uses as a cover work, does reveal where the film is heading after Kingsford begins tracking down the killer, but it does not spoil anything. You will see).

Something else worth mentioning is that the events from the finale definitely suggest a lot of incoming cases that would have needed Kingsford’s expertise. So, in each episode of the failed TV series this very unusual American relative of Sherlock Holmes would have tackled a new case that would have had something to do with the occult. Can you imagine the possibilities?

Nielsen’s attitude, posture, and mannerisms are right for this type of genre film, but from time to time a bit of that classic smirk that many of his comedic characters became famous for sneaks in. It is great to see because he looks so young here, and it almost feels like he is testing himself to figure out if he can get away with something 'different'. On the other hand, the 'different' can be recognized only because later in his career this smirk became a key piece in a massive range of incredible facial expressions that defined him as an actor.

The decors and special effects that the folks at Universal used to create the old city and the killer are first-class. Indeed, as the camera moves around it becomes quite easy to see that a lot of work was put into all sorts of minor details that make the period environment look entirely authentic. Obviously, this further confirms that someone made a terrible call and canceled what surely would have been a terrific series.

One last thing. The original soundtrack was created by the prolific maestro Lalo Schifrin, who scored such genre classics as Bullitt, The Cincinnati Kid, Dirty Harry, and Charley Varrick.

Dark Intruder Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Dark Intruder arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from a recent 2K master that was prepared by Universal Pictures. Aside from some minor density fluctuations, I think that it looks really good. In fact, some of these fluctuations are actually exacerbated by different lighting choices that enhance thick shadows and dark nuances that are essential for the desired period atmosphere. Grain could be slightly better exposed and resolved, but it already looks very good and there are no traces of problematic digital corrections. Predictably, the entire film has a very solid organic appearance. The grading job is convincing. There are a couple of areas where the blacks feel a tad stronger but native nuances are preserved and depth ranges from very good to excellent. Image stability is good. Finally, the master looks very healthy. My score is 4.25/5.00. (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).

Dark Intruder 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 audio is clear and easy to follow. However, there are different areas with minor fluctuation issues. The most obvious one is around the 00.10.13 marks where Brett Kingsford meets his friend. The dialog produces some minor but noticeable stability issues that appear to have been inherited. Digital tools can probably address these issues, but they are unlikely to affect negatively your viewing experience. Dynamic intensity is as good as it can possibly be, but keep in mind that this is a period production with native limitations.

Dark Intruder Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - vintage trailer for Dark Intruder. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• How to Make a Monster - new video interview with Mike Westmore, nephew of makeup artist Bud Westmore, who worked on the creature and special effects in Dark Intruder. The bulk of the comments address the look of the creature that Brett Kingsford faces and studio practices and techniques at the time when the film was produced. In English, not subtitled. (12 min, 1080p).

• Commentary - new audio commentary with film historian and screenwriter Gary Gerani.

Dark Intruder Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dark Intruder really does feel like the long-lost relative of Murder by Decree, and this is not what I expected it to be. It is a short film because it was meant to be a pilot for an upcoming TV series, but it has a mighty fine atmosphere and at times it is seriously spooky. I loved every single minute of it and wanted it to be twice as long. What a shame that the TV series never materialized because there is no doubt in my mind that they would have been very, very special. Kino Lorber's release of Dark Intruder is sourced from a wonderful recent 2K master that was prepared by Universal. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.