Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Dominique Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 27, 2019

After achieving some level of box office popularity with his work on 1976’s “Logan’s Run,” director Michael Anderson quickly moved on the next big thing, hoping to sustain career momentum. That feature was 1977’s “Orca,” a “Jaws” clone that tried and failed to cash-in on moviegoer hunger for deadly aquatic creatures. Such a fumble inspired Anderson to retreat, commencing work on 1979’s “Dominique,” which is as far from the future and the ocean as possible, offering a horror tale set inside a single English estate. Reducing pressure to perform at blockbuster levels, Anderson takes his sweet time with the material (an adaptation of a short story by Harold Lawlor), but he manages to find his groove here, keeping actors grounded and frights enigmatic to best preserve the eerie mood of a possible haunting.

Dominique (Jean Simmons) lives in constant fear, trying to keep her head on straight while believing she’s experiencing memory loss and disorientation inside the home she shares with her husband, David (Cliff Robertson). Things are getting worse for Dominique, but she doesn’t understand why, soon believing that David has something to do with her visions of macabre events and aural torture, leading her to madness. Dominique soon kills herself, but her spirit isn’t going to rest, with David soon visited by the ghost of his late wife while waiting for the results of her will reading, trying to get a grip on the situation with help from his chauffer, Tony (Simon Ward).

“Dominique” is an intensely slow-burn viewing experience. The screenplay isn’t loaded with thrills, keeping to a schedule of gradual reveals concerning character actions, initially exploring the titular character’s increasing disorientation. The older woman displays signs of dementia as valuable items end up in her possession, while she hears voices in the night, eventually discovering a hanging skeleton in the home. Others cannot find what Dominique has seen, leaving her in a hopeless situation with David and his half-sister, Ann (Jenny Agutter), eventually deciding to do something about her suspicions of malicious treatment, committing suicide to end her suffering and rattle her husband.

It's an intriguing set-up, with Simmons portraying Dominque’s agitation superbly while the screenplay begins planting seeds of doubt in the woman’s mind, leading her to suspect something horrible isn’t suddenly happening, but has been planned for some time, leaving her without options for help as evidence of her instability increase. Once Dominique commits suicide, the feature transitions into an extended haunting, with David soon targeted for madness by his late wife’s presence. Anderson digs into the ghost story atmosphere, going gothic with extended scenes of investigation, following David down hallways and through rooms of the estate, often following the sound of a piano playing by itself, giving him reason to believe that a poltergeist is coming for him. The writing puts pressure on the man outside of his home as well, with David receiving notes at work reminding him of impending doom.

Anderson arranges more literal supernatural events along the way, as David comes into contact with Dominique’s ghost, unprepared to defend himself against such an arrival. The supernatural encounters are staged with style, as Anderson uses colors smartly, giving the feature a slight Dario Argento vibe as reds, greens, and blues are amplified to create an unreal space for David to twist uncomfortably in. “Dominique” is sharply made, with staging precise and tech credits terrific, but it takes a very long time to get where it’s going. Anderson works on scene tension, but he doesn’t quite have the vision for a snowballing sense of horror coming for everyone in the story. There are many shots of David looking around the house, creeping down dark halls, and it all starts to feel like padding after the first act, keeping true suspense muted for the most part.

Dominique Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

While sharing a simple tale of a rural haunting, "Dominique" offers a sophisticated visual experience. "Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm negative," the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation handles the eerie look of the feature with care. It's an intensely dark picture at times, often sleuthing in the shadows, and while blacks are heavy they're not impenetrable, keeping delineation accessible. Dreamy colors remain intact, with softer reds and greens to set the supernatural mood. Costuming carries direct primaries, along with estate greenery and interior decoration. Skintones are natural. Detail carries as far as the original cinematography permits, providing texture on clothing, which keeps formalwear crisp and sleeping outfits delicate. Facial surfaces are expressive, showcasing age and stages of death for the titular character. Grain is heavy but stays filmic. Source encounters some mild speckling and scratches, and reel changes are spotted.

Dominique Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix reveals the age of source materials, with a heavier, slightly muddier listening event. Dialogue exchanges aren't troublesome, but crispness is lacking, delivering a basic understanding of exposition and confrontations. Scoring is equally dulled, weakening instrumentation, but mysterious moods are established. Sound effects are basic, never remarkable. Mild hiss is detected throughout.

Dominique Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Interview (24:06) with Assistant Director Brian Cook provides a career overview, from his origins in the film industry to his steady employment throughout the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, working on such productions as "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "The Wicker Man," "Flash Gordon," and "The Shining." Cook discusses his relationship with director Michael Anderson, moving from "Orca" to "Dominique," a shoot that he candidly admits didn't require much effort due to modest creative demands. The interviewee also shares memories of star Cliff Robertson, who was caught up in a financial scandal during the shoot, showcasing a more paranoid side to his personality, with beefed-up security demands. Amusingly, the interviewer works very hard to pull a reaction to "Dominique" out of Cook, but doesn't really acquire one.

• Audio Interview (14:54) with Michael Jayston explores the actor's career, moving from a stage performer with the Royal Shakespeare Company to television work, finally making a transition to film. Jayston has limited memories of "Dominique," but he recalls strangeness with Robertson's demeanor at the time, and offers kind words for his other co-stars. Jayston seems pleased and surprised with the longevity of his professional choices, including "Doctor Who" and "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," and offers an overview of his relationship with Anderson.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:09, HD) is included.

Dominique Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While the run time (95 minutes) feels twice as long, "Dominique" does hit several highlights along the way, with one extended sequence featuring David and Tony working to dig up the dead woman, hoping she's still resting peacefully in her coffin. Robertson is strong focal point for the production, projecting nuanced responses of fear and confusion, matching Anderson's pacing as David's anxiety escalates into gun-toting panic. "Dominique" isn't for those with limited patience, but there are a few chills worth savoring, and the story does manage to find its way to a satisfying conclusion, which is a something of a miracle when the introduction promises a spiritual quagmire that seems impossible to escape from. Anderson keeps the picture modest but effective, arranging an unusual ghost story with enough Hitchcockian turns to hold attention.