6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
New York's most controversial fashion photographer develops a disturbing ability to see through the eyes of a killer with terrifying clarity.
Starring: Faye Dunaway, Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Dourif, Rene Auberjonois, Raul JuliáHorror | 100% |
Mystery | 15% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Irvin Kershner's "Eyes of Laura Mars" (1978) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber The supplemental features on the release include archival audio commentary by director Irvin Kershner; archival promotional documentary; vintage publicity materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Eyes of Laura Mars arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.
The release is sourced from an old and quite average master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. In case you are wondering, this is the same master British label Indicator/Powerhouse Films used to produce this release in 2017.
The limitations of the master are very easy to identify during daylight and darker/nighttime footage. For example, there are entire ranges of fine details and nuances that are either barely noticeable or lost. Select close-ups can look decent, but the surface of the visuals is very inconsistent and as a result wider shots struggle to convey proper depth. Various highlights and background shadows are problematic as well. Grain isn't healthy and does not appear evenly distributed. In many areas, but typically darker areas, it turns into noisy mush. Color balance is decent. However, it is very easy to tell that saturation should be better and entire ranges of supporting nuances ought to be expanded. (You can see that the green lights in the upper corners of screencapture #15 are essentially lost). Image stability is good. All in all, while occasionally looking decent, this film could and should be far more attractive when viewed in 1080p. A proper new 4K master will ensure precisely that kind of healthy and attractive appearance. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).
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.
Unlike the video, the audio is very strong. If the folks at Sony Pictures fully restore Eyes of Laura Mars in the future and redo the audio, I would be very surprised if the new track is substantially better. There might be some room for minor cosmetic improvements, particularly in the mid-/upper register where in a few scenes the audio feels a bit thin, but I don't think that there are any areas where dramatic positive changes could be made. So, I think that the current lossless track is very good.
I think that in the hands of Brian De Palma Eyes of Laura Mars would have turned out a vastly superior film. I feel that there is an element of its narrative that De Palma would have loved to exploit and then transform the final version of the film into a sleazy American giallo with a distinctive retro vibe. In its current form, Eyes of Laura Mars is something of a missed opportunity -- it has a few interesting twists and a bit of the right flavor that I think it needs to be different and memorable, but it very quickly loses steam and ends up rehashing a lot of the same cliches that conventional thrillers do. Kino Lorber's Blu-ray release is sourced from a dated and rather weak remaster with some very obvious limitations of the kind that masters from the DVD era typically exhibit, so the film needs a serious makeover so that it looks as it should.
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