Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Fail-Safe Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 2, 2016

Sidney Lumet's "Fail-Safe" (1964) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Australian label Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; audio commentary with director Sidney Lumet; and an archival featurette with clips from various interviews. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

We are heading to Moscow

It is not a coincidence that the message of Sidney Lumet’s Fail-Safe is basically identical to that of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. They were both completed in 1964 and warn that the world was just a click away from a total nuclear annihilation -- because at the time that’s exactly where the world was heading, towards one big and permanent catastrophe that would have made ‘winning’ an utterly pointless term. The only major difference between these films is that they deliver their warnings in two drastically different fashions.

Lumet’s film imagines an event that mirrors the Cuban Missile Crisis. After an electrical malfunction in the control room of Strategic Air Command (SAC) in Omaha, a computer accidentally dispatches an attack code to a group of American bombers carrying nuclear weapons and they immediately head to Moscow. Back in the control room top military and political officials attempt to stop the attack, but quickly discover that the pilots have been trained to ignore orders after they pass the crucial safe-fail point. The President (Henry Fonda) then decides to reach out to his Soviet counterpart with the help of an interpreter (Larry Hagman) and explain the dangerous situation, but officials in Moscow assume that the electrical malfunction is just a pretext for a carefully pre-planned American attack whose ultimate goal is to have the U.S.S.R. wiped off the map.

The bulk of the film is dedicated to a number of interesting what-if scenarios and the possible choices the President has while dealing with his suspicious opponent. As the tension rises it is made clear that the most desirable solution is to openly engage Moscow and even ask for assistance, but there are also calls for action from trusted advisors who are convinced that the malfunction is in fact a great opportunity to decisively end the Cold War. All of these choices are presented with great debates that manage to highlight all of the important political points that were also considered during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

During the final phase of the conflict, however, the film temporarily switches in a preaching mode and delivers a number of unnecessary political statements that visibly hurt its credibility. For example, Walter Matthau’s character begins defending a grand vision of a world without communist states that is so naïve that it instantly makes it impossible to accept that he is a respected political expert whose opinion would matter to top strategists. There are also quite a few segments where the President utters a series of catchy phrases that would be far more appropriate in a political speech during an election campaign than in an urgent discussion that could very well determine the fate of the entire planet.

Today massive advancements in technology have greatly improved communication and the ability of governments to react quickly, but they have also created more opportunities for errors such as the one that triggers the crisis that is chronicled in this film. For as long as such opportunities exist, the Cold War’s biggest and most feared dilemma remains the same: Who is watching the watchers that are supposed to prevent them?

Fail-Safe Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Sidney Lumet's Fail-Safe arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Australian label Via Vision Entertainment.

The master that was used to source this release must have been prepared a while ago, most likely from a secondary source. Detail and clarity range from good to very good, and in select segments depth can actually be very pleasing. However, there are also some obvious density fluctuations; there are areas with visible contrast and sharpness fluctuations as well. Grain is visible throughout the entire film, but because of these fluctuations, some of which are not source-related, it can routinely appear under/overexposed. Overall image stability is very good. Finally, there are sporadic blemishes, some minor specks and even a few scratches popping up here and there. All in all, this is a decent presentation of Fail-Safe, but it is quite obvious that with a fresh new master the film will almost certainly look a lot better in high-definition. (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).

Fail-Safe Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Dolby Digital 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.

There are no serious technical anomalies to report, but in certain areas the audio becomes a bit too thin. Clarity is pleasing, though occasionally some extremely mild background hiss nearly sneaks in. There are no audio dropouts or digital distortions to report in our review.

Fail-Safe Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• U.S. Trailer - original trailer for Fail-Safe. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Commentary - this audio commentary initially appeared on the R1 DVD release of Fail-Safe. Director Sidney Lumet discusses in great detail how the film came to exist, its political message, where various segments were shot, the casting process, etc.

• Fail-Safe Revisited - a standard featurette focuses on the relevance of Fail-Safe and includes clips from interviews with director Sidney Lumet and various actors, including George Clooney, the producer of Fail Safe (2000). In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

Fail-Safe Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sidney Lumet's Fail-Safe channels the same fears that inspired Stanley Kubrick to shoot Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. While there is a part of it that feels quite dated, its core message actually remains relevant today. The film is now available on Blu-ray courtesy of Australian label Via Vision Entertainment. It could look better in high-definition, but currently this is the only Blu-ray release on the market. RECOMMENDED.