Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Fear Is the Key Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 8, 2023

Michael Tuchner's "Fear Is the Key" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new program with associate producer Gavrik Losey; exclusive new program with assistant production accountant Paul Tucker, focus puller John Golding, sound mixer Anthony Jackson, and third assistant director Peter Cotton; vintage trailer for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Try and get me

Virtually all of the excitement that materializes in the various films Alistair MacLean’s novels inspired over the years is a byproduct of two key factors. First, MacLean had an astonishing imagination and was obsessed with action, which occupied three-quarters, often even more, of his novels. It would be unfair to write that MacLean’s novels did not produce good stories, but the truth is that the action is what made them good. Just about everything else was careful decoration, including many of the colorful characters they introduced. Second, neither MacLean nor his novels had a strict definition of realism. It made perfect sense, too. Sometimes great action is quite simply incompatible with the classic definition of realism, so MacLean never bothered with it and his novels remained largely immune to it. In other words, MacLean was writing novels that looked a lot like very elaborate screenplays for James Bond films but kept introducing unique characters that had different personalities and philosophies of life.

The two factors I just highlighted are usually what make it difficult for viewers to agree on how to judge and rank the films that MacLean’s novels inspired. Some viewers prefer the more outlandish ones because they produce the biggest fireworks, while some viewers prefer the more authentic ones because they produce more believable human drama. Also, viewers have a different appreciation of the period atmosphere in these films.

Michael Tuchner directed Fear Is the Key in 1972, a year after he had made his directorial debut with Villain, an uncompromising gangster drama that competed with Mike Hodges’ cult classic Get Carter. In Fear Is the Key, Barry Newman plays John Talbot, an angry avenger who temporarily evolves into a violent thug to get closer to a very wealthy oil magnate (Ray McAnally) working with the men (John Vernon and Ben Kingsley) responsible for the destruction of his family. After instigating a brawl in a country bar in rural Louisiana, Talbot is picked up by the police, tried in court, and allowed to escape with a hostage, Sarah Ruthven (Suzy Kendall), who happens to be the magnate’s grown daughter. While on the run with his precious hostage, Talbot forces half of Louisiana’s state troopers to wreck their cars and eventually reaches the mansion of the magnate, where he is offered to do a job that would make it possible for him to start a new life somewhere in South America. But the job is a very unusual one. Talbot must assist his clueless targets to repair and operate a rusty Fathom diver so that they can reach a plane loaded with pure gold worth millions of dollars that is stuck somewhere on the bottom of the ocean.

A sizeable portion of Fear Is the Key easily could have been extracted from classic racing films like Vanishing Point, Bullitt, and The Burglars, which is more than a bit unusual because the films MacLean’s novels inspired are known for their diverse action. In Fear Is the Key the action is still quite diverse, but the racing footage from rural Louisiana does not look like conventional transitional action. While it lasts, it easily creates the impression that Fear Is the Key is as addicted to high-octane racing as the other three films are.

Something else that is very unusual is Newman’s character, a firecracker that truly is one of a kind. This guy looks genuinely angry and effortlessly cool, like a big city professional wheelman who accidentally got drunk in Chicago but woke up with a headache in rural Louisiana and is now late for a serious job in Miami. For most of the film, he is very difficult to read because his cool appearance and anger form an oddly effective protective façade.

The seemingly endless twists and turns are done very well. In films like Puppet on a Chain, Ice Station Zebra, and especially Caravan to Vaccares the constant redirection of the story does not always work as intended, but here it is managed quite brilliantly.

Tuchner worked with a mixed crew of mostly British and American professionals and shot virtually all outdoor footage in and near the Greater New Orleans area. His cinematographer was Alex Thomson, whose credits include such cult and classic films as Excalibur, Year of the Dragon, Labyrinth, and Cliffhanger.

Fear Is the Key Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.55:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Fear Is the Key arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.

The release is sourced from an older master that was supplied by StudioCanal. This master was prepared around 2007 when Optimum Home Entertainment produced this DVD release of Fear Is the Key for the UK market. It is a decent, even good master, but its age shows. For example, many of the wider panoramic shots do not convey the type of consistent depth that should be there. Clarity is good but a tad inconsistent as well. Close-ups usually look pleasing, especially when there is proper lighting, but they can be more attractive as well. Grain exposure is a bit of a mixed bag. The grain is there and easy to see. However, in some areas, it is mixed up with noise, which can become a tad smeary. While it is not a serious issue, I think that it is the biggest shortcoming of the master. Color balance is very good. Saturation could be improved and some nuances expanded, but the color temperature is convincing. Image stability is good. I noticed a few blemishes, but there are no distracting large cuts, debris, warped or torn frames to report. (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).

Fear Is the Key Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

The audio is very clear and free of stability issues. Dynamic intensity is good, too. However, I think that Roy Budd's atmospheric score could benefit from a brand new remastering job that enhances some particular areas of the film that could sound a bit flat. On the other hand, the massive chase in the beginning of the film sounds outstanding.

Fear Is the Key Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage U.S. trailer for Fear Is the Key. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• "Bayou to Bray" - in this exclusive new program, assistant production accountant Paul Tucker, focus puller John Golding, sound mixer Anthony Jackson, and third assistant director Peter Cotton discuss their involvement with Fear Is the Key. These gentlemen share some very interesting stories about their trip to Louisiana and some of their American colleagues and the cultural shock and odd experiences they had. Also, there are interesting comments about Barry Newman and his performance as well as the wild action footage. In English, not subtitled. (42 min).

• "Producing the Action" - in this exclusive new program, associate producer Gavrik Losey discusses his business relationship with EMI and his involvement with Fear Is the Key. There are some particularly interesting comments about the car wrecking that was done in Louisiana as well as the very valuable "assistance" the teamsters provided while Michael Tuchner was shooting in Louisiana. In English, not subtitled. (32 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Kim Newman and author Sean Hogan.

Fear Is the Key Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Had Alistair MacLean used a single character in his popular novels, I think it is very fair to speculate that it would have rivaled James Bond. The sophistication of the latter more than likely would have ensured his superiority on the big screen, but strictly as an action star, the former could have been more successful. However, I suspect that if MacLean had established a single character his novels would have matured differently, and eventually balanced action and style. As odd as it may sound -- or perhaps it should not -- Fear Is the Key is very easy to place next to classic racing films like Vanishing Point, Bullitt, and The Burglars. For this reason, I think that it is the most exciting cinematic adaptation of a MacLean novel. Via Vision Entertainment's Blu-ray release is sourced from an old and slightly inconsistent but still quite good master that was supplied by StudioCanal. It has a few very good exclusive new bonus features and is Region-Free. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.