Fear No Evil Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		2.5

Fear No Evil Blu-ray Movie Review

A so-so made for television production.

Fear No Evil is a made-for-television horror-thriller which gained some fandom over the years for its supernatural undercurrents. Featuring a story by Guy Endore (Tomorrow Is Another Day, Mad Love), Fear No Evil is a compelling experience (even if it is not a pitch-perfect one). For a low budget TV production, the concept is interesting.

Dr. David Sorell (Louis Jourdan) is a well-regarded specialist in the field of psychology who works with cases involving the occult. David becomes involved in the mysterious case of a spirit which has taken on the form of a man living within an old antique mirror. The gorgeous Barbara Anholt (Lynda Day) sees the man in the mirror. Strange things begin to happen. Who is the man inside the old mirror?

For a made-for-television feature-film, the performances are no more impressive than audiences are likely to expect. Louis Jourdan is somewhat stiff and unexciting in the lead-role. Lynda Day is largely used for eye-candy alone and doesn't have a compelling character to explore. The performances are so old-fashioned that it dates the entire production.

Fear No Evil features art direction by Howard E. Johnson (Thriller, Columbo). This is one of the strong aspects of the production. The settings and sets look impressive and are well thought-out for a television film. These elements give the film a more genuine aesthetic. An acceptable effort.

"Mirror, mirror... on the wall... why is there a man there?"

The cinematography by Andrew J. McIntyre (The Invaders, Mission Impossible) is surprisingly quite good for a television production. The style is dated but the visuals still manage to strike a compelling note. The supernatural elements are well portrayed through the visuals. This extends to the use of the special effects as well.

The music by Billy Goldenberg (Christmas Every Day, An Element of Truth) is neither that memorable nor as exciting as it could be. Yet it matches the tone and style of the filmmaking well. It might be a far cry from a classic score but at least it knows the genre well. A decent score.

The screenplay by Richard Alan Simmons (Major Payne, Juggernaut) is one of the weakest elements. The screenwriter seemed to be writing the story with a shoe-string budget in mind. There is not a lot happening during most of the film. There are too many scenes of the actors staring in to the antique mirrors for minutes on end. The storyline is convoluted. It is an interesting concept but it could have been better executed.

Paul Wendkos (Battle of the Coral Sea, The Brotherhood of the Bell) directed the film to be a spooky supernatural tale. There are some moments that showcase a little promise. Yet the end results are uninspired and uneventful. Edited by Byron Chudnow (The Wild Wild West, A Question of Love), Fear No Evil is not as good as it wants to be.

Fear No Evil Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Fear No Evil is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in an aspect ratio of 1.34:1 full frame. The presentation is far more impressive than expected. Given the origins of the production as a television film, I was not expecting much from the high definition presentation. To my welcome surprise, the encode looks altogether lovely: organic, beautiful, and cinematic. Though the color palette looks a little subdued (intentionally) the detail in the cinematography is striking. The print is exceptionally crisp, clear, and filmic. There are no traces of egregious print damage, dirt, debris, and scratches to report. It's as though a near-perfect print was carefully preserved. The new 2K restoration is stunning.

Fear No Evil Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Blu-ray release features a DTS-HD Master Audio mono audio presentation. The lossless audio sounds quite impressive. Given the age of the source elements, the track fares surprisingly well. A absorbing presentation, it manages to offer subtle nuance for the sound effects and music in good measure. Dialogue remains crisp, clear, and easy to understand throughout. This is a surprisingly effective audio track for a made-for-television production. Kudos to Kino.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Fear No Evil Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Historian/Screenwriter Gary Gerani

Fear No Evil Image Gallery (HD, 2:12)

Fear No Evil Trailer (HD, 1:35)

Fear No Evil Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Fear No Evil is an average made-for-television production. The filmmaking has some interesting moments but a lot of elements fall flat. The performances are stale and the film seems made-for-television (as it was). The Blu-ray fares better and fans of the film will be enormously pleased: featuring a new restoration, Kino has given the feature-film a strong presentation. RENT IT.