Get Carter 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Get Carter 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 10, 2022

Mike Hodges' "Get Carter" (1971) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute. The supplemental features on the release include new program with Michael Caine; new program with Mike Hodges; new audio commentary by critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw; archival commentary recorded by Mike Hodges, cinematographer Wolfgang Suschitzky, and Michael Caine; scanned copy of the original screenplay for the film; and a lot more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

If you examine closely the various gangster films British directors have made since 1971, you will make a fascinating discovery -- they all copy something from Mike Hodges’ Get Carter. The Long Good Friday (1980), Bellman & True (1987), Sexy Beast (2000), Gangster No. 1 (2000), Layer Cake (2004), and even The Business (2005), all of these films are in some way related to Get Carter. If you have the time to dig deeper, you will even discover an obvious relationship between Get Carter and various American gangster films, like The Limey (1999) and Death Sentence (2007). Sylvester Stallone appeared in a pretty good American remake of Get Carter as well.

But how did Get Carter become such an influential film?

Michael Caine provides the answer to this question in an exclusive new program that is included on BFI’s 4K Blu-ray release of Get Carter. According to Caine, before Get Carter “British gangster movies assumed that gangsters were stupid or silly or funny”, but his personal experience with them was very different. So, in 1971 Caine and Hodges proceeded to shoot a new type of gangster film with genuine bad characters that looked, sounded, and behaved exactly like the gangsters you could bump into in London and Newcastle. Also, instead of glamorizing their violent work, Caine and Hodges agreed to make it look proper, meaning quick, nasty, and efficient.

There is something else that Caine and Hodges did differently in Get Carter as well. Caine’s character is a London-based gangster who returns home to Newcastle to bury his brother, but shortly after discovers that he might have been killed and begins digging for information. A disturbing sex film then transforms him into an angry avenger who tracks down a motley crew of perverted, corrupt, and dangerous targets. All of these developments are seen through the eyes of Caine’s character but without an iota of sympathy for his loss, which is quite unusual because prior to Get Carter gangster films typically had at least one character that would be easy to embrace.

Hodges shot Get Carter with cinematographer Wolfgang Suschitzky, whose experience with documentary content is easily recognizable in the film’s visual appearance. For example, large parts of Get Carter are shot in real locations with non-professional actors, so there is an unmissable sense of realism that is always present in the drama. Elsewhere, the camera does not get the best viewing angle and cuts into the drama, leaving the impression that Caine and Hodges are moving through it as it evolves rather than controlling it as well. What does this accomplish? It makes the few sequences of Get Carter where gangsters show off immune to the theatricality that is often present in earlier gangster films. (The clearest example of such camera behavior is in the sequence where Caine rushes into the heavily guarded mansion and interrupts a tense card game).

Get Carter can be seen with two different audio tracks. The first features the original audio Hodges and his crew recorded during the production process. The second features dubbed lines that were deemed necessary for the American market because there were concerns that a few of the British accents that are heard on the former were too thick. The change was made while Caine was in America to promote Get Carter and at least initially with Hodges’ blessing, but the dubbing became very problematic. This 4K Blu-ray release presents a new 4K restoration of Get Carter that retains the original audio that was recorded for it.

Get Carter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and encoded with HEVC / H.265, Get Carter arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of the BFI. This release does not have a standard Blu-ray copy of the film.

Please note that all screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and are downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual color values of this content.

The following text appears inside the booklet that is provided with this release:

"Get Carter has been restored by the BFI using the original camera negative held at Warner Bros. The original negative was scanned at 16-bit 4K resolution by Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging using a Lasergraphics Director scanner. Extensive picture restoration was then undertaken by Silver Salt Restoration, removing any instances of physical damage, scratching, and negative/positive density defects. This was followed by full HDR (high dynamic range) color grading.

Shortly after the film's original release in 1971, a couple of very small sections of the original negative were replaced with sections of duplicating negative, most likely due to damage. Thankfully, YCM (yellow, cyan, and magenta) protection Promaster elements had been made from the original negative prior to these sections being removed and they were re-combined and used to replace the duplicating negative sections. Elements created for previous releases of the film were dating from 1971, 1999, and 2004 were examined to determine the final look and the film is now presented here in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with Dolby Vision and HDR 10 playback. The original English language audio was remastered by Warner Bros. and is presented here in its original mono configuration.

Throughout the entire process, director Mike Hodges was consulted and signed off the final restoration.

Restoration supervised by Douglas Weir.
Colorist: Steve Bearman.
Picture Restoration: Anthony Badger (Silver Salt Restoration).
Thanks to: Mark Bonnici (Silver Salt Restoration); George Feltenstein (Warner Bros.)"

I viewed the new 4K restoration of Get Carter earlier tonight and thought that it was absolutely spectacular. I liked everything that I saw. In terms of delineation, clarity, and depth the improvements are pretty dramatic and across the board, which means that daylight, indoor, and nighttime footage looks a lot better now. I did quite a few comparisons with this Region-B Blu-ray release of Get Carter, which is the only one I have in my library (because it features the original British audio track), and I must say that even though the 1080p presentation is quite good, after the 4K makeover the entire film has a vastly superior organic appearance as well. Indeed, the density levels of the visuals, the subtle background and shadow nuances, and the overall fluidity of the visuals are simply far better and more convincing. The color grading job is outstanding as well. I viewed the film with HDR enabled and thought that the elevation in the dynamic range of the visuals was very carefully handled to preserve the original primary values and supporting nuances that are so crucial for the film's unique stylistic identity. Blues, browns, grays, greens, and blacks have pitch-perfect saturation even though they tend to evolve in different areas of the film. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. Image stability is outstanding. The surface of the visuals is immaculate as well. All in all, this 4K Blu-ray release clearly offers the best technical presentation of Get Carter to date, which I am convinced will remain its definitive presentation on the home video market as well. Fantastic work. (Note: The 4K Blu-ray release is Region-Free).

Get Carter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. Also included is an English Descriptive Audio 2.0 track.

The lossless track sounded outstanding on my system. Despite being shot in 1971, Get Carter has a pretty active soundtrack, so there isn't a shortage of material where it becomes quite easy to appreciate the strength of the newly remastered audio. There are absolutely no traces of age-related anomalies to report in our review.

Get Carter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Introduction - in this exclusive new video introduction, Michael Caine quickly recalls his involvement with Get Carter and what it meant for his career, and explains what it remains a timeless film and classic of British Cinema. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Commentary One - this archival audio commentary was recorded by director Mike Hodges, cinematographer Wolfgang Suschitzky, and Michael Caine. The commentators offer information that can address any question(s) a fan of Get Carter might have. For example, there is very interesting information about the borderline documentary appearance of Get Carter and the specific benefits of shooting in real locations with non-professional actors. Hodges also describes some of the discoveries he made while shooting his first feature film and how certain limitations of the production worked to its advantage. The notorious troubles with the dubbed audio track that was prepared while Caine was in America are discussed as well.

• Commentary Two - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw. The commentators explain why Get Carter is "incontrovertibly Britain's best gangster movie" and then proceed to discuss its many unique qualities. There is plenty of information about the careers of the people that made Get Carter as well as particular dynamics in the British film industry before, during, and after its production.

• Isolated Score - presented as LPCM 1.0 track.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Mike Hodges in Conversation - in this exclusive new program, Mike Hodges discusses the evolution of his filmmaking career and cinematic legacy. There are some particularly interesting comments about the creation of Michael Caine's Jack Carter, which was modeled after a real gangster in London, as well as Flash Gordon. The program was recorded at BFI Southbank, London in May 2022. In English, not subtitled. (61 min).

• Klinger on Klinger - in this new program, Tony Klinger discusses the career of his father, Michael Klinger, producer of Get Carter. There are some interesting observations about his professional relationship with Mike Hodges and involvement with Get Carter as well. In English, not subtitled. (25 min).

• Don't Trust Boys - in this new program, actress Petra Markham discusses her acting career and recalls her contribution to Get Carter. In English, not subtitled. (22 min).

• The Sound of Roy Budd - in this new program, film music expert Jonny Trunk discusses the career of composer Roy Budd and the soundtrack he created for Get Carter. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

• BBC Look North Location Report - presented here is surviving footage from an archival report on the making of Get Carter from a BBC regional news program broadcast in 1971. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• The Ship Hotel - Tyne Main - this documentary about a pub on the banks of the River Tyne was produced by Philip Trevelyan in 1969. In English, not subtitled. (34 min).

• A Message by Michael Caine - presented here is an archival filmed introduction to the Get Carter premiere, shot on the King's Road, Chelsea, in 1971. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Roy Bud Plays "Get Carter" - in this archival video piece, composer Roy Budd performs the main theme of Get Carter, on three different keyboards. (4 min).

• International Trailer - presented here is an original international trailer for Get Carter. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Rerelease Trailer (2022) - presented here is the new BFI trailer for the recent 4K restoration of Get Carter. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Script Gallery - presented here is scanned copy of the original screenplay for Get Carter.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Book - 80-page book featuring new writing by Mark Kermode, Tim Pelan, John Oliver and Jason Wood. Also includes Alex Cox's introduction to the film's Moviedrome screening in 1990, stills, and notes on the restoration by the BFI's Douglas Weir

• Art cards - four collectible cards featuring iconic scenes from Get Carter.

• Poster - double-sided poster for the new 4K restoration of Get Carter.

Get Carter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The British Film Institute's 4K Blu-ray release of Get Carter features an exclusive new introduction by Michael Caine in which he quickly recalls how he became involved with the film and explains why it turned out to be so special. At the end of this introduction, Caine declares that the 4K Blu-ray has "the definitive version of the film". It is true. The new 4K makeover of Get Carter is a stunner that will close its cycle on the home video market. Hopefully, it won't be too long before a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray of Get Carter is made available in the United States as well. If you decide to add this release to your library, please keep in mind that even though it is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack, there isn't a Blu-ray copy of the 4K restoration. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.