Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Hoffman Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 16, 2022

Alvin Rakoff's "Hoffman" (1970) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include exclusive selected scenes commentary recorded by the director; new program with focus puller Eddie Collins; archival episode of Trailers From Hell with screenwriter Larry Karaszewski; vintage promotional materials for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A/B "locked".

It is not that there are no more screenwriters left capable of producing a genuinely honest screenplay like the one that was used to make Hoffman, it is just that the truths that emerge from it would be incompatible with current trends of creating victims and blaming their existence on some profound social imbalance that somehow no one bothered to correct over the years. The contemporary reincarnation of this screenplay almost certainly would have focused on the trendy myth about male patriarchy and turned the arrangement between the middle-aged businessman and his younger secretary into an entirely predictable political ‘litmus test’. Of course, this is precisely why Hoffman is so refreshing -- it completely avoids politics and tells it as it is. You just have to listen carefully because the two sexes typically use different words to acknowledge that their most precious desires are practically identical.

Janet Smith (Sinead Cusack) has told her fiancé Tom Mitchell (Jeremy Bulloch) that she is going to spend the next seven days with her grandma in the countryside and will miss him dearly, but now she is heading in the opposite end of the train station to get a taxi that will take her to the lavish home of her boss, Benjamin Hoffman (Peter Sellers). She does not feel good about it, but they have an arrangement and she intends to do her part.

Mr. Hoffman enthusiastically greets Janet and then helps her unpack. He shows her the bathroom, the kitchen and the bedroom. He invites her to get comfortable, as if she is at home, or at her fiancé’s place. But instead of relaxing Janet becomes visibly nervous and then terrified by her awful mistake that will forever stain her relationship with Tom. How could it not? They are supposed to get married soon, so what exactly is she doing at the place of a man that could be twice her age?

Janet’s struggle to loosen up provides Mr. Hoffman with plenty of opportunities to reiterate that she could have chosen not to come to his place and that he intends to remain a gentleman. But now their arrangement is in progress, so if she can get a grip of herself and trust him their time together would be a lot more pleasurable, perhaps even exciting in ways she likely never imagined possible. To make an obvious point, Mr. Hoffman then takes Janet to one of the best restaurants in town.

In the days ahead, Mr. Hoffman remains a gentleman, but his simple descriptions of the games older men and younger women play repeatedly force Janet to ponder her future with Tom. Then the more time passes by, the more Janet begins to recognize a completely different side or Mr. Hoffman, one that much to her surprise she finds quite attractive.

It is very easy to tell that Alvin Rakoff’s cinematic adaptation of Ernest Gebler’s novel Hoffman was way ahead of its time because even by contemporary standards it feels remarkably authentic. Simply put, this film has a way of revealing the vulnerabilities of the two sexes that is so simple yet precise that it is impossible not to admire it.

While Sellers’ performance in Hoffman is rarely mentioned when his body of work is discussed, it is arguably one of his very best. The manner in which he transforms his supposedly mean and forceful businessman into a brittle loner who is simply asking for a second chance at love is outstanding, plus it offers plenty of food for thought. Cusack modifies her character from an insecure secretary into a practical young woman just as nicely.

The resolution of the drama probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, or at least at this very moment, because it suggests that when the two sexes connect the line that separates their honesty and pragmatism is very, very thin, possibly even invisible. Also, when seen from a slightly different angle, this film actually places the real Sellers under the spotlight and the man that emerges there does not look even remotely similar to the iconic comedian that was loved by everyone.

Hoffman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Hoffman arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The film has been fully restored in 4K and looks magnificent on Blu-ray. Excluding some minor shakiness that emerges during the opening credits, I honestly can see any room for improvement. I liked everything that I saw on my screen -- delineation, clarity, depth, and the overall color balance. In native 4K the visuals will almost certainly be a little tighter, so fluidity will be improved as well, but even if you have to project I think that you will be every bit as satisfied as I was with the current presentation. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. The entire film looks exceptionally healthy as well. Great makeover. (Note: This is a Region-A/B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you need to have a Region-A, Region-B, or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Hoffman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

There is only one segment where I noticed some obvious background hiss trying to sneak in. It happens when Peter Sellers teaches Sinead Cusack how to play the piano. It comes in quickly, and then just as quickly disappears. The rest is great. The dialog is very easy to follow and remains stable. Dynamic intensity is unimpressive, but the lossless track replicates the native qualities of the original soundtrack. There are no audio dropouts, distortions, or encoding anomalies to report.

Hoffman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a remastered vintage trailer for Hoffman. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Trailers From Hell - presented here is an archival episode of Trailers From Hell with screenwriter Larry Karaszewski (The People vs. Larry Flynt). In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Selected Scenes Commentary with Alvin Rakoff - in this exclusive new audio commentary, director Alvin Rakoff explains how key segments from Hoffman were shot and why Sinead Cusack was cast to play the young secretary, and discusses Peter Sellers' involvement with the film and career. In English, not subtitled. (25 min).

• Alvin Rakoff: Strange Relationships - in this new program, Alvin Rakoff discusses his relocation from Canada to Britain, the evolution of his career, Peter Sellers' working methods and behavior during the shooting of Hoffman, the 'political incorrectness' of the film as well as its publicity. In English, not subtitled. (22 min).

• Eddie Collins: An Underexposed Film - in this new program, focus puller Eddie Collins discusses his work with cinematographer Gerry Turpin during the shooting of Hoffman as well as the unusual overlapping of the funny and sinister throughout the film. In English, not subtitled. (28 min).

• Terry Ackland-Snow: Home Improvements - in this new program, draughtsman Terry Ackland-Snow discusses the production of Hoffman. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

• Image Gallery - three sets of images.
  
  1. Production stills
  2. Promotional material
  3. Script gallery

• Booklet - limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by John Rain, archival interviews with Peter Sellers and Sinead Cusack, a look at author Ernest Gébler's multiple iterations of the Hoffman story, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits.

Hoffman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In the exclusive new bonus features that are included on this release you will hear multiple reasons that supposedly explain why Hoffman did not turn out as it should and therefore does not work. I mean no disrespect to the interviewees, but you should ignore their statements because this film works incredibly well, which is precisely why Peter Sellers attempted to destroy it. Yes, it does reveal too much of the real Sellers, but in it there are plenty of unpopular old truths about the two sexes and the manner in which they usually connect as well. I would agree with Larry Karaszewski that perhaps it should not be described as a masterpiece, but it is a great film hiding one of Sellers' greatest performances. Indicator/Powerhouse Films' release of Hoffman is sourced from a terrific new 4K master. If you reside in North America, you will be pleased to know that there is a local edition of this release as well, which can be accessed here. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.