Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Next of Kin Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 17, 2019

Tony Williams's "Next of Kin" (1982) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films. The supplemental features on the disc include various vintage archival materials for the film; new audio commentary by director Tony Williams and producer Tim White; second audio commentary by director Mark Hartley and cast members Jackie Kerin, John Jarratt, and Robert Ratti; deleted scenes; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Everything in Tony Williams’ film Next of Kin works better because of the presence of the unique soundtrack, which was created by Klaus Schulze, a former member of the cult band Tangerine Dream. The synthesizer themes infuse the film with a very special ambience and actually make many visuals look a lot more stylish than they really are.

After the death of her mother, Linda (Jacki Kerin) returns home to take over the management of the nursing home that she has inherited. This isn’t what she wants to do for the rest of her life, but she does not want to give up the property either. A few days after she is welcomed by old friends and the people that assisted her mother, Linda has an intense nightmare that genuinely spooks her and somehow makes her feel unwanted in the nursing home. Then she begins reading her mother’s diary and much to her surprise discovers that before she passed away she too struggled with bizarre nightmares. Intrigued by her findings, Linda meets Dr. Barton (Alex Scott), who monitors the elderly residents in the nursing home, and he urges her to stop wasting her time with the diary and focus on the future. However, Linda ignores his advice and continues to explore her mother’s writings, and learns that in her final days she was convinced that someone was following her around the building, quite possibly waiting for the right time to seriously harm her.

While Linda tries to make sense of the revelations from the diary, an elderly resident is found dead in his bathroom. Then shortly after, just like her mother she becomes convinced that someone, or something, is watching every single move she makes.

Next of Kin has some very creepy moments but is free of fancy special effects. Williams works only with light, shadow, and unique camera angles which create the illusion that whenever Linda becomes suspicious there is in fact someone close to her waiting to catch her off-guard. However, the trickery is only one part of the creepy; the other is a mix of odd noises and Schulze’s music themes, which push the film in a different direction. Indeed, instead of going down that familiar path that various horror films use where a mystery of some sort spawns all of the scary surprises, Williams chooses to stay with Linda and use her suspicions to produce memorable thrills. This is what becomes the climax of the film -- it is the middle part where the film becomes very dark and atmospheric, while the finale is basically a conventional summation of some past events and the evolution of a few old relationships.

The performances range from average to very good, but in a way some of the rougher parts actually strengthen the type of credibility that the film pursues. For example, the casual footage from the café where Linda has a cup of coffee when she heads back home and later on barricades herself brings a sense of normalcy that ultimately elevates the darker and unhinged material even more.

Quentin Tarantino is a very big fan of Next of Kin and some years ago apparently declared that it is his favorite Australian genre film. Next of Kin also appears on many prestigious lists that rank these types of period genre films.

Severin Films' release of Next of Kin is sourced from a recent 4K remaster that was struck from an original 35mm interpositive. In Australia, the folks at Umbrella Entertainment worked with the same remaster to produce their local release of the film.

Next of Kin Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Tony Williams' Next of Kin arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films.

The release is sourced from the same recent 4K remaster that the folks at Umbrella Entertainment worked with when they prepared this release of Next of Kin in 2018. Predictably, the same small issues that I highlighted in our review of the Australian release are present here. First, the color grading could have been managed a tad better so that the black crush that emerges in darker footage is avoided. While I did not find it too distracting, I could easily see that in different areas native nuances were missing because of the more aggressive grading. Second, the very minor frame movement that pops up here and there could have been eliminated as well (with a pin-registered scanner). Again, it is not distracting, but it is something that an elaborate restoration would have addressed. Everything else looks either very good or excellent. (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. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).

Next of Kin Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provide for the main feature.

I mentioned in our review of the Australian release that I had a difficult time choosing the right track to view the film with, though I am basically a purist and on older films I prefer to have an original audio. However, this 5.1 track that was created for this film is really, really good, and because Tangerine Dream's music has such a huge role in the film, I think that it might be preferable. The effects and the music interact better on it, and the separation and range of dynamics are also superior. So, the smartest thing to do is test both tracks and see which one you like.

Next of Kin Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction - a filmed introduction by Kier-La Janisse, part of an episode of "The Psychotronic Tourist: The Houses of Psychotic Women", an interstitial program from Morbido TV. In English, not subtitled. (6 min, 1080p).

• Audio Commentary One - in this new audio commentary, director Tony Williams and producer Tim White discuss in great detail the genesis of Next of Kin, the impact that Roger Vadim's Blood and Roses had on the evolution of original material that was considered (the initial idea was to have a more Americanized type of atmosphere for Next of Kin), some of the key locations and lensing choices, Klaus Schulze's soundtrack, Quentin Tarantino's love for the film, etc. The commentary was recorded in 2018.

• Audio Commentary Two - this new audio commentary features director Mark Hartley and cast members Jackie Kerin, John Jarratt, and R9obert Ratti. The commentary is basically a long trip down memory lane with all kinds of different comments about the casting process, the production history of the film, and its stylistic appearance. The commentary was recorded exclusively for the Blu-ray premiere of Next of Kin in 2018.

• Extended Interviews From Not Quite Hollywood - presented here is a collection of archival interviews that were conducted by Mark Hartley in 2008 for his documentary Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!. In these interviews, director Tony Williams and actor John Jarratt discuss their work on Next of Kin. In English, not subtitled. (26 min, 1080p).

• Return to Montclare: Location Revisit - this new featurette offers some before and after comparisons of key locations from Next of Kin. It was produced in 2018. With music. (11 min, 1080p).

• Deleted Scenes - a collection of rare deleted from Next of Kin. Presented as actual film scenes. Without sound. (5 min, 1080p).

• Before the Night is Out: Ballroom Footage - complete ballroom dancing footage from 1978. Music only. (3 min, 1080p).

• Theatrical Trailer - an original theatrical trailer for Next of Kin. Newly remastered. Music only. (3 min, 1080p).

• UK VHS Trailer - vintage trailer for Next of Kin. Music only. (3 min, 720p).

• German Trailer - vintage German trailer for Next of Kin. In German, not subtitled. (4 min, 720p).

• Alternate German Opening - music only. (2 min, 1080p).

• Image Gallery - a large collection of posters, promo art, packaging, behind-the-scene images (courtesy of Tony Williams), more behind-the-scene images (courtesy of Jacki Kerin), storyboards, and more. (11 min, 1080p).

• Tony Williams Short Films - in English, not subtitled. (30 min, 720p).
  
  1. The Day We Landed on The Most Perfect Planet In the Universe (1971).
  2. Getting Together (1971).

Next of Kin Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It was very interesting to hear in one of the new audio commentaries that are included on this release that Tony Williams was greatly influenced by Roger Vadim's Blood and Roses because Next of Kin really is spooky in that old-fashioned way that the classic European Gothic horror films from the '60s are. Do you remember what was the concept that they mastered to perfection? It was show less, force the mind to imagine the horror, and then build a tremendous atmosphere. Riccardo Freda's The Horrible Dr. Hichcock and Jack Clayton's The Innocents for instance do precisely that, and so does Blood and Roses. Williams utilizes the same concept for Next of Kin, only he trades the Gothic castle for a retirement home and adds a superb ambient soundtrack by former Tangerine Dream member Klaus Schulze. So, it is not exactly a shocker that Quentin Tarantino loves this film. Severin Films' release is sourced from the same recent 4K remaster that the folks at Umbrella Entertainment worked with when they prepared this release of Next of Kin in 2018. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.