Out of Season Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Out of Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 24, 2026

Alan Bridges' "Out of Season" (1975) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of VCI Home Entertainment. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary by critic Rob Kelly; short new program about the life and career of Cliff Robertson; short new program about the life and career of Susan George; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The American

More than twenty years later, Joe (Cliff Robertson), a middle-aged American, reappears on an unnamed British island, hoping to reunite with Ann (Vanessa Redgrave), with whom he was once madly in love with. Fate quickly sends him to the right place -- a small, struggling, most of the time eerily quiet hotel, which Ann runs with Joanna (Susan George), her twentysomething, perpetually bored daughter.

In the days ahead, Joe and Ann attempt to rekindle their relationship while recalling past experiences and describing other partners they have spent time with, without being completely honest about the deep scars they have given each other. However, while the two quickly begin making progress, Joanna goes on offense to claim a piece of the excitement Joe has brought to the hotel and, in the process, initiates a most awkward competition with Ann. Following an inevitable intense clash, at the very end of which Ann declares that her daughter is a ‘bitch’, Joanna doubles her efforts.

Amidst all the fireworks, initially Joe attempts to maintain his composure and easily rejects Joanna’s sexual advances, earning Ann’s admiration and giving her the confidence to believe that they could be a happy couple again. However, it is Joanna who makes him feel young again and, during a moment of weakness, her succumbs to her relentless sexual advances. Shortly after, during yet another intense clash, Joe is forced to choose the woman he wants to be in a romantic relationship with.

The dynamics within the love triangle will not surprise anyone. Robertson faces a simple dilemma that has appeared in countless similarly themed films. The same can be said about Redgrave and George, although the progression of the mother-daughter relationship here is slightly more complicated than it initially appears.

What makes the drama appealing is the adult frankness that permeates it, which has a very 1970s quality. It has a European quality as well, but not of the arty type that is present in the films of Ingmar Bergman and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. It is adult frankness that keeps the three characters authentic and their choices legitimate, making it possible to accept that rational grownups can compromise each other in situations exactly like the ones that fuel the drama.

Alan Bridges directs from a screenplay by Reuben Bercovitch and Eric Bercovichi, which must have been only a starting point for the current version of Out of Season. Virtually all the memorable material is dialog-free, and Bridges does the most of facial expressions that reveal how each character processes different developments and is likely to react to them.

The resolution of the drama is intentionally made ambiguous. It is the only genuine surprise in Out of Season, and it is quite effective because it correctly suggests that there is no final ‘correct’ choice for Robertson to make.

Bridges was paired with director of photography Arthur Ibertson, who had already lensed such cult films as The League of Gentlemen and Where Eagles Dare.

Out of Season 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, Out of Season arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of VCI Home Entertainment.

The release is sourced from a new 4K master, struck from an aged 35mm print, likely the best original element that the folks at VCI Home Entertainment could access. This means that the entire film has a slightly softer than usual appearance. Also, because no conventional restoration work was done, plenty of age-related imperfections are retained. Obviously, this is not an ideal situation. However, all visuals, even the most dated ones, have a pleasing organic appearance. It is just not a very good or ideal organic appearance, which is what a new 4K or 2K master struck from the OCN would have produced. Unsurprisingly, color reproduction and balance are not ideal either. However, it is incredibly easy to tell that all current color values are the correct color values, because despite all the source limitations, which are plenty, the entire film has a proper but aged period appearance. For the record, there are absolutely no traces of any problematic digital corrections. (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).

Out of Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English Dolby Digital 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

All exchanges are clear and easy to follow. However, the lossy track retains the age-related imperfections that must have been on the soundtrack. They are not distracting. A few areas have a bit of light hiss, plus some unevenness. There is no severe distortion in the upper register, big pops, or audio dropouts. Dynamic contrasts are pretty unremarkable, but even a proper lossless track would have performed in pretty much the same way. Out of Season is a dialogue-driven film, and only a few areas of it use music in a more prominent way.

Out of Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Vanishing Into the Role: The Story of Cliff Robertson - this new program takes a closer look at the life and career of Cliff Robertson, as well as some of the prominent characters he played and the reasons the late actor chose them. The program was produced and edited by Tiffany L. Clayton. In English, with optional English subtitles. (4 min).

• Susan George: Elegance, Edge... In Every Season - this new program provides a quick summation of Susan George's life and career and examines her character in Out of Season. The program was produced and edited by Tiffany L. Clayton. In English, with optional English subtitles. (4 min).

• Vanessa Redgrave: Cinema's Quiet Storm - this new program provides a quick summation of Vanessa Redgrave's life story and career, and quickly examines her character in Out of Season. The program was produced and edited by Tiffany L. Clayton. In English, with optional English subtitles. (3 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Rob Kelly.

Out of Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Obviously, despite being sourced from a new 4K master, this recent release does not offer a flawless presentation of Out of Season. However, it is good to have because it makes it possible to see arguably one of the most unusual, and quite difficult to track down, films in Cliff Robertson's body of work. As far as I know, during the DVD era, Out of Season did not get a legitimate DVD release in America. RECOMMENDED.