Percy Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Percy Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 20, 2021

1971’s “Percy” is an adaptation of a novel by Raymond Hitchcock, and let’s all be thankful for that. The story of a man who undergoes a penis transplant, emerging from the surgery with a desire to find the original member donor, isn’t something that would likely pair well with an original screenplay, as the premise leaves itself wide open for raunchy antics and crude comedy. With some literary guidance, the screenplay (credited to Hugh Leonard, with uncredited work from Terence Feely and Michael Palin, which explains a distinct Monty Python reference early in the picture) actually remains relatively calm considering the weirdness of the story, trying to find emotions to work with, not broad antics involving the cravings of fresh genitals. That’s not to suggest “Percy” is a particularly satisfying movie, but it’s definitely not the wild ride initial scenes promise it to be.

Edwin (Hywel Bennett) is a depressed man facing trouble in his marriage when he realizes his wife has been cheating on him, and preparing to take a trip with another man. His troubles multiply when a naked man falls on top of him while carrying a chandelier, putting Edwin into the hospital with extreme genital trauma. Coming to the rescue is Dr. Whitbread (Denholm Elliot), who’s been waiting for an opportunity to bring his plans for penis replacement surgery to the public, making Edwin his first patient. Trying to grasp what’s happening to him as he becomes a media star, Edwin embarks on a mission to find his donor, leading him to various women who knew the man.

“Percy” is directed by Ralph Thomas, who tries to maintain a lively mood to the picture, offering restless camera movement, and he brings in with Ray Davies and The Kinks to provide soundtrack selections, inspiring many montages. There’s a lighter, post-Swinging London atmosphere to the endeavor, reflected in early scenes where Edwin survives his accident, becoming the talk of the town and a guinea pig for Dr. Whitbread, who’s eager to test the reliability of the new penis. Edwin isn’t quite as gung-ho about the whole situation, creating a semi-dramatic path for “Percy” that follows the character around town, seeking information about his donor, which isn’t news he’s ready to hear. It also puts him into rooms with numerous women connected to the history of the member, which gives the feature a melancholy presence as stories are shared.

Percy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.66:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a "4K restoration from the original camera negative." The results are impressive, helping to bring out the brightness of primaries found throughout the production, with costuming especially vivid, showcasing wild period gear. City tours also deliver defined hues, and skin tones are natural. Detail is excellent, securing fresh facial particulars and fine hairs. Costuming is fibrous with wilder outfits, and interiors preserve decorative additions. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in excellent condition.

Percy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Visually, "Percy" is superbly refreshed, but Scorpion Releasing can only get so far with the 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix, which deals with age-related issues. It's a muddier track, lacking crispness for dialogue exchanges. Unintelligibility isn't an issue, just clarity, which extends to the soundtrack, finding musical offerings missing ideal instrumentation and vocal definition. Hiss is present, along with some brief stretches of mild damage.

Percy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Percy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Percy" isn't much of a comedy, and it soon gives up on laughs to focus on character history and concerns. While performances are committed, the feature tends to wander at times, never quite finding its footing as an exploration of identity, and dramatic intent doesn't land evenly. However, the curiosity factor with such a premise is off the charts (a sequel, "Percy's Progress," was released in 1974), making the effort seem irresistible for those hunting for strange cinematic endeavors from the 1970s. It's disappointing that the finished film doesn't live up to these visions of wild behavior and medical oddity.