Play Misty for Me 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Play Misty for Me 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 14, 2025

Clint Eastwood's directorial debut "Play Misty For Me" (1971) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release two audio commentaries; various vintage production and promotional materials for the film; video essay by critic Howard S. Berger; archival episode of Trailers From Hell; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The disc jockey

Lunatics like the one Jessica Walter plays exist among us because people like Clint Eastwood’s disc jockey allow their transformation and tolerate their dangerous actions. In Play Misty for Me, there is approximately an hour of unmissable red flags that Dave ignores, which means that there are thousands of hours of red flags elsewhere that various people like him have ignored. This is a crucial detail. When Dave meets Evelyn in the bar and the two begin their relationship, the latter’s transformation into a lunatic is already complete, so years earlier, not weeks or months, someone, somewhere, should have identified and detained her. Why was Evelyn allowed to roam free? For the same reason Dave assumes that after she permanently inserts herself into his private life, she would voluntarily exit it -- unwillingness to spell out the truth and act appropriately.

The relationship that is chronicled in Play Misty for Me is initially a therapy session and then a suicide mission. When she arranges to meet Dave in the bar, Evelyn is not looking to fall in love. She hopes to permanently fill a void that her favorite song only temporarily narrows when Dave plays it. She is seriously ill, and her mind is dispatching signals telling her that being in the orbit of the man who temporarily makes her feel less miserable is her cure. It is why when Dave attempts to walk away from her, she becomes violent -- her survival depends on her ‘romantic’ relationship with him.

The screenplay demands that Dave undergo a painfully slow transformation because it is the only way the drama between him and Evelyn can be prolonged for as long as needed. It is the biggest weakness of Play Misty for Me. It forces Dave through several situations where he must stare at different red flags and pretend that he has not fallen into a dangerous trap. For this reason, one can easily argue that he is directly responsible for the death of his maid (Clarice Taylor). Predictably, at the right time, the drama is terminated in the only way possible.

Play Misty for Me is a fine first film that could have launched the careers of many great directors. Eastwood positions and moves the camera with precision and confidence that give it a wonderfully polished, undeniably attractive appearance.

The acting is similarly good. Eastwood makes the disc jockey’s transformation look a lot more convincing than it deserves to be, especially when the lunatic begins dropping the different protective masks she has been wearing to get stay in his orbit. Walter quickly begins to look legitimately unhinged and suicidal, like all lunatics do before they self-destruct. Donna Mills is also likable as the disc jockey's on-again, off-again girlfriend.

Steve McQueen was apparently offered the part of the disc jockey. However, after learning more about it, he quickly turned it down. Director Don Siegel, who made various films with Eastwood, had his first meaningful acting part in Play Misty for Me.

Eastwood’s director of photography was Bruce Surtees, who lensed such legendary films as Dirty Harry, Big Wednesday, Escape from Alcatraz, and Risky Business.

Play Misty for Me 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kino Lorber's release of Play Misty for Me is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

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

Screencaptures #1-15 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #17-23 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

In 2020, Kino Lorber produced this Blu-ray release of Play Misty for Me, which introduced a new 2K makeover of the film. This combo pack introduces a new 4K makeover sourced from the original camera negative. In native 4K, the 4K makeover can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view it with HDR.

I have the previous Blu-ray release in my library and was able to do plenty of comparisons. A lot of the visuals that I saw on my system looked noticeably sharper, often boasting superior depth as well. In darker areas, a lot of finer nuances were more convincing. However, in the darker areas, for these improvements to become easy to appreciate, I had to turn off HDR. On my system, with HDR turned on, a lot of these darker areas often looked way too dark. The density levels of the visuals are excellent. Color reproduction and balance are convincing. However, there are a few spots where I feel that blues and blue nuance could have been managed a little bit better to avoid the neon-esque quality some acquire. Darker supporting nuances are more convincing. Image stability is excellent. Finally, the entire film looks very healthy, too. All in all, the native 4K presentation is a nice upgrade, but on my system, I prefer to view it without HDR or Dolby Vision.

Play Misty for Me 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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

Kino Lorber's previous Blu-ray release of Play Misty for Me had only the original DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, so I decided to revisit the film in 4K with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. I cannot write that I liked or disliked the 5.1 track because it does not do major things differently. In a few areas, maybe it expands the dynamic field a bit, but anyone expecting to hear a great deal of new surround movement coupled with similar new dynamic contrasts will be disappointed. I think that the 2.0 track is very healthy and reproducing the native qualities of the original soundtrack as it should. So, you can experiment with the 5.1 track, but I suspect that your satisfaction with it will be identical to your satisfaction with the 2.0 track.

Play Misty for Me 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this audio commentary was recorded by screenwriter/producer Alan Spencer.

• Commentary Two - this archival commentary was recorded by novelist and critic Tim Lucas.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this archival commentary was recorded by novelist and critic Tim Lucas.

• Interview with Co-Star Donna Mills - in this archival interview, actress Donna Mills recalls her involvement with Play Misty For Me and what it was like to work with Clint Eastwood. The interview was conducted exclusively for Kino Lorber. (12 min).

• Video Essay - this video essay examines Clint Eastwood's career before and behind the camera, with a special emphasis on Play Misty For Me. The essay was produced by critic Howard S. Berger exclusively for Kino Lorber. In English, not subtitled. (74 min).

• Trailers From Hell - an archival episode of Trailers From Hell with director Adam Rifkin (Detroit Rock City). In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

• The Beguiled, Misty, Don and Clint - this archival featurette quickly examines the evolution of Clint Eastwood's career. Included in it are clips from interviews with ritic Richard Schickel, producer Robert Daley, and Clint Eastwood. In English, not subtitled. (7 min, 480/60i).

• Play It Again... A Look Back at Play Misty For Me: Documentary - an in-depth look at the conception and production history of Play Misty For Me. Included in it are clips from interviews with Clint Eastwood, producer Robert Daley, and screenwriter Dean Reisner, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (50 min, 480/60i).

• Trailer - remastered vintage U.S. trailer for Play Misty For Me. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• Teaser - remastered vintage U.S. teaser trailer for Play Misty For Me. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 1080p).

• TV Spots - a couple of vintage U.S. TV spots for Play Misty For Me. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• The Evolution of a Poster: Photo Montage - presented with music. (3 min, 480/60i).

• Clint Eastwood Directs and Acts: Photo Montage - a collection of stills showing Clint Eastwood at work. Presented with music. (3 min, 480/60i).

• Stills Montage - a collection of production and promotional stills with Clint Eastwood. Presented with music. (4 min, 480/60i).

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art.

Play Misty for Me 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lunatics like the one that emerges in Clint Eastwood's directorial debut are out in the open because they are allowed to be for a variety of bad reasons. While there are always exceptions, they are not too powerful and too smart to contain. There is simply a lot of inexcusable pretending around them, which empowers them and makes it easy for them to do awful things. It is sad because if identified early, they can be helped and their inevitable self-destruction avoided. The disc jockey ignores multiple red flags, so what he is forced to endure after the lunatic refuses to exit his life is hardly surprising. Kino Lorber's combo pack introduces a good new 4K makeover of Play Misty for Me. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.