Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Puppet on a Chain Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 13, 2018

Geoffrey Reeve's "Puppet on a Chain" (1971) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Scorpion Releasing. The supplemental features on the disc include an alternate sequence and audio commentary featuring Lee Pfeiffer, editor-in-chief of Cinema Retro Magazine, and columnist Todd Garbarini and film historian and documentarian Paul Scrabo. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Just be careful

Roger Ebert was right when he once joked that inside Alistair MacLean's head there was a wonderful world. There must have been, because only someone with an incredible imagination like Maclean could have churned out so much unbelievable but entertaining material. The man and many of his colorful characters were probably best buddies, too.

The location is Amsterdam and the main protagonist is an American agent with a light European accent named Paul Sherman (Swedish actor Sven-Bertil Taube) who has been tasked to expose and disband a crime organization that is supposedly flooding his home country with cheap drugs. However, it turns out that Sherman does not have a clue where to begin looking, which is why he is promptly teamed up with female agent and former lover Maggie (Barbara Parkins). Before they go to work, someone informs the top people at the organization that the American should not be underestimated, and they hire a hitman to put a bullet in his head. The two men then have a very unpleasant encounter that ends abruptly with the professional killer failing to honor his contract.

Eventually, Maggie stumbles upon an important clue that helps Sherman discover that a priest and his associates are somehow involved in the drug trade. The two agents then visit an ancient castle where the priest spends the majority of his time directing various religious rituals, and while looking to figure out precisely how the crime organization functions are forced to fight for their lives.

Puppet on a Chain was Geoffrey Reeve’s directorial debut, and one of three films inspired by a MacLean novel that he made before he passed away in 2010. It is fair to say that it is not as good as the novel, but on the other hand one could quite successfully argue that all cinematic adaptations of MacLean novels are a notch, or sometimes even a few, below the original material.

This reviewer’s first viewing of Puppet on a Chain occurred many years ago, and he liked and remembered the film for a single reason: it has a very long speedboat chase through the famous canals in Amsterdam that back then looked every bit as impressive as the one that transformed Race for the Yankee Zephyr into a cult favorite. (Three stuntmen that assisted David Hemmings were killed during the shooting of this film). Don Sharp (TV’s The Avengers) was brought on board specifically for the filming of the chase and there is no doubt that he was the right man for the job because even by contemporary standards the footage remains quite extraordinary.

The rest of the film is easily forgettable. Taube’s agent is a macho guy that does a lot of the things that Ken Clark’s Dick Malloy did, but while facing notably meaner opponents that do some pretty nasty things. Of course the plot is utterly unrealistic, but in a typical MacLean-esque fashion the film jumps from one event to another with such energy that it actually begins to look cool.

The use of a stylish soundtrack from the prolific Italian maestro Pierro Piccioni (Camille 2000) is somewhat surprising because the music does not support particularly well the intended tempo and atmosphere of the film. The music seeks finesse that at very best is only suggested during the short time when the two agents attempt to rekindle their romantic relationship.

*If you enjoy the chase, consider picking up a copy of Dick Maas’ more recent excellent action thriller Amsterdamned, which also has some absolutely incredible footage that was shot on the famous canals.

Puppet on a Chain Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Geoffrey Reeve's Puppet on a Chain arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Scorpion Releasing.

The release is sourced from a recent remaster that was struck from an interpositive. While some minor optimizations could have been made so that the film looks 'tighter', overall it has a strong organic appearance that I find quite attractive. It is just a tad softer that I would have liked it to be, but the lack of digital corrections is a major plus. The color grading is very convincing as well. It is true that a high-quality master struck from the OCN would have also arrived with a better color scheme, but the current primary values and nuances are very nice. Image stability is good. I few dirt spots and blemishes remain, but there are no large cuts, warped or torn frames to report. So even thgough there is room for some meaningful improvements, this is indeed a fine presentation that will not disappoint fans of the film. (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).

Puppet on a Chain Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.

The audio is stable and with a good dynamic range. There are no dropouts, distortions, or distracting background hiss, but there is room for some cosmetic improvements in the high register where some tiny pops occasionally sneak in. Pierro Piccioni's music sounds great.

Puppet on a Chain Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Alternate Scene - presented here is a sequence that was altered for the U.S. version of the film to achieve a PG rating. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Audio Commentary - this audio commentary features Lee Pfeiffer, editor-in-chief of Cinema Retro Magazine, and columnist Todd Garbarini and film historian and documentarian Paul Scrabo. It is a causal but extremely informative commentary that addresses the production and distribution history of Puppet on a Chain, the wonderful shooting locations in Amsterdam, and Alistair MacLean's work. There are also numerous references to other genre films and observations about the careers of the stars. The commentary was recorded exclusively for Scorpion Releasing and initially appeared on the label's DVD release of the film.

Puppet on a Chain Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Puppet on a Chain is something of a guilty pleasure of mine but it was only recently that I finally upgraded the DVD release I had in my library. There is an incredible speedboat chase in it that was shot on location in Amsterdam which basically makes the film worth seeing. I would recommend it only to hardcore fans of Alistair MacLean's work or folks that would simply watch any action film from the '70s and never complain. Scorpion Releasing's recent Blu-ray release is sourced from a very nice organic remaster and retains the wonderful audio commentary that was included on the old DVD release of the film. RECOMMENDED.