Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Rat Fink Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 14, 2017

James Landis' "Rat Fink" (1965) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Retromedia. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; exclusive new video interview with Ursula Hayden, daughter of actor Schuyler Haydn; and short featurette about the production history of the film. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The dreamer from the countryside

I have to speculate that if the original elements for James Landis’ Rat Fink did not get destroyed in a fire and somehow the critics at Cahier du cinema had seen the film before it disappeared into oblivion, right now it probably would have been considered a bona fide American classic. It has the raw energy and fluid brilliance of the classic Nouvelle Vague films, while its star, Schuyler Haydn, could very well have been the original American Psycho.

There is something of a short prologue in which you get the idea that the Singer (Haydn) is running from something bigger, not the cops that go after him after he gets off a freight train on a tiny station somewhere in the West. (And he absolutely does, but I will explain later what it all means). The Singer then quickly seduces a lonely older woman who promises to make herself even more beautiful for him and begs him to stay a few extra days with her -- and while she does, he steals her money and heads to LA. Soon after, at a club, the Singer meets a handsome rock star (Don Snyder) who has everything that he has ever wanted, and after the show secretly sets his fancy new car on fire. When a producer announces that the label he represents will do everything it can to support the badly burnt and disfigured star, the Singer decides that this just might be the right opportunity for him to replace him. So he visits the office of his manager (Hal Bokar) in LA, and his mellow voice and good looks quickly earn him a studio audition. Then it all begins to come together for him -- he signs a contract, gets a big bonus, and rents a stylish home in a glitzy neighborhood; and there are literally more beautiful girls willing to be with him than he actually has the time and energy for. After enjoying the lifestyle he has been dreaming of for a while, the Singer heads back to rural Colorado and visits his family’s tiny farm. His mother welcomes him with open arms, but his father refuses to speak to him -- just as he has been ignoring his family since his abrupt departure. Overwhelmed by pure anger and rage, the Singer then returns to LA, but this time discovers a cold and unbearably depressing place that quickly pushes him on the verge of self-destruction.

Haydn apparently put everything he had in Rat Fink in one final and desperate attempt to get Hollywood’s attention and make a name for himself, but as old reviews of the film reveal, he failed miserably. Sort of. The ‘professional’ reviews were indeed mostly indifferent and Hollywood ignored him, but his performance is magnificent, and the film is actually a lot more daring and carefully executed than a lot of universally praised ‘classics’ from the 1960s.

The pure, unfiltered desperation that permeates the film is extraordinary, and it is absolutely astonishing to see that the industry shrugged it off. Indeed, Haydn’s character is an almost complete mirror reflection of the man he was becoming -- a disillusioned dreamer whose failures were quickly transforming him into an unforgiving cynic. During the first act he is still largely in control of his emotions, but it is slowly becoming clear that his anger will soon overwhelm him; later on, the recording contract and the price he pays for it completely disable his moral resistance to the corrosive power of the show business reality, and he becomes an animal. In the real world, Haydn was caught in a similar predicament, with one part of him desperately wanting to become a star, and another realizing that his obsessive desire to be accepted was essentially destroying him from within. So there are very large portions of the film where Haydn actually does not act but bares his soul.

The film’s visuals bring together the moody tone and atmosphere that some of the classic noir pictures are known for and select aesthetic elements of a style that its famous cinematographer, Vilmos Zsigmond (Heaven's Gate), will later on define as 'poetic realism'. In a way, it has the appearance of an American Nouvelle Vague film.

After Rat Think Haydn appeared only in one other film, Riot On Sunset Strip, but already with a different personality. A few years later, he died in a tragic plane crash in San Diego.

*Rat Think was also promoted under the alternative title Wild and Willing. Apparently, someone attempted to market it as a 'sex drama' to an entirely different audience.

Rat Fink Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, James Landis' Rat Fink arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Retromedia Entertainment Group Inc.

The original elements for this film were destroyed in a fire, which is why for a long time it was considered 'lost'. (The cover of the new Blu-ray release claims that the film was 'lost for 50 years' and this is actually true). It was only recently that a 35mm print was discovered and used to produce a new 2K master.

The Blu-ray release is sourced from the new master but without extensive restoration work. In other words, there are plenty of minor scratches, specks, some stains, and even cuts and marks that remain. While some of them could have been removed with digital tools, I actually think that the current presentation is just fine because the organic qualities of the 35mm print are retained as they are -- with some minor instability and fluctuations but not compromised by poor digital work. So how does the film really look? For the most part detail and depth range from good to very good, with only a few minor exceptions where it is very clear that some fading has impacted density and with it image balance. There is some sporadic softness, but it is the type of flat and smeary softness that poor digital work can introduce. Grain isn't as prominent and nicely exposed as it should be, but plenty of what was available was retained (you can see in screencapture #4 that some close-ups are very nice). There are no traces of problematic sharpening adjustments. The gray scale has decent balance, but in areas where there are noticeable density fluctuations other minor balance issues emerge. However, given the nature of the master that was created, this is obviously inevitable. Image stability is good, but a few inherited frame jumps remain. All in all, while not perfect, this is a fine presentation of Rat Fink that makes it easy to appreciate the artistic vision of its creators. (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).

Rat Fink 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 not provided for the main feature.

A new remaster and remix would have produced a better balanced audio track, but I can't say that there are any serious issues with the lossy track that could potentially negatively affect your viewing experience. Clarity is very good, and while depth could be optimized, it also remains pleasing throughout the entire film. In fact, during the group scenes, it is surprisingly good. Some extremely light hiss and crackle occasionally can sneak in, but there are no serious distortions or dropouts to report.

Rat Fink Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original trailer for Rat Fink. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Remembering Schuyler Hayden - in this exclusive new video interview, Ursula Hayden, daughter of actor Schuyler Haydn, discusses the fascinating history of Rat Fink, her father's career and personal life, and his tragic death. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• Rat Fink: A Look Back - this short video piece takes a closer look at Schuyler Haydn's career and the production history of Rat Fink. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

Rat Fink Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is a small miracle that Rat Fink reemerged after more than fifty years of being a 'lost film'. I think that it is every bit as daring, authentic and unapologetic, and ultimately even better than the various Nouvelle Vague films that were produced in France during the 1960s. Frankly, with a few lucky breaks, Schuyler Haydn could have been as big of a star as James Dean was. The film is now available on Blu-ray courtesy of U.S. label Retromedia, but my understanding is that only a limited number of copies were pressed. Hurry up and order one for your library before they are sold out. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.