7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A sadistic rock singer will do whatever it takes to become a star. After seducing an older woman in order to steal money from her, the singer travels to Hollywood and hires an agent, eventually engaging in an affair with the man's wife. Meanwhile, he also impregnates a clueless teenager and then forces her to get an abortion from a veterinarian, only to promptly dump her when he suddenly becomes famous.
Starring: Schuyler Haydn, Hal Bokar, Eve Brenner, Alice Reinheart, Jack LesterDrama | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (192 kbps)
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
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
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).
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.
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.
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