7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Police officer Patty Butler, alias "Chicklet," is the live-in girlfriend of Thomas 'Stick' Henderson to gather evidence. Detective Bo Lockley is instructed to try to find her, not knowing she's also a cop.
Starring: Michael Moriarty, Yaphet Kotto, Susan Blakely, Richard Gere, Bob BalabanCrime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The hard, unforgiving streets of New York City receive frightening attention in 1975’s “Report to the Commissioner,” which plays like a hybrid of “Law & Order” and “Training Day.” Procedural in tone, but prone to chaotic bursts of emotion and action, the feature manages dysfunction and paranoia satisfactorily, with director Milton Katselas (“Butterflies Are Free”) developing an atmosphere of hostility that’s pinched by police duty. Adapted from a novel, “Report to the Commissioner” plays like one, investigating unhinged people embarking on dangerous missions that push them to the limit and blur the lines of duty.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation shows some age throughout, with clear delineation a particular problem, offering solid blacks during scenes with limited lighting, while shadows swallow frame detail. Colors are on the muted side, but city life brings out primaries to satisfaction, with street signage and costuming carrying heft. Skintones are mostly natural, pushing too hot at times. Grain is managed adequately with the few noisy patches. Detail isn't strong but it's not entirely wiped clean, offering passable facial details and nice read of sweat. Cityscapes are also open for inspection. Some speckling remains, but overt damage isn't spotted.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is quite capable for a period track, with healthy dialogue exchanges that preserve dramatic intent and keep in step with intensity as violence and hostilities break out. Scoring is stable and supportive, with decent instrumentation, while dance music for a disco sequence delivers a more rhythmic beat without distortion. Atmospherics for street events and police headquarters are busy but unobtrusive.
The hook of "Report to the Commissioner" is certainly strong, with cop-on-cop violence adding confusion to an already disorienting story. Performances run on the heated side, with Michael Moriarty working overtime to sell his character's fall from grace, sweating and trembling through every scene. "Report to the Commissioner" isn't revolutionary material, riding well-worn police corruption clichés, but it does offer boiling moments of confrontation, a controversial conclusion, and an abrasive sense of personal and professional misconduct.
1988
1973
Limited Edition
1996
1973
Limited Edition to 3000
1973
Warner Archive Collection
1981
2013
2012
1990
1982
1974
1973
Limited Edition Reissue
1974
2018
1999
Limited Edition to 3000
1973
1974
1992
2012
2019