7.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Classic 'kitchen sink drama' from the British New Wave of the 1960s. Joe Lampton (Laurence Harvey) is an ambitious young man who is tired of slaving away at his job and sets his sights on his boss's daughter, Susan, thinking she will provide a short-cut to the top. Hindered by his working class background, and frustrated by the opposition of Susan's parents, Joe seeks solace in the arms of a lonely older woman named Alice (Simone Signoret). But when he then inadvertently causes Alice's death in a road accident, Joe's whole world begins to unravel.
Starring: Laurence Harvey (I), Simone Signoret, Heather Sears, Donald Wolfit, Donald HoustonRomance | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.75:1
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region B (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Jack Clayton's "Room at the Top" (1959) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include audio commentaries by Dr. Josephine Botting and Neil Sinyard; short films from the BFI National Archive; galleries of stills; and more. Also included with the release is a 26-page illustrated booklet featuring writings on the film and its cast as well as technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Room at the Top arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute.
This was the first release to introduce the 2K restoration of the film on Blu-ray in English-speaking territories. I wanted to take another look at it because when I reviewed the U.S. release from Kino Lorber I liked absolutely everything but the grading job. I thought that it was a bit more aggressive than it should have been.
On my system the darker and indoor areas looked identical, which means that some subtle nuances are still lost. (Just so that it is perfectly clear what the issue is, I would like to mention the following: adjusting the brightness levels on your TV or projector isn't something that will improve the visibility of the nuances. The restored master was simply graded in particular way). The outdoor footage and areas with plenty of natural light, however, usually look wonderful (see screencapture #3). On this release I did spot some compression artifacts, which are not present on the U.S. release, so if you have a large TV you should probably consider the U.S. release. There are no distracting debris, cuts, damage marks, warped or torn frames to report. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The audio is very clean, clear, and easy to follow. Balance is excellent as well. There is a good range of dynamic nuances, but obviously the film's original sound design has some native limitations. There are no technical anomalies to report in our review.
Room at the Top should have been a little more cynical and a little less melodramatic. Laurence Harvey's performance in particular often oozes energy that isn't right and hurts the integrity of his character, so when eventually he is forced to undergo a sizeable transformation it is very difficult to see it as authentic. Fans of Jack Clayton's work should not miss the film, especially now that it has been fully restored, but I cannot agree with the popular opinion that it is one of his best. For the best technical presentation of the film consider the U.S. release from Kino Lorber. You should consider this release for the special features. RECOMMENDED to the fans.
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