Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Split Image Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 12, 2024

Ted Kotcheff's "Split Image" (1982) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by filmmaker and critic Daniel Kremer and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Ted Kotcheff’s Split Image comes from the early 1980s and tells a horror story that should be extremely easy to dismiss as outdated and unrealistic. Instead, this horror story is so relevant, so chillingly realistic, it feels like it was penned just a few months ago.

At the center of the story are the Stetsons, an ordinary American family of four who are living a normal life in a quiet suburb that could be anywhere in the country. Kevin (Brian Dennehy), the head of the family, is in his late fifties and rarely misses an opportunity to crack a joke. Diana (Elizabeth Ashley) is several years younger and already knows his entire comedy repertoire, but is still madly in love with him. They have two boys -- Danny (Michael O’Keefe), who is an aspiring athlete, and Sean (Ronnie Scribner), who is still a kid. The four try to gather around the table at least once a day and breakfast usually works best for all of them.

The foundation of the family is unexpectedly shaken and then leveled after Danny meets and begins a relationship with Rebecca (Karen Allen), a charming, warm, seemingly perfectly normal girl. The two enter Loveland, a massive private camp somewhere in the countryside, where Neil Kirklander (Peter Fonda) plays God. In Loveland, Kirkland helps young people transition from their corrupt and hurtful bodies and identities into the purer and happier individuals they were always meant to be. He even helps them replace the names their parents have given them with the better names they deserve. Once the transformation is complete, everyone is taught how to suppress desires, feelings, and emotions that connect them to their old identities and permanently discard their past.

Rebecca, whose real name is Amy and who has been living in Loveland for several years, initiates Danny’s transformation. Kirklander completes it in a mass ritual, and he officially becomes Joshua. Several days later, Danny, who now thinks of himself and responds only when he is addressed as Joshua, becomes a member of a small group of social activists who begin visiting college campuses and malls to find other young people who need to be helped to transition from their corrupt and hurtful bodies and identities into the purer and happier individuals they were always meant to be.

When Danny disappears, his father and mother drive to Loveland, and the former, barely able to contain his anger, confronts Kirklander, demanding that he immediately releases his son. Instead, Kirklander warns the old man to stay away from Joshua and the local authorities then promptly arrest him for trespassing. Shortly after, the Stetsons hire Charlie Pratt (James Woods), a private investigator and unlicensed psychologist, who has substantial experience in tracking down and helping brainwashed kids like Danny detransition.

Split Image is a terrifying film because a simple tweak in the story it tells elevates its drama to a completely different level and allows it very easily and very effectively to redefine what cult is. Interestingly, Kotcheff highlights the exact moment when the audience ought to do the tweak. It is at the beginning of the final act where Kirklander reveals to Danny that he has chosen him to go to Colorado and manage another camp where young boys and girls are brought and taught how to transition. Kirklander operates a massive brainwashing network, not an odd cult camp with local aspirations.

In the present socio-cultural environment, a man like Pratt will be crucified. Kotcheff arms him with logic and anger and then frees him to do whatever it takes to be successful in his work. He does unorthodox detective work, kidnaps, and engages in intense mind games to bring his targets back to reality. Kotcheff never questions whether Pratt’s methods are legal.

Only Fonda looks unconvincing. Kirklander is supposed to be a vicious man who exudes tremendous power and can overwhelm on demand, but he looks like an aged hippie who has been enjoying his time in a luxurious commune. The rest of the cast is spectacular. Woods, in particular, leaves the impression that he is on the verge of imploding while trying to detransition O’Keefe.

Despite its disturbing subject, Split Image is beautifully lensed by cinematographer Robert Jessup, whose utilization of natural light is quite spectacular. The image manipulations that emerge after Woods goes to work are very effective, too.

Split Image Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Split Image arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master that was struck from an interpositive. I like this master a lot, and I thought that the entire film looked terrific. In fact, during my viewing of the film, I did not see anything that could look noticeably better. Yes, some visuals could look a little sharper and density levels could be a little better, but the overall quality of the presentation is excellent. Indeed, there are no traces of problematic digital corrections and delineation, clarity, and depth are lovely. Because natural light is utilized in some very interesting ways -- including during the intentionally distorted visuals in the final act -- you will see plenty of fluctuations, and some of the softness I mentioned earlier is part of them, but even if the film is viewed in native 4K, these fluctuations will still be present and noticeable. Color balance is outstanding. All primaries and all supporting nuances look very healthy and wonderfully balanced. Darker areas are particularly well managed and there are no traces of distracting crushing. It is why the dynamic range of the visuals is terrific, too. Image stability is excellent. I did not see any surface imperfections to report in our review. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Split Image 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 provided for the main feature.

Split Image has a very interesting soundtrack that incorporates great music from Bill Conti, some unusual effects, and plenty of natural sounds and noises. While the dynamic intensity of the lossless track will not impress folks who appreciate potent modern mixes, it produces many diverse dynamic contrasts that I thought were pretty special. The dialog is always very clear, sharp, and clean. There are no stability issues.

Split Image Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by filmmaker and critic Daniel Kremer. It features a wide range of observations that address the era in which Split Image was conceived and shot, the original material that inspired it, Ted Kotcheff's direction and the work of the actors that assisted him, etc.

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered U.S. trailer for Split Image. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

Split Image Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

So much of what Ted Kotcheff's film Split Image depicts is part of our daily news cycle, it is more than a bit eerie to see how authentic the drama that flourishes in it is. Some years ago, Split Image was considered an odd genre film, but it does not look like one now, which is very, very sad. Kino Lorber's Blu-ray release introduces an outstanding exclusive new 2K makeover of Split Image that is the best I have seen done for a Kotcheff film to date. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.