Stiletto Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Stiletto Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 1, 2021

Bernard L. Kowalski's "Stiletto" (1969) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The only bonus feature on the disc is an exclusive new audio commentary by film historian David Del Valle and filmmaker David DeCoteau. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The stiletto

There is a James Bond-esque vibe running through Stiletto, but I think that it has a lot more in common with Le Doulos. I don’t know if Bernard L. Kowalski had seen Jean-Pierre Melville’s film, but even if he did and studied it, I don’t think that he intended for his film to be in any way related to it. My guess is that in the 1960s various directors that shot these types of gangster films were constantly experimenting with new identities to make them more interesting, and some were simply better than the rest.

Ignore the fact that Stiletto bursts with vibrant colors and Le Doulos was shot in black and white. (This isn’t an irrelevant discrepancy, but I will have more to say about it later). Focus on the manner in which these films introduce their main protagonists and, more importantly, follow the movement of people around them. Alex Cord plays Count Cesare Cardinali, a flamboyant playboy, who kills high-profile targets for the prominent mafia boss Emilio Matteo (Joseph Wiseman). In the prologue, Kowalski uses a long flashback to reveal why he does it, and by the time it ends you already expect to see an old-fashioned gangster film with mafiosi who treat honor as religion. But in the present Cardinali isn’t that kind of a gangster. He is a trendy stiletto, which is essentially a more realistic version of Diabolik. Interestingly, however, instead of hyping up Cardinali’s activities, Kowalski goes in the opposite direction and spends plenty of time observing the motley crew of characters around him. Do you see the similarity with Le Doulos yet? How does Melville shoot Jean-Paul Belmondo’s killer, Silien? In pretty much the same way. While going about his business he connects with many shady and attractive characters, and there is so much talking and movement around him that for a substantial period of time it feels like Le Doulos struggles to stay focused. Why is that? Because Le Doulos isn’t about particular jobs and disputes, it is about the environment in which Silien operates and the particular instincts he relies on to stay alive. Cardinali’s jobs appear random for the exact same reason, but his environment is very different. He has money, properties, beautiful women, and a servant that is ready to deliver anything he needs.

So, you are probably wondering now why if Cardinali is so wealthy and lucky I am not attempting to argue that he has more in common with Diabolik or James Bond, aren’t you? Well, because there is a point in Stiletto where Kowalski moves Cardinali in film noir territory. Prior to that I had pretty much given up on his film, but the decision instantly brought me back in and I loved the new buildup that followed as well as the inevitable resolution. (I don’t want to spoil the latter for you, but once you get there you will recognize yet another key similarity with Le Doulos). The change occurs shortly after Cardinali’s Polish girlfriend (sexy Britt Ekland) cuts a deal with a nasty cop (Patrick O’Neal) and he follows the stiletto to Puerto Rico where he and Matteo are supposed to resolve a major disagreement. The transformation works very well because it is unexpected, the exotic locations produce the right atmosphere, and Kowalski discards the cliches that could have given him a ‘safe’ film.

The opening credits introduce Stiletto as a Harold Robins film and this basically explains absolutely everything that happens in it. What does this mean exactly? It means that what you are getting with Stiletto is a loose genre project experimenting with ideas and attitudes that were quite uncommon in 1960s mainstream films. The end product isn’t as outlandish as The Adventurers, but there is a sense of freedom in it that is unmissable. This is what makes the film exciting -- viewing it is like tasting a bold new cocktail mixed up by a bartender who has been playing with different flavors. You can tell that the stuff at the top of the glass needs some work, but towards the middle and especially the bottom you discover new flavors that you would love to try again.

Stiletto Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Stiletto arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

It is very easy to tell that the film has been restored in 4K because the strong density levels and variety of nicely detailed visuals it boasts could not have emerged from a dated master. Clarity and depth can be pretty striking as well. The consistently strong fluidity of the visuals then makes the obvious painfully obvious. However, I did not find the color grading job convincing. To be perfectly clear, there are certain areas that can look rather good, but the entire film still has an unnaturally warm appearance. Blues and whites, in particular, appear to have been toned down in favor of light but prominent greens and yellows, which is a very common practice on restored masters that are graded across the pond. (This is the exact reason why most of the film has a very particular 'creamy' appearance). The other giveaway that things aren't as they should be is the occasional posterization on key primaries. While I doubt that casual viewers will spot it, I think that it is hard to miss if you pay attention and understand that balance isn't quite right. (You can see how the reds begin to collapse in screencapture #16). There are no traces of problematic digital work. Grain is nicely exposed and convincingly resolved. Some very minor image instability can be spotted, but it never becomes distracting. (A good example is the club footage around the 1.03.52 mark). The entire film looks very clean as well. So, I think that the overall quality of the restored visuals is excellent, but I wasn't too impressed with the grading work. My score is 3.75/5.00. (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).

Stiletto 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.

The lossless track is excellent. The dialog is very clean and easy to follow. However, there are different parts of the film that allow plenty of organic sounds and noises to flourish, which is why they can be somewhat uneven. There is nothing wrong with the audio mix. It appears that the audio was simply not a top priority for the creators of the film.

Stiletto Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this new audio commentary was recorded by film historian David Del Valle and filmmaker David DeCoteau, and I place both in the same category with film noir expert Eddie Muller. So, if you listen to the commentary, you will get fascinating information on a variety of different subjects -- anything from the personal life and legacy of Harold Robbins to the evolving film business during the 1960s to the intimate preferences of John Waters -- as well as plenty of 'interesting' opinions on films that have very little in common with Stiletto. To be honest, the commentary is a bit like a masterclass on film history that isn't taught in film school. Again, there are plenty of questionable opinions, but there are many unpopular truths as well. I think that it is outstanding. Hopefully, the folks at Kino Lorber will use these gentlemen more often on other releases of similar period films.

Stiletto Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I found myself agreeing with pretty much everything that David Del Valle and David DeCoteau had to say about Stiletto -- and comments on all kinds of other subjects as well -- in the excellent new commentary that they recorded for this release. The Harold Robbins touch is, as they claim, instantly recognizable and this is what fuels all of the excitement in the film. It is not a genre classic, but the sense of freedom that permeates it is the same one you will encounter in Easy Rider, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, and Midnight Cowboy. You know that you are viewing a different film, and even when plenty does not work as it should, you are still entertained because the effort is genuine and there are no filters and moralistic messaging. Stiletto has been restored in 4K, but I think that the color grading should have been better. If you want to pick up this release, do it during a sale. RECOMMENDED.