The Angry Silence Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

The Angry Silence Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 20, 2016

Nominated for Oscar Award for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen, Guy Green's "The Angry Silence" (1960) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new video interview with actress Nanette Newman; and new video interview with actor Michael Craig. In English, with optional English SDH subtitle for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

"Why don't you sack me then? If Mr. Martindale feels so strongly about it, why don't he sack me?"

The Angry Silence was made more than fifty years ago, but the message it delivers is anything but dated. In the current environment of political correctness, there are many men and women who are singled out and pressured exactly like its main protagonist.

His name is Tom Curtis (Richard Attenborough, I'm All Right Jack) and he is a factory worker who is married to a beautiful Italian girl (Pier Angeli, Somebody Up There Likes Me). They are not poor, but they are not rich either. At the factory Tom makes enough so that they can pay their rent and put food on their table. It is a simple life, not the type of life they planned to have when they married, but both are thankful that they are not struggling to make ends meet.

A surprising political decision by the local union bosses, however, threatens to leave Tom and his family without income. During a carefully arranged mass meeting, the majority of the workers are tricked to support a wildcat strike in the name of union solidarity. Tom and a small group of veterans vote against it and instantly become targets. For a while they stick together, but when some tough guys threaten to make their lives miserable their group splits.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Tom remains the only person to oppose the strike. He can see that it is used only as a pretext to solve internal conflicts between the local union bosses and the factory management. He also realizes that the people responsible for the strike have created an environment in which they can easily abuse the trust of those who have given them the power to represent them, and just as easily excuse their actions with politically correct half-truths. In the ensuing chaos, Tom is pressured to side with the rest of the workers, but the more the union bosses and their puppets try to break his resistance, the stronger his determination becomes to openly call out their machinations.

The clash of ideas in this film is quite disturbing. After a decision is taken to initiate the strike, the vacuum that emerges isolates anyone who does not enthusiastically embrace the ‘right’ choice -- which is neither right nor as popular as promoted. But it is the safe choice, which makes it the most popular choice, because no one wants to question the motives of the union leaders. Tom, the only person that has the courage to do it, is immediately branded a traitor and lunatic who must be punished for choosing to walk away from the cowards.

Though it may seem otherwise, the film does not choose a side. It sees Tom’s dilemmas from a number of different angles and at one point even makes it obvious that given how serious the confrontation has become the safe option could be the most rational one for him and his family. This type of honest cynicism is unexpected, but probably not too surprising considering the fact that Karel Reisz’s classic kitchen-sink drama Saturday Night and Sunday Morning was released at approximately the same time.

Before switching to directing, Guy Green worked as camera operator and cinematographer. He lensed a number of David Lean’s early films, including Great Expectations and Oliver Twist, as well as Raoul Walsh’s Captain Horatio Hornblower.

The Angry Silence Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1 encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Guy Green's The Angry Silence arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal.

The release is sourced from a very beautiful new 2K restoration. Excluding a few sightly uneven transitions -- which are natural for older films of this caliber -- the film looks exceptionally vibrant and notably healthy. Close-ups are consistently very impressive, making it easy to see even very small details and objects, while the wider shots boast excellent clarity and fluidity (see screencaptures #3 and 18). The film is wonderfully lit and the new restoration also makes it easy to appreciate the various light/shadow nuances that are captured by Arthur Ibbetson's camera. There are no traces of problematic degraining corrections. The grain is very well exposed and resolved, never appearing patchy or smeared. There are no traces of compromising sharpening adjustments either. Debris, scratches, cuts, stains, damage marks and other age-related imperfections have been carefully removed. To sum it all up, this is yet another very strong technical presentation of a classic British film from StudioCanal that should delight its fans. (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).

The Angry Silence Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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 use of music is limited, but during select sequences it does have a noticeable impact. (Typically, it further enhances the dramatic atmosphere). Unsurprisingly, dynamic intensity is quite modest. On the other hand, separation and clarity are excellent. The mid-range and high-frequencies could be a bit thin at times, but it is clear that these are sporadic source limitations. The dialog is very crisp, clean, stable, and easy to to follow.

The Angry Silence Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original trailer for The Angry Silence. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Interview with Michael Craig - in this brand new video interview, actor Michael Craig (Joe Wallace) recalls how the initial concept for The Angry Silence emerged during the shooting of Sea of Sand in Tripoli, and discusses Guy Green's working methods, including his work with David Lean, the casting process, the on-location shoots in Ipswich, the film's distribution history, etc. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

• Interview with Nanette Newman - in this new video interview, actress Nanette Newman (The Raging Moon, The Stepford Wives) discusses the creative environment in England during the 1960s and the production history of The Angry Silence. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

The Angry Silence Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Richard Attenborough is terrific as Tom Curtis, a factory worker who refuses to participate in a wildcat strike staged by some shady union bosses. Soon after, he becomes a target and is forced to defend himself and his family. The Angry Silence is directed by Guy Green, who lensed a number of David Lean' early films, including the classic Great Expectations, for which he won an Oscar Award. StudioCanal's new Blu-ray release is sourced from a beautiful new 2K restoration of the film, which should remain its definitive presentation on the home video market. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.