The Assassination Bureau Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

The Assassination Bureau Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 24, 2021

Basil Dearden's "The Assassination Bureau" (1969) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include new program with critic Kim Newman; new audio commentary by critic Kevin Lyons; new visual essay by critic Kat Ellinger; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The best of the best

Do you know what is the difference between an assassin and a killer? Apparently, the former has principles. Also, a legit assassin is a professional who takes the act of killing very, very seriously and performs it only when necessary. A killer is someone who does not have the right understanding and appreciation of the act of killing. In other words, a killer is an amateur committing a hideous act. This quite peculiar explanation emerges in Basil Dearden’s film The Assassination Bureau and sounds very contemporary. It isn’t quite as original as the one that currently profiles pushers and drug dealers as undocumented pharmacists, but it certainly urges the mind to reimagine the act of killing the ‘right way’.

On the eve of World War I, investigative reporter Sonya Winter (Diana Rigg) decides to meet the world’s best assassins and trick them to prove that they are not killers. Soon after, she figures out how to get in touch with Ivan Dragomilov (Oliver Reed), who runs the extremely secretive Assassination Bureau that employs the world’s best assassins. In Dragomilov’s office, Winter then announces that she would like to use the bureau to take out a high-profile target that has brought to the world a great deal of suffering. When Dragomilov agrees to do the job, Winter calmly reveals the identity of the target -- it is him, the current leader of the assassins. Realizing that his reputation is on the line, Dragomilov accepts a standard contract with his name at the very top of it and during a business meeting, the bureau’s employees are made aware of it. However, before he leaves, Dragomilov makes it clear that he intends to stay alive so that he can continue running the bureau, meaning that as its chairman he would have to take executive action and replace all of its current employees. Soon after, while followed closely by Winter who needs to see that the two sides aren’t cheating, Dragomilov begins engaging his employees in some of Europe’s greatest cities.

The bulk of the original material for The Assassination Bureau came from an unfinished novel by Jack London which was adapted by Michael Relph, who a few decades earlier had produced the classic dark comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets. Relph’s screenplay must have been quite unusual because the tone and attitude of The Assassination Bureau are very unusual for the 1960s and quite unpredictable. Indeed, once the main conflict is established it feels like the film is about to head down a familiar path, but instead the chairman’s encounters with his employees are used to twist all sorts of different popular cliches about integrity, allegiance, courage, trust, and of course romance.

Occasionally, the satire that holds the wild narrative together can get a bit silly, but it never becomes grotesque or off-putting. There is always plenty of lightness in it that ultimately makes the film attractive.

It should be underscored that the film was shot with a big budget and at some genuinely gorgeous locations across Europe as well. It is why the period glamour in it is often quite striking -- the expensive costumes and decors look and feel perfect when the old structures that emerge before the camera are one hundred percent authentic.

In addition to Reed and Rigg, the cast includes such terrific character actors as Philippe Noiret, Curd Jurgens, Telly Savalas, Vernon Dobtcheff, and Warren Mitchell. The Italian beauty Annabella Incontrera just about manages to overshadow Rigg as well.

Dearden had requested and was able to secure the services of cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth, who had just finished working with Stanley Kubrick on the classic sci-fi thriller 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The Assassination Bureau Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MEPG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Assassination Bureau arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.

The release is sourced from a very old master that was supplied by Paramount Pictures. While I did not see any traces of troubling digital corrections, the current master quite simply does not have the strong organic qualities to produce a pleasing presentation of the film. Indeed, while plenty of close-ups can appear decent, wider outdoor and indoor footage usually struggles with mediocre delineation and depth. In fact, some of the indoor footage where light is captured in very particular ways actually does not look good at all. There is just not enough proper detail there, plus contracts and highlights can be be all over the place. Colors are mostly decent, but this is another area of the presentation where serious improvements can be made. Image stability is good, but there are some shaky bits that pop up here and there. Lastly, minor scratches and dirt can be seen, but there are no large cuts, damage marks, or torn frames to report. So, the current master reveals plenty of serious limitations and gives the film a very dated appearance. The good news is that most of the visuals still have some filmic qualities, but I don't think that they are consistent enough. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Assassination Bureau 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 dialog is clear and easy to follow. However, from time to time it becomes notably thin. This isn't an inherited limitation, rather the existing track simply reveals signs of ageing. Does it become distracting? No. Once you start viewing the film, you will just notice that as they action moves from one location to another the audio can be a bit uneven. There are no audio dropouts, pops, or distortions to report in our review.

The Assassination Bureau Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for The Assassination Bureau. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Diana Rigg: A Tribute" - presented here is a brand new visual essay that focuses on the life and legacy of actress Diana Rigg. The essay was prepared by critic Kat Ellinger. In English, not subtitled. (24 min).

• Kim Newman on The Assassination Bureau - in this new video program, critic Kim Newman discusses the conception of The Assassination Bureau and specifically its link to Jack London's writings, the film's sense of humor and style, as well as some of its key themes. Mr. Newman also speculates that Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows borrows rather heavily from The Assassination Bureau. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Commentary - in this new audio commentary, critic Kevin Lyons discusses some of the key differences between Jack London's novel and The Assassination Bureau, the casting choices, the film's genre identity and its lavish period appearance, Michael Relph's screenplay as well as the evolution of his career, some of the key locations where the film was shot, etc.

The Assassination Bureau Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Once the killing contract is accepted, The Assassination Bureau reveals a sense of humor that is surprisingly refreshing. Indeed, there are a number of sequences where if you listen carefully to what is said it almost sounds like some of the main characters are satirizing the contemporary elitists and their typically hypocritical views and actions. However, the great old-fashioned action effectively prevents the film from becoming a full-blown political satire. This recent release is sourced from an old and regrettably quite shaky master that was supplied by Paramount. If you enjoy the film you should consider picking it up because there are some very nice bonus features on it, but eventually, you will end up upgrading it. No, I don't know if Paramount plans to restore the film in 4K, and in fact, I am quite certain that without Via Vision Entertainment's release it will still be missing from the market. However, it is a big-budget film that can and should look a lot better, so I assume that at some point in the future it will get a proper makeover. RECOMMENDED.