7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A series of brutal murders of women in Boston sparks a complex manhunt.
Starring: Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda, George Kennedy, Mike Kellin, Hurd HatfieldFilm-Noir | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
French
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Richard Fleischer's "The Boston Strangler" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French label Carlotta Films. The supplemental features on the disc include the film's original theatrical trailer; conversation with director William Friedkin; and Robert Fischer's documentary film "Real Killer, Fake Nose", featuring interviews with Mark Fleischer, director of photography Richard H. Kline, and actress Sally Kellerman. In English, with optional French subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
What color?
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Richard Fleischer's The Boston Strangler arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French label Carlotta Films.
The high-definition transfer is pleasing, but it is somewhat inconsistent. Where there is plenty of light, detail and clarity are typically very good (see screencapture #5). However, there are small portions of the film where depth isn't overly impressive. Shadow definition, in particular, lacks the type of sharpness one would expect to see from a strong high-definition transfer (see screencapture #13). On the other hand, the film does have stable organic look. There are no traces of excessive degraining. Also, heavy noise does not overwhelm the grain. Edge-enhancement is also not a serious issue of concern. Generally speaking, colors are stable and natural, but saturation could be more convincing. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues to report in this review. Also, there are a few minor flecks that pop up here and there, but large debris, cuts, or damage marks are nowhere to be seen. All in all, the Blu-ray release clearly represents a good upgrade in quality over the old R1 DVD release Twentieth Century Fox produced some years ago. However, I feel that there is still room for some minor improvements. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and French DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0. For the record, Carlotta Films have provided optional French subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.
The lossless English track represents a major step up in quality. The sound is unquestionably clearer and sharper. This is very easy to hear if one compares the footage with the split screens. Here the sound effects are better isolated. The dialog is also crisper. There are no problematic distortions or audio dropouts.
The events chronicled in Richard Fleischer's The Boston Strangler are well known, but I still think that the film is quite unpredictable. It is shot in a way which I think will surprise quite a few viewers that haven't seen it before. Kudos to Carlotta Films for bringing it to Blu-ray. I must also say that I really enjoyed the supplemental features. The interview with the very enthusiastic William Friedkin, in particular, is outstanding. RECOMMENDED.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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