6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
An American agent hires a contract killer to get rid of a ruthless drug kingpin, but the contract killer turns out to be an old friend.
Starring: Michael Caine, Anthony Quinn, James Mason (I), Maurice Ronet, Alexandra StewartDrama | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Robert Parrish's "The Destructors" a.k.a. "The Marseille Contract" (1974) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The only supplemental features on the disc are two original trailers. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
The American
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Robert Parrish's The Destructors arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.
The release is sourced from a new master -- not from a large-scale restoration project -- and the bulk of it looks quite healthy. Most close-ups typically convey decent depth and the large panoramic shots boast good clarity. Contrast levels remain stable throughout the entire film. Though saturation could be better, color reproduction is also good. This being said, the film could look somewhat soft at times. This isn't something that would affect your viewing experience, but the encoding could have been optimized for better results. The good news here is that there are no traces of recent compromising degraining and sharpening adjustments. Naturally, even though the film could look more vibrant, it still has a nice organic appearance. For the record, a couple of small stains and flecks can be seen, but there are no large cuts, damage marks, or debris to report in our review. All in all, the Blu-ray most certainly represents a good upgrade in quality over the previous MOD release of the film. (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).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles have not been provided for the main feature.
Depth and clarity are good. During the chase sequence, for instance, it is easy to tell that the mid and high-frequencies have benefited from the lossless treatment as balance remains good. Roy Budd's score is also given plenty of room to breathe. Ideally, however, the film should have a fully remastered mono track, as well as optional subtitles for those that need them.
Robert Parrish's The Destructors has the relaxed pace and atmosphere that define many of the films Jose Giovanni was involved with. I think that it is quite elegant and perfect to see late at night. It initially appeared on DVD via MGM's on-demand program, but now Kino Lorber are bringing it to Blu-ray. The film could look better in high-definition, but the current presentation is fine. RECOMMENDED.
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