Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.0

The Domino Principle Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 8, 2023

Stanley Kramer's "The Domino Principle" (1977) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary by critics Howard S. Berger and David Nicholson-Fajardo; new program with Karen Kramer; vintage theatrical trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Someone else should have directed The Domino Principle. You can tell from a mile away that Stanley Kramer wanted to make a film that would comfortably fit between The Parallax View and The Conversation and did not know how to make its paranoia appear authentic. Gene Hackman does some predictably good work in it, but Kramer simply drags him from one situation to another, and it quickly becomes obvious that the two are following a mediocre screenplay. The Parallax View and The Conversation unmask that most dangerous game where they can do anything they want and kill anyone they wish. Kramer refers to them as they too, but does not understand the power structure they represent.

A couple of guys wearing expensive suits offer to help Tucker (Hackman), a Vietnam vet with special skills, get out of San Quentin if he agrees to do a job for them. They do not reveal who they work for, but demonstrate to Tucker that they can make the warden assist them in any way they need. Tucker reluctantly agrees and then negotiates the release of his good pal, Spiventa (Mickey Rooney), who has been dying to reclaim his freedom. The guys with the expensive suits then arrange the escape with the warden and at the right time Tucker and Spiventa jump into a truck that supplies San Quentin with fresh bread. But when the truck reaches its destination, a previously arranged drop-off spot, the new guys that greet Tucker on behalf of his employers shoot Spiventa dead.

Shortly after, Tucker is transported to a hotel room, where he is given fake documents with a brand new identity and instructed where and how to reunite with his wife (Candice Bergen). At an exotic location, Tucker is greeted by his wife, who wrongfully assumes that his employers are part of a legal team that has worked hard to prove that his prison sentence was undeserved. Eventually, Tucker is summoned again by his employers and told what the job he was hired to do entails -- killing the President of the United States of America.

The screenplay is a hot mess. However, it is very difficult to tell whether Adam Kennedy did a poor job adapting his novel, or Kramer altered too much and ended up working with material that simply was not good enough. For example, very large parts of the narrative are oddly mismanaged, emphasizing melodrama that instantly erodes the integrity of the paranoia. Also, a lot is intentionally kept vague, but instead of helping the paranoia, it makes it look out of sync with all kinds of different developments.

All the key characters are unbelievable. They are supposed to be very intelligent people who understand how the game of manipulation is played by government figures with broad powers, but their decisions are awful. This is a very big problem in this film because it quickly becomes too obvious that the awful decisions are made only so that these characters transition from one situation to another. Unsurprisingly, the quality of the dialog is negatively impacted as well.

Hackman has been very critical of the film, but he is the one actor that makes select sequences look good. The best of these sequences is during the final act, where he is handed an automatic rifle and flown over a secluded mansion where the President is vacationing. Richard Widmark, Elli Wallach, and Eddie Albert visibly struggle with their characters.

Kramer worked with two outstanding cinematographers, Ernest Laszlo and Fred Koenenkamp, but excluding the beach footage with the flying helicopter, the rest of the film looks very ordinary.

*The Domino Principle is one of four films that are included in the four-disc box set Film Focus: Gene Hackman. The other three films are: I Never Sang for My Father (1970), Bite the Bullet (1975), and March or Die (1977).

The Domino Principle Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Domino Principle arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

The release is sourced from an older master with some quite obvious limitations. For example, while most close-ups can look pleasing, panoramic shots struggle to convey proper delineation and depth. Clarity and sharpness can fluctuate as well, though both are more convincing. Color reproduction can be better. Balance is stable, but saturation levels are underwhelming. Some supporting nuances are particularly weak. Grain exposure is decent at best. In some larger panoramic shots, for instance, grain can appear lumpy, even a tad smeary. Image stability is good. I noticed a few white flecks, but there are no large cuts, debris, warped or torn frames to report. My score is 3.25/5.00. (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 Domino Principle 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.

All exchanges were clear and easy to follow. Stability is good, too. However, in some areas, the sound does feel a bit too thin, so I wonder if a remastering job can introduce some meaningful improvements. Dynamic intensity is good, especially in areas where the music has an important role to play, or there is plenty of action. But the native limitations of the soundtrack are quite obvious as well.

The Domino Principle Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Theatrical Trailer - presented here is a vintage U.S. theatrical trailer for The Domino Principle. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Howard S. Berger and David Nicholson-Fajardo.

• "Stanley Kramer: Man Out of Time" - this exclusive new video essay was created by critic Howard S. Berger. In English, not subtitled. (24 min).

• "The Devil's Advocate" - in this new program, Karen Kramer discusses the life and work of her late husband, Stanley Kramer. In English, not subtitled. (53 min).

• "The Manipulators: Behind the Scenes on The Domino Principle" - an archival featurette with raw footage from the shooting of The Domino Principle and clips from archival interviews with some of the stars. In English, not subtitled (8 min).

The Domino Principle Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Too much of what is supposed to make The Domino Principle thought-provoking and exciting does not work at all. Most of the time, it feels like the film moves through scripted situations where its characters make awful decisions to promote paranoia that never becomes authentic. It is pretty easy to tell that Stanley Kramer attempted to make a film that would comfortably fit between The Parallax View and The Conversation, but the gap in quality between these films is quite dramatic. This release is included in Film Focus: Gene Hackman, a four-disc box set.