6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Hollywood legend James Coburn (Harry in Your Pocket) stars as Robert Elliot, a former secret agent given the job opportunity of a lifetime: adviser to the President of the United States. However, he has some skeletons in his closet that need eliminating, namely the four people aware of his shady past. Elliot hatches a diabolical plot to get rid of his targets in one night, with no ties leading back to him... The Internecine Project is a nerve-shattering thriller that will grip you in suspense until the unpredictable surprise ending. The stellar cast includes Lee Grant (Damien: The Omen II), Harry Andrews (Too Late the Hero), Ian Hendry (Get Carter), Julian Glover (For Your Eyes Only) and Keenan Wynn (The Mechanic). Written by Jonathan Lynn (Clue) and Barry Levinson (Who?) and directed by Ken Hughes (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). Featuring a rousing score by the great Roy Budd (Get Carter, The Stone Killer, The Destructors) and stunningly shot by two-time Oscar winning Cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth (Cabaret, 2001: A Space Odyssey).
Starring: James Coburn, Lee Grant, Harry Andrews, Ian Hendry, Keenan WynnThriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
“The Internecine Project” offers a great premise that’s trapped inside an underwhelming film. The curiously titled 1974 thriller endeavors to arrange an evening of multiple murders overseen by a single, grandly manipulative man, but director Ken Hughes (working from a script co-written by Barry Levinson and Jonathan Lynn) generally downplays tension in a futile quest to transform simplicity into a labyrinth of motivations and second thoughts. “The Internecine Project” isn’t without effective scenes, but when one considers how bizarre the plot is, the effort should really be livelier.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides "The Internecine Project" with a satisfying degree of detail. It's a softly shot feature to begin with, not interested in sharpness, but the viewing experience is passable, finding fuzzy textures on sets and costuming, and facial particulars are accessible. Colors show some life, handling period hues with stability, though emphasis remains on a colder palette to set the murder scheme mood. Grain is present and filmic. Delineation is secure. Source is in proper shape, though speckling and scratches are detected, along with mild judder.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't provide the most comfortable listening event, but the basics remain acceptable, leading with dialogue exchanges that run a bit too sharp at times, but never lose intelligibility. Scoring isn't precise but weight is felt, with booming cellos setting the thriller tone, allowing the music to support without overwhelming the rest of the track. Atmospherics are equally thick, but group interactions and tight spaces are communicated. Hiss is detected throughout.
Perhaps in the too-cool 1970s, "The Internecine Project" couldn't reach its potential, but it's interesting to watch the script sell absurdities, including the use of a high-frequency weapon, which feels like something out of a James Bond production. "The Internecine Project" has a few highlights, and Coburn owns the movie from frame one, but it's not a feature that builds gradually before a masterful payoff.
1983
1965
1977
1990
Limited Edition
1969
The Domino Killings
1977
Limited Edition to 3000
1959
Warner Archive Collection
1964
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1941
1967
1968
Reissue
1989
2010
2015
1967
1965
1951
1966
1962
Special Edition
1967