Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

The Ipcress File Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 28, 2009

Elegantly-dressed, sharp-witted, and quick with the gun agents get involved in a complex game of cat and mouse in Sidney J. Furie’s old-fashioned spy thriller “The Ipcress File” (1965). The film was produced by the legendary Harry Salzman who during the same year “The Ipcress File” premiered put the finishing touches on the now classic Bond extravaganza “Thunderball” (1965). Courtesy of UK-based distributors ITV DVD.

Agent Harry Palmer

Intelligence agent Harry Palmer (Michael Cane) is promoted and given a new assignment during the same day. He is ordered to track the whereabouts of a prominent Western scientist who has suddenly disappeared.

After a long and much confusing investigation Harry Palmer delivers the missing scientist to his superiors. Unfortunately, his memory has been wiped out and the man is unable to recall who his abductors were. Determined to find out what has happened, Harry Palmer goes back on the streets.

Sidney J. Furie's The Ipcress File has all the ingredients a good spy thriller needs -- an intriguing story with multiple twists, convincing characters, and fantastic atmosphere. The film also boasts strong cinematography by Otto Heller. Light and shadow are carefully managed to heighten the tension, while the bold framing choices give the film a sleek period appearance.

Based on the novel by Len Deighton -- who a year later would publish A Funeral in Berlin which was also made into a film with Michael Cane in the key role -- and a screenplay by Bill Canaway and James Doran, The Ipcress File is impossible to analyze without comparing it to Terence Young’s Thunderball. Indeed, the two films were completed months apart from each other and their main characters were both secret agents with an attitude.

Yet, there are some key differences between the agents played by Sean Connery and Michael Caine. James Bond epitomized the ultimate British spy -- an intelligent and never-failing bachelor with a great sense of style who always knew how to deal with his opponents. These are qualities Harry Palmer simply does not have. In The Ipcress File he is often clueless, trying too hard to impress the opposite sex, and with an off-beat sense of humor that hardly anyone gets. Furthermore, large parts of The Ipcress File are lensed with such attention to detail that at times it is difficult to embrace it as a straightforward spy thriller. There is plenty of action and proper intrigues, but the entire film actually comfortably borrows elements from a number of other genres.

The film's fluid style, however, isn't a weakness. On the contrary, it gives it a certain charm that not too many similarly-themed films from the same era have. (Its follow-up, for instance, Guy Hamilton’s Funeral in Berlin, is a far colder and much more straightforward film). The mystery element is well built upon and excluding a few questionable transitions, such as the decision to abruptly move the action from London to Albania, Michael Caine’s struggle to unlock the Ipcress enigma is indeed quite fascinating to behold.

The Ipcress File Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-2, and granted a 1080p transfer Sidney J. Furie's The Ipcress File arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors ITV DVD.

There is a substantial difference in quality between Anchor Bay's old DVD release and ITV's Blu-ray release. Contrast, color reproduction, and clarity are notably better on the Blu-ray release. It is fairly obvious that a lot of the specks and debris that are present on the DVD release have been removed as well. Grain is visible, but there is quite a bit of noise that is mixed with it. A lot of it seems to be popping up during the outdoor daylight scenes, and I assume that the larger your screen is, the easier it will be for you to notice it. Still, it never actually becomes overly distracting. Depth is decent, but it could be better. Image stability is very good. Colors are stable and natural, though saturation can be more convincing. Finally, image stability is very good. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release which you will be able to play on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

The Ipcress File Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English Dolby Digital 5.1 and English Dolby Digital 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Both tracks do a fairly good job of capturing the spirit of this film. The music soundtrack, in particular, comes off the speakers very nicely. There is nothing really excessive in The Ipcress File, so more or less the audio tracks provided by ITV seem rather adequate. I did some random comparisons between the two, and to be honest I did not detect a huge gap in quality. There is slightly more movement in the rear channels on the 5.1 track, but nothing that would enhance your viewing experience dramatically. The dialog is clear and very easy to follow. Lastly, I did not detect any pops, cracks, or hiss to report here.

The Ipcress File Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, aside from a gallery of stills and the original theatrical trailer for The Ipcress File there is absolutely nothing else to be found on this Blu-ray disc.

The Ipcress File Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

An entertaining spy-thriller with an appealing story, Sidney J. Furie' The Ipcress File arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of ITV DVD. Unlike what a number of reviews state, the transfer provided by the British distributors is not only far from being disappointing, it is actually a substantial improvement over previous DVD releases. Practically everything on the Blu-ray looks and sounds better. RECOMMENDED.