The Ipcress File Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

The Ipcress File Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 23, 2015

Sidney J. Furie's "The Ipcress File" (1965) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Network Releasing. The supplemental features on the disc include plenty of promotional materials; exclusive video interview with Michael Caine; audio commentary with director Sidney J. Furie abd film editor Peter Hunt; exclusive video interview with production designer Sir Ken Adam; and a lot more. The release also arrives with a 22-page illustrated booklet featuring Christopher Bray's essay "A Different Class - Michael Caine and The Ipcress File", Steve Rogers' essay ""A Study in Insolence - The Making of The Ipcress File"; and technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Harry Palmer

Intelligence agent Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) 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 confusing investigation Palmer delivers the missing scientist to his superiors. Unfortunately, his memory has been wiped out and he is unable to recall who his abductors were. Determined to find out what has happened, Palmer then goes back on the streets and begins digging for clues.

Sidney J. Furie's The Ipcress File has all the key 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 Caine 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.

But there are some key differences between the two agents. 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 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 quite 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. (Guy Hamilton’s Funeral in Berlin, for instance, is a far colder and much more straightforward film). The mystery puzzle is very nicely crafted and excluding a few questionable transitions, such as the decision to abruptly move the action from London to Albania, 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-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Sidney J. Furie's The Ipcress File arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Network Releasing.

The release appears to have been sourced from the same master that was used for the and now old out-of-print release, which ITV produced in 2008. Generally speaking, depth and clarity remain pleasing throughout the entire film. Grain is visible, but it is mixed with some very light noise and more often than not the film does look a bit soft. The good news here is that there really aren't any major anomalies to report. Colors are stable and natural, but saturation could be better. Image stability is very good. There are no large cuts, damage marks, debris, or torn frames to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B player in order to access its content).

The Ipcress File Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0 (Mono) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The inclusion of the lossless 2.0 track makes quite a difference (the old out-of-print release has two lossy tracks). While the range of nuanced dynamics remains rather limited, depth is definitely better. Balance is also better, which is why I actually prefer the 2.0 track. There are no pops, distracting background hiss, audio dropouts, or digital distortions to report in our review.

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

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for The Ipcress File. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Original U.S. Radio Commercials - In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Production Image Gallery - a collection of production stills. Black-and-white/Color. (3 min).

• Behind the Scenes Image Gallery - Black-and-white. (3 min).

• Portrait Image Gallery - Color/Black-and-white. (2 min).

• Promotional Image Gallery - collection of posters, magazine clips, lobby cards, and more. (2 min).

• Textless Material - (4 min).

• Candid Caine (1969) - in this archival documentary, Michael Caine discusses his working methods, his background, and acting career. In English, not subtitled. (45 min).

• The Ipcress File: Michael Caine Goes Stella - an exclusive comedy sketch. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Interview with Production Designer Ken Adam - in this exclusive video interview, production designer Ken Adam discusses his contribution to The Ipcress File and its production history. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• Interview with Michael Caine - in this exclusive interview, Michael Caine recalls how he was approached and asked to play Harry Palmer, and discusses his interactions with the rest of the cast members, the film's production history, etc. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• Commentary - audio commentary with director Sidney J. Furie and film editor Peter Hunt.

• Booklet - 22-page illustrated booklet featuring Christopher Bray's essay "A Different Class - Michael Caine and The Ipcress File", Steve Rogers' essay ""A Study in Insolence - The Making of The Ipcress File"; and technical credits.

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

Even though Network's release of The Ipcress File appears to have been sourced from the same master that was used for the old out-of-print release, I have to say that the presentation here is vastly superior. Indeed, this release has a lossless audio track and very good selection of informative supplemental features. Even if you have the previous release, consider an upgrade. RECOMMENDED.