7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A landlady suspects her new lodger is Jack the Ripper.
Starring: Merle Oberon, George Sanders (I), Laird Cregar, Cedric Hardwicke, Sara AllgoodThriller | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Horror | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
BDInfo
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
1944’s “The Lodger” is often regarded as one of the greatest takes on the Jack the Ripper case, exploring the wrath of a famous serial killer with a semi-compassionate look at mental illness. Granted, the competition isn’t all that impressive (including 2001’s “From Hell”), but “The Lodger” taps into a psychological stream that’s often riveting to watch, backed beautifully by director John Brahm’s atmospheric take on 19th century London and its tight-jawed slide into chaos.
Bringing a decade-old restoration to Blu-ray, the AVC encoded image (1.34:1 aspect ratio) presentation of "The Lodger" doesn't shine as brightly as it could in HD, looking like only a marginal upgrade from previous DVD releases. Sharpness isn't as precise as it could be, even with inherent age-related issues, though detail isn't completely absent. It's a softly shot picture to begin with, with copious amounts of fog, but some textures remain, mostly on costuming and set decoration. Delineation isn't threatened, handling shadowy encounters to satisfaction. Source is in rough shape at times, with scratches and speckling a constant presence.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix can be frustrating, as age hasn't been kind to "The Lodger." Intelligibility isn't horrible, but sound levels fluctuate throughout, generating an uneven listening experience, with the occasional, very brief, dropout. Scoring reaches a few distortive extremes, with a blown-out quality that wipes out instrumentation. Musical performances fair a little better, offering more defined vocals. Hiss and pops are constant throughout the listening event.
"The Lodger" evolves into a detective story, with Scotland Yard on the case, gathering clues around town as victims pile up. However, the picture is stronger in more contemplative moments, studying the evil churning inside Slade before he kills again. Brahm creates a nightmare space for "The Lodger," and he toys with tension effectively, constructing a different consideration of Jack the Ripper's motivation and rampage, employing an unusual mix of unease and understanding.
1944
Indicator Series | Limited Edition
1949
Standard Edition
1959
1979
1965
1971
1946
2001
A Strange Case of Murder / Angel Street / SD
1940
Limited Edition to 3000
1968
Sherlock Holmes
1939
1948
1980
1947
1942
1993
1970
1945
2016
Warner Archive Collection
1932