The Man Who Haunted Himself Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

The Man Who Haunted Himself Blu-ray Movie Review

A haunting genre film with a compelling concept surrounding doppelgangers

The Man Who Haunted Himself is an entertaining thriller about a high-class business executive, Pelham (Roger Moore, in a pre-007 role). The film centers upon the surprising twists and turns that Pelham encounters after getting into a terrible car accident at the beginning of the story. Based upon the story “The Case of Mr. Pelham” as written by by Anthony Armstrong, The Man Who Haunted Himself is a haunting good time at the movies.

The world turns itself upside down as it starts to seem as though a mysterious doppelganger is now leading Pelham's life for him: taking over duties at his job and even starting up a romance with his beautiful young wife, Eve (Hildegard Neil). Is this simply a case of a mistaken identity or is Pelham starting to lose his mind? As the mystery unravels, the depths of Pelham's mind lead to a frenzied and chaotic mind-bender.

The idea of a doppelganger co-existing at the same time is a intriguing concept. As the story unfolds, it plays out with the air of being in the same vein of a episode of The Twilight Zone. This makes for some good, old-fashioned thrills with the storytelling carrying a genre-bending tone that is eerily supernatural feeling. The film has a fun concept which is well executed by screenwriters Basil Dearden and Michael Relph (I Believe in You).

The score by Michael J. Lewis (Sphinx) sets an eerie tone which feels well-matched to the film's smart stylistic cinematography by Tony Spratling (Edge of Sanity). The cinematography is well utilized with the use of the special-effects team also leading to some impressive moments which are truly unique and impressive.

The way in which the doppelganger image repeats itself in the car mirror (as seen in screenshot #5) during some of the film's key moments feels altogether experimental and sophisticated. These are complex effects shots which are small feats of technical wizardry that work all the better with the combined efforts of the cinematographer and the special effects technicians. The film editing by Teddy Darvas (Tales from the Crypt, Judgment in Berlin) is a technical marvel with the fast-paced cuts during the road scenes making for a more tension-filled and dramatic experience.

Directed by Basil Dearden (Dead of Night), The Man Who Haunted Himself is the filmmaker's swan song as his final feature-film in his long pantheon of motion-pictures. The stylistic approach to the storytelling makes this a far more entertaining and enjoyable genre film. (Take, for example, the incredible use of image composition and direction during the frenzied driving sequences as Pelham loses his control of the vehicle.)

The Man Who Haunted Himself makes for a fun Saturday matinee. Roger Moore delivers one of his best performances in his role. Although Moore was often cast in films before his iconic turn as the super-spy James Bond for his looks, Moore actually had the chops to make for a compelling dramatic actor as well. For genre fans seeking a psychological thriller with creative direction and storytelling, it's easy to recommend the thrills of The Man Who Haunted Himself.

The Man Who Haunted Himself Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Man Who Haunted Himself arrives on Blu-ray from Kino with a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. This is a surprisingly strong presentation for this underrated gem. The video looks sharp and quite naturalistic. The transfer used beautifully reproduces the film grain on the image. The detail in the textures of the sequences is rich. The image is also remarkably clean and free from much in the way of print wear or damage. The one drawback is that the colors are somewhat subdued and are not as strong as one might like. Black levels are also imperfect. However, all things considered, The Man Who Haunted Himself looks remarkably good given the print utilized. Fans will certainly be pleased with this high-definition upgrade.

The Man Who Haunted Himself Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio is presented with a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo audio presentation. This is a decent high-resolution boost with better dynamics. The dialogue is always crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The sound effects are well engaged and utilized for a stereo presentation. The overall fidelity of the audio might lack the finesse or clarity of a modern production, but the track is still excellent and is free from distracting hiss or cracks. Kino has done a great job.

The Man Who Haunted Himself Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with Roger Moore, writer/producer Bryan Forbes, and journalist Jonathan Sothcott

Masters of Horror: Joe Dante and Stuart Gordon on The Man Who Haunted Himself (SD, 18 min. 7 sec.) is a highly entertaining and engaging featurette with two great filmmakers discussing the film's impact on them and why it still holds staying power as a genre film after all these years. Any film buff would find this to be an absorbing and intellectual experience worth checking out.

Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3 min. 9 sec.)

The Man Who Haunted Himself Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Genre fans are in for a treat with the superbly crafted The Man Who Haunted Himself. It's an offbeat thriller which hits all the right notes. With a top-notch performance from 007 himself (Roger Moore) and a fun score by Michael J. Lewis, director Basil Dearden's final feature is a must-see for fans of star Roger Moore and for those looking for a fun genre excursion. Kino's release includes a strong presentation and some quality supplemental materials. This release comes recommended.