Rating summary
| Movie |  | 3.5 |
| Video | | 3.5 |
| Audio |  | 4.0 |
| Extras |  | 1.0 |
| Overall | | 3.5 |
The Naked Face Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 14, 2014
It’s always been difficult to separate Roger Moore the everyday actor from his iconic turn as James Bond during the 1970s and ‘80s. 1984’s “The Naked Face” is a good reminder that Moore can act away from shaken martinis and exotic locations, doing the concerning psychoanalyst routine in this adaptation of Sidney Sheldon’s 1970 literary debut. Patient and subtle while his co-stars chew the scenery, Moore is a highlight in this effective mystery, which manages to achieve a sense of misdirection while openly detailing the face of the killer.
Written and directed by Bryan Forbes (“The Stepford Wives”), “The Naked Face” is a standard whodunit, pitting Moore’s Dr. Stevens, a reserved widower, against his roster of psychologically damaged patients, with a murderer out to kill the therapist for reasons that aren’t immediately understood. Clear as a bell is animosity emerging from Lt. McGreary (Rod Steiger), a bulldog cop who was burned by Dr. Stevens years ago, refusing to believe anything the man has to share about the ongoing crimes. Forbes maintains a decent rhythm to the case, focusing on secrets and dead bodies, while allowing Steiger to go absolutely crazy during his performance, qualifying for THX certification with his volume and dynamic range of hostility. It’s indulgent work, yet “The Naked Face” benefits from such showiness, adding a weird tension to the picture that keeps the audience guessing, even while Forbes openly reveals early on who’s putting in the physical effort to kill those close to Dr. Stevens. It’s a strange creative choice, taking away narrative options, but it hardly cripples the action.
The Naked Face Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation does register with some obvious age, finding hues slightly faded. Grain is heavy, lending the viewing experience a filmic texture, while fine detail is adequate for softer cinematography. Colors are best with bolder street lighting and set design, while skintones are natural. Blacks remain accessible, with satisfying delineation during evening sequences and low-lit chases. Damage is limited to speckling and scratches, but nothing that's distracting.
The Naked Face Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix retains its intended moods, nicely blending defined scoring cues with dialogue exchanges. While Steiger's roar pushes into extremity on occasion, the rest of the performances sound clean and real. Streetwise atmospherics are present, and there's no noticeable damage, avoiding intense hiss issues that typically hound catalog releases.
The Naked Face Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
- A Theatrical Trailer (2:11, HD) is included.
The Naked Face Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Although the climax doesn't satisfy, "The Naked Face" offers a blunt ending that does, hitting the viewer with sock-em stinger that revives a fatiguing film. With a cast that also included Elliot Gould and Art Carney, "The Naked Face" provides a rich sense of personality and idiosyncrasy, while Moore holds his position with dignity, committing to the stranger aspects of the mystery with understated work.
